Results 9,761-9,780 of 12,604 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Leaders' Questions (19 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: Who writes this stuff?

Leaders' Questions (19 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: We will not even mention his record.

Written Answers — Naval Service: Naval Service (18 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: Every boarding of a vessel at sea carries inherent dangers. Due to the nature of the operating environment and the individuality of vessels operating off our shores, each boarding operation is unique. A professional judgment is made in every instance by the Officer in Charge having regard to all factors including weather and sea conditions. Of paramount importance to the conduct of all...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (18 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The answer to the Deputy's question is almost identical to the reply I gave to the similar question he tabled on Thursday December 13th 2007. Neither my Department nor its agencies has paid in advance for works or services that will not be completed before the end of the 2007 financial year. There is an on-going capital building programme in my Department designed to modernise the training,...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (18 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: Unless appropriately qualified in tree surgery the Department of Defence is not in a position to permit persons to carry out the removal of trees on Departmental property for health and safety reasons.

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (18 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The original Coiste an Asgard was first formed in 1968 and is now a company limited by guarantee set up under the Companies Acts in February 1987. The Minister for Defence is, ex-officio, the chairman of the board of directors and he may appoint up to 14 other directors. No fees are payable to the directors but they may be paid travel and subsistence expenses at civil service rates. The...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (18 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The Army Pensions Board was established as an independent statutory body under the Army Pensions Act 1927. The Board consists of a chairman and two ordinary members. The two ordinary members must be qualified medical practitioners, one of them an army medial officer and the other a civilian. Secretarial and support services are provided to the Board by two civil servants of the Department...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (18 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The person concerned retired on grounds of ill-health from his position as a civilian employee with the Defence Forces in November 1987. He was awarded a gratuity amounting to €10,860.91 and a yearly pension amounting to €1,772.20 on retirement, under the terms of the non-contributory pension scheme for non-established State employees. The person in question received on his retirement all...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (13 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The Government Decision on decentralisation, announced by the Minister for Finance in his Budget Statement on 3 December 2003, provides for the transfer of all my Department's Dublin based Civil Service staff to Newbridge, Co. Kildare. The number of posts to be relocated to Newbridge is 200. No staff have yet transferred to that location. The Civil Defence Board, which is a State Authority...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (13 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: My Department has not paid in advance for works or services that will not be commenced before the end of 2007.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Operations: Defence Forces Operations (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 81 together. On 7 November 2007, I visited Sweden to attend the Final Exercise (FINEX), carried out by the Nordic Battlegroup (NBG). The exercise, which commenced on 21 October 2007 continued until 12 November 2007. The total number of Irish Defence Force personnel who participated in the exercise was 93 and included the Improvised Explosive Device...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The annual leave entitlements for members of the Defence Forces are as follows: a.Senior Officers 43 days b.Junior Officers 31 days c.Enlisted Personnel 29 days. These annual leave entitlements are reduced by a set amount while the member of the Defence Forces is on an overseas tour of duty. The reduction is 3.5 days per month for senior officers, 2.5 days per month for junior officers and 1...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I would refer the Deputy to my reply to Priority Question No. 46.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Retirement Scheme: Defence Forces Retirement Scheme (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: A claim to increase the mandatory retirement age to 60 years for officers serving in ranks up to and including Lieutenant Colonel was received from the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers under the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme for members of the Permanent Defence Force. The claim has been the subject of correspondence between the Department and the Representative...

Written Answers — Bullying in the Workplace: Bullying in the Workplace (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I would like to assure the House that any allegations of victimisation in the Defence Forces are treated with the utmost seriousness and there are extensive and robust complaints and grievance procedure processes in place to protect the rights of all Defence Forces personnel, including PDFORRA officials. In addition, on interpersonal relationships, the Defence Forces and the Department have...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 60 and 80 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 Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: Following Government approval to go to tender, notice of a competition for the purchase of replacement vessels for the Naval Service was sent to the Official Journal of the European Union on 24 August 2007. The competition for the purchase of two Offshore Patrol Vessels, with an option on a third and one Extended Patrol Vessel, with an option on a second, uses a Restricted Procurement...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 62 and 94 together. Following a Road Traffic Accident involving a military vehicle near Granard in June of this year, the Defence Forces established a Study Group to examine the possible introduction of Roll Over Protection Systems in Troop Carrying Vehicles. The Group was asked to consider the implications of a number of matters that could arise from the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Appointments: Defence Forces Appointments (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The appointments of Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff (Operations), and Deputy Chief of Staff (Support) are governed by the provisions of Section 12 of the Defence Act 1954 as amended by the Defence (Amendment) Act 1998. The Chief of Staff is appointed by the President. My Department prepares a Memorandum for Government whereby I recommend that the Government advise the President as to...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: As Minister for Defence I am delighted with the level of investment in new equipment for the Air Corps in recent years. The comprehensive investment programme included: the delivery of eight Pilatus training aircraft at a total cost of €60m, inclusive of VAT. two light utility EC 135 helicopters acquired from Eurocopter S.A.S. at a cost of €12.8m, inclusive of VAT. six utility AW 139...