Results 12,101-12,120 of 12,604 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Leaders' Questions. (2 Feb 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Where is Deputy Ó Snodaigh this morning?

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (1 Feb 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Since August 2004, the only appointments I have made were to the civil defence board, a body under the aegis of my Department. Chief Superintendent John T. Farrelly was appointed to the board in October 2004, on the nomination of the Commissioner of the Garda Síochána. Commandant Kevin Houston was appointed in November 2004 on the nomination of the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (27 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Minister, Secretary General, private secretary to the Minister and the human resources manager have credit cards issued to them. The guidelines for the use of such credit cards provide that they should be used for official business only. The number of occasions the cards have been used since 6 June 2002 to 29 September 2004 is as follows: Name No. of Transactions Minister 32 ...

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

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 99, 115, 118, 137, 1272, 1273, 1275 and 1282 together. I refer Deputies to my reply to this House on this very subject on 17 November last. The position remains as I outlined at that time. The background to the rapid response elements concept, commonly referred to as the "battlegroups", is that at the European Council in Helsinki in 1999, member states set...

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

Willie O'Dea: There are two types of UN missions on which members of the Permanent Defence Forces have been deployed. The first is the traditional "UN Blue-Hat" mission, established by the Security Council of the United Nations or the UN General Assembly. UNIFIL in Lebanon and UNMIL in Liberia are examples of such missions. The second type are missions authorised to be established by the Security Council...

Written Answers — Hearing Impairment Claims: Hearing Impairment Claims (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: By 31 December 2004 a total of 16,731 claims had been received in my Department from current and former members of the Defence Forces in respect of loss of hearing allegedly caused during their military service. A total of 332 claims have been determined in court and 15,099 have been disposed of out of court, mainly through settlement, leaving a total of 1,300 claims outstanding at that date....

Written Answers — Defence Forces Reserve: Defence Forces Reserve (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 131 together. On 26 July 2004 my predecessor, Deputy Michael Smith, officially launched the Reserve Defence Force review implementation plan which is the start of a process that will radically change the structure and configuration of the reserve while preserving its traditional strengths. These include such things as the spirit of voluntary...

Written Answers — Departmental Estimates: Departmental Estimates (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 105 and 130 together. National sovereignty and voluntarism are the fundamental underlying principles of participation in the European Security and Defence Policy, ESDP. For example, participation in any specific EU operation by member states is decided on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with respective national decision making procedures. Defence...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Investigation: Defence Forces Investigation (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 135 together. The case to which the Deputies refer relates to the killing of Private Thomas Barrett and Private Derek Smallhorne while serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, in 1980. The question of the measures open to the Irish authorities to bring the alleged perpetrator of this crime to justice is currently being examined...

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

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 107 and 120 together. 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 €61 million. Four utility AB139 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...

Written Answers — Military Police Investigation: Military Police Investigation (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The military authorities advise that as a result of a number of alleged incidents on board a Naval Service vessel in November-December 2004, two Military Police investigations were initiated. One of these investigations concluded on 20 December 2004 and a report was submitted to the Flag Officer Commanding Naval Service on 22 December 2004 for consideration. The appropriate disciplinary...

Written Answers — Emergency Planning: Emergency Planning (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Government Task Force on Emergency Planning, which I chair, was established in October 2001. The membership of the task force includes Ministers, senior officials of Government Departments, senior officers of the Defence Forces and the Garda Síochána and officials of other key public authorities that have a lead or support role in Government emergency planning. The work of the task...

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

Willie O'Dea: 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 Permanent Defence Force will continue to maintain the strength...

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

Willie O'Dea: The acquisition of new equipment for the Defence Forces will be a key focus for me as Minister for Defence in 2005. I am aware that significant investment has taken place in recent years and I will continue the good work in that regard. The unprecedented level of expenditure on equipment for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service was made possible by the Government's decision that pay savings...

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

Willie O'Dea: The Government's White Paper on Defence, published in February 2000, sets out a medium-term strategy for defence and covers the period up to 2010. A major objective of the strategy is to ensure that Ireland has a world-class military organisation capable of carrying out the roles assigned to them by the Government, both at home and abroad. This objective requires an ongoing modernisation...

Written Answers — Emergency Planning: Emergency Planning (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The most important defence against any terrorist attack is early detection and prevention by the security forces. The Garda Síochána has primary responsibility for law and order, including the protection of the internal security of the State. The potential threats to the State arising from international terrorism are continuously monitored by them in co-operation with the Defence Forces....

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

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 114 and 1285 together. 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...

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

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 116 and 125 together. The Defence Forces contingent, which was deployed for service with the United Nations Mission in Liberia, UNMIL, in December 2003, comprises a motorised infantry battalion of some 428 personnel. A small number of additional personnel have been also deployed at force headquarters and as military observers. Irish personnel are rotated on a...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Government decided on 1 July 2003 that Magee Barracks, Kildare, and Gormanston Camp, County Meath, would be among the State lands released for inclusion in the Sustaining Progress affordable housing initiative. In addition, the Government agreed on 16 December 2003 to the release of a further series of State lands for inclusion in the affordable housing initiative including Department of...

Written Answers — High Court Action: High Court Action (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: A settlement was reached in the matter referred to by the Deputy on 19 November 2004 and a statement was read into the court record. The terms of the settlement did not provide for any compensation to be paid to the person referred to in the question. However, as part of the settlement, an order for the taxation of the applicant's costs to include reserved costs was made. The costs have yet...