Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

I cannot imagine how difficult it is for the O'Farrell family to listen to so much of the detail being repeated, but I think it is a significant step that an apology has been achieved. I commend the O'Farrell family for their campaigning. I had many meetings with Lucia and the family. In my nine years in this place, she is one of the most impressive people I have ever met. I refer to her level of …

Throughout my life, which is not the shortest or the longest life, there have been conflicts and atrocities but I cannot remember anything like this. In my whole life, the only thing I can imagine that holds anything like this viciousness, senselessness, waste and slaughter is the genocide in Rwanda. I say that because it is. People would have been reluctant to use that word, but what else can we …

Is the clock being brought back?

Four and a half minutes, I think; okay. The Taoiseach in his opening speech said that it is difficult to find words for the human suffering. That is true, it is difficult to find words. It is difficult to find words for the scale of it. When before in any international situation could we have ever imagined a UN official talking about 14,000 babies potentially facing starvation within 48 hours? Can…

I think many people would have baulked and would have found that word highly charged, but it is difficult to dispute that there is an intent to effectively destroy Gaza and the people of Gaza as a people.

Words matter, but actions matter more. I welcome the progress on the EU association agreement, which is something we called for. There is a lot more that is needed. On the occupied territories Bill, I think at one stage the Taoiseach understood why that was a logical conclusion of the International Court of Justice decision. It is about the fact that settlements are illegal and require consequence…

Let us be frank. The future survival of Gaza - its actual existence, as well as that of its people - is at stake. That is not hyperbole. I wish it was. I urge the Tánaiste to issue strong words, yes. Strong statements matter but, by God, actions matter a lot more. Are there more actions we can take that we are not taking? There certainly are.

If I may, with the Chair's indulgence, I was not aware of it at the time I spoke and I wish to add my condemnation of that appalling attack. It is a disgraceful attack on any diplomat particularly Irish diplomats.

The failure that is happening here is profound for parents and most importantly for their children, but also for the professionals working in the field. It feels as if the system is shuddering to a halt and is completely choking up, and the situation continues to get worse and worse. More than 15,000 children are waiting for an assessment of need. There are more than 2,000 in my county, Cork. Many…

I agree with Deputy John Connolly. We always need to keep education in its broadest sense in mind. Fundamentally, it is about ensuring people can reach their full potential regardless of the area. Notwithstanding that, it remains a strategic consideration for any Government, particularly in the current context. Regarding Ireland's competitiveness, it is crucial that we ensure that Ireland continue…

I was mystified by the approach of the Government to housing. I was mystified during the election campaign but I am twice as mystified now. From committing to things that would make things worse, it has moved on to implementing things that would make things worse, such as the rent pressure zones and effectively getting rid of crucial tenant protections such as the tenant in situ scheme. That compl…

152. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will consider the introduction of service commitment schemes to retain key specialist functions within the Defence Forces and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18075/25]

We all share a great deal of concern about the challenges faced by the Defence Forces in recruitment and retention. It is severe right across the organisation but it is felt most keenly in the area of specialist staff such as air traffic controllers, engineers and explosive ordnance disposals officers. This is a major challenge. There is a lot of competition from the private sector. We need to con…

Much of the Tánaiste's response related more to the recruitment side of things. We have a significant challenge in that regard and we are not out of the woods by any manner of means.

My specific question primarily relates to the retention of highly skilled people. I have put to the Tánaiste previously that much of the debate on this topic has been for an external audience. In truth, for all the big speeches, much of the substance of what is needed to ensure the sustainability of the Defence Forces is absent. The Tánaiste has been talking about fighter jets while we have sent b…

As I understand it, the scheme to which the Tánaiste referred relates specifically to pilots.

The Defence Forces face challenges. If anybody is going to be decoupling the issues of pay and recruitment, it certainly will not be me. It is very much the case that they are linked. The point I am raising relates to the retention of existing staff and not recruiting new staff, which is also a challenge. Aside from the category that is covered by the service commitment, there are whole areas with…

156. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will outline his proposals to remove the triple lock neutrality protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18077/25]

Yes.

My question is somewhat different from Deputy Gibney's, although hers makes an important distinction that needs to be made. People have been talking about the Security Council. There is no dispute that the world is changing. That is recognised. It is a question of what Ireland's place in this changing world is. If we remove the triple lock neutrality protection, we will potentially expose ourselve…

There was not a person in Ireland who wanted us to withdraw troops from the Golan Heights or was in favour of that, and that was done for budgetary reasons. That was for budgetary reasons because of the Government. That was the primary obstacle. The last time Irish troops were pulled out of a peacekeeping mission, it was entirely the decision of the Irish Government and it was not informed by any…

What is the timeline for that?

154. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to outline, further to recent Dáil debates, his views on past health and safety measures in the Air Corps, and potential engagements with interested groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18076/25]

Over the course of many years, it seems many Air Corps personnel, primarily young working-class people who took jobs in the maintenance department of the Air Corps, were exposed to very hazardous and dangerous conditions with very few, or effectively no, safety precautions, certainly nothing by way of masks, adequate ventilation and so on. There are huge concerns about the health implications this…

I do not accept that for one second. Over many years, this House has dealt with many issues that have been proceeding through the courts and the State rightly did not intervene as between the two different parties or try to disturb the process of the courts. However, that is totally separate from whether the State itself identifies that there is a policy issue and a need for a policy response in r…