Results 2,221-2,240 of 2,815 for speaker:Tony Killeen

Irish Red Cross Society (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: The Irish Red Cross Society is an autonomous body, established by the Irish Red Cross Society Order 1939 pursuant to the Red Cross Act 1938. The society is an independent charitable organisation with full powers to manage and administer its affairs through its governing body, the central council. Membership of the council is by way of appointment by the Government or by election in...

Irish Red Cross Society (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: Deputy O'Shea stated that primary legislation may be required. While this may the case at some point in the future, particularly bearing in mind the Deputy's points regarding adverse publicity in respect of the Irish Red Cross and the impact this is likely to be having, which cannot be positive, I am disposed to making the changes that can be made fairly quickly. Following my meeting with...

Irish Red Cross Society (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: I do not recollect any issue being raised or any difficulty being expressed in regard to the composition of the board and the fact that the Government nominates one third of its members. There are a number of recommendations, one of which pertains to the manner, for example, in which the chairman will be appointed. This process is likely to take some time and is one of the reasons for the...

Naval Service Vessels (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: The Naval Service operates eight general purpose ships. All eight ships are involved in coastal and offshore patrolling and surveillance for the State in that part of the seas where State jurisdiction applies. The current exclusive fishery limits extend to 200 miles offshore and cover an area of 132,000 nautical square miles. The Naval Service currently patrols the entire 200 mile limit...

Naval Service Vessels (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: While patrol days are an important element of surveillance, they are increasingly less so in the context of the type of monitoring possible, in particular when one takes account of the work of the Lisbon centre, the co-operation between the relevant countries and the advanced co-operation between the Garda Síochána, Customs Service and Naval Service. Surveillance in this regard is much...

Naval Service Vessels (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: Detailed and extensive contract negotiations are close to conclusion and at that point a decision will have to be made on the timing of the purchase of vessels and no more than any other element of public service that will have to be considered in the context of the current budgetary constraints. A considerable amount of work has been done on foot of the tender competition. I am not in a...

Defence Forces Reserve (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: In accordance with the Reserve Defence Forces Review Implementation Plan, the Reserve Defence Forces was re-organised along similar lines to the Permanent Defence Force in October 2005. The reserve now mirrors the Permanent Defence Force with the Army Reserve organised within a three brigade structure and a Reserve Defence Forces Training Authority. In addition there is a Naval Service...

Defence Forces Reserve (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: I am aware of the points made by Deputy O'Shea regarding concerns the reserve and its representatives have. I had a meeting with them and attended its annual general meeting in the Curragh some weeks back. These issues are ongoing and can be addressed over a period of time. If I were to look back at the recommendations in the White Paper, produced almost ten years ago, and the plan that...

Defence Forces Reserve (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: As the Deputy will know, in many respects tensions are not always negative. If the effect of them is to impact negatively on morale, that is something worth considering. Work on the White Paper is not yet under way. There will be an opportunity for the reserve and its representatives to have a positive impact in that respect. I have undertaken that account will be taken of its concerns...

Defence Forces Recruitment (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: Within the available resources, the Government is committed to maintaining the strength of the Permanent Defence Force at a level of 10,000, all ranks, for which Government approval has been secured in the context of budget 2010. This reflects the reductions in personnel recommended in the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes. I am advised by the...

Defence Forces Recruitment (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: I assure Deputy Deenihan and the House that the delays from the original date mentioned by the Deputy in regard to the employment control framework have arisen because of the additional work required. I can assure him absolutely there is no foot dragging on the part of the Department or the military authorities. It is a very important exercise and one which must be dealt with subsequently...

Defence Forces Recruitment (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: I have no doubt progress will be made within the figure of 10,000 personnel agreed for 2010 and also within whatever may arise from the employment control framework proposals which, in any event, must be agreed subsequently with the Department of Finance. The figure of 10,000 is the employment number agreed for 2010 and, as I stated, we have already commenced the process of recruiting to the...

Defence Forces Personnel (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 23, 43 and 156 together. The number of persons who have left the Permanent Defence Force and associated details since May 2009 are presented in the following tabular statements. The corresponding information for the Reserve Defence Force is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it becomes available. Within the available resources,...

Defence Forces Personnel (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: It is not helpful or positive to have a fixation on numbers regarding the strength of the Defence Forces. It would be far better for the Defence Forces and their capability if we were to concentrate on that capability to do the job effectively. One factor that must be acknowledged is that with smaller numbers both the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces have a considerably greater...

Defence Forces Personnel (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: Deputy O'Shea raises a very important question. It impacts on the kind of recruitment campaign one might carry out, especially if there was an indication that people were leaving in large numbers from a particular segment and one would have to try to replace them in that area. One factor that has become apparent - I am not clear whether it is a trend - is that the figure of 21 is...

Defence Forces Personnel (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: That would be very difficult. The problem I mentioned is not really a question of recruitment but retention in certain areas, which is very difficult to address and needs to be considered in detail. On the question of rank and numbers, we would ideally need to look at a very large number of pages, and it would defy the patience level of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle if I tried to read them out.

Defence Forces Personnel (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: It may well be that the question of retention is more appropriate for direct attention than recruitment, and a raft of ideas has been aired. In some respects it might be reasonable to indicate that the White Paper will be very important in setting the medium-term goals for the Defence Forces. I would like to be in a position to get into that consideration as quickly as possible.

Defence Forces Personnel (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: I will have to get back to the Deputy on that. I have heard the issue mentioned but I do not have the required detail today.

Defence Forces Personnel (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: The Deputy is providing many difficult tasks and not much time to complete them.

Defence Forces Reserve (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: On 15 May 2010 I addressed the 16th delegate conference of the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association, RDFRA. In my address I dealt with a range of issues, including the current challenging economic circumstances, which have required the Government to take tough and decisive action and which has won international respect. I made the point that whereas some of the necessary...