Results 11,321-11,340 of 12,604 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (22 Feb 2006)

Willie O'Dea: 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. My Department is not specifically targeting the recruitment of ethnic minorities for the Defence Forces at this time. My emphasis at present is on ensuring that there...

Leaders' Questions. (22 Feb 2006)

Willie O'Dea: It was Giant Haystacks.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Reserve: Defence Forces Reserve (21 Feb 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The procedure for Reserve Defence Force, RDF, officers applying for appointments is outlined in administrative instruction R5/R6, RDF Officers, NCO's and Privates Assignment Procedures. The military authorities have informed me that all RDF officers were made aware of the assignment procedure and that each officer was responsible for deciding which appointment, if any, he or she would apply...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Reserve: Defence Forces Reserve (21 Feb 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The military authorities have informed me that 712 Reserve Defence Force officers have been gazetted into appointments. This reflects the outcome of the assignment process and also includes RDF officers who were subsequently commissioned in November 2005. The gazette was published on 9 February 2006.

Written Answers — Public Procurement Policy: Public Procurement Policy (21 Feb 2006)

Willie O'Dea: As I indicated in my reply to a similar question on 25 January, the framework for the production of annual corporate procurement plans was developed by the national public procurement policy unit in the Department of Finance during 2005. This plan applies to major infrastructural and network projects valued at €30 million or over. The White Paper on Defence that was published in 2000 set...

Written Answers — Departmental Contracts: Departmental Contracts (21 Feb 2006)

Willie O'Dea: On 20 October last the Minister for Finance in an address to Dublin Chamber of Commerce announced a new formalised review and audit system for large infrastructure projects with a value of over €30 million. My Department is not involved in contracts of that nature. My Department would rarely be involved in projects with a value of over €30 million. These would normally be concerned with...

Written Answers — Airport Safety Zones: Airport Safety Zones (21 Feb 2006)

Willie O'Dea: At paragraph 4.1.2 the Snow report states that in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Spain and France development can be prohibited close to runways on environmental, that is, noise grounds only and that as such public safety zones do not exist and limitations relate to the ICAO recommended standards for obstacle limitations as set out in Annex 14. In the case of Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel,...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (21 Feb 2006)

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, County Kildare. The number of staff to be relocated to Newbridge is 200. The Government decision also provides for the transfer of 300 Defence Forces headquarters staff...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Discharge: Defence Forces Discharge (21 Feb 2006)

Willie O'Dea: Personnel enlisted in the Permanent Defence Force, after 1 January 1994 are not eligible for consideration for extension of service on completion of their initial five year term of enlistment unless they have a minimum medical classification. In the case in question the individual's medical classification was assessed as being below the required standard for extension of service. The medical...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (16 Feb 2006)

Willie O'Dea: Fort Camden, Crosshaven, comprising approximately 41 acres, has been disposed of by my Department to Cork County Council for amenity purposes. The legal formalities attendant on the transfer of the property are nearing completion.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Training: Defence Forces Training (16 Feb 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The international military observers and staff officers course, IMOSOC, is one of the courses run by the United Nations Training School Ireland, UNTSI, a constituent school of the Military College. The three week course is run annually and introduces middle rank officers from foreign armed forces and the Irish Defence Forces to the theory and practice of UN peace support operations so as to...

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (16 Feb 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The management information framework, MIF, project, which is part of the strategic management initiative, aims at ensuring more efficient processing of financial transactions and accounts; better decision making about the allocation of resources; more efficient and effective management of resources once allocated; and greater transparency in, and accountability for, the use of resources. In...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (15 Feb 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The Government is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for men and women in the Defence Forces — Army, Air Corps, Naval Service — including the Reserve Defence Force, and to the full participation by women in all aspects of Defence Forces activities. In effect this means that women are eligible on the same basis as men for participation in operational and ceremonial activities, for...

Written Answers — Public Access Roads: Public Access Roads (15 Feb 2006)

Willie O'Dea: Kildare County Council approached my Department in 2001 concerning a proposal being considered by the council at that time to install sheep grids and horse gates on all public access roads to the Curragh. In developing this proposal the council identified 23 locations where grids or gates would be required and sought a contribution from my Department towards the costs of any such works. The...

Written Answers — Waste Disposal: Waste Disposal (15 Feb 2006)

Willie O'Dea: My Department holds two small plots of land on a laneway which was part of the former military barracks in the locality in question. In recent years there has been unauthorised encroachment upon those plots by another party and my Department is addressing the matter of that encroachment in consultation with the Office of the Chief State Solicitor. The Department's properties officer plans to...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (14 Feb 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 602 and 603 together. My Department is due to relocate to Newbridge, County Kildare. The Secretary General and the two assistant secretaries serving in my Department have indicated that they will decentralise to Newbridge.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (14 Feb 2006)

Willie O'Dea: Responsibility for planning and development in the vicinity of Casement Aerodrome rests with the planning department of South Dublin County Council and all planning decisions are made by that authority. The practice down the years has been for the local planning authority to consult the Department of Defence in respect of planning applications for proposed developments which may affect...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (14 Feb 2006)

Willie O'Dea: Following a number of questions in the Dáil on this matter I undertook to have the military archive examined in relation to the Niemba ambush and to revert with the findings. The question arising was whether Trooper Browne was killed at the Niemba ambush or whether he survived for a few days and was killed near a village where he was foraging for food. A recently published book, The Irish...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Personnel: Defence Forces Personnel (14 Feb 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The military authorities have advised that once a member of the Defence Forces retires or is discharged from the Defence Forces, the Defence Forces do not provide any subsequent medical care or treatment post retirement-post discharge and nor do the Defence Forces meet the costs of such medical care or treatment. When the person in question is discharged from the Permanent Defence Force, he...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (9 Feb 2006)

Willie O'Dea: Spike Island, County Cork, which had been under the administration of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform since 1985, was formally transferred to that Department in 2002. My Department has no current interest in Spike Island.