Results 11,801-11,820 of 12,604 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 34, 37, 38, 57, 63, 157, 158, 159 and 160 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. The strength of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service and the number of female personnel by rank within these...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, is the principal base of the Air Corps. With the withdrawal of aircraft from Gormanston and the relocation of Air Corps headquarters to Baldonnel as outlined in the White Paper on defence, the Air Corps has the basis for better management of its resources. Baldonnel will continue to be the centre of military aviation in Ireland. Periodic interest by the private...

Written Answers — International Terrorism: International Terrorism (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 36, 161, 162 and 163 together. The most important defence against any terrorist attack is detection and prevention by the security forces. While the Garda Síochána has the primary responsibility for law and order, one of the roles assigned to the Defence Forces is the provision of aid to the civil power, meaning in practice to assist, when requested, the...

Written Answers — Search and Rescue Service: Search and Rescue Service (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: 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 off the north-west coast but withdrew in October 2004, following a handover of this role to CHCI, a private operator, which also provides the service at the country's other SAR...

Written Answers — EU Battle Groups: EU Battle Groups (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The European constitution proposes a new arrangement known as "permanent structured co-operation"— to enable those member states wishing to do so to commit to being able to undertake the most demanding crisis management missions. Structured co-operation is open to all member states, on the condition that they undertake to enhance their defence capacities through the development of national...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: A decision to establish an intergovernmental agency in the field of defence capabilities development, research, acquisition and armaments, known as the European Defence Agency, EDA, was formally adopted at the General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting on 12 July 2004. The overall aim of the agency is to support member states in their efforts to improve European defence...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 65 together. The military medical services and their facilities exist primarily to maintain the health of the Defence Forces and to support them in operational and overseas activities. The reorganisation of the medical corps, which was effected as part of the Defence Forces review implementation plan in November 1998, redirected the focus of military...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: On 27 April 1981, an observation post in South Lebanon manned by two members of the Irish battalion serving with the United Nations interim force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, Private Hugh Doherty and Private Kevin Seoighe, came under attack. Private Doherty was later found dead from gunshot wounds and Private Seoighe was missing. Some equipment was also missing. The attackers are unknown. Efforts to...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Defence Forces contingent, which was deployed for service with the United Nations mission in Liberia, UNMIL, in December 2003, currently comprises a motorised infantry battalion, of some 404 personnel. A small number of additional personnel have also been deployed at force headquarters and as military observers. Irish personnel are rotated on a six monthly basis. The 92nd Infantry...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 49, 151, 164 and 165 together. On 15 July 1998, the Government 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 Clancy Barracks, Dublin. The sale of 97 acres approximately at Murphy Barracks, Ballincollig, was...

Written Answers — Injury Compensation Claims: Injury Compensation Claims (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Details of the amount paid by my Department in settlement of compensation claims and associated legal costs, excluding hearing loss claims, over the period in question are shown in the table. Non-Hearing Loss Claims. Year Awards/Settlements Legal Fees â'¬ â'¬ 2000 6,799,201 1,564,900 2001 4,555,277 1,724,704 2002 4,835,652 1,430,747 2003 3,522,547 1,030,490 2004...

Written Answers — Nuclear Safety: Nuclear Safety (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Garda Síochána has the primary responsibility for law and order. One of the roles assigned to the Defence Forces is the provision of aid to the civil power, meaning in practice to assist, when requested, the Garda Síochána. I am informed by the military authorities that they have received no request for the provision of security for the transportation of nuclear or chemical materials...

Written Answers — Bullying in the Workplace: Bullying in the Workplace (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Dr. Eileen Doyle and the external advisory committee presented their report, The Challenge of a Workplace, in March 2002. That independent report addressed the range of interpersonal issues within the Defence Forces. Its contents and recommendations were accepted in full. Implementation of the recommendations of the report has been one of the highest priorities for the Defence Forces and my...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (26 May 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. That range includes approximately 7,000 NBC suits, 1,500 of which were delivered in 2004. It is planned to purchase...

Written Answers — Common Foreign and Security Policy: Common Foreign and Security Policy (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Space assets have multiple applications, both civil and military. In the civil role, space assets or satellites are used, for example, in monitoring implementation of the Common Agriculture Policy and for environmental analysis, research, navigation and so on. In the context of European security and defence policy, the availability of satellites for monitoring, reconnaissance and surveillance...

Written Answers — Air Ambulance Service: Air Ambulance Service (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The provision of an air ambulance service is primarily a matter for the Department of Health and Children. Inter-hospital air ambulance services are currently provided by the Air Corps and the Irish Coast Guard, subject to the nature of the mission, available aircraft and other operational commitments. The Alouette and Dauphin helicopters are currently used by the Air Corps in the provision...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: On 20 December 2001, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1386 under Chapter VII of the UN charter authorising the deployment of an international security assistance force, ISAF, in Afghanistan for six months. The role of the force is to assist in the maintenance of security in Kabul and the surrounding areas. The mandate of the force has been extended by subsequent Security...

Written Answers — Air Corps Helicopter Fleet: Air Corps Helicopter Fleet (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Following a tender competition, two contracts have been signed for the provision of new helicopters for the Air Corps, at a total cost of over €61million. Four utility AB 139 helicopters are being acquired from the Bell Agusta Aerospace Company at a cost of €48.4 million, inclusive of VAT. The four helicopters will be built at the Agusta facility near Milan, Italy. Two AB 139s will be...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Personnel on being discharged from the Permanent Defence Force are obliged to vacate married quarters within a short period of the dates of their discharge. The provision of housing is primarily a matter for the local authorities and married personnel have an equal claim on such housing as other members of the community in the same income category. Some 54 of those overholding married...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The refurbishment of residential accommodation is an integral part of my Department's ongoing building programme. Major contracts to improve the standard of accommodation have been placed over the past number of years as part of an ongoing investment programme within the Defence Forces. In the period 2003 to date, major accommodation upgrades have taken place in McKee and Cathal Brugha...