Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

This European Council meeting took place at a highly uncertain and volatile time right across the world, but in particular in the Middle East and in both Gaza and the West Bank in Palestine. As Deputy McDonald outlined, the conclusions that came from the European Council meeting are very disappointing, as is the review of the EU-Israel agreements, both commercial and otherwise. The Tánaiste touted…

So do you.

We hear time and again from the Government that housing is the most important social, political and strategic issue. We heard it thrown back at us again today about a monopoly on compassion, which is one of those talking points we hear all the time. That is not contested. We appreciate that there are people on every side of this House that have compassion but the sobering, depressing, frustrating…

Across Cork, there are dozens of children with special educational needs who do not have a place for September. In the past three weeks alone, I have been contacted by eight parents of children who need a place in a special school for September who do not have one. The pressure this is putting on them, the anxiety they are carrying, the uncertainty they are facing and the worry they have for their…

On a brief point of order, the Minister said to me-----

If I have not made the point of order, how does the Ceann Comhairle know if it was a point of order?

The Minister adverted to something in relation to me that was not correct.

I made specific reference to a specific school, unlike what the Minister said.

Eadrainn go léir, is dóigh liom go bhfuil na canúintí go léir clúdaithe againn faoin am seo. Tréaslaím go mór leis an rún ar chuir an Teachta Ó Snodaigh os ár gcomhair. Tá go leor oibre déanta aige. Tugaim aitheantas dEoghan ina oifig freisin atá tar éis as an-chuid oibre a dhéanamh ar na polasaithe go léir atá tar éis teacht as an oifig sin. Tá na fadhbanna atá ann ó thaobh an Ghaeloideachais su…

4. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence how he will ensure adequate funding for the Defence Forces in line with the report of the commission on the Defence Forces. [6102/25]

We have heard a lot about defence spending in recent weeks but the truth on the ground is that the Defence Forces are in a precarious position because of Government underfunding. We currently have fewer than 8,000 members of the Permanent Defence Force. This is well below establishment, not to mind the 11,000 recommended under stage 2 in the report of the Commission on the Future of the Defence Fo…

In recent weeks, we have heard lots of big speeches, announcements, lofty promises and big commitments. I welcome that the Defence Forces are finally getting some attention. I live in a city that has a large number of Defence Forces personnel who work in Collins Barracks and Haulbowline. They tell me they have heard all of this before. They have heard big talk and small follow-through. The Tánaist…

The Tánaiste spoke about an objective analysis. Any objective analysis would find that the previous Minister for Defence, who is now the Taoiseach and leader of Fianna Fáil, Deputy Micheál Martin, kept giving unspent money in defence back to the Exchequer. It was €30 million last year and €70 million in 2023 and 2022. Any objective analysis would find that more than 900 people recruited to the Def…

6. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to discuss health and safety measures in the Air Corps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6440/25]

The Tánaiste will be aware of a recent settlement for Mr. Gary Coll of €2 million, without liability, after he lodged proceedings regarding exposure to dangerous chemicals while working in the Air Corps. I do not wish to discuss any case before the courts. Many people who are affected do not want to have to go to court. However, as a matter of policy, the Department of Defence has a responsibility…

It is for this reason that I communicated with the Tánaiste last night. It is important that ongoing monitoring is happening but my primary concern relates to the issues that have arisen over the past 20 or 30 years. For many years personnel in the Air Corps, particularly those in the repair shop, were exposed to very dangerous chemicals. Despite this, there were no meaningful precautions in terms…

I appreciate the fact the Tánaiste will reflect on it. He mentioned the tribunal. I would make the point, and the Tánaiste's comments reflect that he may be aware of this, the tribunal only deals with the handling of complaints rather than the substance of complaints.

Therefore, that will not be anywhere near adequate. What ACCAS has demanded is to ensure medical care is provided as well as an assessment to identify what were the implications for health outcomes. There is also a need for a statutory investigation of some form, given the role of the State Claims Agency in failing to alert the HSA of ongoing failings when known. It should go without saying these …

8. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to discuss the need to ensure increased recruitment to the Reserve Defence Force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6439/25]

The Tánaiste and I had an engagement a while ago that was primarily about the Permanent Defence Force. I want to bring to the Tánaiste's attention the issue of the Reserve Defence Force, RDF. It is a seriously depleted organisation that has much greater potential. It has a huge ability to support the Permanent Defence Force in its own right. As of 15 October, the current strength of the RDF is 1,7…

There is a sense of a lack of ambition with respect to redeveloping the Reserve Defence Force. Typically, reserve defence forces are a critical element of recruitment to permanent defence forces. We are at critically low levels. Indeed, the Commission on the Future of the Defence Forces reflected the fact that the Reserve Defence Force is important in terms of surge capacity as required. That is n…

My next question was going to be whether the Tánaiste planned to meet with them. I am glad that he has met them. I hope he took on board some of their suggestions and requests. From what he is saying, it seems that the target is effectively no longer 4,500 for 2028, but 3,000. That would be a fair step back. It was only on 15 October last that the current Taoiseach committed to the target of 4,500…

It feels as if there is constantly something unsaid in this debate. The Government is in favour of removing the need for a UN mandate for peacekeeping missions. We have had referendums in the past and a lot of weight was put on the fact that the triple lock existed - that this was a defence of our neutrality. Whatever about your bona fides, the effect of this is to undermine Irish neutrality. The …

Regarding our assessment as to why Ireland should be a neutral State, some people have talked about moral superiority. That is not it in my view. In my view it is a clear-sighted assessment of the role we can play where we can be of most benefit but also do what is in our interests. I believe that neutrality serves us well and has popular support. The Minister has said he is in favour of neutralit…

We will have the legislation. The Tánaiste is talking about teasing through it. Of course we will. We will have our engagement, and I hope that there will be enough time for it. However, as far as we are concerned, the triple lock is something that Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil for a long time put a lot of store by and pointed to it as evidence that there was no question regarding Irish neutrality, as…