Shortage of military air traffic controllers see hours cut, Dáil told
Contingency plans are being put in place to deal with a shortage of military air traffic controllers, Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Simon Harris has told the Dáil.
Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty said that air traffic control at Baldonnel airport is moving to five-days per week as they are short personnel.
He said that Baldonnel Air Corps manages military helicopter and fixed wing aircraft as well as garda aircraft.
Mr Doherty said gardaí are looking for alternatives because responding to crime was not a five-day-a-week job.
He added that there were also concerns that these shortages would lead to cutbacks in essential support for the coastguard.
He added that if any more personnel are lost, operations could wind up completely.
The Irish Times reported that that Irish military flight operations are to move to part-time hours at the Air Corps headquarters and may soon have to cease operations.
The Tánaiste defended the level of funding for the Defence Forces saying that it has risen significantly and was up 30% since 2020.
However, he acknowledged that there were pinch points in parts of the Defence Forces in relation to particular skills and retention of air traffic controllers.
He said contingency planning would be put in place and work was underway to ensure continuation of services.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Journal
19 minutes ago
- The Journal
European Central Bank expected to cut interest rates later today
THE EUROPEAN CENTRAL Bank is expected to cut interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point today. It would be the bank's eighth interest rate cut in the last 12 months, with officials having shifted focus from taming consumer price rises to easing pressure on the sluggish eurozone economy. Expectations that the Frankfurt-based institution will deliver a fresh rate cut were strengthened this week when data showed eurozone inflation eased to 1.9% in May, faster than expected and below its 2% target. 'Any doubts about an ECB interest rate cut this week have now been eliminated,' said Dirk Schumacher, chief economist at German public lender KfW. Advertisement Analysts expect another quarter-point reduction that would take the central bank's key deposit rate to 2%. The reduction would be welcome news for tracker mortgage holders, who would benefit immediately from the move, along with other borrowers. Despite falling ECB rates, Ireland is the fifth most expensive country in the eurozone for mortgages, with Irish homebuyers paying 0.46 percentage points more than the average interest rate on new mortgages across the euro zone, according to a recent Central Bank report. Observers will be on the lookout for any hints from ECB President Christine Lagarde at her press conference that policymakers could hit pause at their next meeting in July, as some expect. The ECB's series of cuts stands in contrast to the US Federal Reserve, which has kept rates on hold recently amid fears that Trump's levies could stoke inflation in the world's top economy. With reporting from © AFP 2025 Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Extra.ie
an hour ago
- Extra.ie
Clock ticking for Ireland to sort out their problem position
Ireland have named a decent squad for their summer outings against Georgia and Portugal, a progressive party laced with youth and just the right amount of experience. With 15 frontliners away on Lions duty, there is a rare opportunity for fringe players to hold their hands up in a way that could be highly significant come the next World Cup in two years' time. Paul O'Connell will bring a young Ireland squad on tour to play Georgia and Portugal this summer. Pic: INPHO/Dan Sheridan Especially when you consider that eight of those Irish Lions (Aki, Lowe, Gibson-Park, Furlong, Beirne, Ringrose, Conan, Ringrose and Van der Flier) are in their 30s and not guaranteed to be in the mix come Australia 2027. Plenty to play for then and a selection that has pretty much all audition bases covered. However, the one area causing concern when looking through this squad is the ongoing issue of who is next up at openside if anything should happen to Josh van der Flier? The likes of James Lowe, Jamison Gibson-Park, Bundee Aki and Tadhg Furlong are all in their 30s and there may be spots available at the next World cup. Pic: INPHO Ireland have seemed uncertain as to who covers for Van der Flier for around four years now and have been fortunate that the 32-year-old has been so durable and available over that period. The most like for like player in the Irish system is Leinster's Scott Penney, but he is not named in the squad. Nor is fellow Leinster openside Will Connors — who was in favour at the start of Andy Farrell's Ireland reign but has fallen away since for injury and other reasons. Nor is there a place for John Hodnett — Munster first choice in the No7 jersey for some time and a player battle hardened by exposure to high pressure Champions Cup and URC rugby but one who has become something of a cause célèbre omission by Ireland over the years. Josh van der Flier has been first choice No7 for Ireland for some time. Pic: Sportsfile Instead, it is Hodnett's understudy at Munster, Alex Kendellen, who is named in this Ireland squad as the only specialist openside flanker. Kendellen is a fine player and has performed well for his province, primarily off the bench, for some seasons but there has been no concerted clamour for Kendellen's elevation to the international stage the way there has been with Hodnett and, even if he goes well on this tour, it is clear the No7 depth issue remains a live one. Nick Timoney is the other openside option in the squad and the Ulster flanker is a player who looks to have all the tools needed for international rugby. John Hodnett of Munster has not made the touring party. Pic: Sportsfile The problem is that Timoney is not a natural No7, although he has plenty of experience in that position, and he is more of a six-and-a-half David Wallace style openside — very different in style to Van der Flier. He will also be 32 come the next World Cup. The problem of talented players not getting enough exposure is an ongoing headache for Irish rugby and it has cost Scott Penney in this instance. Opportunity knocks for Munster's Alex Kendellen. Pic: INPHO/Billy Stickland It has opened a door for Kendellen this summer but the fact he cannot force his way into the Munster starting team raises questions about his ability to step through that door. One hopes he can because it is clear Ireland have a real issue at openside and the clock is ticking.
Irish Independent
2 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Trinity College Dublin to divest from links with Israeli universities and firms
The board of the prestigious Dublin university, home to over 20,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students, made the decision to divest from Israeli links on Wednesday. Pro-Palestinian activists have called on other Irish universities to follow suit. Last May, students formed an encampment at Trinity in protest against a 214,285 euro fine imposed on the students' union after a series of demonstrations about fees and rent, and the university's ties to Israel. Following engagement with the protesters, the college dropped the fine and said it would complete a divestment from Israeli companies that have activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and appear on the UN blacklist. The students dismantled the camp after Trinity said it would 'endeavour' to divest in other Israeli companies, noting that its supplier list contains just one Israeli company which remained in place until March this year for contractual reasons. On Wednesday, Trinity's board received a report from a taskforce set up last October to examine academic and institutional links, including with Israel. Although the report is to return to the board later this year for its final consideration, based on 'the strength of the evidence shared', the board accepted the report's recommendations in relation to links with Israel. This included recommendations that the college enter into no Erasmus, collaborative research or supply agreements with Israeli universities, institutions or firms. The college has two current Erasmus+ exchange agreements, on an inbound basis only since September 2023, with Israeli universities: the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, which ends in July 2025, and Bar Ilan University, which ends in July 2026. The taskforce also found that the college is engaged in a number of EU-funded research consortia which include Israeli partners, and – although none of these were found to be breaching international humanitarian law or human rights – the taskforce said Trinity should not seek to participate in any new institutional research agreements involving Israeli participation. ADVERTISEMENT It also said that Trinity should look to 'align itself' with like-minded universities and bodies in an effort to influence EU policy concerning Israel's participation in such collaborations. The taskforce noted that Trinity had divested from Israeli companies on the UN blacklist and has no current supply contracts with Israeli companies. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content But it recommended that the college should fully divest from all companies headquartered in Israel and that it should not enter into any future supply contracts with Israeli firms. The taskforce accepted that the college's existing intellectual property-related contracts are acceptable as they are not collaborative, but said no new commercial relationships with Israeli entities should be set up. Chairwoman of the Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) Zoe Lawlor said the decision by Trinity was a 'landmark step in academic rejection of apartheid Israel's regime'. She called on more Irish universities to do the same and paid tribute to students, academics and staff who campaigned for this outcome. 'Trinity will now stand on the right side of history, as it did with South African apartheid in the past, but it is nevertheless disappointing that it took so long to get to this position,' she said. 'We echo the view of TCD Students' Union that it remains disappointing that Trinity has not withdrawn from ongoing projects involving Israeli partners who provide military technology and training that will run until 2029. 'Nonetheless, we celebrate each and every step towards de-normalising relations with the genocidal, apartheid state of Israel. We call on the Irish Government and the EU to pay heed to the changing climate, and to act to bring an end to all Irish state complicity with the apartheid regime.' The taskforce, chaired by former president of the High Court Mary Irvine, met on 14 occasions and received 77 submissions in total.
