Results 401-420 of 1,415 for speaker:Tom Kitt

Official Engagements. (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: On 29 November 2005, the Minister for Defence addressed the biennial delegate conference of the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers, RACO, in Cavan. The Minister sought to make his address relevant, informative and positive and discussed topics of interest to military delegates, their colleagues and to the wider community. Those topics included the representative process,...

Official Engagements. (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: That would be a matter for the interdepartmental committee and the steering group. It is an important area in which we should invest. Intelligence is critical in terms of prevention. I share the Deputy's views on this matter and will report them to the Department. With regard to military hardware, the Government continues to review its investment in such equipment. Clearly there will be more...

Official Engagements. (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: As I said earlier, the Minister has stated that he is simply reviewing the role of officers serving abroad. He is not in any way reviewing the number of personnel, which is set at 850. That will remain constant. On the remit of the Liberia contingent, I warmly welcome the extension of its involvement to Sierra Leone. As Minister of State with responsibility for overseas development I visited...

Official Engagements. (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: It is rare that there is such a fantastic audience for Question Time. I mentioned at the outset that the Minister is in the RTE studio. I assume Members from other parties are also there.

Official Engagements. (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: It is important that representatives of the Government should communicate the issues under discussion today in the public domain. It is quite normal that the Minister should be at the studio. I will convey Deputy Sherlock's good wishes to him.

Official Engagements. (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: Deputies are aware that the Minister will not be paid for his appearance on RTE television.

Defence Forces Medical Staff. (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: The establishment for medical officers — doctors — in the Permanent Defence Force is 47. The current strength of medical officers is 23. Of these, two are on leave of absence without pay and five are serving on a short service commission, of which two are serving in Liberia. The services of civilian general practitioners are regularly engaged to provide primary care when medical officers...

Defence Forces Medical Staff. (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: Yes. We are short of numbers.

Defence Forces Medical Staff. (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: This matter is being resolved through partnership. In particular, we work closely with the Department of Finance on this issue.

Allocation of Time: Motion. (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: I move: That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, the Financial Motions by the Minister for Finance shall for the purpose of debate be moved and grouped together in accordance with the following schedule and the proceedings thereon, and on any amendment thereto, shall in the case of each Resolution be brought to a conclusion by one question which shall be put from the Chair group not...

Allocation of Time: Motion. (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: The resolutions can be divided as per the groupings, thereby, providing for three divisions.

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: I propose to take Questions Nos. 63, 65, 67, 69, 75, 87, 88, 102, 104, 114, 116 and 117 together. At present Ireland subscribes to the United Nations Standby Arrangements System, UNSAS, under which the State offers to provide up to 850 personnel on overseas service at any given time. Ireland's commitment under the UNSAS represents 10% of the total Army strength. This is the maximum...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 79 together. Defence Forces regulations have always allowed for the recruitment of foreign nationals to the Defence Forces as enlisted personnel. However, for a person other than an Irish citizen to be appointed as an officer of the Defence Forces, the special approval of the Minister must be sought. In such a case, and provided that security clearance...

Written Answers — Emergency Planning: Emergency Planning (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: The Office of Emergency Planning was established, following a Government decision in October 2001, as a joint civil and military office within the Department of Defence. The office functions as a branch of the Department and from within its overall annual budget allocation. The office supports the work of the Government task force on emergency planning, which is chaired by the Minister for...

Written Answers — Military Investigations: Military Investigations (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: The military authorities advise that the military police investigation is still ongoing into the alleged larceny of diesel oil from military vehicles in County Donegal. It would be inappropriate to comment on the details of the investigation but it can be confirmed that a member of the Defence Forces has been interviewed in the course of the investigation. As the investigation is continuing...

Written Answers — Departmental Investigations: Departmental Investigations (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: I propose to take Questions Nos. 70, 85 and 96 together. Private Kevin Barrett died on 18 February 1999 while serving with the 84th Infantry Battalion in Lebanon. His death was the subject of a UN board of inquiry and an Irish contingent board of inquiry as well as a military police investigation. The coroner for north west Donegal held an inquest into the death of Private Barrett from 5 to 8...

Written Answers — EU Battle Groups: EU Battle Groups (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: I propose to take Questions Nos. 71, 76, 83, 92, 103 and 108 together. The background to the rapid response elements concept, sometimes referred to as battle groups, is that at the European Council in Helsinki in 1999, member states set themselves a headline goal that by the year 2003, co-operating together and voluntarily, they will be able to deploy rapidly and then sustain forces capable...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: In the article in question the Minister was extrapolating on the basis of the various exchanges on defence spending etc. which took place during Question Time on 3 November 2005, specifically arising from his replies to Questions Nos. 4; 7, 23, 30, 56 and 65; and 11 and 27. If the Minister was mistaken and Deputy Timmins is satisfied with the current level of defence spending, the Minister...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Representation: Defence Forces Representation (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: This issue was raised at the RACO biennial delegate conference last week and the Minister has also received correspondence from PDFORRA on the matter in the last few days. PDFORRA has also written to a number of public representatives outlining its concerns. It should be emphasised that issues relating to the Portuguese armed forces are an internal matter for the Portuguese Government. I...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Deployment: Defence Forces Deployment (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: The Government is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for men and women in the Defence Forces and to the full participation by women in all aspects of Defence Forces activities. The military authorities have advised that detailed records of the number of applicants for the Army Ranger Wing are not maintained. However, since 2000 approximately 240 personnel, including one female,...