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 not remotely possible at present. There is hardly another reserve defence force in Europe whose membership is a fraction …

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. That is a reduction in terms of the ambition. In any event, I appreciate the realisation that it is not a sustainable …

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 issue that is left unsaid is: what missions does the Government believe need to take place outside of a UN mandate? For …

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 neutrality. The massive concern is that without the triple lock, effectively a vote of this Dáil ultimately is the only thing tha…

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 Deputy Connolly outlined. In the context of the Lisbon treaty, which was a very flawed document that contained flawed p…

We are returning to this issue again. We have had a discussion regarding the principle of it, and it remains my strong view that the effect of getting rid of the triple lock, whatever the intention, will undermine Irish neutrality. The Tánaiste talked a great deal about the detail and so on. This is an opportunity for him to tell us what is going to be in the legislation and outline, to the greatest detail that he can, what exactly this is going to look like.

I will not make a final intervention after this because we have ventilated it well enough. It sounds to some extent as though these are criteria the Dáil should have regard to, but ultimately it remains a decision of the Dáil and there is no safeguard beyond that. I am concerned about that. It is not the UN Security Council or anyone on it that has prevented us from sustaining a peacekeeping presence in the Golan Heights; it is because of a lack of resources and underinvestment in the Defence Forces. The most recen…

I begin by acknowledging the presence in the House of H.E. Larysa Gerasko, the Ukrainian ambassador, and all the representatives of the Ukrainian community in Ireland. I thank the ambassador for continuing to keep Members and the Irish public aware of the reality of life in Ukraine . On behalf of my Ukrainian constituents in Cork, I thank her for the representation she provides for them. Three years ago, Vladimir Putin's Russia launched a brutal war of aggression on its neighbour Ukraine, and "brutal" is truly the …

We are clear that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a blatant breach of international law. It is full-scale aggression that has been defined by the potential war crimes committed by the Russian military against innocent people. Sinn Féin calls for a co-ordinated and concerted effort by the international community to secure an end to the hostilities and build peace. We want to see a peaceful settlement for the people of Ukraine, but we wish for peace based on a just and sustainable settlement that respects Ukraine's r…

Fianna Fáil has fair expertise in strokes themselves.

Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I wish him the best in his new position. With the short amount of time I have, I will make some brief observations across the areas of both agriculture and fisheries. I echo the concerns that have been raised by others regarding Mercosur. The issues with Mercosur are wide-ranging and significant. It is difficult to see why anybody from an Irish perspective could even conceivably support it. It is clear to me, however, that the Irish Government has not been active…

I will finish by saying that was not necessarily the case. There is a lack of long-term planning and a need for reform of the marine agencies because there is a feeling that it is a neglected area and its potential is not being fully met.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. Tá AI linn agus cé go bhfuil leas le baint as, tá baoil ag baint leis freisin. Ar aon chaoi, tá sé ag tarlúint agus caithfimid cinnte a dhéanamh de go bhfuil ár bpolasaithe réidh le déileáil leis ó thaobh cúrsaí oideachais agus fostaíochta de agus ó thaobh seirbhísí poiblí agus go leor gnéithe eile. AI is a reality. It is pushing forward at a relentless pace. There are areas about which we would be concerned but there are also significant opportunities and potential for improving the …

I wish to be associated with the condolences expressed to Mr. Babatunde. While my party leader, Deputy Mary Lou McDonald, raised the issue of crime in the capital city, we have had some serious incidents in Cork city in the past couple of weeks. There were two arson attacks, including a petrol bombing, as well as a stabbing close to the Taoiseach’s own constituency office. Some 203 bus services were cancelled because of antisocial behaviour and there has been violence as well as some other serious incidents. This i…

Dúirt sé "ag insint bréag". Nach iad sin na focail a d'úsáid sé?

The programme for Government is pretty thin gruel when you sit down and look at it. There are commitments to "examine", "consider", "evaluate" and "assess". Where the people of Ireland would have hoped for a significant radical shift in some areas of policy to resolve the challenges we face, particularly in housing and health, they were met with a programme for Government that resembled nothing so much as a question mark rather than definite statements. One particular area over which there may be something of a que…

It is during storms like these that we really see the value of public services, especially our front-line public servants, those from the ESB, local authorities, emergency services and An Garda Síochána. They were out in all weathers, in very difficult circumstances, to ensure that people were safe, looked after and were reconnected. We owe them a huge debt of gratitude. The storm wreaked havoc across the State. In many areas, people are still without power and that, undoubtedly, is very worrying and requires consi…

As this is our first question time in our new roles, I wish the Tánaiste well in his new role. While I will hold him to account, I also look forward to co-operation where appropriate. We had a lengthy debate on the occupied territories Bill last week. There was a fair bit of discussion about the vehicle but, to my mind, a change of substance is afoot in what the Government is proposing. I will put the question simply because I do not think it was really answered. Is it the intention of the Government to ensure an e…

I share the Tánaiste's concern about the ceasefire. I might say some more on that, as I have another question later about Palestine and the Middle East. I urge people on all sides of the conflict to step back from the brink. With the limited time I have, I will return to the legislation. It seems that there is an attempt to obscure issues of substance with technical issues. There may be technical issues that can be worked through. That argument was not advanced by the Department of Foreign Affairs in discussion wit…

I understand Senator Black has been in contact with the Minister and has not been able to get an appointment as of yet. I hope that will happen very shortly. I will keep asking the question. This has not been addressed; I have not been given an answer. I raised it numerous times in the course of the last debate. I have raised it twice here already. Technical issues can be overcome. They are overcome frequently. God knows how many amendments came into the planning Act on Committee Stage during the last few months of…