Results 281-300 of 20,907 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: High-Level Action Plan for the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces: Discussion (30 May 2023)

Charles Flanagan: Yes, but if we are going to do this based on single questions, we will be here for a long time. I invite Ms Sinnamon to answer Deputy Carthy's specific question. I will then go back to the Deputy for further questions and then call Deputy Berry.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: High-Level Action Plan for the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces: Discussion (30 May 2023)

Charles Flanagan: I thank Deputy Berry. There are a lot of issues there Ms Sinnamon.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: High-Level Action Plan for the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces: Discussion (30 May 2023)

Charles Flanagan: I am not going to pre-empt what the chair of the implementation oversight group is going to say in response to Senator Craughwell. However, it strikes me that there are some issues, the detail of which might not be over the work programme of the committee. In any event, I will allow Ms Sinnamon to respond.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: High-Level Action Plan for the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces: Discussion (30 May 2023)

Charles Flanagan: I will come back to Deputy Carthy in a minute. I convey to the chair of the oversight group a certain level of frustration on the part of members, which I am sure has been evident during this hearing. We have been involved since the commission was sitting. We had a very useful engagement with the chair of the commission and we made our contributions. We monitored the workings. Some...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: High-Level Action Plan for the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces: Discussion (30 May 2023)

Charles Flanagan: I thank Ms Sinnamon, Mr. Murtagh and Mr. Byrne. On behalf of the committee, I express our appreciation to Ms Sinnamon not only for her comprehensive opening statement but also for the manner in which she dealt with our questions and for her offer to come back. We will gladly accept it, perhaps at the end of the year or in the new year. In the meantime, we wish the IOG every success and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Disinformation and Hybrid Threats in a Geopolitical Context: Discussion (16 May 2023)

Charles Flanagan: Apologies have been received from Deputy Carthy, who is currently in the Dáil and will join us later. Apologies have also been received from Senators Ó Donnghaile, Ardagh and Craughwell. Our main agenda item this afternoon is disinformation and hybrid threats, including in the context of the ever-changing landscape of Europe and the consequent geopolitical shifts. I am pleased to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Disinformation and Hybrid Threats in a Geopolitical Context: Discussion (16 May 2023)

Charles Flanagan: I thank Professor Laffan. We covered a wide range of issues, all of which are of critical importance to Ireland. That is why the three submissions, albeit somewhat different in emphasis, are all of great importance and interest to committee members. I will commence with Deputy Lawless, followed by Deputy Berry, Senator Joe O'Reilly and Deputy Stanton.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Disinformation and Hybrid Threats in a Geopolitical Context: Discussion (16 May 2023)

Charles Flanagan: I was not aware that Deputy Lawless was going to leave us after putting his questions, but I would ask him to stay until he hears the answers. In that regard, I will not group any questions. I ask our guests to deal now with the three questions Deputy Lawless posed, after which I will come back to Deputy Berry.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Disinformation and Hybrid Threats in a Geopolitical Context: Discussion (16 May 2023)

Charles Flanagan: I will go to Senator Joe O'Reilly next but I am conscious that Professor Laffan has indicated she may need to leave in the next 15 minutes. If Senator O'Reilly does not mind, I have three brief questions of an EU political nature. We do not often have the opportunity of Professor Laffan sharing her expertise and experience with us. I ask Senator O'Reilly and Deputy Stanton to forgive me...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Disinformation and Hybrid Threats in a Geopolitical Context: Discussion (16 May 2023)

Charles Flanagan: We are approaching 5 p.m. I have two brief questions and then I suggest we bring matters to a conclusion. I thank our guests for their papers and their engagement which is very valuable to us in providing insight to the work we are doing. Dr. Culloty’s paper has left us with four insights. On the fourth, she said that “research on disinformation has been hampered by a lack...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Disinformation and Hybrid Threats in a Geopolitical Context: Discussion (16 May 2023)

Charles Flanagan: I thank Dr. Culloty. I call Ms Heinl.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Disinformation and Hybrid Threats in a Geopolitical Context: Discussion (16 May 2023)

Charles Flanagan: I thank the witnesses for those contributions. We are joined now by Deputy Cronin who has been at the plenary session in the Chamber. I am not sure to what extent she might like to intervene, but I call her now. Given we are almost two hours into the session, I ask her to be somewhat brief.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Disinformation and Hybrid Threats in a Geopolitical Context: Discussion (16 May 2023)

Charles Flanagan: She has left the meeting.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Disinformation and Hybrid Threats in a Geopolitical Context: Discussion (16 May 2023)

Charles Flanagan: We will return to our guests for comment on these issues insofar as they may be addressed. I call Dr. Culloty.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Disinformation and Hybrid Threats in a Geopolitical Context: Discussion (16 May 2023)

Charles Flanagan: Not at all, the Deputy is very welcome. That brings us to the end of the meeting. On behalf of the joint committee, I thank the witnesses for coming in, for their comprehensive presentations and for the manner in which they dealt with the questions from and observations of the members in such a thorough manner. If there are further and ongoing issues that the witnesses believe should be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Disinformation and Hybrid Threats in a Geopolitical Context: Discussion (16 May 2023)

Charles Flanagan: Dr. Culloty and Ms Heinl, as you deem fit, you may respond.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Disinformation and Hybrid Threats in a Geopolitical Context: Discussion (16 May 2023)

Charles Flanagan: I thank Dr. Culloty. Would Ms Heinl like to comment? No.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Hybrid Threats and Threats to the National Infrastructure: Institute of International and European Affairs (9 May 2023)

Charles Flanagan: Good afternoon. All persons present in the committee room are asked to exercise personal responsibility to protect themselves and others from the risk of contracting Covid-19. Our afternoon meeting today is with representatives from the Institute of International and European Affairs, IIEA, to discuss its recent publications on hybrid threats and threats to the national infrastructure. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Hybrid Threats and Threats to the National Infrastructure: Institute of International and European Affairs (9 May 2023)

Charles Flanagan: Mr. Fitzgerald concluded on a note of optimism but it is one that is certainly couched in a pretty stark warning as to the vulnerability not only of the European Union and member states, but also in respect of Ireland. I welcome Deputy Carthy to his first official meeting of this committee in his capacity of Opposition spokesperson for foreign affairs and defence. He is very welcome.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Hybrid Threats and Threats to the National Infrastructure: Institute of International and European Affairs (9 May 2023)

Charles Flanagan: I will take questions from a number of members in the first instance and then revert to Dr. Colfer and Mr. Fitzgerald.