Results 10,521-10,540 of 12,604 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Defence Forces Schemes: Defence Forces Schemes (16 Nov 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 67 together. Significant progress has been made recently in implementing schemes to enable more commissioning from the ranks. The revised cadetship competition is now seen as the primary means of commissioning from the ranks. The cadetship competition has been revised to increase the maximum entry age to 28 and to award bonus marks to candidates with...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (16 Nov 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the following tabular statement which indicates the manning levels of vessels (all ranks). Vessel Category Maximum Manning Possible Recommended Level of Manning as per NSIP1 Minimum Manning as per Naval Service Operations Command2 Average Sailing Manning3 Helicopter Patrol Vessel (HPV) 86 52 38 53 Large Patrol Vessel (LPV) 49 39 30 40...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (16 Nov 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The acquisition of new equipment and services for the Defence Forces continues to be a key focus for me as Minister for Defence. Significant investment has taken place in recent years and I will continue the good work in that regard. The unprecedented level of expenditure on equipment for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service was made possible by the Government's decision that pay savings...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Retirement Scheme: Defence Forces Retirement Scheme (16 Nov 2006)

Willie O'Dea: In 2005, a total of 64 Officers were newly commissioned and 441 Enlisted Personnel (including 49 Cadets) were newly inducted into the Defence Forces. The corresponding figures for 2006 to date are 67 Officers and 497 Enlisted Personnel (including 52 Cadets). The number of retirements for Officers and Enlisted Personnel is as set out in the following schedule. Defence Force Regulations...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Schemes: Defence Forces Schemes (16 Nov 2006)

Willie O'Dea: All Army Officers, on commissioning after completion of Cadet Training, who meet the academic entry requirements for third level education, and who do not already hold a Level 7 Qualification, are eligible to participate in the USAC Scheme. The USAC Scheme permits such newly commissioned Officers to attend university on a full time basis as undergraduates for 3-4 years and to complete a...

Written Answers — Aerodrome Use: Aerodrome Use (16 Nov 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 and 29 together. It has been the practice to permit occasional use of Casement Aerodrome by privately owned aircraft on an "ad hoc" basis on the payment of a fee and production of the necessary insurance indemnity. Requests for permission to land privately owned aircraft, including helicopters, at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, are occasionally received by...

Written Answers — Search and Rescue Service: Search and Rescue Service (16 Nov 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 227. The Irish Coast Guard has overall responsibility for the provision of maritime Search and Rescue services within the Irish Search and Rescue Region. The Air Corps had been providing Search and Rescue (SAR) services in the North West but withdrew in October 2004 following a handover of this role to CHCI, a private operator, which also provides the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (16 Nov 2006)

Willie O'Dea: Defence Force Regulations provide that a person who enlisted in the Permanent Defence Force before 1 January 1994 may be permitted to continue in service up to the age of sixty years. A person who enlisted in the Permanent Defence Force on or after 1 January 1994 may be permitted to continue in service up to the age of fifty years in the rank of Sergeant and to the age of fifty-six in all...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (16 Nov 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The Government's recently published White Paper on Irish Aid provides for the creation of Ireland's own specific operational capabilities in responding to humanitarian emergencies: the Rapid Response Initiative (RRI). The three main components of the initiative are the pre-positioning and transportation of material humanitarian supplies to disaster locations; the creation of a register of...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (16 Nov 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 27, 44 and 66 together. Entry to the Permanent Defence Force is either through the Cadetship Competition, Apprenticeship Competition, General Service Enlistment or Direct Entry Competitions which are held to fill vacancies in specialist appointments. All applicants for each of these entry streams are required to meet qualifying criteria. The question of the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (16 Nov 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 47 together. The White Paper on Defence of February 2000 set out a figure of 10,500 personnel for the Permanent Defence Force, comprising 930 for the Air Corps, 1,144 for the Naval Service and 8,426 for the Army. It is my intention to maintain the established Government policy of ongoing recruitment to the Defence Forces and the Defence Forces continue...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (16 Nov 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The White Paper on Defence set the strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 10,500. It also provided that the Chief of Staff could maintain an additional 250 in training at any one time. This latter provision was withdrawn in 2003 as part of the Government Decision on managing public service numbers and there are no plans to restore it. The strength of the Permanent Defence Force on 30...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (16 Nov 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 32, 60, 70, 232 to 234, inclusive, together. On 24 January 2006, the Government, in an informal decision, agreed that the Minister for Defence could enter into discussions with Sweden and other like-minded nations in relation to Ireland's contribution to EU Battle groups. Representatives from the Departments of Defence and Foreign Affairs and the Defence...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Pay: Defence Forces Pay (16 Nov 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The current rates of pay and allowances for members of the Defence Forces can be found on my Departments website at www.defence.ie. I propose to circulate with the Official Report a tabular statement setting out the details as requested. A wide range of different rates of pay for military personnel can be found across the European Union. This reflects the enormous differences in development...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Retirement Scheme: Defence Forces Retirement Scheme (16 Nov 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The number of Commandants and Lieutenant Colonels due to retire on age grounds for each year from 2012 to 2016, as advised by the military authorities, is provided in the following Tabular Statement. These figures are based on retirement age in current rank. Lieutenant Colonel (and equivalents) Year Army Air Corps Naval Service Total 2012 19 2 2 23 2013 11 1 1 13 2014 15 2 1 18 2015 6...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (16 Nov 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the following table: Location Ranges 2 Eastern Brigade Kilbride Kilpeddar Range Gormanston Red Barns Range Dundalk 1 Southern Brigade Kilworth Kilcoran County Tipperary Bere Island Barnane Ballymullen County Laois Ballywilliam County Wexford 4 Western Brigade Carnagh Rifle Range Oranmore Rifle Range Cushla Connolly...

Written Answers — Military Archives: Military Archives (16 Nov 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The military authorities advise that at present the staff strength of the Military Archives is three (3), comprising of two (2) commissioned officers and one (1) Private. The military authorities advise me that a strength of five (5), including suitably qualified replacements for two (2) officers who have retired and who previously also worked in the Archives, is sufficient to meet the...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (16 Nov 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The decentralisation of the Civil Defence Board is now complete. I had the pleasure of opening the Board's new purpose built offices in Benamore, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary on the 12th of September 2006.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (16 Nov 2006)

Willie O'Dea: At the meeting of the European Defence Agency Steering Board on 21 November 2005, agreement was reached on the voluntary code of conduct, the aim of which is to encourage greater competition in the European Defence Market. The voluntary Code of Conduct seeks to eliminate or reduce the level of recourse to Article 296 of the Treaty, which enables member States avoid the normal open tendering...

Written Answers — Hearing Impairment Claims: Hearing Impairment Claims (16 Nov 2006)

Willie O'Dea: Since October 2005, 183 enquiries have been received by my Department from Plaintiffs regarding the fees paid to solicitors in respect of Army Deafness cases. Generally these queries refer to the amount of the award or settlement and the costs paid. As a matter of course, my Department advises the individual in such cases of the amount of the settlement or award, and the date on which...