I am dealing with just the general point. When we sent ships to the Mediterranean Sea, I was the Minister who made that decision. Some people did not agree with that at the time but it turned out to be an extremely valuable mission for the Defence Forces, particularly the Naval Service, and also for some 18,000 people who were taken from the sea by our personnel. That was, in the first instance, a humanitarian mission to which Ireland signed up, working on a bilateral basis with Italy. It was simply no longer possi…

One of the reasons for this Bill is that we have asked the Commission on the Defence Forces to do quite a lot of work on the future role of the Reserve Defence Force and the capacity issues relating to it. I wanted this legislation done by the time the commission makes its recommendations. The last thing I want is for the commission to make a recommendation for new roles for the Reserve and then for me to have to start the process of legislation that might take another year after that. We are getting the legislatio…

First, I would like to thank everybody who has spoken in support of me this evening. Their support is much appreciated. Quite honestly, I never thought I would find myself in the middle of a debate like this one. Given the magnitude of the issues this House needs to deal with, including the removal of Covid restrictions, the pressures on healthcare delivery across the country, the launching of the most ambitious new housing plan in history, Ireland's chairing of the UN Security Council at a crucial time, and the on…

I want to sincerely thank colleagues who will vote in support of me this evening despite the fact that many of them have been less than impressed - I know that - with my handling of this controversy.

I thank them for their trust, their sense of perspective, which is often lost in the heat of political debate, and their decency. I sincerely hope that following this motion, I can return to focusing fully on the important work of Government and the office that I am privileged to hold.

The Deputy is a hypocrite.

You are a hypocrite.

I thank the Seanad for accommodating this debate on the report of the independent review group on Jadotville which was published today. The group examined the issue of the awarding of military medals to personnel who served at Jadotville while deployed overseas on the UN peace support mission in the Congo 60 years ago. When I announced the establishment of an independent review of this important matter in this House last November, it was broadly welcomed and supported by all parties. On that occasion, I undertook t…

I thank all Senators for their contributions. It is an emotive issue and many people have invested time and effort into raising concerns about Jadotville and, more important, how people were treated when they returned. No Defence Forces member should be vilified upon returning from serving in an overseas mission but that happened to far too many in the aftermath of Jadotville. The State is making an apology this evening for how people were treated. We are rewriting history in terms of the wrongs that were done and,…

Which section are we dealing with, a Cheann Comhairle?

I want to answer some of the points the Deputy raised but I will do so in the context of the amendments as we reach them.

I would like to set the record straight on a range of matters, given the debate we have just had. First, this legislation updates and clarifies the law relating to the maritime jurisdiction of the State into a single accessible stand-alone enactment. It describes the different maritime zones of national jurisdiction recognised by international law. It sets out the State's sovereign and jurisdictional rights in each of these zones, and it confers powers on the Government to delineate the zones in domestic law. Those…

My understanding from the Bills Office is that it has but let me-----

My understanding is that amendments Nos. 2 and 3 are linked and that amendment No. 2 is disallowed but I will happily deal with both amendments. My speaking note should cover both. Amendment No. 3 is overly prescriptive but I assure the Deputies it has always been the practice to attach an explanatory note to any order made under the Maritime Jurisdiction Acts as well as illustrative maps where appropriate. For instance, the recent Maritime Jurisdiction (Straight Baselines) Order 2016 included an illustrative chart…

I move amendment No. 1: In page 3, line 5, to delete “and” and substitute “, the Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1960,”. I will explain in my opening statement why the amendments are all tied together. At the Committee Stage debate on this Bill, I indicated that I would bring forward a series of amendments on Report Stage to allow for members of the Reserve Defence Force, on a voluntary basis, to provide additional support to the Permanent Defence Force at home and overseas. I am pleased to follow through on that c…

I thank all Members for their contributions. The one common theme is that everyone contributing to this debate values our Defence Forces, their skill set, the quality of the training they have and the role they play both at home and abroad. I put on record the extraordinary contribution and service of the Defence Forces through the 16 months or so of the pandemic. They have been invaluable, be that with mandatory hotel quarantine, providing transportation, taking test samples to Germany, setting up vaccination cent…

I move amendment No. 2: In page 3, line 6, after "1979" to insert the following "and the Defence (Amendment) Act 2006".

I move amendment No. 3: In page 3, between lines 9 and 10, to insert the following: " "Act of 1960" means the Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1960;".

I move amendment No. 4: In page 3, between lines 10 and 11, to insert the following: " "Act of 2006" means the Defence (Amendment) Act 2006;".

I move amendment No. 5: In page 5, between lines 11 and 12, to insert the following: "Voluntary military service of officer of Reserve Defence Force 4. The Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 86: “Voluntary military service of officer of Reserve Defence Force 86A. (1) An officer of the Reserve Defence Force may notify his or her commanding officer in writing that the officer is available for deployment on supplemental military service, subject to the officer’s consent be…