Results 1-20 of 798 for speaker:Cathal Berry

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Cathal Berry: I agree with the Tánaiste and Deputy Stanton on the multi-agency approach. There was a proposal for a defence attaché from the Irish Army being deployed to the Irish Embassy in London. Where are we with that? Are there plans to expand that network further than Washington or Paris thereafter? The Irish Embassy in London is the first step.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Cathal Berry: I welcome the Tánaiste and his team before us today. I have some very brief comments. First, I am very supportive of the general thrust of these additional Estimates. They are very positive, especially the Passport Office. It must be one of the few parts of the public sector that actually turns a profit every year. I very much welcome the investment that has been put into it as well.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Cathal Berry: The Passport Office is probably more external and outward-focusing. It is good we are investing in the Passport Office. It is not an expense. Sometimes it is perceived as an expense; it is actually an investment. We have to maintain the integrity of the Irish passport system. Second, regarding the embassies and the Irish houses abroad, again sometimes it is presented as an expense if...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Cathal Berry: Fantastic. The Tánaiste is probably well aware it is looking for an endowment to try to keep that programme up and running. If he is familiar with it, the Tánaiste may be able to shed some light on whether any consideration is being given to support that link between North America and Ireland. It is particularly important these days with what is happening in the Middle East....

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (23 Oct 2024)

Cathal Berry: I very much welcome the opportunity to make some brief comments on behalf of the Regional Group on the Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024. The Minister and I have interacted over the last four and a half years on health issues in this Chamber and, indeed, in the Convention Centre, so he knows my views. Very similar to, I would say, most Deputies in this Chamber, we are in favour of a...

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (23 Oct 2024)

Cathal Berry: I have brought a number of cases to the Minister's attention over the past four and a half years and I thank him for following up on them. It is hugely appreciated, especially by the patients. I remember there was quite a specialised drug a particular patient in Newbridge was looking for and it has had a transformative effect of their lives. I very much appreciate that as well. I thank...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Legislative Programme (22 Oct 2024)

Cathal Berry: 156. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence when the necessary legislative provisions to implement the working time directive will be enacted with consideration for previous announcements (details supplied). [43236/24]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (22 Oct 2024)

Cathal Berry: 157. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence to confirm that the agreed time-off-in-lieu measures and overseas reunion flights, approved by him in February 2024 under the working time directive, will be introduced without further delay; specifically that all members of the 125th Infantry Battalion UNIFIL, due to deploy to Lebanon in late November 2024, will be able to avail of these...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Pension Provisions (22 Oct 2024)

Cathal Berry: 158. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will advocate for the introduction of an occupational supplementary pension for post 2013 Defence Forces personnel, to bridge the four year gap that now exists between forced retirement at 62 yeas and access to the State pension at 66 years considering this cohort makes up well over 50% of all Defence Forces personnel of all ranks; the...

Finance Bill 2024: Second Stage (16 Oct 2024)

Cathal Berry: I welcome the opportunity to make some brief comments on this Finance Bill and budget 2025 in general. I will focus on primary care and the tax treatment of GPs working in it. It is fortuitous that the Ceann Comhairle is in the Chair and the Minister of State, Deputy Lawless, is on the ministerial podium. I think they are familiar with the case I am about to raise. Deputy Shortall raised...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2024)

Cathal Berry: I support the Government's position and indeed, that of the Opposition, in respect of what is happening in south Lebanon at the moment where we have one man who is trying to hold the entire world to ransom. He wants to turn Beirut into Mariupol and Lebanon into Gaza and the only thing standing in his way is the thin blue line of UN peacekeepers. Mr. Netanyahu is claiming that the best way...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces: Engagement with Chair of Implementation Oversight Group (15 Oct 2024)

Cathal Berry: I welcome Ms Sinnamon and her team and thank Ms Sinnamon for her opening statement. I acknowledge the presence of Colonel Sean Grant from the British Embassy who is in the Public Gallery; he is a great friend of the Defence Forces. From the outset I want to acknowledge the small bit of progress that has occurred, particularly over the last five years. The pay improvements are modest but...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces: Engagement with Chair of Implementation Oversight Group (15 Oct 2024)

Cathal Berry: The increase does indicate an inflection point. Unfortunately, we are supposed to have a headcount of 11,500 by 2028, only four years away. Does Ms Sinnamon see a net increase per year of 1,000 regular members of the Defence Forces over the next four years? The target is ambitious but is it realistic? I will phrase the following as diplomatically as possible. I would always, as does the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces: Engagement with Chair of Implementation Oversight Group (15 Oct 2024)

Cathal Berry: I have three final questions. I thank Ms Sinnamon for her comments, which I agree with. We should not try to retrospectively blame anybody for what has happened over the past decade. I would be the opposite. The idea I am trying to get across is that it is not really retrospective rather than forward-looking. Some of the commentary I heard – not in this opening statement at all...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces: Engagement with Chair of Implementation Oversight Group (15 Oct 2024)

Cathal Berry: Understood. Are these green helicopters for the military or An Garda Síochána?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces: Engagement with Chair of Implementation Oversight Group (15 Oct 2024)

Cathal Berry: Understood entirely. Finally, regarding the multi-role vessel, MRV, for the Naval Service, where are we with that project? Those are all the questions I have.

World Mental Health Day: Statements (10 Oct 2024)

Cathal Berry: I wish the Minister of State a good evening. I am very happy to be in the Chamber again this evening to make some very brief comments with regard to World Mental Health Day on behalf of the Regional Group. Why? I very much identify with what this day is trying to achieve, which is to raise awareness, and to reduce stigma and, unfortunately, shame as well. We can all certainly identify...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Tánaiste for his response. I want to be associated with the views expressed by Deputy Ivana Bacik and her utter condemnation of the Israeli attacks on the three UN posts this morning. This was completely unacceptable. When this last occurred in 2006, when there was a major escalation on the Lebanese-Israeli border, there was a negotiated solution after about five weeks....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Cathal Berry: I want to raise the issue of the situation in the Middle East, particularly as it pertains to our peace-keeping troops in south Lebanon. I commend the performance and the professionalism of our troops in and around outpost 652 over the last number of days. I shudder to think what would have occurred if our troops had given in to the intimidation and abandoned their position. It would have...

Financial Resolutions 2024 - Budget Statement 2025 (1 Oct 2024)

Cathal Berry: I welcome the opportunity to comment on the budget. Overall, I welcome its thrust. It is not perfect, but it represents progress in some areas. I will focus on three particular sectors that are rarely mentioned in the Chamber anymore: defence, agriculture and the shared island programme. I welcome the increase in defence expenditure. An extra €100 million represents an 8%...