Results 281-300 of 704 for speaker:Cathal Berry

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: Doubling down on what Deputy Brady said, I also welcome the interim arrangement for sergeants who are over 50 years of age and the extension up to the age of 52 in 2024. Privates and corporals are allowed to serve up to the age of 55. Obviously, the follow on question is, while welcoming the extension up as far as 52 years of age, where are we with extending it further up to 55? How long...

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 have a final point. My understanding is that there are two people who served in the same platoons and who joined the Defence Forces on the same day. One is still a private and one is a sergeant. The sergeant makes the point that they went out of their way and went overseas loads of times and did the promotion competition, so why should they have to retire three years in advance of...

Long Covid Health Services: Motion [Private Members] (9 Nov 2022)

Cathal Berry: I welcome the Ministers of State. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this important debate on long Covid. I would like to commend my good colleague, Deputy Naughten, and Cáit Nic Amhlaoibh, our group administrator who, in fairness, did all the heavy work in preparing the motion. I acknowledge and welcome the presence of patient advocates and long Covid patients in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Humanitarian Situation in Ukraine: Members of the Ukrainian Parliament (8 Nov 2022)

Cathal Berry: I thank Mr. Merezhko for his detailed opening statement. I am very sorry for what his country and people are going through. He can be assured of the absolute support of the Independent parliamentary group, of which I am a member, in his country's struggle with Russia. I will focus on diplomacy in my questions. Mr. Merezhko brought up a number of points. I take his point on the...

Development (Emergency Electricity Generation) Bill 2022: Second Stage (26 Oct 2022)

Cathal Berry: I am sharing time with Deputy Shanahan. I thank the Minister of State for his opening statement. I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Bill. I share the concerns that have been articulated and echo them. This is not the way to do business and I think both the Minister of State and the Minister will appreciate that. There is little time for debate or scrutiny when a...

Pre-European Council Meeting: Statements (Resumed) (19 Oct 2022)

Cathal Berry: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate in advance of the European Council meeting tomorrow and Friday in Brussels. I begin by welcoming the creation of the European Political Community. It is a good idea and a good initiative. It is appropriate that EU and non-EU countries across Europe can sit around the same table and discuss the pressing matters of the day. It was good...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Oct 2022)

Cathal Berry: We all appreciate the importance of local government. My constituency, Kildare South, spans three local authority areas, which are Kildare, Laois and Offaly, with a total of 78 councillors. I hear on the ground that some councillors find it increasingly difficult to get release from their full-time jobs to attend crucial council meetings. Interestingly, it is not private sector employers...

Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Oct 2022)

Cathal Berry: I wish the Minister "Good afternoon" and thank her for her detailed opening statement. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this debate on the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022 and I very much welcome it. It is long overdue. I am happy to support its passage through the Dáil and I do so for the following reasons. First of all, it brings Irish...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Citizens Information Services (13 Oct 2022)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Minister for her response. I agree entirely that it is an excellent service. It is independent, valued and, crucially, it is accessible. I use it myself. I refer many constituents to the service and I presume every Deputy in the House does the same. I have the Newbridge office on speed dial if I want to run something by it on a complex case. I take the point on the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Citizens Information Services (13 Oct 2022)

Cathal Berry: That is good to hear. I appreciate the update. My view, which is shared by most Deputies, is that the citizens information service is excellent not in spite of the volunteers but because of them. Many of them have a wealth of knowledge from their careers, be that in tax or social welfare. They also have a crucial accessibility function. I welcome the review and I look forward to reading...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Citizens Information Services (13 Oct 2022)

Cathal Berry: 2. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide an update on the implementation of the Citizens Information Board's strategic plan in respect of the use of volunteer staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50989/22]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Citizens Information Services (13 Oct 2022)

Cathal Berry: My question has to do with the citizens information service and, in particular, what the plan is to deal with volunteer staff. There have been rumours and concerns floating around over the past couple of months. The Minister might use this opportunity this morning to clarify the Government's position in that regard.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (13 Oct 2022)

Cathal Berry: 279. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide an update on the auto-enrolment retirement savings system; the way that it will be funded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50990/22]

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Oct 2022)

Cathal Berry: That is correct. There are a lot of rumours going around and there are some proposals on the table that 50-year-old sergeants will be forced to retire and be rehired on their birthdays, with drastically reduced terms and conditions for pensions and pay. I find that unacceptable and the Taoiseach probably feels the same. I do not think anyone would try to chance that with a garda, a nurse...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Oct 2022)

Cathal Berry: The reason I mention this is that it is the most pressing issue relating to the Defence Forces at the moment. It goes back to the comment I made about retirement functions at the start. This will only affect eight sergeants over the next 12 months.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Oct 2022)

Cathal Berry: Yes. It is just eight troops but there are 8,000 troops watching very carefully to see how those eight people are treated. That is where the real downstream consequences are. We should be mindful that the Dublin Airport Authority tried something similar two years ago and we saw where that ended up. It was unable to fulfil its mandate and the public suffered accordingly. The take-home...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Oct 2022)

Cathal Berry: We all go to retirement presentations from time to time. They are really important because they allow us to acknowledge and recognise the contributions of particular workers to particular workplaces. What is perhaps even more important is that retirement presentations signal to the remaining workforce that their contributions are also appreciated and valued. I mention this because I will...

Creeslough Community: Expressions of Sympathy (11 Oct 2022)

Cathal Berry: While I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on behalf of the Regional Group, I recognise how inadequate any words of mine must be in the face of such tragedy and loss. Nevertheless, I also want to pay tribute to the emergency services, both North and South of the Border, who rushed to the scene on Friday, once again answered for their courage and saved so many lives in so doing. I wish...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (6 Oct 2022)

Cathal Berry: I too welcome the restart of negotiations between the EU and UK negotiating teams on the Northern Ireland protocol. It is a good thing. I also welcome the change in tone, in particular, the apology by Steve Baker during the week. It is quite a rare event in international relations these days that someone would apologise. That is also a good thing and he should be commended on it. My...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (6 Oct 2022)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Minister for his response. I appreciate he has to be much more circumspect than me when speaking in Parliament; I can comment much more freely. My point is that our two islands have solved vastly more complex problems than the protocol. If the will is there, we can certainly do it again. There is a proposal floating around that we could treat goods travelling from Great...