Results 101-120 of 5,873 for speaker:Gerard Craughwell

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (29 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: It is when I come on to the suspension issue, which is part of the Bill we are discussing today.

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (29 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Who or what will be suspending authority? Will the legislation make provisions to safeguard natural justice for alleged wrongdoing? I noted one of the things referred to is the best interests of the Defence Forces. Who decides those questions? As for fair procedures for someone alleged of wrongdoing, will they be taken care off? Will the Department's representatives confirm that local...

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (29 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Has the Department engaged with RACO and PDFORRA on this at this stage.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Hear, hear.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Will the Senator put on the kettle?

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Senator Clonan and I are facing into many weeks of talking about the triple lock. My view is that it was a ridiculous thing to introduce in the first place but it is a red herring. We are spending weeks talking about the triple lock when the Air Corps operations are now closed at weekends and at 8 p.m. every night, meaning aircraft cannot take off or land during those times. We are heading...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: This morning I noticed the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Simon Harris, made some very strong statements regarding what is going on in Kyiv. We talk about the genocide in Gaza and the war criminality of the likes of Netanyahu. We should be aware that Putin is equally a war criminal. Donald Trump told us during the election campaign that if he was elected,...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Frequently, we talk about, and I know the Deputy Leader does as much as I do, members of the Defence Forces, especially in places of danger, such as the service in Lebanon. Rarely do we ever talk about members of our public service who put their lives at risk for their fellow man, such as what we saw yesterday in the firing of shots over the heads of Irish diplomats. Feilim McLaughlin and...

Seanad: Public Procurement: Statements (22 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. This is my first time to address her as the Minister of State. I congratulate her on her elevation. I wish her the best of luck. The Minister of State said at the outset that she was responsible for the purchase of everything from major projects down to toilet rolls for national schools. That is a massive undertaking for any Department to...

Committee on Defence and National Security: Election of Leas-Chathaoirleach (22 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I congratulate Senator Wilson. We now have a full team and it is a good team. Senator Wilson is capable of being somewhat independent when he is in the chair, so in the Cathaoirleach's absence we will be in good hands. I am delighted for the Leas-Chathaoirleach.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: There are two men in Iran today, Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani, both of whom are political prisoners, both of whom have been turned down for a judicial review for the third time and both of whom will be executed by the regime in Iran. Iran has murdered 1,100 political prisoners since the summer of last year. That tendency is beginning to increase. Iran is at the heart of supporting...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I too am horrified by what is going on in Gaza. I am also horrified by the Israelis targeting members of our Defence Forces. In the previous conflict they parked tanks alongside one of our outposts to make the outpost a target. Recently they have been sighting members of the Irish Defence Forces, guys from Galway who are serving out there, using laser sights. I hate to bring it up in the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: All right, okay, but that is what they are. We are hearing about children. Every night of the week we watch children scrambling for food.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: All right. I withdraw it, but it is sickening. It is sickening that we trust these people to have any say over our troops who are keeping as many people safe as they can. Senator Francis Black has worn this Chamber to the last trying to get her occupied territories Bill passed. Most right-thinking people in Ireland think what is going on in Israel at the moment is absolutely abhorrent....

Seanad: Driving Test Waiting Times: Statements (20 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I want to share time with Senator Keogan, if I may.

Seanad: Driving Test Waiting Times: Statements (20 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I almost referred to the Minister of State as "Senator Buttimer". It is a pleasure to see him here. I congratulate him on his election to the Dáil and his elevation to a ministerial post. I know from my time with him on the transport committee during the previous Government that he has a personal commitment to addressing waiting times for the driving test and that he is committed to...

Committee on Defence and National Security: Business of Joint Committee (15 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I congratulate the Cathaoirleach on her role and look forward to working with her. I am delighted that she started off today by talking about Ireland's status and the triple lock. I believe that we need to bring in expert opinion to identify precisely what Ireland is. There are different views such as neutrality versus militarily non-aligned. We need to sort that out once and for all. We...

Committee on Defence and National Security: Business of Joint Committee (15 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Chair, if I could. The issue of the triple lock is really urgent. It is in the public domain all of the time. I ask that we set about identifying experts who can appear before the committee, including experts on the Constitution, because there is some question that the removal of the triple lock would require a constitutional change. It would also require some historians who understand,...

Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Business of Joint Committee (15 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: First and foremost, I congratulate the Chair on his appointment. His opening speech was very encouraging in that he is serious about doing a serious job. One of the issues that confronts coastal areas, particularly on the Atlantic side, is the inability of the harbours to support the wind industry should we start to develop wind and hydrogen generation in the Atlantic. The problem is...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: In recent days, AIB has repurchased quite a lot of its shares from the Government. On the one hand, we should be happy about this. On the other hand, it brings back to mind the misery that the financial crisis brought to this country. There are still tens of thousands of people who are severely in debt and have distressed mortgages. These distressed mortgages have been passed from banks...