Results 121-140 of 317 for speaker:Duncan Smith

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (17 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: 617. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide an update on an individual's application under the Turkish Association Agreement (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32230/25]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Agreements (17 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: 634. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if there is a limit on the number of Palestinian citizens that are minors allowed to enter the State on a short stay visa in a calendar year; the regulations underpinning the limitation of Palestinian minors entering the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32557/25]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Air Corps (12 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: Indeed. The fact that this had to take place outside of collective agreements highlights how unusual it is, and I acknowledge the Tánaiste's action on this. However, the reason this has happened is underpinned by a structural issue in terms of our airfields in the Dublin region, specifically Weston aerodrome. The Irish Times has reported that we have been losing technicians to the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Air Corps (12 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: That is encouraging but, again, when commercial interests impact critical public services such as what should be operating out of Baldonnel, the State needs to act and look at those structural problems. One of them is the Coast Guard contract. It has been well debated here and in committee in the last Dáil and will be again. We have nearly €750 million of public funds helping...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: That is interesting. Is it the Tánaiste's hope or expectation that the Commission will bring some options to the Foreign Affairs Council meeting on Monday week? The occupied territories Bill will be coming forward. I am sure the Tánaiste's attention has been drawn to the legal action that has been taken by a transnational group of lawyers against Airbnb due to its operation of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Air Corps (12 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: 11. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the urgent actions he and his Department will take to ensure that the 505 squadron at Casement Aerodrome at Baldonnel is fully staffed and will not be forced to continue to operate at 50% capacity and a reduced flying schedule; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29865/25]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Air Corps (12 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: What urgent actions will the Tánaiste and his Department take to ensure that the 505 squadron at Casement Aerodrome at Baldonnel is fully staffed and will not be forced to continue to operate at 50% capacity and at a reduced flying schedule?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: 10. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence to provide an update on the incident in southern Lebanon where Irish peacekeepers came under fire from the Israel Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29866/25]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: This question is on the shots fired at our peacekeeping soldiers in Lebanon. Will the Tánaiste provide a comment on this?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: I thank the Tánaiste and I welcome the swift and stern diplomatic response we had to this incident through the United Nations. As the Tánaiste has said, this is a pattern of behaviour. There is no sense this pattern will stop. We are lucky there were no injuries or loss of life but if, God forbid, we see further instances such as this or an escalation, what is open to us as a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Military Neutrality (12 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: I am disappointed in how the heads of the Bill have been presented. I think there is support for 80% or 90% of what needs to be achieved in terms of our national security, or we could at least reach accommodations, such as on the extraction of our citizens from war zones. The Tánaiste will launch the national maritime strategy today, which I welcome and is much needed. There is an...

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: I apologise for being delayed. I was asking defence questions in the Dáil before coming to the committee. I have a couple of questions I will put first to Dr. Devine. She finished her opening statement by saying that arguably the Government has no legal right to destroy the triple lock. If the Government Bill goes through more or less unamended or in its presented form, how likely is...

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: The first is to Dr. Devine and then to the panel for the last question. Actually, I have one more for Dr. Devine. I ask her to expand on the relationship between the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the removal of the triple lock. I am interested in that point and I did not quite get what the relationship was.

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: It does.

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: How does that relate to the prohibition of nuclear weapons?

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: I do not believe that is very helpful for this debate. Like Dr. Devine and the other panellists, I vehemently want to keep the triple lock. In the context of conflating something like the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, I cannot see any circumstance where we would resile from our commitment to abolish nuclear weapons or abolish them from the planet. It is almost stronger than...

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: May I make raise a point of order arising from what Senator Kyne has said? It is important for this and future discussions. The Senator said he is not aware of anyone who is in favour of Ireland joining NATO. The Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, has stated publicly his personal opinion that he would be in favour of joining NATO. That is important because he is a senior member of the...

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: No. I just think that is important.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: 76. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence to outline any plans he has to improve pay and conditions for members of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29867/25]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (12 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: 400. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to examine the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31431/25]