Results 12,261-12,280 of 12,604 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — EU Presidency: EU Presidency (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The Garda Síochána has the primary responsibility for law and order, including the protection of the internal security of the State. Among the roles assigned to the Defence Forces is the provision of aid to the civil power, meaning in practice to assist the Garda Síochána, when requested, which duties include the protection and guarding of vital installations, the provision of certain...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 72 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. It is my intention to maintain the established Government policy of ongoing recruitment to the Defence Forces to maintain the strength at a...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 39 and 73 together. My vision for the development of the Defence Forces and my priorities are set out in the White Paper on Defence and in the programme for Government. I intend to follow through on the implementation of the White Paper on Defence and the other commitments we have made to the ongoing modernisation and reform process and to ensure that the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Operations: Defence Forces Operations (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The primary responsibility for internal security 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 with prisoner escorts, cash escorts and explosives escorts. The demands on...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Review: Defence Forces Review (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: Deputy Ó Snodaigh has raised similar questions on a number of previous occasions. I can confirm that there has been no significant change in the position since my predecessor's response to Question No. 62 of 11 May last. In this regard, the Government's White Paper on defence, published in February 2000, set out a medium term strategy for defence covering the period up to 2010. A major...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 43 together. The Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1960 provides that an officer appointed or a man enlisted after the date of its passing is liable to serve outside the State with a contingent of the Permanent Defence Force despatched for service with international forces established by the United Nations. With the passage of time since 1960 all...

Written Answers — Medical Services: Medical Services (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The medication administered to the person concerned at the time referred to was human gamma globulin. This was administered on 10 October 1990, 18 January 1991 and 1 April 1991. There is no record in his service medical records of his being administered any other medication at this time. Gamma globulin was administered routinely to all troops serving in south Lebanon prior to the availability...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The Chief of Staff received a report from the board of officers in mid June and subsequently sought clarification on a number of matters arising. This clarification, which involved research of archival material, has been received by the Chief of Staff and the report is still under examination. Pending the outcome of the examination, it would not be appropriate for me to comment. I will...

Written Answers — Partnership for Peace: Partnership for Peace (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I have not had discussions with my EU colleagues in the context of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council or Partnership for Peace in the short time since my appointment.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (12 Oct 2004)

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 military personnel have an equal claim on such housing as other members of the community in the same income category. The individuals overholding 54...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Training: Defence Forces Training (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The Garda Síochána has primary responsibility for law and order, including the protection of the internal security of the State. It continuously monitors the potential threats to the State arising from international terrorism in co-operation with the Defence Forces. The advice available to me at this time is that, while the Garda authorities recognise that the terrorist threat to Europe may...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The White Paper provides an overall strength figure of 10,500 for the Permanent Defence Force all ranks. This figure comprehends provision for the allocation of up to 850 members of the Permanent Defence Force to overseas peacekeeping missions at any given time. At present, there are only 740 members of the Permanent Defence Force serving overseas on such missions.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I am satisfied that military training techniques and equipment, including military vehicles, are up to date in all respects. Defence Forces training plans are structured to provide the capabilities needed to execute the roles assigned to them under the White Paper on Defence of February 2000. Priority is given to meeting operational tasks in Ireland. The challenges of preparing military units...

Written Answers — Search and Rescue Service: Search and Rescue Service (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 74 and 75 together. The White Paper on Defence of February 2000 sets out a figure of 930 personnel for the Air Corps. There are no proposals to increase the strength of the Air Corps above the White Paper figure. It is my intention to maintain the established Government policy of ongoing recruitment to the Defence Forces and to continue to maintain the...

Defence Forces Personnel. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: A total of 28 non-commissioned officers have been commissioned as officers in the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service in the past five years. Potential officers courses, POC, are held for non-commissioned personnel from time to time within the Defence Forces. Personnel who successfully complete such courses are commissioned as officers in the Permanent Defence Force. Participants on such...

Defence Forces Personnel. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I agree with the Deputy that promotion prospects are extremely limited. The figures clearly show that to be the case and they do not lie. The last such course which would enable enlisted personnel to become officers took place in 2000. It is the intention that as part and parcel of the integrated personnel management system those competitions will take place regularly. I do not wish to go...

Defence Forces Personnel. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: Specific deadlines are set out in the White Paper on Defence. My understanding is that considerable progress has been made in the discussions and, hopefully, the matter will be resolved shortly. I am sure Deputy Stanton will continue to ask about the discussions until such time as the matter is resolved.

Defence Forces Equipment. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The acquisition of new equipment for the Defence Forces will be a key focus for me as Minister for Defence. I am aware that significant investment has taken place in recent years and I want to 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...

Defence Forces Equipment. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: It is not my information that there are substantial difficulties with maintaining these armoured personnel carriers. Certainly that has not been brought to my attention. I am aware that a detailed evaluation process, including value for money considerations, takes place when equipment of this magnitude is being purchased. That evaluation committee comprises personnel from the relevant section...

Defence Forces Equipment. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I do not have the exact figure, but it was of the order of approximately €200 million and it all went towards either the purchase of equipment, protective clothing, radio equipment or upgrading of infrastructures, specifically barracks. It all went back into the Department of Defence.