Results 10,361-10,380 of 12,604 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (8 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: This minor amendment corrects a typographical error.

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (8 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The Bill provides that the Minister may make rules of procedure for the functions of the chief military judge "with respect to courts-martial". The amendment proposes to delete this so that rules of procedure may prescribe all the functions of the chief military judge, if there is one. The rules will not necessarily be limited to functions which specifically relate to courts-martial.

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (8 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I thank Senator Tuffy for identifying an oversight on our part and I will accept the amendment.

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (8 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: This amendment relates to the courts-martial rules committee. The Bill provides that an officer of the Attorney General will be nominated to sit on the committee by the director general of the Office of the Attorney General. The amendment seeks to change this so that the officer is nominated by the Attorney General. This amendment improves the legislation. Again, we are indebted to...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (8 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: This minor amendment corrects another typographical error.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Reserve: Defence Forces Reserve (7 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: Defence Force Regulations S.7 and its enabling legislation the Defence Amendment Act, 1990 provide for representative structures for members of the Defence Forces including the Army and Naval Reserves. The question of a Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme for the ranks represented by the Reserve Defence Representative Association (RDFRA) has been raised by representatives of the association...

Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (7 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: No funds were made available to my Department under the previous or new National Development Plan.

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2006: Second Stage (6 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I thank Senators for their contributions to this interesting discussion. Some of the points raised have already occurred to me, although I confess I had not considered others. Senator Brian Hayes asked whether I was satisfied that all the provisions of the Bill were constitutional. Before we publish legislation, the Attorney General examines it for constitutionality and we do not pursue any...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2006: Second Stage (6 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: It does not come into it. Senator Dardis asked whether we would be able to commit to the rapid reaction force. I have just concluded discussions on a memorandum of understanding with the Nordic Battle Group. We will be making a very significant contribution to that battle group, which will be on standby from 1 January 2008. Senators Dardis and Maurice Hayes also asked about an Irish...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2006: Second Stage (6 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I thank all the Senators for their interesting contributions and I look forward to a stimulating debate on Committee Stage.

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2006: Second Stage (6 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: In some places.

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2006: Second Stage (6 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The Defence Forces are one of the fundamental pillars of a democratic society. Every member of our Defence Forces has volunteered to serve the State. They undertake to obey all lawful orders issued to them and to submit to the unique code of discipline, an essential part of military life. From time to time they are asked to undertake dangerous and difficult missions on our behalf, both in...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (6 Feb 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 of my Department's Dublin based civil service staff to Newbridge, Co. Kildare. The number of staff to be relocated to Newbridge is 200. The arrangements regarding the assignment of staff who wish to remain in Dublin are decided, in...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Discharge: Defence Forces Discharge (6 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I can only comment in very general terms about the circumstances described by the Deputy. The Defence Forces look at any application made for discharge, on compassionate grounds, in a fair, caring and sympathetic manner on a case by case basis, while having due regard to any other relevant issues arising in the context of the application. The facilities of the Personnel Support Services...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Reserve: Defence Forces Reserve (6 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The military authorities have advised that an Administrative Instruction providing for promotion from the rank of Captain (Army Reserve)/Lieutenant (Naval Service Reserve) to Commandant (Army Reserve)/Lieutenant Commander (Naval Service Reserve) is expected to be approved in the immediate future. This Administrative Instruction incorporates best contemporary practice and procedures and...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Reserve: Defence Forces Reserve (6 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: There have been five (5) officers promoted to fill vacancies in the Reserve Defence Force in the period from 1 October, 2005 to date. The promotions, by rank and formation, are outlined in the following tabular statement.

Written Answers — Official Travel: Official Travel (6 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I made no official journeys by commercial airline in 2006. With regard to distance travelled by members of the Government on Air Corps aircraft in 2006, I am advised that the Air Corps does not use this method to calculate aircraft utilisation. Instead, aircraft usage is recorded as hours flown. In order to calculate an estimate of air miles flown from hours flown, it is necessary to multiply...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (6 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: No contracts were awarded to Indecon, Economic Consultants, by my Department since 2000.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Retirement Scheme: Defence Forces Retirement Scheme (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 29 together. There are no immediate plans to extend the retirement age of officers in the Defence Forces. The 2000 White Paper on Defence and the earlier Defence Force Review Implementation Plan both recommended reduction to retirement ages in an effort to address the age profile and fitness of the Defence Forces. The White Paper also envisaged...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: An advance party of 12 staff of the Civil Defence Board moved to temporary accommodation in Roscrea in September 2004 in preparation for the relocation of the Headquarters of the Civil Defence Board to their new decentralised location. The Board's new purpose built Headquarters in Benamore, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary opened in May 2006 and training courses for Civil Defence volunteers commenced...