Results 2,241-2,260 of 2,815 for speaker:Tony Killeen

Defence Forces Reserve (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: The 2010 provision under subhead D is €4.7 million and this will provide approximately 31,000 paid man days. That will allow 3,500 members to undertake seven paid training days each with the provision for career courses and so on. The provision for 2009 was €8.9 million, of which €6.651 million was utilised. The number of training days utilised in 2009 was approximately 54,190. On...

Defence Forces Reserve (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: As the Deputies will be aware, considerable progress was made on the inclusion of RDF members in a UN mission. This plan did not proceed for a number of reasons. Until a new mission becomes available, progressing this element will not be possible, but it is held to be a matter of considerable importance by the representative association at the reserve level. The association has raised this...

Defence Forces Reserve (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: As set out, its role and function are to support the Permanent Defence Force in a number of operations. As I stated in connection with the Red Cross, some of this was envisaged in a period when the opportunities and threats presenting differed from those currently at play. I strongly suspect that the recommendation of a particular report to cut the numbers in the RDF to one third was driven...

Defence Forces Reserve (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: In the context of the Defence Forces and the RDF, everyone would accept that security clearances are important. Given the nature of the role, medical clearances are also an issue. As we all know, some delays have occurred partly because of the requirement for people in many service areas to have security and Garda clearances for certain activities and professions where such requirements did...

Defence Forces Recruitment (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25, 28, 29 and 34 together. Within the available resources, the Government is committed to maintaining the strength of the PDF, 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...

Defence Forces Recruitment (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: There may well be a case for approaching the Department of Finance on foot of Deputy O'Shea's general point, but I would be more comfortable doing so in the context of arguing that the operational capability of the Defence Forces was being negatively impacted by certain numbers instead of by adhering to a rounded figure like 10,000, which seems a somewhat suspicious target. Instead of...

Defence Forces Recruitment (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: Historically, new recruits to the navy in particular have tended to come from the reserve. It is how many recruits enter the PDF. It is hardly surprising and will be likely to feature. I have not examined the recruitment numbers over the years. I understand there is a trend for younger members of the reserve to apply to be permanent members when the opportunity arises. That is to be...

Defence Forces Recruitment (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: I have no doubt at all about that. Having spoken to the military authorities, I am satisfied that we have extremely credible Defence Forces. The credibility of the forces with our people was greatly enhanced last winter during the flood crisis and the snow and ice crisis. We often tend to overlook the value of their contribution and in some areas, there is a tendency to denigrate that...

Defence Forces Reserve (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: I propose to take Question Nos. 26, 27, 37, 46 and 54 together. The Reserve Defence Force review implementation plan has provided the framework for the development of the reserve over recent years. The plan outlined a series of steps which were designed to significantly enhance the quality of training within the Reserve Defence Force. These steps, together with re-organisation, enhanced...

Defence Forces Reserve (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: An element of the international trend in many countries has been that the numbers in permanent defence forces have been dramatically reduced and replaced by similar numbers in the reserve defence forces. I would not be happy to go down that path. There is a requirement for a particular level. We have been discussing that in terms of numbers, but I think we should be discussing it in terms...

Defence Forces Reserve (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: I apologise to Deputy Deenihan as I missed an important element of his previous question relating to the involvement of the Reserve Defence Force in instances such as the snow and ice. We need to learn from that for the future because the Permanent Defence Force personnel involved did an outstanding job and the public appreciated it, particularly in the areas where it was really needed. It...

Defence Forces Reserve (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: I missed the point about training, which I will deal with.

Defence Forces Reserve (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: I will have to come back to Deputy Deenihan on the number of women because I do not have the information with me. I think I know the numbers with regard to effective and non-effective but I will send them on to Deputy Stanton. It is also important. I agree with his point on military discipline and all of the other elements which are quite attractive to young people and have positive...

Defence Forces Reserve (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: My apologies. That has been mentioned to me anecdotally and I will come back to the Deputy in the House on the matter because if it were true it would need to be addressed.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: I propose to present the information on reports commissioned by the Department of Defence since July 1997 in the manner requested by the Deputy in reverse chronological order. In 2009 the Department commissioned four reports as follows: - Deloitte were commissioned to undertake a review of the Finance Branch of the Department. The objective of the review was to examine the business...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Expenditure: Defence Forces Expenditure (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: I have dealt comprehensively with the decision by the Government on 30 March 2010 to withdraw the Irish contingent from the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT) and the reasons for that decision. I can assure the House that it was not a decision the Government wanted to have to make and I have expressed my regret at how events unfolded in relation to the...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: I propose to take Question Nos. 32 and 52 together. The primary responsibility for the maintenance of law and order rests with An Garda Síochána. The Defence Forces, pursuant to their role of rendering aid to the civil power, assist An Garda Síochána as required. The Defence Forces, in conjunction with An Garda Síochána, keep the threat level under continual review. The military...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: Since the late 1990's, the Defence Forces have participated in peace support operations in the Western Balkans through their troop presence in the UN mandated NATO-led KFOR mission in Kosovo and in the UN mandated EU-led Operation ALTHEA (formerly SFOR) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. As outlined in the budget in December 2009, it had been decided that the Defence Forces commitments to overseas...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 35, 47 and 81 together. The Reserve Defence Force's most important contribution, as outlined in the White Paper on Defence (2000), is to support the Permanent Defence Force in its contingency defence roles in an emergency situation. As such, in peacetime, the main function of the Reserve Defence Force is to train and prepare for these contingency roles. This...

Written Answers — Emergency Planning: Emergency Planning (2 Jun 2010)

Tony Killeen: As the Deputy will be aware, emergency planning in this country is based on the 'lead department' principle. This means that each department is responsible for assessing the risks, making appropriate plans and leading the response to those emergencies that impact on its areas of responsibility. The Government Task Force on Emergency Planning, which I chair, supports coordination in emergency...