Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise the case of Ryan Cornelius who has been in prison in Dubai for 17 years. He first went to prison when his youngest child was six years old and that child is now 23 years. Last Friday, I met his wife and relations. Initially, Ryan was sentenced to ten years in jail, but as he reached the end of that sentence, another set of trumped up charges were made and he was sentenced to another 20 years. The man is 71 years of age and has not seen his youngest child since that child was six. I will forward Ryan's details to Members of the House and I ask that we ask the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to intervene. I understand that Ryan is a British citizen but his wife is Irish. Irish people go to Dubai on holidays all the time. It is simply not good enough that a person can be arbitrarily locked up and forgotten about for 17 years.

My second point, which will be of interest to the Deputy Leader, is that I understand the Air Corps is expected to move CASA aircraft to Shannon because we cannot guarantee 24-hour flights out of Baldonnel anymore. Baldonnel closed at 8 o'clock last night. I understand that the Garda helicopter is likely to be moved to Weston in the next few days because, again, we cannot guarantee air traffic control. Will the Deputy Leader join me, as she has an interest in the defence area, in my request for the Minister for Defence to come to the House to talk about how we will resolve the issue of losing highly specialised people in the Defence Forces, Air Corps, Naval Service and Army. We have to revisit the salary structures and the way in which we compensate those with specialisms so as to retain them. I am happy to engage one to one with the Deputy Leader in order that we can put together something for the Minister. I would appreciate her assistance with that.