Results 1-20 of 5,962 for speaker:Gerard Craughwell

Seanad: Statement by the Taoiseach (16 Oct 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I am not going to argue. It will be no surprise to the Taoiseach to learn that I am going to speak about defence. I compliment him on what he did as Minister for Defence in the previous Government. The policies he put in place have seen green shoots emerge, nowhere more so than in his constituency in Cork. The Naval Service is turning the corner and I compliment him on that. In the...

Seanad: Statement by the Taoiseach (16 Oct 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: We need to look at those things urgently.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó – Order of Business (15 Oct 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Last week, the House debated a motion on head and neck cancer. Much of what was in that motion revolved around my daughter Rebecca's experience. Colleagues from within the House and the Government supported the motion. Somehow or other, however, a story seems to have developed around the House to the effect that my daughter is very unwell. She is not. Rebecca has a wonderful life when...

Seanad: Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Oct 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Section 11 is not agreed. I said "not agreed".

Seanad: Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Oct 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I am sorry, but I said, "Not agreed".

Seanad: Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Oct 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: It is not agreed.

Seanad: Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Oct 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I am sorry that I did not speak loudly enough for the Cathaoirleach.

Seanad: Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Oct 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: As the Cathaoirleach knows, I do not hear him all the time either. I was trying to adjust my hearing to hear what was going on. Section 11 amends section 26 of the principal Act. In looking at this amending section, it strikes me that all of the safeguards that were included in the 2009 Act, which was introduced by my colleague Senator McDowell, are gone. It strikes me that this...

Seanad: Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Oct 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: The Minister's ears are probably being burnt off him at this stage. We have a serious problem, and this amendment will actually make it worse. We have talked about the article in the Irish Independent today. It quotes sources from An Garda Síochána. Why is there not a criminal investigation today into the source that leaked that story to the Irish Independent? Journalists,...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Oct 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I would like a debate on Iran. We are in election mode. The way we deal with elections here and the way they are dealt with in Iran are very different. I visited Iran with a delegation from this House and I can say that the people are just like us. They drink coffee, laugh, joke and enjoy life, but if you come the wrong side of the regime, they hang you. In 14 months, 1,850 people have...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Oct 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: As someone who lives in Kildare, I know the Deputy Leader is very much aware of the Defence Forces and everything to do with them. It is a matter of concern to me that Ireland is one of the few countries that did not apply for the funding that was made available through the EU SAFE fund, with €150 billion set aside to assist countries to bring their militaries up to speed given the...

Seanad: Supports and Services for Patients with Head and Neck Cancers: Motion (8 Oct 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I move: That Seanad Éireann: acknowledges that: - Ireland's current approach to pre-radiation oncology dental care and post-surgical dental rehabilitation is under-resourced, under-staffed and unsafe. Adequate pre-radiation and post-surgical dental services are essential components of cancer care; - immediate investment and legislative action are necessary to ensure that patients...

Seanad: Supports and Services for Patients with Head and Neck Cancers: Motion (8 Oct 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Murnane O'Connor. This is the first time I have addressed her since her elevation, on which I congratulate her. We are joined in the Distinguished Visitors Gallery by the chairman and the CEO of Dublin Dental University Hospital, along with staff involved in the treatment of head and neck cancer. I speak on this matter not only as a legislator but...

Seanad: Supports and Services for Patients with Head and Neck Cancers: Motion (8 Oct 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I know the Minister of State has a meeting to go to and deferred that to be here. I thank her for that. Somewhere in Ireland today, tomorrow or next week a family will get the same message we got. I remember Rebecca was 19 at the time and her maxillofacial surgeon did not want to tell her what the diagnosis was after the biopsy. He rang me. I went home to Helen, my wife, and said we had...

Seanad: Budget 2026 (Finance): Statements (7 Oct 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: The Minister of State is welcome to the House. In his opening comments, he addressed the uncertainty in the world we currently live in and the problems that exist on our eastern flank and in various other parts of the world. It is only right and proper that, as a member of the security and defence committee and a former member of the Irish Defence Forces, I concentrate my comments on...

Committee on Defence and National Security: Update on Issues in the Reserve Defence Force: Discussion (25 Sep 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I welcome the members of RDFRA and thank them for that excellent presentation and update. I wish to put things in context if I can before I ask any questions. I was involved in, not RDFRA, but in what was the FCA back in my time. For the members of the committee who are not familiar with what went on at that time, on a Tuesday night in Galway where I lived, every crossroads had people...

Committee on Defence and National Security: Update on Issues in the Reserve Defence Force: Discussion (25 Sep 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I am interested in that question. There is one more issue I want to touch on briefly. On the issue of the most senior officer in the Reserve, I am of the view that we should be able to get at least one brigadier general and a couple of colonels out of the Reserve. If we were serious about it and regarded the organisation as a peer equal to the PDF, I do not see any reason why there could...

Committee on Defence and National Security: Update on Issues in the Reserve Defence Force: Discussion (25 Sep 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: If the committee could go on, I will be back within 20 minutes or half an hour so could we delay the answers until then.

Committee on Defence and National Security: Update on Issues in the Reserve Defence Force: Discussion (25 Sep 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Can I just hold up Mr. Richardson for a second? Mr. Gargan mentioned he was with the 27th Infantry Battalion, so he is answerable to the PDF CO of that battalion. Is he then a peer equal with his fellow officers within the 27th battalion?

Committee on Defence and National Security: Update on Issues in the Reserve Defence Force: Discussion (25 Sep 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: It is important to put it on the record. Mr. Gargan made the point that reservists are an integral part of the unit in every way except where a unit is deploying overseas and the reservists cannot deploy. We have not protected reservists' employment with legislation yet. Let us say that we call up a member of the Reserve, for example one of the three in front of us. We will take Ms...