Results 3,161-3,180 of 12,631 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (20 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The number of medical staff within the Defence Forces is thirty-one (31) comprised of twenty-two (22) Medical Officers, four (4) Dentists, one (1) Periodontist and four (4) Pharmacists. In addition, there are twenty-four (24) members of the Army Nursing Service. The number of medical staff who hold a Psychiatric qualification is one (1). The number of medical personnel serving or assigned...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (20 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the following tables. Minister's Constituency Office Year Number of Civil Servants employed Full time Part time 01.01.2008 to 20.05.2008 5 1 2007 6 0 2006 5 1 2005 5 1 2004 2 1 2003 2 1 2002 3 1 2001 3 1 2000 2 0 1999 3 0 1998 3 0 1997 3 0 Minister of State's Office Year Number of Civil Servants employed 01.01.2008 to...

Overseas Missions. (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: If a medical emergency arises, the most important aspect is that the troops in question have immediate access to appropriate medical care to treat any injuries and, if necessary, stabilise the patient. In the case of the Defence Forces contingent in Chad, three doctors, along with a team of fully trained emergency medical technicians, will be deployed with the force in Goz Beida at all times...

Overseas Missions. (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I understand Deputy Deenihan's question but he appears to have a misconception of what is meant by the golden hour. The golden hour is the availability of immediate medical treatment and, as I said in my initial reply, any Irish patrol going out on operation will be accompanied by one or more medical officers and a number of other people who are medically qualified, some of whom will be...

Overseas Missions. (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: ——the situation in Liberia where the helicopters were based in Monrovia, which was about twice as far away from where the Irish troops were patrolling. We had fewer medical facilities, fewer air assets and further distances to travel in Liberia. This is one of the best supported missions from the point of view of safety in which we have ever engaged.

Overseas Missions. (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The White Paper on Defence outlines the blue print for a new Reserve Defence Force. This blueprint outlined a new reserve with a clearly defined role, an enhanced relationship with the Permanent Defence Force, better equipment and training and opportunities for reservists to serve on overseas peace support missions. An implementation plan has been developed that will ensure the realisation...

Overseas Missions. (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: As regards Deputy Wall's first question, the number, I am informed, is 8,265 of which 7,914 are Army and 317 are Naval Service. I do not have the age profile, although it has reduced considerably in recent years. I shall get that detail for Deputy Wall. On how to create an interest, I suppose the best way is to encourage people to join the reserve and discourage them from leaving it once...

Consultancy Contracts. (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Military medical services and their facilities exist to maintain the health of the Defence Forces and to support them in operational and overseas activities. The focus of the military medical service is on primary care, occupational medicine, acute trauma management, preventative medical programmes and field medical training. The challenges in the medical arena have been recognised for some...

Consultancy Contracts. (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I must correct Deputy Deenihan slightly — 47 is the established figure, as he rightly says, and we have 22 currently. Six are non-nationals, but of course they are properly qualified medical practitioners. Basically, in recent times we have considerably improved pay and conditions, in agreement with the Department of Finance, for people working in the medical corps of the Army. In...

Defence Forces Review. (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The commitment to which the Deputy refers is one of 17 contained in the action plan under the pay agreement and modernisation agenda for the Defence Forces. The action plan is itself derived from the modernisation agenda of March 2007 agreed with the Defence Forces representative associations and both are in turn, modelled on the Towards 2016 agreement between the social partners. This...

Defence Forces Review. (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: We have made significant progress on the modernisation of the Army generally. There are no less than 17 commitments in the action plan. We are far advanced in respect of some and not as advanced as we would like to be in respect of others. Needless to say, considerable progress has been made. Outside the context of the action plan, modernisation continues, virtually on a weekly basis....

Defence Forces Medical Services. (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The challenges in the medical arena have been recognised for some time and a review of the provision of medical services, in association with the representative associations, is ongoing as part of the modernisation agenda for the Defence Forces. The scope of the review includes the level of service to be provided to members of the Defence Forces and the resources required for the delivery of...

Defence Forces Medical Services. (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I take the Deputy's point about communicating the content of the charter to every member of the Defence Forces. I have no doubt that this was suggested to him but what we have done was requested at meetings of the representative associations and the military. It was requested that the charter be published on the intranet site and communicated to the medical aid posts and clinics. It was...

Defence Forces Medical Services. (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: It is not displayed in every area yet. Some of the measures in the charter will not be implemented until we manage to deal with the structural problems we have been discussing. I will certainly consider and talk to people about the suggestion that a particular officer be appointed to take charge of the charter. There is a commitment in the charter to offering an annual medical check to...

Overseas Missions. (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 8, 11, 16, 23, 40, 44, 50, 232 and 235 together. Preparations for the deployment of the 97th Infantry Battalion to the UN mandated European Union military mission to Chad and the Central African Republic are being implemented in a series of carefully planned phases. To date preparations are on schedule. A total of 394 members of the Permanent Defence...

Overseas Missions. (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Of the 394 personnel who are there at present, a total of 28 have been mandatorily selected. The military authorities have their own procedure for mandatory selection. While I am not immediately familiar with it, I can get details of it for the Deputy. I am told the system has been in place literally since the foundation of the State. However, I understand that someone who is mandatorily...

Overseas Missions. (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Deputy Deenihan has asked three questions. As for parcels, the primary purpose of the resupply flights will be to supply appropriate provisions and equipment and other necessities for the troops. The military authorities have advised me that they may be able to make some provision for parcels at Christmas. I will certainly communicate Deputy Deenihan's sentiments to the military. I share...

Overseas Missions. (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I note Deputy Wall's remarks on the huge amount of organisation and effort that has gone into putting this mission together and I thank him for them. I will convey his sentiments to the Chief of Staff. Regarding family concerns, access to families, parcels and so on, I have already undertaken, in reply to a number of questions from Deputy Deenihan, to do what I can to provide assistance....

Overseas Missions. (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I have already told Deputy Deenihan that the military is considering whether a helicopter should be placed permanently at Goz Beida. I will not try to second-guess the military as I am not a military expert, but I have been assured that if it is decided that it is necessary for the safety of Irish troops that a helicopter be located at Goz Beida, a helicopter will be located there. With...

National Emergency Plan. (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7, 13 and 28 together. On Monday 14 April 2008, the public information and awareness campaign on emergency planning was launched at the National Emergency Co-ordination Centre. The main focus of the campaign was the publication and country-wide distribution of a handbook entitled Preparing for Major Emergencies. To coincide with the launch of the campaign, a...