Results 261-280 of 704 for speaker:Cathal Berry

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Dec 2022)

Cathal Berry: I wish to raise a matter from the Minister's constituency that has national significance. I refer to the crisis in the Naval Service, which I accept the Minister is fully briefed on because he is relatively local down there. I thank the Minister for the constructive engagement over the past two and a half years while he was in the role. Has there been major progress? I would say "No"....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Dec 2022)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Minister for that useful response. It is good to know that the business case is with the Department. I again emphasise this is a unique group of workers. They are the only workers who have no access to the Labour Court and the WRC and they cannot go on strike so they do need political and ministerial intervention to ensure a level playing field. In the grand scheme of things...

Nationalisation of Energy System: Motion [Private Members] (14 Dec 2022)

Cathal Berry: I thank People Before Profit for bringing this important motion before the House this morning, which gives us the opportunity to focus attention on the lack of affordability and availability of energy. I agree with the central thrust of this motion. It is about driving down the cost of energy and every person inside this Chamber, all 160 of us, would be in favour of that taking place. I...

Pre-European Council Meeting: Statements (7 Dec 2022)

Cathal Berry: I am grateful for the opportunity to comment in advance of the European Council meeting in Brussels next week. It will be the final European Council meeting the Taoiseach will attend as Taoiseach and I wish him the best of luck in that regard. I welcome a number of recent events. President von der Leyen's address to a joint sitting of the Houses of the Oireachtas last week was very good in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Minister for his reply on housing. If he has not visited the small campus of six houses, perhaps next time he flies out of Baldonnel, he might ask to see it and eyeball it himself. It is an excellent model that could be expanded upon. I agree that a policy decision on housing in the Defence Forces was taken a couple of decades ago, but that was prior to the housing crisis....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Cathal Berry: 9. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of Defence Forces personnel inducted and discharged by rank to date in 2022. [58474/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Cathal Berry: 33. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of vacancies that exist in the Defence Forces by rank. [58475/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Minister for those figures. I accept he is equally concerned at the shortfall of 283. Most parts of the public service are expanding apart from the Defence Forces. I agree that retention is a massive issue. The Minister may not be aware that there are six married quarters in Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel, which members of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Cathal Berry: I hope I can shed some light on the issue Deputy Clarke raised with the Minister. I completely accept that the Minister can only use the information he is given. Having been a medical officer, I probably have slightly more accurate information that may be able to shed some light on proceedings. First, there should be approximately 32 medical officers in the Defence Forces. I am not sure...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Cathal Berry: I want to double up on Deputy Clarke's comments by fully accepting the Minister's bona fides with regard to the figures. He mentioned that there are two pathways into the Medical Corps, direct entry and the military medicine training scheme. There is a third lesser known pathway. It is the one through which I joined the Medical Corps and one of the current medical officers is in a similar...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Cathal Berry: 4. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the current number of medical officer vacancies; the extent to which this is impacting on Defence Force operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58477/22]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Cathal Berry: 16. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence when the Army nursing service review will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58476/22]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (24 Nov 2022)

Cathal Berry: 19. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if members of the emergency aeromedical service in Athlone and those who assisted with mandatory hotel quarantine will receive the €1,000 pandemic recognition payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58473/22]

Post-European Council: Statements (16 Nov 2022)

Cathal Berry: I bid good afternoon to the Minister of State, and I thank the Taoiseach for his opening statement. I will start on the pack of cards and the Russian announcement in the past couple of hours of the sanctioning of and declaring as personae non gratae 52 Irish politicians. I am not sure if the Minister of State made the cut. If he did, congratulations; if not, commiserations. I am not sure...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Nov 2022)

Cathal Berry: I welcome the Taoiseach and the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Simon Harris. I very much welcome the €1,000 reduction in the student contribution fee that was announced in the budget. It is relevant for this academic year. On balance it is a good thing and is making a very positive difference downstream. Unfortunately, it is only...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Nov 2022)

Cathal Berry: The RHAs, in particular, are vital. It is very unusual to have six hospital groups and nine CHOs and for them not even geographically to align so I hope that will streamline the process. It is also reassuring to hear about the consultants' contract. If that can be done by Christmas it would make a massive improvement downstream because you are not just hiring managers or people with...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Nov 2022)

Cathal Berry: I wish the Taoiseach a good afternoon. It is appropriate that we focus on healthcare reform for the day that is in it. There can be no better way of honouring the memory of Vicky Phelan than to focus on and accomplish what she was advocating for, namely, healthcare reform. We want to fix our broken health service to minimise errors and maximise excellence in all its forms. As the...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Cathal Berry: Conscious of the clock, I have just a few comments and questions, maybe four. I thank the Minister for attending with his team to make his opening statement. There was a commitment for direct communication or liaison with the veterans’ associations on pensions. That would be very much welcome and useful. We had the veterans’ associations here this year. Maybe this is...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Minister for the clarification. My next question is on the 13,065 military pensioners, which number reflects the extent of the retention crisis. I take the Minister’s point that he is aware of this issue. The big takeaway I am getting is that it is not only operationally preferable to keep people in service but also financially preferable. Many of the pensioners would...