Results 1-20 of 146 for does speaker:Cathal Berry

Housing for All: Statements (Resumed) (21 May 2024)

Cathal Berry: ...visit and the opening of the estate were very well received by the people who have been accommodated there recently. I welcome the good stuff from Housing for All, but I am sure the Minister would agree it does not go anywhere near to address the scale of the crisis we are currently facing.

Europe Day: Statements (8 May 2024)

Cathal Berry: ...and this is a very good thing. It is also worth noting that no two EU countries have ever gone to war. I know we take it for granted now but it was not always the case. If the European Union does nothing else other than prevent the outbreak of conflict in Europe, it has probably done enough. Obviously it is doing far more than that. The European Continent was always synonymous with...

Anniversary of the Introduction of the Smoking Ban: Statements (11 Apr 2024)

Cathal Berry: ...and for the greater good. That is a big takeaway for me. Second is that prevention is definitely better than cure, and there is a good reason for that. Third, improving things in the country does not always require additional resources. It generally does but it does not always require it. It is not all about spending more money; it is about focusing and spending better, rather than...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Apr 2024)

Cathal Berry: ...forward to working with her. I am just mindful that her predecessor, Peter Burke, and indeed his predecessor, Jack Chambers, had no defence powers delegated to them at all during their tenure. Does the Tánaiste intend delegating any formal defence powers to Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and, if so, what role does he see her having in the defence apparatus of the country?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Naval Service (21 Mar 2024)

Cathal Berry: ...a big help. According to a post on Twitter, I see that 33 new recruits started in Gormanston yesterday. I wish them well in their training. There is a maximum of 11 months left in this Dáil term. Does the Tánaiste see a turning around of Naval Service recruitment and retention in the next 11 months? Does he see an increase in numbers before the Thirty-third Dáil comes...

Pre-European Council Meeting: Statements (20 Mar 2024)

Cathal Berry: ...off we will all be. Regarding the European defence industry strategy, as the Taoiseach pointed, it is a dirty word in Ireland. If this country wants to have a defence force, and I believe it does, we have to arm it. We have two options. We can buy weapons and armoured vehicles for our peacekeeping operations from abroad or make the stuff ourselves. It is not unusual for the likes...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2023: Discussion (20 Feb 2024)

Cathal Berry: ...gloss over them. It appears no meaningful consultation was carried out before this issue came before the committee. I am just a humble farm boy. I am not precious and do not have notions, as none of us does, but I would have expected that if draft legislation were coming before this committee, it should be almost at its final stages and we should just tweak it. We should not get the...

Transfer of Passenger Name Record Data: Motions (14 Feb 2024)

Cathal Berry: ...that we need to ensure the appropriate data protection arrangements are in place. The information is quite minor information. It is just name, passport number and dates of travel, which does not infringe too many rights in any shape or form. That type of information can be very useful in trying to identify any unusual patterns of travel. I believe it strikes a fair balance between...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (1 Feb 2024)

Cathal Berry: ...diverging views in the Parliament over it. I benefited a lot from PESCO. I see there is a funding allocation for it. It gets a bit of bad press. Ireland is also in the Erasmus programme ,but that does not mean we have an integrated education system. Ireland is involved in Europol as well but it does not mean we have a federal police force. Ireland is in the cross border directive too...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2023: Discussion (30 Jan 2024)

Cathal Berry: .... It is a major step forward and very much welcome. Head 25 concerns the military prosecutor and military judge who will not be allowed to become a member of a representative association. Does the Department know if they are currently a member of a representative association? .

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2023: Discussion (30 Jan 2024)

Cathal Berry: ...on that. It deals with the re-engagement of personnel. There is mention of increasing the retirement ages and from this committee's point of view, it is important to hammer that message home. It does not make a whole lot of sense, if An Garda Síochána is allowing people to join at the age of 50, for the Defence Forces to make people retire at that age. I know they are two...

Post-European Council Meeting: Statements (24 Jan 2024)

Cathal Berry: ...the international community. Has any risk assessment been carried out in respect of our troops and diplomats in the Middle East and what the likely repercussions would be? South Africa, for instance, does not have any troops in the Middle East and it is quite appropriate for it to bring a case to the ICJ if it wishes, given it is unlikely it will face any repercussions, but Ireland does...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 Dec 2023)

Cathal Berry: ...by the United Nations, one by the Irish authorities and one by the Lebanese authorities. In the short time available, will the Tánaiste update the House on the status of those investigations? How does he foresee the findings of those investigations being published? Does he have an update on the three investigations?

Opt-in under Protocol No. 21: Motion (5 Dec 2023)

Cathal Berry: ...we should transpose it into Irish legislation. Like the previous speaker, the members of the Regional Group have no major issue with it. We are happy to support its passage for three reasons. It does at least attempt to protect further the integrity of the euro and other currencies. As a fiat currency, public confidence in these currencies is really important. When that is undermined,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Update on Ukraine: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Cathal Berry: ...by what the ambassador said about a Canadian initiative to establish a coalition for the return of children. She said a meeting was planned in Kyiv on 8 December. I had not heard of that before. Does she know if Ireland is involved? Is Ireland sending a representative?

Capital Supply Service and Purpose Report Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (29 Nov 2023)

Cathal Berry: ...agency in this country to deal with the influx at the moment. However, whenever we are setting up this new office, authority or agency somewhere, the Minister of State should bear in mind that it does not have to be in Dublin. We should be using this excellent infrastructure that has been created. We are not exploiting this new infrastructure. We are actually using that infrastructure...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Nov 2023)

Cathal Berry: ...intelligence, the assumption is that you have worked in the intelligence services and apparatus of other countries, and that would give other countries a strategic advantage over this jurisdiction. That is not the way to do business. Does the Tánaiste accept that there is a problem and an anomaly here? Does he accept that it is something that should be fixed? How does he...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Departmental Matters: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence (17 Oct 2023)

Cathal Berry: ...Hamas reciprocate or would it continue attacking Israel? That is the first question. Second, what is Tánaiste's assessment as to where we will be in a week's time, from a geopolitical point of view? Does he see the ground offensive going in? I would be grateful for the his insights as he is the most recent person to visit the main players over there.

Financial Resolutions 2023 - Budget Statement 2024 (10 Oct 2023)

Cathal Berry: ...or PDFORRA before the committee. They question whether it will be of any use, whether there will be any output or any product at the end. I even wonder about my own position on the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence. Does it have any affect whatsoever? We are airing all these views which are not then appropriately dealt with. The second lesson is that the gardaí did very...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Oct 2023)

Cathal Berry: ..., the national school bus transport scheme has been under a lot of pressure in the last couple of years. A review of the scheme is ongoing, although it seems to have been going on forever. When does the Taoiseach expect the school bus review to be completed in order that we can get a bus transport system that is fit for purpose and get our children sent to school safely?