Results 521-540 of 706 for speaker:Cathal Berry

Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Report and Final Stages (30 Jun 2021)

Cathal Berry: I have three brief points to add to the contributions I have made over the past couple of weeks. First, I very much welcome this legislation. This is a historic day for the Reserve Defence Force. Its members have been screaming for this Bill for literally decades and it is finally here. It really is a defining moment for the Reserve Defence Force. It is 60% below strength but I see that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (29 Jun 2021)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Minister again for that very useful update. Nobody knows better than the Minister the amount of induction training going on now in the Defence Forces at the recruit, apprentice, direct entry and cadet levels. The commissioned officers involved in those training institutions are working flat out. They are working day and night, night and day and on weekends. Unlike other...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (29 Jun 2021)

Cathal Berry: I appreciate that response from the Minister. I am conscious of the clock, but my final point is that the specialised instructors allowance was introduced as a result of the work of an independent commission, the Doyle commission, and subsequent reports in the late 2000s. It was brought in for the good reason of addressing issues of burn-out and exhaustion in the training institutions of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (29 Jun 2021)

Cathal Berry: 18. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his plans to reintroduce the specialised instructors' allowance for Defence Forces officers in view of the Public Sector Pay Commission’s report, the ever-increasing intensity of Defence Forces induction training, the associated long hours and onerous responsibility taken on by Defence Forces officers and the previous Doyle report...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (29 Jun 2021)

Cathal Berry: I wish to focus on the high-level implementation plan which is two years old next weekend and specifically on the specialised instructors allowance for commissioned officers. This allowance was payable up to 2012, when it was discontinued as a result of the financial emergency measures in the public interest, FEMPI, cutbacks. The high-level implementation plan left open the possibility of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (29 Jun 2021)

Cathal Berry: 15. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the status of the nursing review in the Defence Forces; when it commenced; when it is likely to conclude; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34707/21]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (29 Jun 2021)

Cathal Berry: I wish to focus this question on the Army Nursing Service, specifically the review that I understand may have been ongoing for a short while. Will the Minister indicate when the review commenced and is likely to finish, and will he make a statement on the matter?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (29 Jun 2021)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Minister for that useful and helpful response. What can I say about the Army Nursing Service? It is a fantastic component of the Defence Forces, but I assume the Minister agrees that it is in decline. In its heyday a number of decades ago, there were approximately 100 nurses. Now, there are only three or four. That is a major pity because, over the past 15 months during...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (29 Jun 2021)

Cathal Berry: The Minister will agree that the nursing component of the Defence Forces is very important, given its scope of practice and the particular skill set and mindset that nurses bring to proceedings, particularly from an overseas point of view. It would be unusual among the EU 27 for a military not to have an army nursing service. Thankfully, we have not had a casualty overseas in 16 or 17...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (29 Jun 2021)

Cathal Berry: 8. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if paragraph 12 of Concilliation Council Report No. 451 in respect of medical officer promotions will be implemented as agreed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34708/21]

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (29 Jun 2021)

Cathal Berry: I wish to focus my question on paragraph 12 of CCR 451. This is a formal agreement between the Department of Defence and the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers, RACO, from 2013, which provides for the advancement of medical officers from captain to commandant after three years' service. I understand there has recently been some resistance to implementing this provision and...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (29 Jun 2021)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Minister for outlining his position. It is a useful starting point at least. This administrative matter is actually below the Minister's pay grade. I would like to think it could have been solved at a lower level. I only bring it to his attention because it is a matter of the utmost importance. For instance, a quarter of Defence Forces medical officers are actually on the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (29 Jun 2021)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Minister for the commitment that he might at least review this or perhaps look at it and see if there is any latitude or flexibility that can be applied. My understanding - and it is just that - is that the CCR was open-ended and not specific to 2013 but again I will take the Minister's views on board from that perspective. That is all I have to say. I wished to highlight that...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (29 Jun 2021)

Cathal Berry: 26. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence when the approved technical pay grade 2-6 proposal will be paid to enlisted members of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34703/21]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (29 Jun 2021)

Cathal Berry: 33. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of enlisted Defence Forces personnel who will be forced to retire early unless changes are made to the post-1994 service contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34704/21]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (29 Jun 2021)

Cathal Berry: 55. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the level of uptake on the recent recruitment campaign for direct entry technicians in the Air Corps; if he is satisfied with these figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34706/21]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Recruitment and Retention in the Defence Forces: RACO (29 Jun 2021)

Cathal Berry: I thank Commandant King and his team for his very candid testimony today. It is very tough to listen to. It is very sad that an organisation that gives so much to the State is getting so little in return. I have two very brief questions because I am conscious that Deputy Clarke wants to come in. I am sure Commandant King and his team can detect that this committee is on their side. We...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Recruitment and Retention in the Defence Forces: RACO (29 Jun 2021)

Cathal Berry: This question is for Lieutenant Colonel Priestley. I thank him for outlining all the great work the Defence Forces have been doing as a result of the Covid emergency. I am mindful that it sounds like many very expensive operations have been taking place, even paying additional staff for additional hours and the additional equipment. The Department of Justice received many additional...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: International Relations (24 Jun 2021)

Cathal Berry: 94. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding the situation in Belarus and the status of persons (details supplied). [33991/21]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: International Relations (24 Jun 2021)

Cathal Berry: I will focus my questions on the worrying case in Belarus, particularly the welfare of the Ryanair passengers forcefully removed from a flight in Minsk at the end of May. I would be grateful if the Minister could update the House on the most recent developments at European and international level.