Results 3,501-3,520 of 12,631 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Overseas Missions. (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: That was in the second part of my answer which I did not have time to deliver. A request came in from operational headquarters to supply a platoon sized contingent of approximately 30 troops to provide protection for force headquarters in Abéché. I am not aware that request was actually refused. It was considered. The people considering the request have to take many things into account...

Sail Training Vessel. (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: As the Deputy will be aware, on 11 September 2008, the national sail training vessel, Asgard II, sank in the Bay of Biscay off the coast of France. The Asgard II was on a cruise from Falmouth in the UK to La Rochelle. On board were five crew and 20 trainees. All crew and trainees were evacuated successfully and are safe and well. The decision to abandon the vessel and take to the life...

Sail Training Vessel. (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: As Deputy O'Shea rightly recognises, we will not know the precise cause of the accident until the Marine Casualty Investigation Board concludes its investigation. I assure the House that when it does, I will have no difficulty publishing its report. In regard to Deputy O'Shea's second question, Coiste an Asgard is considering a number of possibilities for replacement. It has not yet...

Sail Training Vessel. (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The investigating body is the Marine Casualty Investigation Board. Naturally, it must talk to the French authorities and the French life board service, in particular. I understand that nobody other than the Marine Casualty Investigation Board is directly involved in the investigation. It has primary responsibility for the investigation.

Sail Training Vessel. (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I cannot answer that question exactly but I understand the underwater survey was commissioned by Coiste an Asgard. I do not know who it got to do it but I can get that information for the Deputy.

Toxic Waste. (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Following concerns arising in regard to work undertaken on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, at the ISPAT site, as a purely precautionary measure, I directed that an independent investigation of any potential health issues arising at the naval base in Haulbowline be undertaken. An independent environmental health and safety assessment...

Toxic Waste. (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Deputy Deenihan mentioned my assurance to the House. I am simply communicating to the House the results of the report. To reiterate, a joint meeting will be convened in Haulbowline, hopefully next week when the report is ready, between representatives of the naval staff and civilians and the details of the report will be explained to them. I will then immediately publish the report and...

Toxic Waste. (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: My interpretation, from what I have been told of the report, is that there is no risk at all. Unless there is some other impediment to using the pitches, personnel should not be prevented from using them on the premise the report has discovered it is in any way dangerous to use them. My information is the report appears to give an absolutely clean bill of health to the site. The report...

Child Care Facilities. (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: A request to provide crèche facilities for members of the Defence Forces has been made by the Defence Forces representative associations. The Defence Forces partnership steering group, which was established following on from Partnership 2000, has tasked a partnership sub-committee with examining the issue of the provision of child care facilities under a number of headings, including demand...

Child Care Facilities. (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: With regard to the initial question, I will study the report. I have not received it yet and do not know what is in it, but I will make inquiries as to when it will be available. With regard to the general issue of cost factors, the position is there is no funding available from the Department of Finance for the infrastructure. Therefore, if we decided to put a crèche in the Curragh, the...

Child Care Facilities. (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Deputy Deenihan referred to the altar of fiscal rectitude. Many things have been sacrificed by many Governments throughout the history of the State on the altar of fiscal rectitude. I will give this undertaking to the House. If a decision must be taken as to whether I provide money from my reduced capital budget to provide the infrastructure, the decision will only arise if the report...

Departmental Staff. (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 31 together. My Department will achieve the 3% reduction in payroll costs by adopting a rigorous programme of efficiencies and through the prudent management of its resources. Specifically, a range of measures is being put in place to ensure that the required payroll reduction is achieved, including not filling vacancies arising from natural wastage...

Departmental Staff. (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: For the moment.

Departmental Staff. (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Nine posts remain unfilled because we are trying to reach the 3% target. The Defence Forces are also subject to the 3% target. The total payroll allocation for the civil servants in my Department is €19.2 million. In 2009, the allocation will be €19 million. It will result in a slowdown in recruitment for the Army. The total payroll allocation for the Defence Forces for 2008 is...

Departmental Staff. (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: That is a very interesting question and the answer is "No". Whatever happens, Army people who need medical assistance will get it. As the Deputy will be aware from the replies to previous questions, in so far as we cannot provide that medical assistance ourselves, we contract it in from outside. The cost of doing that for this year is estimated at approximately €4.5 million. I would...

Departmental Staff. (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The answer to the first question is "No". There will be no reduction in personnel. Some 635 troops and 46 civilian staff are being moved throughout the different barracks. The troops will be moved to the different barracks being organised for them. The civilian staff can accept redeployment if redeployment is available for them. At the moment I am discussing with the Department of...

Departmental Staff. (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: It will reduce it slightly. It is currently at approximately maximum strength. We are at approximately 22 or 23 below the 10,500 to the best of my recollection. It will mean that the average figure of 10,500 will drop slightly. I am told it will not drop very considerably.

Overseas Missions. (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 38, 44, 177 and 178 together. Ireland is currently contributing 746 Defence Forces personnel to 13 different missions throughout the world. Full details, including ranks, of all personnel currently serving overseas are listed in the following tabular statement. While personnel from all services are liable for overseas service and serve overseas, as a...

Overseas Missions. (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: It is implicit in the Deputy's question that a request will be made by the UN. However, we have been requested by the UN to contribute to the blue hat mission that will follow the EUFOR mission after 15 March. Before making a final decision, we must consider various issues such as the composition of the proposed mission, its mandate, which countries currently involved in Chad will remain...

Overseas Missions. (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: As Deputy Deenihan pointed out, transporting the equipment overseas was a major factor in the cost of the mission. We have incurred that cost and it would be bad value for money to rush back on 15 March. The Exchequer is paying for this mission but when the UN takes over, it will carry the cost, by and large, although the organisation pays in arrears and is sometimes a good bit in arrears...