Results 11,481-11,500 of 12,604 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 24, 32 and 38 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 Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I would take issue with the views expressed by PDFORRA on the subject of defence spending, with particular regard to expenditure on modern equipment. The position is that there has been an unprecedented level of expenditure on infrastructure and equipment for the Defence Forces in recent years. I have seen proof positive of this investment in my visits to military barracks around the country...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: When multi-national forces are deployed on peace support and crisis management operations they should be able to immediately commence operations on the ground. If they are to be fully effective, they should operate like a well-oiled machine. The time to start learning about other forces operating procedures, standards, capabilities, rules of engagement etc. is not when one is in the middle of...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: As the House will be aware, a contingent of the Permanent Defence Force has been serving with the United Nations Mission in Liberia, UNMIL, since December 2003. Initial deployment was for one year, an extension of which was approved by Government for another year in December 2004, subject to renewal of the UN mandate and a satisfactory review of the mission. In the near future, I will be...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 33 and 304 together. 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...

Written Answers — Departmental Investigations: Departmental Investigations (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 34, 57 and 63 together. Private Kevin Barrett died on 18 February 1999 while serving with the 84th Infantry Battalion in Lebanon. His death was the subject of a UN board of inquiry and an Irish contingent board of inquiry as well as a military police investigation. The coroner for north-west Donegal held an inquest into the death of Private Barrett from 5 to 8...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Department of Health and Children is responsible for policy formation in respect of pre-hospital emergency care, and the Health Service Executive has statutory responsibility for the provision of ambulance services throughout the State. A detailed service level agreement for the provision of an air ambulance service by the Air Corps, prepared by my Department and the Department of Health...

Written Answers — National Emergency Plan: National Emergency Plan (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Government Task Force on Emergency Planning has worked, since it was set up in 2001, to co-ordinate emergency planning and response arrangements across those Departments that lead and support the State's response in an emergency. The task force continues to meet on a regular basis. Potential threats to the State arising from international terrorism are continuously monitored and...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Ireland is currently contributing 730 Defence Forces personnel to 19 different missions throughout the world. The main commitments are to the United Nations Mission in Liberia, UNMIL, with 403 personnel, to the NATO-led International Security presence, KFOR, in Kosovo, with 202 personnel, and to EUFOR, the EU-led operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with 54 personnel. Ireland, together with...

Written Answers — Commemorative Events: Commemorative Events (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The military aircraft in question, three Pilatus PC9-M flown by the Air Corps Flying Training School, were carrying out a rehearsal fly-past over the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, in preparation for the National Day of Commemoration on 11 July 2005. The National Day of Commemoration is held in honour of all Irish men and women who died in past wars or on peace-keeping duties with the United...

Written Answers — Humanitarian Assistance: Humanitarian Assistance (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 41 and 53 together. While primary responsibility in this area lies with my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, a request for assistance from Pakistan in the aftermath of the South Asia earthquake was received through the European Union Monitoring and Information Centre, MIC, in Brussels. Following consideration by the military it...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Defence Forces have available to them equipment for monitoring and protecting their members in dealing with nuclear, biological or chemical, NBC, threats identified from time to time. They hold an extensive range of modern NBC equipment that meets their current requirements. This range includes approximately 7,000 NBC suits, 1,500 of which were delivered in 2004. A further 1,000 suits...

Written Answers — Common Foreign and Security Policy: Common Foreign and Security Policy (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The battlegroup is designed to respond rapidly to the full range of Petersberg Tasks, either on its own or as an initial response pending the deployment of a follow-on force. Potentially, a battlegroup could be deployed to counter the threat of genocide. In such a situation, I would expect the UN to respond with all haste and put in place an appropriate resolution to ensure the protection of...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: A tender competition is currently in train to replace the existing FN 9mm Browning automatic pistol within the Defence Forces. Proposals have been received and are under evaluation by a project evaluation team. The requirement is for up to 1,400 new pistols. It is expected that a contract will be placed in the first quarter of 2006 but this is dependent on how long the technical evaluation...

Written Answers — Military Police Investigations: Military Police Investigations (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The military authorities advise that there is a military police investigation ongoing into the alleged larceny of diesel oil from military vehicles in Donegal. It would be inappropriate to comment on the details of the investigation but it can be confirmed that a member of the Defence Forces has been interviewed in the course of the investigation. As the investigation is continuing and...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (3 Nov 2005)

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 my Department's Dublin based Civil Service staff to Newbridge, County Kildare. The number of staff to be relocated to Newbridge is 202. While the Office of Public Works has identified a suitable site in Newbridge for the Department's new...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Medical Services: Defence Forces Medical Services (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: As part of the modernisation agenda agreed under Sustaining Progress a review, involving the representative associations, of the provision of medical services in the Defence Forces has been ongoing. This review has dealt with, among other things, the level of services to be provided to members of the Defence Forces and the resources required for the delivery of that service. This review,...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: In the period 30 May to 1 June, I visited Irish troops serving with KFOR in Kosovo, and EUFOR in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Parliamentary and presidential elections in Liberia took place on 11 October 2005. As the presidential election did not produce an outright winner, a run-off between the two leading candidates — Ms Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and Mr. George Weah — will be necessary. The next...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The primary responsibility for the internal security of the State rests with the Garda Síochána. The Defence Forces, pursuant to their role of rendering aid to the civil power, assist the Garda as required. Defence Forces Border operations are undertaken as aid to civil power, ATCP, requests. The Defence Forces also assist the Garda in relation to prisoner escorts, cash escorts and...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Training: Defence Forces Training (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I am advised by the military authorities that the current training for overseas deployment follows a specific training syllabus developed for such missions. Each syllabus is based on comprehensive studies carried out by a number of specialist staffs of each mission area after reconnaissance. All recommendations of these staffs are incorporated into the syllabus and the troops trained...