Results 321-340 of 704 for speaker:Cathal Berry

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2022)

Cathal Berry: My first day in Leinster House was 25 years ago when I was a member of the Defence Forces security detail charged with protecting the campus. I admit to spending a little bit too much time in the Visitors Gallery looking down at proceedings. Little did I know how events would transpire and I would actually end up here today. It is on that basis that I want to welcome the additional...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (12 Jul 2022)

Cathal Berry: 97. To ask the Minister for Health the number of members of the Defence Forces who are entitled to claim the pandemic bonus payment; the number of members of the Defence Forces who have been paid to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33759/22]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (7 Jul 2022)

Cathal Berry: 4. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way he intends to address the extremely high cost of tuition fees for graduate-entry medicine courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36722/22]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (7 Jul 2022)

Cathal Berry: My question relates to a specific course, namely, the graduate entry medicine course run by a number of universities and medical schools throughout the country. As the Minister will be aware, the fees for such courses are absolutely enormous. They are some of the highest in the country at between €15,000 and €16,500 per year, which is incredible. Does the Minister have any...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (7 Jul 2022)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Minister for his response. It is good to see there is at least a few options on the table. I will give him two more options that might be worth considering. He mentioned, and is on record as having said, that he would like to reduce the student registration fee, which I would certainly welcome. There is a great deal of speculation - obviously, he cannot make any commitments...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (7 Jul 2022)

Cathal Berry: I agree that a similar type of bursary scheme would make an excellent contribution. It could be made as large as possible. As someone who has been down this pathway, I can totally identify with the pressures these students are under. I like what the Minister said about the Bank of Ireland loan. I finished paying off my Bank of Ireland student loan only three months ago. Many people...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Jul 2022)

Cathal Berry: I very much welcome the Government's announcement some months ago about the €1,000 Covid bonus payment. The Government is going to extend it to members of the Defence Forces. The Minister might not be aware that not a single soldier, sailor or flight crew member has received that €1,000 bonus payment yet. Worse still, not only have they not received it, but they have not even...

Defence Forces: Motions (5 Jul 2022)

Cathal Berry: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. I welcome even more the opportunity to listen to the debate. I have listened to all sides, particularly those who may have different views from me. There are two, pretty much, motions before us. One is about Defence Forces overseas and the other is about the PESCO projects. I will deal with the first one first. I echo many...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Reports on Service by the Defence Forces with the UN and Permanent Structured Cooperation Projects: Motions (30 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: I am conscious of the clock so I will be as quick as I can. I acknowledge the presence of the Defence Force veterans and their spouses in the Public Gallery. Many of the contributors pointed quite rightly to the excellent reputation of Irish peacekeepers overseas. That is because of the people sitting behind me, so well done to them. They are most welcome here any time at all. I have...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Reports on Service by the Defence Forces with the UN and Permanent Structured Cooperation Projects: Motions (30 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: I wish to make a small point on that, and I am glad the Minister raised it. I know the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association, ISME, and IBEC are important, but the biggest and most important employer in this link is the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. If we could get agreement in the public service first and demonstrate to ISME and IBEC that this is quite doable, then...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: I very much welcome these proposals, primarily for two reasons. First, the military is very much in favour of them because the skill set will empower them but also personally. In the last 20 years I have benefited enormously from international training in my former line of work. I did multiple courses with the UK Armed Forces.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: I appreciate both sides of the argument here. I would say the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces will go to the Government on Tuesday week, supposedly. After that, there will be a full Dáil debate on it. There also is to be a full Dáil debate on these four PESCO projects as well.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: I do appreciate what Deputy Clarke has said. A lot of groundwork and preparatory work has been done but the real debate happens in the Dáil anyway. It will be subsequent to today and to the Cabinet’s decision. I will make one final-----

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: I will make my last point, and everyone here might not agree with me on this, but the farm boy inside me is speaking. PESCO to the military is really what Europol is to An Garda Síochána. An Garda Síochána interacts with Europol. It gets excellent information and it gets excellent training. It ploughs that back and makes Ireland a safer place. I see the four...

Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (29 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this important debate on the Offences against the State Act and the Criminal Justice Act. I also welcome that we have to renew these special powers at least every 12 months; it is a prudent and sensible way to do business. We would all prefer if the Special Criminal Court did not exist and if there was no need for it. However, the court...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (28 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Minister for his response. I welcome the permission for the PDFORRA and RACO to associate with ICTU. That is at least half a step forward. The measures to which I specifically referred are on page XXIV - it is in Roman numerals - in the report. The commission identified four things: it recommended an increase in military service allowance for people with fewer than three...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (28 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Minister. The reason I raise the Labour Court issue is that many of the Minister's Cabinet colleagues would probably not be aware – I would not expect them to be aware – that military personnel are the only people without access to the Labour Court. To me, a panel of international experts recommending specific pay improvements should at least hold equivalence. It...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (28 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: 69. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will outline the pay improvement measures recommended by the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces; the expected timeline for the implementation of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33771/22]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (28 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: As we are aware, approximately five months ago, the Commission on the Defence Forces report was published. There are a number of very specific pay improvement recommendations in that report. I would be grateful if the Minister could update the House on what those pay improvement recommendations are and, most importantly, what is the timeline for implementation of the recommendations.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (28 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: 99. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if members of the Defence Forces are being paid at least the national minimum wage of €10.50 per hour in accordance with the National Minimum Wage Act 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33770/22]