Results 11,041-11,060 of 12,604 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 83 and 473 together. The Government, on 15 July 1998, approved a programme of evacuation and sale of six barracks considered surplus to military requirements. The barracks in question were located at Ballincollig, Fermoy, Castleblayney, Naas, Kildare and Islandbridge, Dublin. The value of sales/disposals completed to date in respect of the six barracks the...

Written Answers — National Emergency Plan: National Emergency Plan (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 84 and 131 together. The Office of Emergency Planning was established, following a Government decision in October 2001, as a joint civil and military Office within my Department. The Office supports the work of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning and continues to work with Government Departments and other public authorities in order to ensure the...

Written Answers — Commemorative Events: Commemorative Events (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 87 and 128 together. I would like to take this opportunity, to congratulate the Defence Forces on their magnificent display at the Easter Parade. I believe that there was great public approval and support for the commemorations of the Easter Rising. I have received a lot of positive feedback from members of the public, both written and oral, who were delighted...

Written Answers — Commemorative Events: Commemorative Events (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The total costs to the Defence Forces in respect of the 90th Anniversary of the Easter Rising was €214,663.69. This figure is broken down as follows: Subsistence Allowance 7,637.78 Rations 41,072.47 Aviation Gas 13,879.00 Fuel 30,741.46 Sundries 4,235.98 Preparation of Vehicles 26,640.00 Transport costs 90,457.00 Total 214,663.69

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: It is necessary to update the Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, of 1960 to clarify and modernise the legislation in relation to our participation in humanitarian operations. The issue here is that the Government, under the existing legislation, cannot dispatch troops for service on emergency or disaster relief operations. As a matter of course, there is normally no UN Security Council...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Investigations: Defence Forces Investigations (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: On 15 September, 1961, Trooper Patrick Mullins and Corporal Michael Nolan were killed in action in the Congo when their armoured vehicle was hit by anti tank fire from armed elements. While the remains of Corporal Nolan were recovered, those of Trooper Mullins were not. An investigation into Trooper Mullins's death by the military authorities at the time concluded on 29 January, 1962, that he...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The Department of Defence reviews its existing property portfolio on an ongoing basis, taking account of current and possible future military requirements. Such a review is presently in progress. It is the Department's policy to dispose of properties which are surplus to military requirements.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The minimum height requirement for entry to both the Permanent Defence Force and the Reserve Defence Force is 162.5 cm (5 ft. 4 ins) for both men and women. This limit was set in April 2002 based on the professional advice of the Medical Corps and the actual experience of training units. The advice at that time was that, having regard to the nature of the job and of the duties of military...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 96 and 474 together. The White Paper on Defence of February 2000 sets 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. Recruitment into the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: There are a total of 33 locations across the 6 Military Formations which are used by the Defence Forces for accommodation purposes. The accommodation provided caters for the operational, living, recreational and training needs of the Defence Forces. The locations are as follows:

Written Answers — Defence Forces Investigations: Defence Forces Investigations (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 118 together. On 2 February, 2006, I received a report from Mr. Sean Hurley, who I had appointed to carry out an independent review of the interaction between the Department of Defence/Defence Forces and parents and family of Private Kevin Barrett in the aftermath of his tragic death, on 18 February, 1999, while serving with the 84th Infantry Battalion...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Investigations: Defence Forces Investigations (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The military authorities advise that the Military Police investigation into the alleged larceny of diesel oil from military vehicles in Donegal has been completed. I am advised that disciplinary proceedings are imminent.

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 100, 122, 123 and 129 together. Ireland is currently contributing approximately 765 Defence Forces personnel to 19 different missions throughout the world. Full details of all personnel currently serving overseas are listed in the following tabular statement. The main commitments are to the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), with 422 personnel, to the...

Written Answers — National Emergency Plan: National Emergency Plan (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The Civil Defence is a declared resource of the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII). They have a specific role in the National Emergency Plan for Nuclear Accidents. Civil Defence volunteers are exercised regularly in their role in relation to the National Emergency Plan. In May 2005 they exercised their assigned role in the national emergency plan for nuclear accidents with...

Written Answers — Emergency Services: Emergency Services (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The Irish Coast Guard, formerly the Irish Marine Emergency Service, under the aegis of the Department of Transport, is the State Agency with responsibility for marine emergency management within the Irish Pollution Response Zone (IPRZ). The role of the Naval Service in pollution control involves the provision of aid to the civil authority, i.e. the Irish Coastguard, as and when required,...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Investigations: Defence Forces Investigations (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I undertook during Priority Questions on Thursday 23 February, 2006 to ask the military authorities to revisit this matter in light of the questions raised on that date. The Chief of Staff has appointed a Senior officer to examine all aspects of the Niemba ambush in the Congo in November 1960. So far contact has been made with both survivors. One has been interviewed already and the other is...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Reserve: Defence Forces Reserve (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: Adequate clothing and equipment is available to Reserve Defence Force personnel, and the scale of issue reflects the recommendations of the Reserve Defence Force Review Implementation Plan. The military authorities have advised me that with regard to clothing an enhanced scale of personal issue has been approved and will be published in the near future. In addition to personal issues there is...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: Ireland's participation in Peace Support Operations is subject to what has come to be known as the Triple Lock — i.e. Government decision, Dáil Éireann approval and UN authorisation. This will also be the case for any operations which may be undertaken on EU Battlegroups. This is entirely consistent with our foreign policy commitment to collective security which recognizes the primary...

Written Answers — National Emergency Plan: National Emergency Plan (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The most recent meetings of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning and the Inter-Departmental Working Group on Emergency Planning were specifically convened to provide the various Government Department representatives with updated briefings from the Department of Agriculture and Food with regard to avian flu and from the Department of Health and Children with regard to a possible...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: Elections are due to take place in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) under UN supervision in July 2006. In December 2005, the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) invited the EU to consider the possibility of providing "a suitably earmarked force reserve that could enhance MONUC's quick reaction capabilities during and immediately after the electoral process." MONUC is the...