I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire for raising this important matter. It provides me with an opportunity to set out the position and the immediate steps that I and the Government have taken to ensure that air traffic control services operating at Baldonnel are restored to full service. Initial indications from the military authorities were received by my Department in May on the likelihood of challenges in regard to service provision. Since then, significant engagement has taken place and a number of immediate actions have been identified. This week I sought and secured Government approval for the following measures: the introduction with immediate effect of a service commitment scheme for air traffic control personnel; new entry options to air traffic control service, namely a direct entry option; new promotion opportunities within the service; and outsourcing of aspects of the training provided. All of these individual actions are now being actioned and are aimed at ensuring that existing personnel and indeed those known to be considering leaving the service are incentivised to remain in the service. These actions build on other specific measures that have been introduced, including the provision of a mentor in provision of air traffic control and the introduction of a bespoke air traffic control cadetship competition in 2024 which has been advertised again this year. The actions pursued are aimed at delivering an ongoing stream of qualified people to fill vacancies as they arise. I assure the Deputy that I am firmly resolved to ensure minimum disruption to services. My officials are also actively engaged with their Air Corps colleagues in securing additional resources, including from external service providers, to ensure all avenues are being examined. Looking to the longer term, I advised Cabinet this week of my intention to conduct a peer review of how our air traffic control services are provided as compared with how other militaries provide similar services. There is a worldwide shortage of air traffic controllers. We have seen pinch points like this before. It is important that we learn from how other militaries are addressing similar challenges. I thank the Chief of Staff for working with me closely on this. I was asked to get that service commitment scheme in place with immediate effect. We have done that this week and I now expect people to get on with it.
Sentiment score: 0.33
The service commitment scheme has been referenced for a number of years, from my recollection, and it is no more than my recollection. I believe it might have surfaced around 2021 in a list of recommendations but I am open to correction on that year. Generally, the way of progressing these issues is through local bargaining. In fairness, the Deputy will recognise that normally the Department of public expenditure and reform would say to go through the local bargaining, there is a pot of funding there and the issues should be worked out. In light of the importance of the issues highlighted and as this is our national military airfield, we have decided to act outside of local bargaining. These decisions are very rarely taken outside of normal public sector pay processes. We are doing that because of the immediacy of it. I want to say two things to try to reassure people. I was told by military leadership that if we got this in place, it would make a very real difference in ensuring that people who had been considering leaving will stay. Therefore, I expect significant restoration of services at Baldonnel very quickly. Contingency arrangements have been put in place with other agencies. I want people, including bad actors, to know that there are measures in place to ensure that there are contingency arrangements.
Sentiment score: 0.10
On the latter point, I do not. I have been assured that contingency arrangements are in place. The Deputy is right about how we need to look more at the pinch points in our Defence Forces in general, and I will come back to this in a moment. I expect significant restoration of services at Baldonnel to happen very rapidly. I expect that to be the case because in my conversations with military leadership and the new Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, I was made aware that a number of air traffic controllers may leave the Air Corps to work in other environments, as they are entitled to do. Providing this service commitment scheme may make a fundamental difference with regard to them changing their position. We have delivered our bit in terms of the Government putting this in place. I expect Defence Forces leadership and Air Corps leadership now to do their part and I know they will. I agree with the Deputy on the broader point - there is a question on this from either him or Deputy Crowe listed for later and I will come to it - regarding how we look specifically at some of the technical skills required in our Defence Forces, separate and distinct from how we look at broader issues around recruitment and retention. There is great sense in that.
Sentiment score: 0.26
I propose to take Questions No. 2 and 4 together. I thank Deputy Gibney for the question. As she is aware and has alluded to, I brought forward the general scheme of the defence (amendment) Bill 2025, which amends the legislation underpinning overseas deployments of the Defence Forces. This was agreed by Cabinet on 4 March. The Bill will, among other things, provide for the modification of the existing requirement regarding the dispatch of the Defence Forces for service outside the State as part of an international force. Under the current proposals in the general scheme to amend the existing legislation, the requirement for a UN mandate will be removed. I wish to again underline that the legislation in place currently allows members of the UN Security Council, by means of a veto or indeed threat of same, to bind Ireland's hands in its international peacekeeping engagements. The veto by a UN Security Council member on a proposed resolution for a full and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza on 4 June last is further evidence of this. It is simply untenable for this Government to continue with this policy. I recently saw some people at a press conference opposing the abolition of the triple lock and then asking me to send the Navy to the humanitarian blockade in Gaza. There would not be a UN mandate to do that. The inconsistency in respect of this is quite breathtaking. I strongly believe that such consideration on international engagements should be within our sovereign control. The people of Ireland decide where our peacekeepers go. Their democratically elected officials decide, not people who have never received one vote in any constituency in this country. That is how our democracy works. It is how many neutral countries work as well. The triple lock is not the norm in other neutral countries. In my view and the view of the Government, the decision-making should be within the remit of the Government of the day and the people's representatives in Dáil Éireann, people who have been democratically elected. I very much recognise, however, that in removing the UN Security Council mandate there is a need to provide alternative safeguards to underpin the future dispatch of Defence Forces personnel. I am very open to the Deputy. This is why we publish draft legislation and have pre-legislative scrutiny. I am very open to working across the House on this. So far my thinking on this is that in parallel with removing the UN mandate requirement, I have proposed that governing principles will be included in the legislation. Those already proposed in the draft Bill will require that the mandate of these operations must be consistent with and adhere to the principles of the UN Charter and international law. The UN Charter is the bedrock here. If there is a view that we need to strengthen that, I am happy to engage. In assessing any request to participate in a mission, among the main considerations are its compliance with Irish law and our foreign policy. Other elements include consent of the host nation. This is important as I have heard people asking if this could apply to non-peacekeeping or peace enforcing. Further elements are trust in partners in the operation and that the operation operates in accordance with international law and is consistent with the UN Charter. In evaluating proposals to join an operation consideration of the legal framework, rules of engagement, concept of operations also form the basis of deliberations. I would also like to highlight the current legal framework that applies for EU military missions. Under Article 21 of the Treaty of the European Union the Union’s action shall be guided by the principles of democracy, the rule of law, the universality and indivisibility of human rights and fundamental freedoms, respect for human dignity, the principles of equality and solidarity, and respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law. During the drafting process these principles will be refined to make sure we provide legal effect to them, and I would welcome any further suggestions on safeguards from the committee and from Members. I look forward to the pre-legislative scrutiny report of the Committee on Defence and National Security. I wish to underline again that the proposed amendments to the legislation are in keeping with Ireland’s values and policy of being militarily unaligned and being militarily neutral, and these changes do nothing, and do not wish to do anything, to undermine that policy. As this House is aware, Ireland’s policy of military neutrality is characterised by the non-membership of military alliances or common or mutual defence arrangements, which is set out in the Constitution. These legislative proposals have no effect on the Constitutional provision that underpins this policy.
Sentiment score: 0.26
Inconsistency
Sentiment score: 0.00
I thank the Deputies for their concerted engagement. I definitely did not use the word "hypocrisy". I know the depth of feeling that people have in relation to Gaza. I am just making the point that there is an inconsistency - I think that is the word I used - in relation to it. I do not want to use a loaded phrase because I have huge respect for people who are quite rightly highlighting the situation in Gaza. I am just making the point that we are living in a world that is so turbulent we can no longer rely on international partners to necessarily provide sanction. We cannot even get the UN Security Council to agree a motion in relation to Gaza. That is the point I am making on the current level of dysfunctionality around the veto. I take very seriously the points Deputy Gibney makes and appreciate her professional background and expertise in these areas. I am happy to work constructively on this issue. We have a clear difference on the triple lock. I respect that difference. It is clear we are not going to resolve it. If Government intends to do what it does intend to do, it is legitimate that the Deputy asks about the safeguards and human rights monitoring. I am happy to engage on how we can strengthen that and try to address it in legislation. Deputy Gibney is right that I did refer to principles of the UN Charter, which is the fundamental grounding here. We are very much open to looking at how we can refine and strengthen that and give it legal effect. I will constructively engage with any recommendations that come from the Oireachtas committee and the pre-legislative scrutiny report regarding that. To Deputy Ó Laoghaire, I genuinely welcome the points he makes at the start on being happy to legislate to provide greater clarity. This Bill is looking to do a number of things. All is not the triple lock. I think that is the point the Deputy is making. We are looking to reform and change the triple lock, absolutely, but we are also looking to do other things that are separate and distinct from the triple lock, which I think provide clarity for our people on rules around deployment in terms of rescuing Irish citizens from abroad, for example. I welcome the Deputy's constructive support on that. I do think the Deputy picked one element of the draft Bill there. It does have to be read in the round. We are very clearly saying in the draft legislation that people could only be deployed where there is the active consent of the host country and the likes. However, in terms of keeping international security, there is absolutely no doubt our troops in Lebanon are helping to keep the security of Lebanon right now.
Sentiment score: 0.32
The courts.
Sentiment score: 0.00
The courts arbitrate on our law, Irish courts. They are the arbitrator of any law passed here and ensure that the Government of the day, any Government of any hue - the Deputy might be in government one day - keeps within the laws of the land as passed by the Oireachtas. The law is arbitrated on by the Irish courts, not any Government. There is an arbitrator and it is our courts system. The Deputy is right that the test today on whether we can deploy peacekeepers is the UN Security Council. My contention is that it is now the wrong test and we need to change the test. The Deputy has referred to things like external bodies and the Low Pay Commission. The Government of the day and the Oireachtas appoint people to the Low Pay Commission. The geopolitical situation has evolved significantly over the last several years and extraordinarily rapidly in the last number of years. The idea now that a UN Security Council where we have the likes of Russia threatening to veto things is really serious. I touch wood and hope this does not happen, but we have brave men and women in Lebanon today serving under a UN mandate. We all support them fully. I visited them and they are doing a great job. What if the UN does not renew that mandate? Would it be the view of the Opposition that those peacekeepers should come home, even though it is my view and I think that of the Oireachtas and of the overwhelming majority of people that they are doing an incredible job? What if Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin or any of the leaders of the permanent members of the Security Council decide they are going to try to save a bit of money this year and are not as committed to multilateralism? In the context of the Elon Musk review being spoken about at the minute, what if it is decided there is a further need to pull back funding from the UN? Are those people going to decide whether the men and women of Óglaigh na hÉireann have to come home from southern Lebanon? That is not what I think should happen.
Sentiment score: 0.16
In fairness to the Deputy, he put me on notice that he is going to raise this issue on each and every occasion, quite rightly and understandably considering the seriousness of it. As I set out previously, and as I am obliged to set out every time this question is posed to me, and despite the constructive way in which the question has been put forward, any discussions we might seek to have or any comments I make are necessarily limited in light of the ongoing litigation in respect of this matter currently being before our courts. I have set out this position in the House previously. There is a limit to what I can say in the circumstances to avoid intrusion into the independent role of our courts in respect of these matters. The issue of alleged exposure to chemicals in the Air Corps is, as the Deputy said, the subject of a number of litigation cases, the management of which has been statutorily delegated to the State Claims Agency. I do, though, wish to advise the Deputy - while remaining faithful to the limitations I have just set out - that at my request and following on from our discussions my officials have started to develop preliminary options and begun a process of the consideration in relation to any possible actions that may inform the general position of those who allege experiencing harm arising from potential chemical exposure. The initial exercise is under way. It is exploratory and arises from my undertaking to the Deputy during previous sessions of oral parliamentary questions. I do not want to go into too many specifics at this point. This is primarily because a considerable portion of the nature and scope of any proposal will need to take account of what can be done without cutting across the current litigation cases and in the context of agreeing these limits and appropriate consultation. This is not in my prepared answer, but I would be very happy to have a briefing with the Deputy on this matter and to ask my officials to sit down and hear his views and thoughts. As I said, there is a challenge in respect of meeting individual people but perhaps we could have my officials engage with the Deputy concerning some of his thoughts on this matter. I know they are working to try to make progress. I again draw the Deputy’s attention to the point I made during our previous discussion on this matter, namely, that there is an ongoing process of engagement between the State Claims Agency and current plaintiffs. I did ask that this process be given the time and space. I am interested to know what the Deputy is hearing in respect of that engagement.
Sentiment score: 0.24
I will very much take away the point made by the Deputy there in respect of a lack of engagement because my note tells me there is an ongoing process of engagement. Clearly, both cannot be factually true. I will, therefore, personally undertake to clarify this point with the State Claims Agency and I am happy to revert to the Deputy. As I said, my officials have begun an exploratory process to consider what options may be available to me from a policy perspective to consider this issue further. Without straying too far, my thinking is that there are legal cases and I would like all these resolved insofar as they can be in a constructive manner. Legal cases, however, always require cause and effect and being able to prove cause and effect. Regardless of that threshold, if there are people in our country who have health needs, there are examples in the past of where we have endeavoured to meet those health needs, separate and distinct from any legal process and trying to establish cause and effect, which people have every right to try to do. These are the two separate issues I am trying to grapple with. I do think of times in the past when, without any admissions of liability, the State has taken actions to try to meet the health needs of some of its people. This is something we should explore.
Sentiment score: 0.21
When the time is right and the advice to me is that it is appropriate for me to have meetings, I will be very happy to engage. I obviously have the Deputy in a separate and distinct category as the spokesperson on defence for the largest Opposition party. I am happy to engage with him to see if we can constructively make progress. I will ask, and I have already asked, that we look at the examples in the other jurisdictions referred to by the Deputy. I do not have an exact timeline in relation to this matter. I am informed there are significant complexities in this regard. Perhaps at a meeting or a briefing we could tease through some of this issue in a bit more detail and then no doubt return to it at the next session of parliamentary questions as well.
Sentiment score: 0.25
I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. He is right that there have been real challenges in terms of pinch points regarding specific positions our Air Corps is fundamentally reliant on and the air traffic controllers is the most obvious and current example. In fairness to my predecessors in this role, I point out that the context has changed significantly even since that 2021 report. We have seen an increase in commercial activity in terms of there being other opportunities for air traffic controllers in Ireland. We have also seen a growing shortage of air traffic controllers globally. Both of those things have added to what was already a challenge back in 2021. We have, though, taken big and significant decisions this week. The Minister, Deputy Chambers, and I agreed to go ahead with the service commitment scheme for air traffic controllers, which is an extension of the scheme available to pilots in the Air Corps. It will be extended to air traffic controllers. As I pointed out in reply to an earlier question, it is unusual to do this outside of regular processes, for want of a better phase, but we are doing it as a recognition, as the Deputy rightly said, of the fundamental importance of these air traffic controllers not just to Baldonnel but to our country, to our security and, of course, to our Air Corps. My Department is investing some €50 million in national defence infrastructure this year, with a further €12.5 million being provided to the Defence Forces on a fully delegated basis. In respect of Casement Aerodrome at Baldonnel specifically, the following projects, costing a total of €5.8 million, have been completed in recent years: new redeployable modular accommodation; an upgrade to hangar 3; main technical stores refurbishment; and a watermains upgrade. In addition to this, planning is under way for a new barracks service store, a new accommodation building, a new gym, a new crash rescue building, an upgrade to building 12; and a new ATC tower. I am looking forward to visiting Baldonnel because my Department has recently completed the development of an airside master development plan to further develop Casement Aerodrome.
Sentiment score: 0.26
I fully agree with the Deputy. My Department and the Defence Forces have been working in close collaboration with An Garda Síochána, the health service and the Air Corps to ensure contingency arrangements are in place while we resolve this pinch point. I had a good meeting with the excellent new Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Rossa Mulcahy. I wish him well in his role. My management board in the Department of Defence and I had an excellent meeting with him and the leadership of the Air Corps. There is a list of things that needs to be done, as the Deputy said, arising from the 2021 report, and even beyond that. The big ask of Government was the service commitment scheme, which we implemented this week at Cabinet. We have taken the decision to provide the funding. That is now available. Air Corps management believes it will make a big difference. There are also a number of other operational recommendations that fall to the leadership of the Defence Forces. They now need to get on with them. This has to be a collaborative effort to put all of the pieces in place to build a sustainable service. I reassure those who watch these debates that there are contingency plans in place, including ones to support An Garda Síochána in its excellent work.
Sentiment score: 0.32