Results 9,581-9,600 of 12,604 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 145 and 616 together. The White Paper on Defence of February 2000 set out a figure of 10,500 personnel for the Permanent Defence Force as the strength sufficient to meet all foreseeable military requirements for the period comprehended by the White Paper (i.e. up to 2010). This remains the position. It is my intention to maintain the established Government...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Properties: Defence Forces Properties (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The total amount accrued from Department of Defence properties disposed of in 2007 was €1.617 million, comprised of the following sales: Ballincollig, Co. Cork — €1,183,588 Fort Camden, Crosshaven, Co. Cork — €64,008 Market House, Ballyconnell, Co. Cavan — €122,824 Married Quarters — No. 47 McKee Park, Dublin 7 — €127,016 Married Quarters — No. 16 Orchard Park, Curragh,...

Written Answers — National Monuments: National Monuments (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 147 and 162 together. The Memorial being designed by the artist, Mr. Brian King, is a pyramid shape made primarily of granite slabs resting on a steel frame interspaced with toughened glass panels. In the structure there are figures representing members of the Defence Forces. Four Defence Forces personnel in relief are cast in bronze, representing the Air...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: My Department does not currently have any non-national staff as described by the Deputy. As the headquarters of my Department is decentralising in full to Newbridge, Co. Kildare, and that location is oversubscribed with applicants on the Central Applications Facility (CAF), recruitment in recent years has been limited to existing civil service staff from the CAF who applied to relocate to...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Medical Officers: Defence Forces Medical Officers (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: There are six retired Defence Forces Medical Officers who are currently engaged on a regular basis to provide medical services to the Defence Forces. These Practitioners are engaged, as required, and are paid on an item of service basis. Three of these Practitioners are aged over 65 years. These Practitioners are practising in a private capacity.

Written Answers — Search and Rescue Service: Search and Rescue Service (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The Irish Coast Guard has overall responsibility for the provision of maritime Search and Rescue services within the Irish Search and Rescue region, for pollution and salvage response in the marine environment, and for marine safety awareness. Responsibility for the prevention of drug trafficking rests primarily with An Garda Síochána and the Revenue Commissioners. However, the White Paper...

Written Answers — Commemorative Events: Commemorative Events (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I wrote to Party Leaders on the 17th of January, inviting them to nominate representatives to the Group. I have only received one nomination to date. I hope to arrange a meeting of the new group as soon as I receive nominations from the other Party Leaders.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Following the Road Traffic Accident involving a military vehicle near Granard, County Longford, in June 2007, a working group, consisting of a board of officers, was established by the Defence Forces to investigate the possible provision of Roll-Over Protection Systems (ROPS) in Troop Carrying Vehicles. The Group contacted a number of retailers of ROPS in order to obtain information on the...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Arrangements for the acquisition of a site and the construction of a new headquarters building for my Department in Newbridge are primarily matters for the Office of Public Works. I am informed that the total estimated cost of site acquisition, construction of accommodation, furniture, etc. is €30m approx.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I am pleased to say that progress has been made in recruiting additional staff at the military archive in Cathal Brugha barracks. Following competition, 1 senior civilian archivist/project manager and 6 civilian archivists have been selected for recruitment. I anticipate that these will be place early in Quarter 2, 2008. The senior civilian archivist/project manager and 3 archivists will...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: As the Deputy is aware, the Minister for Finance in his Budget speech in December 2003, announced that a total of 8 Departments would be moving their headquarters from Dublin to provincial locations. As part of this programme, all of my Department's Dublin based civil service staff are re-locating to Newbridge and the Defence Forces Headquarters will relocate to the Curragh. In coming to...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Reserve: Defence Forces Reserve (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The White Paper on Defence 2000 outlines the blueprint for the Reserve Defence Force (RDF). The Reserve Defence Force Review Implementation Plan provides for the phased enhancement of Reserve capabilities over the period to the end of 2009. The plan provided for a non-integrated Army Reserve with an establishment of 9,292 personnel, and a Naval Service Reserve with an establishment of 400...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The question of the recruitment of foreign-nationals to the Defence Forces is not a new one. Defence Force Regulations have always allowed for the recruitment of foreign-nationals to the Defence Forces. People from diverse backgrounds have already been employed in the Defence Forces, but this has mainly been in certain specialised areas. This has worked well — albeit on a limited scale....

Written Answers — White Paper on Defence: White Paper on Defence (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The Review of implementation of the White Paper on Defence 2000 was published in April 2007. The White Paper set a target for implementing change and reorganisation in the Department of Defence and Defence Forces over a 10-year period. The Review of implementation finds that good progress has been made. Particularly noteworthy are the improvements in equipment, infrastructure, training...

Written Answers — Percent for Art Scheme: Percent for Art Scheme (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: From 2002 to date no monies have been drawn down by my Department under the Per Cent for Arts Scheme.

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: My Department is engaged in an ongoing capital building programme designed to modernise and enhance the training, operational and accommodation facilities available to the Defence Forces both Permanent and Reserve. The programme focuses mainly on infrastructural projects comprising the construction of new buildings and the refurbishment of existing buildings. The number of Capital Projects...

Written Answers — Financial Management Systems: Financial Management Systems (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: My Department has a single fully integrated financial management system, the Oracle e-Business Suite, which services the requirements of both the Department and the Defence Forces. The system includes a number of modules such as Purchasing, Inventory, Accounts Payable and Receivable, General Ledger and Asset Management. Each module requires software update and product support licences while...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The property in question is vested in the Minister for Finance. It comprises 3.5 acres approximately and includes four houses formerly used as married quarters for the Defence Forces. The Office of Public Works is in the process of disposing of the property.

Written Answers — Equity Stake: Equity Stake (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: My Department does not hold an equity stake in any company.

Written Answers — EU Summits: EU Summits (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I am constantly in touch with my EU colleagues both in the context of European Defence and Security and other matters. Two official meeting of EU Defence Ministers are held during each six month EU Presidency. These present the opportunity to engage in bi-lateral meetings with my Defence colleagues. The most recent meeting was the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC)...