Results 4,581-4,600 of 12,637 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Seanad: Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Second Stage (18 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: Senator O'Toole dealt very well with the record of some of those countries, such as Sweden and Switzerland, which are held up as models of neutrality. Senator Doherty wanted to know what our definition or concept of neutrality is. I could give a long dissertation on this subject but I will keep my remarks simple. Ireland's traditional policy of neutrality is that we do not participate in...

Seanad: Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The effect of the three amendments is to require the approval of both Houses of the Oireachtas in respect of any decision to participate in an EDA project or programme or in a permanent structured co-operation one. Much as I would like to accept the amendments, my advice is that I cannot. The proposal that any such decision would require the approval of both Houses was considered by the...

Seanad: Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: Flattery will the Senator everywhere. A copy of the Constitution has been handed to me. The relevant article is Article 28.3.1o . Whatever about the Finance Bill, Article 28.3.1o of the Constitution states: "War shall not be declared and the State shall not participate in any war save with the assent of Dáil Éireann". The article goes on to deal with what happens in the case of actual...

Seanad: Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: Whatever about the divergence of views on the Constitution between the Attorney General and Senator Norris, I must proceed with the Attorney General's view.

Seanad: Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: There is a second point. Under the Defence (Amendment)(No. 2) Act 1960, the deployment of troops overseas requires only the consent of Dáil Éireann. The deployment of troops would be regarded as a more serious matter than simply getting involved in a particular EDA project and the same argument applies in this case. Even before the amendment was acceptable in any case and even without...

Seanad: Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I am operating on the basis of the advice I have. There is a legislative problem as well. The 1960 Act only requires the Dáil to approve the deployment of troops overseas. If the Dáil alone can authorise the deployment of troops overseas, how could there be a situation in which there was a requirement involving both Houses of the Oireachtas for engagement in some very minor EDA project...

Seanad: Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I cannot accept a legal obligation to consult. It is the practice now to bring these matters to the Seanad and, indeed, the Seanad can initiate such matters. I assure the House that as long as I remain in this job that situation will continue to pertain.

Seanad: Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: If the Government is re-elected at the next election it will continue to be our policy and the matter will not arise if the Senator's party is elected into Government because the Seanad will not be here.

Seanad: Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: Yes. We will look at it.

Seanad: Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: Generally, we are not as advanced as the major European countries in matters of defence, but we have much to teach others on interacting with local populations when abroad in keeping the peace. I do not know whether this can be formalised.

Seanad: Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I again express my appreciation to the Seanad for its constructive approach to the Bill. I also reiterate my commitment that, whether we engage in deploying troops overseas or permanent structural co-operation, I will be very happy to discuss defence matters with the Seanad at any time.

Overseas Missions. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I offer Deputy Deenihan my sincere condolences on his recent bereavement. Despite the current difficult economic circumstances, the Government continues to support and commit resources and personnel, wherever it can, to support peace, security and development in troublespots throughout the world. Following on from Ireland's participation in the EU-led mission to Chad, the mandate of which...

Overseas Missions. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: It is not that I do not want to be specific. I wish I could be but, as Deputy Deenihan will be aware, we are engaged in a very difficult Estimates process leading to the production of a budget on 9 December. With regard to the viability of the mission in the absence of Irish troops, it is true that the authorised maximum number of personnel for MINURCAT is approximately 5,200. There are...

Overseas Missions. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: Yes. I reassure the House that, because of the good work being done and the expertise being gained by the Irish troops, it is my preference that we continue in Chad. I am doing everything possible in the course of negotiations on the budget to ensure this outcome. However, I cannot give the House an absolute assurance.

Overseas Missions. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I am aware of the views of the locals the mission is designed to serve. I am very conscious that the NGOs and UN personnel would all love to see the Irish stay. There is a level-one medical facility in the Irish camp at Goz Beida and a level-two medical facility in Abeche. There is a dedicated Medevac helicopter located in Abeche on a 24-seven basis and there is a couple based in Goz Beida....

Departmental Expenditure. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The Defence Forces have improved in every respect since 2000 through the implementation of the White Paper. This represents a significant public service success story and has been acknowledged by both the Taoiseach and myself. Arising from the White Paper on Defence, we have created modern, well-equipped Defence Forces capable of meeting the needs of the Government and the public and...

Departmental Expenditure. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I have told the Deputy my opinion, namely, that reductions in public sector pay must be applied across the board. Admittedly, they must be applied in a way such that those who can bear them most will bear them most and that there will be as little impact as possible on those who can bear them least. I have made the point to the Minister for Finance that, because of the high turnover in the...

Departmental Expenditure. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: No, I said that we have almost concluded our deliberations. We have until just before the budget and we will have reached a conclusion before then. I agree with Deputy O'Shea that the Defence Force is the only public sector organisation in the country where numbers have fallen in the past ten years. I have pointed that out to my Government colleagues and I am putting forward that as a...

Defence Forces Recruitment. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The White Paper on Defence of February 2000 sets out a figure of 10,500 personnel for the Permanent Defence Force comprising 930 for the Air Corps, 1,144 for the Naval Service and 8,426 for the Army. I am advised by the military authorities that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force as at 31 October 2009 was 10, 013 broken down as follows: 807 for the Air Corps, 1,031 for the Naval...

Defence Forces Recruitment. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I am aware of the difficulties the moratorium is causing, not just in the Defence Forces but in other parts of the public sector. It is a necessary measure to bring the public finances back into order, which everyone agrees should be done. The moratorium has hit the Army particularly hard because there is a high level of turnover in any military organisation. The problems adverted to by...