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

Written Answers — Defence Forces Accommodation: Defence Forces Accommodation (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: As I indicated in my reply to the Deputy's Parliamentary Question No. 67 on 12 October 2004, 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 military personnel have an equal claim on such housing as...

Bullying in the Workplace. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Without wanting to be flippant about the matter, it is analogous to crime in Limerick. When a crime of a particular nature takes place in Limerick, everyone is keen to talk about it. The same crime would not attract the same attention in Cork, Waterford, Galway, Blessington or elsewhere. It is basically a sexy story. If someone says "Oh my goodness, I was in the Irish Army, was bullied...

Departmental Properties. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Department of Defence holds property in Dublin city and county as follows: Location Area McKee Barracks, Dublin 7 45 acres Cathal Brugha Barracks, Dublin 6 46 acres St. Bricin's Hospital, Dublin 7 5.5 acres Esplanade (part), Collins Barracks, Dublin 7 2 acres Arbour Hill Stores, Workshops, etc. 1.5 acres Site at Islandbridge 1 acre Casement Aerodrome,...

Overseas Missions. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Defence Forces participate in two main types of overseas missions, namely, traditional UN-led "Blue Hat" missions and UN-authorised missions, where the mission is established under the authority of the UN Security Council or the General Assembly of the UN. These two types of missions are represented on the Defence Forces website as UN and non-UN missions respectively. In both instances,...

Overseas Missions. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Deputy is mistaken. There are two types of operations, which might involve Irish troops going abroad. There are traditional UN-led operations, where the UN organises the mission and approaches its members to supply troops. However, there are also UN-authorised operations, where other bodies such as the EU, NATO or the Organisation of African States put the team together, having been...

Overseas Missions. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The missions conform perfectly with the Defence Acts. The interpretation of successive Attorneys General is that the word "established" in the Acts covers the scenario where the UN decides that a mission must be deployed abroad but regards it as more appropriate to ask the EU, NATO or the Organisation of African States to undertake it rather than put it together itself. The advice is the word...

Overseas Missions. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 82, 90, 92, 93 and 107 together. The background to the rapid response elements concept, commonly referred to as battlegroups, is that at the European Council in Helsinki in 1999, member states set themselves a headline goal that by the year 2003, co-operating together and voluntarily, they would be able to deploy rapidly and then sustain forces capable of the...

Overseas Missions. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: In reply to Deputy Sherlock, the answer to both questions is "Yes". It is our policy that the UN mandate will continue to be required. Second, activities are confined to the Petersberg Tasks, the definition of which has been expanded somewhat recently. Essentially, they are humanitarian, involving peacekeeping, rescue operations and crisis management, including peacemaking. Deputy Timmins...

Overseas Missions. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: It will be very interesting to see how they square that circle come the next general election. The Government is firmly committed to the triple lock, which is and will remain the lodestone of its policy on foreign commitments.

Overseas Missions. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: It is the case as far as this Government is concerned, which will be with us for many a long day. Written answers follow Adjournment Debate.

Legislative Programme. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I am qualified already.

Overseas Missions. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 73, 74 and 390 together. I refer Deputies to my reply to this House on this subject on 26 January last. The position remains as I outlined at that time. The background to the rapid response elements concept commonly referred to as the "battle groups" is that at the European Council in Helsinki in 1999, member states set themselves a headline goal, that is,...

Overseas Missions. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I will not anticipate the outcome of the sub-group's deliberations. We have identified certain legal barriers to our participation in the so-called battle groups. I have asked people representing various Departments and the Office of the Attorney General to advise us on precisely what are those problems and how they propose we get around them. When I receive the report of the relevant...

Overseas Missions. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: As I emphasised, the Government's policy is that the triple-lock procedure will remain in place. In accordance with the Defence Act 1960, if we are to deploy troops abroad, provided the number of troops is more than 12 and provided they are carrying arms, the triple-lock will continue to apply. In other words, that operation will require a United Nations mandate, a decision of the Cabinet and...

Overseas Missions. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: No one has asked me to park this issue until the outcome of the referendum on the EU constitution is known or any other time. The concept of our becoming involved in battle groups is still evolving. The European Council has just agreed the broad outline parameters of what will be involved. As I stated, a huge amount of detail must be finalised in terms of where the battle groups will train,...

Overseas Missions. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: As Kofi Annan has stated, times have changed and the UN must be in a position to respond quickly to avoid the genocide and slaughter which was witnessed in the Congo last year. The recommendation is that to do that, this particular aspect of the rapid response element is necessary. It would be invariably organised regionally, whether by the EU or NATO. In principle, I agree it is a very good...

Overseas Missions. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I do not accept that there is a conflict. We both agree that to participate in the battle groups as we understand the concept at present, the law will have to be changed. I made the point that there might not be much point changing the law until the UN reforms itself to get Security Council decisions much more rapidly than at present. That in no way conflicts with what my colleague stated. We...

Bullying in the Workplace. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Dr. Eileen Doyle and the external advisory committee presented their report, The Challenge of a Workplace, in March 2002. This independent report addressed the range of interpersonal issues for 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...

Bullying in the Workplace. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The chairperson of the independent monitoring group is Dr. Eileen Doyle who composed the original report. The members include the deputy chief of staff, the assistant secretary of the Department of Defence, the general secretary of PDFORRA and the general secretary of RACO, the representative organisations of enlisted personnel and officers. Everybody is aware of allegations. We read the...

Bullying in the Workplace. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Apart from those. The final part of my reply puts the issue in context. Since the revised procedures for making complaints were introduced in March 2003, eight complaints of unacceptable behaviour have been formally initiated in the Defence Forces. Five of these cases were proven to be unfounded. One case was upheld and the person complained of had disciplinary action taken against him. Two...