Results 561-580 of 1,119,320 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Joe O'Brien OR speaker:Neasa Hourigan OR speaker:Simon Harris OR speaker:John McGuinness OR speaker:Paul Donnelly OR speaker:Michael Lowry OR speaker:Bríd Smith OR speaker:Micheál Martin OR speaker:Ossian Smyth OR speaker:James Lawless OR speaker:Hildegarde Naughton OR speaker:Thomas Byrne OR speaker:Danny Healy-Rae OR speaker:Cathal Berry OR speaker:Paul Murphy OR speaker:Marc MacSharry OR speaker:Christopher O'Sullivan OR speaker:James O'Connor OR speaker:Richard Bruton OR speaker:Chris Andrews OR speaker:Seán Canney OR speaker:Denis Naughten OR speaker:Dara Calleary OR speaker:Holly Cairns OR speaker:Alan Kelly OR speaker:Joe McHugh OR speaker:Alan Dillon OR speaker:Pat Buckley OR speaker:Patricia Ryan OR speaker:Fergus O'Dowd)

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Funding (17 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Defence Vote group comprises of two Votes: Vote 35 - Army pensions and Vote 36 - defence. The 2023 Vote 36 – defence net surplus surrendered to the Exchequer was €18.1 million. This figure includes surplus appropriations-in-aid of €9.1 million, which, as the Deputy will be aware, cannot be used to fund additional expenditure and must be surrendered to the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Funding (17 Oct 2024)

Matt Carthy: People will be astounded to see the Department of Defence surrendering any money back to the Exchequer, considering the challenges that the Defence Forces are currently facing in the retention and recruitment crisis and the ambitions that have been set out, particularly in the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces. I have raised with the Tánaiste on a number of occasions the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Funding (17 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: We have actually expanded expenditure. The bottom line is, in terms of capital expenditure, procurement is an issue in terms of the time it can take to procure, particularly C295s. The bottom line is we are committing to a lot of expenditure, which will come on stream. It does not necessarily fall in any given 12 months. I do not accept the Deputy's characterisation of the budgetary...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Funding (17 Oct 2024)

Matt Carthy: I assure the Tánaiste that I would not suggest to the Government to throw money anywhere because it is quite good at doing that of its own volition, but here is the crux. For the past number of years on budget day or in the budget documents released by the Department, the Tánaiste has said that the budget includes provision for the employment of 400 additional members of the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Funding (17 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: Every year it is put to good use. That is the point I made in my reply. In 2023, it was put to good use. It was used elsewhere across the Vote. That happens all of the time. We are down now to €9 million out of a budget that is close to €1 billion. We need to a sense of perspective here in all of this. I discussed the appropriations-in-aid, which is receipts that come...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (17 Oct 2024)

Defence Forces

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (17 Oct 2024)

Gary Gannon: 4. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he is satisfied that the Defence Forces, specifically the military intelligence branch, are appropriately resourced in terms of personnel, training and technology to effectively address the increasing demands of counter-espionage operations; and the plans in place to enhance these capabilities in light of evolving threats to national...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (17 Oct 2024)

Gary Gannon: Is the Tánaiste satisfied that the Defence Forces, specifically the military intelligence branch, are appropriately resourced in terms of personnel, training and technology to effectively address the increasing demands of counter-espionage operations, and the plans in place to enhance these capabilities in light of evolving threats to national security?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (17 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter, as it allows me to touch, on a high level, on the role of intelligence gathering for and on behalf of the State. As the Deputy will appreciate given the sensitive nature of such matters, I will not be commenting on recent media reports nor would it be appropriate for me to disclose the various briefings I receive as the Minister for Defence from...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (17 Oct 2024)

Catherine Connolly: Gabh mo leithscéal; I made a mistake, Tánaiste. Questions Nos. 1 and 2 were grouped. I did not hear that being said, and I did not check the screen. I am really sorry.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (17 Oct 2024)

Duncan Smith: I will ask a different variation of my question.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (17 Oct 2024)

Catherine Connolly: Unfortunately, we timed it because it was an important question. We are going to reduce the time back to one minute now. The Tánaiste got the extra time, but it was an important topic. If it is okay with Deputy Smith, we will come back to his question as a separate slot.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (17 Oct 2024)

Duncan Smith: That is fine.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (17 Oct 2024)

Catherine Connolly: I call Deputy Carthy.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (17 Oct 2024)

Matt Carthy: Notwithstanding any appeals that have been made to the Israeli Government, it is fair to assume, although disappointing that it is the case, that Israel is unlikely to heed the calls of the international community because the evidence we have, not only over the past year but for much longer, is that Israel does not need any words, only significant sanctions. There is no indication that such...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (17 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Defence Forces have advised that there are sufficient supplies of both water and food in Camp Shamrock as well as the availability of contingency food packs, and that further deliveries were made to Camp Shamrock over the last weekend. This is in addition to a contingency supply chain that is in place to allow all of UNIFIL to remain in place for up to 30 days. These contingency...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (17 Oct 2024)

Duncan Smith: I wish to discuss this issue further and put on record my and our deep appreciation for the valuable work Irish peacekeepers do as part of the UNIFIL force. In the Tánaiste's view, where do we go in terms of UN peacekeeping? It feels that we may be at a tipping point with this mission and the direct attacks from Israel, which may be geographically in the Middle East but culturally...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (17 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: There is a fundamental issue in terms of Israel's approach to the United Nations more generally. We might remember that UNIFIL is there as a result of the UN Security Council. In my view, Israel cannot continue to undermine UN agencies. We see what is happening in the Knesset in respect of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, UNRWA, for...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (17 Oct 2024)

Catherine Connolly: I am sticking to the time on this because we allowed extra time previously. The Deputy has a full minute.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (17 Oct 2024)

Duncan Smith: I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. We have all been ranging from disappointment to being aghast in this country at the continued support for Israel, either militarily or politically, over the past year as its massively disproportionate response to the attacks on 7 October continues to bring death and destruction for the people of Gaza and now Lebanon. If the burning of people alive in the...