Results 521-540 of 12,629 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Civil Defence: Civil Defence (15 Feb 2005)

Willie O'Dea: There are about 6,000 members of the Civil Defence organisation throughout the State at present. Civil Defence celebrated the 50th anniversary of its foundation in 2000 and over that period the primary role of the organisation has changed considerably from that of providing a civil response to potential hazards which might arise in a war situation to one of assisting the primary emergency...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Willie O'Dea: One will not see the Belfast brigade talking of that.

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Deputy would be unfamiliar with that.

Written Answers — Seachtain na Gaeilge: Seachtain na Gaeilge (16 Feb 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Níl sé ar intinn ag an Roinn seo aon imeachtaí a chur ar siúl i rith Seachtain na Gaeilge.

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (17 Feb 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The information sought by the Deputy is as follows: Department's headquarters, Parkgate, Dublin: waste is collected by a private waste disposal company which separates and recycles waste matter where possible. However, the company does not return any figures to my Department for the weight of the waste disposed of; Department's offices, Glasnevin: waste is collected by Dublin City Council;...

Written Answers — Departmental Credit Cards: Departmental Credit Cards (17 Feb 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The total expenditure in respect of the use of credit cards from 6 June 2002 to 29 September 2004 is as follows: Name No. of Transactions Total Expenditure â'¬ Minister M. Smith 32 4,339.90 Private Secretary to Minister 92 72,955.11 Secretary General 30 6,120.77 Human Resources Manager 3 331.14 The total expenditure in respect of the use ofcredit cards in the period 30...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (17 Feb 2005)

Willie O'Dea: My Department has awarded one contract for public relations projects in the last three years. Sweeney Communications Limited was paid €12,235, less withholding tax, in June 2002. No other payment was made to the company in question either before or since that date.

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (22 Feb 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The issues raised in the correspondence referred to by the Deputy are not a matter for the Department of Defence, nor has an application to use Defence Forces facilities been received from the group in question.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Ombudsman: Defence Forces Ombudsman (22 Feb 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The person appointed to be the ombudsman for the Defence Forces will be selected through a process of open public competition held by the Public Appointments Service. This competition will be advertised as soon as possible. As regards the matter of former members of the Defence Forces making application to the Defence Forces ombudsman, on his-her appointment, the position is that the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (22 Feb 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Personnel on being discharged from the Permanent Defence Force are obliged to vacate married quarters within a short period of the dates of their discharge. The provision of housing is primarily a matter for the local authorities and married military personnel have an equal claim on such housing as other members of the community in the same income category. My Department is continuing to...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (22 Feb 2005)

Willie O'Dea: To date 85 of the 100 houses at Orchard Park have been sold to the occupants. A contract of sale and deed of transfer have been executed in respect of another case. Two further houses are in the process of being sold by tender and it is expected that these sales will also be completed in 2005. The sales of the remaining 12 quarters to the occupants are being actively pursued.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (22 Feb 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Kildare County Council has advised that the roads, services etc. at Orchard Park will have to be brought up to the required standard before they will be taken in charge. It is hoped to undertake a programme of works later in the year to ensure the facilities at the estate are up to the standard required. In the interim a contractor is being engaged to carry out emergency repairs to the roads.

Legislative Programme. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I am qualified already.

Overseas Missions. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 73, 74 and 390 together. I refer Deputies to my reply to this House on this subject on 26 January last. The position remains as I outlined at that time. The background to the rapid response elements concept commonly referred to as the "battle groups" is that at the European Council in Helsinki in 1999, member states set themselves a headline goal, that is,...

Overseas Missions. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I will not anticipate the outcome of the sub-group's deliberations. We have identified certain legal barriers to our participation in the so-called battle groups. I have asked people representing various Departments and the Office of the Attorney General to advise us on precisely what are those problems and how they propose we get around them. When I receive the report of the relevant...

Overseas Missions. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: As I emphasised, the Government's policy is that the triple-lock procedure will remain in place. In accordance with the Defence Act 1960, if we are to deploy troops abroad, provided the number of troops is more than 12 and provided they are carrying arms, the triple-lock will continue to apply. In other words, that operation will require a United Nations mandate, a decision of the Cabinet and...

Overseas Missions. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: No one has asked me to park this issue until the outcome of the referendum on the EU constitution is known or any other time. The concept of our becoming involved in battle groups is still evolving. The European Council has just agreed the broad outline parameters of what will be involved. As I stated, a huge amount of detail must be finalised in terms of where the battle groups will train,...

Overseas Missions. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: As Kofi Annan has stated, times have changed and the UN must be in a position to respond quickly to avoid the genocide and slaughter which was witnessed in the Congo last year. The recommendation is that to do that, this particular aspect of the rapid response element is necessary. It would be invariably organised regionally, whether by the EU or NATO. In principle, I agree it is a very good...

Overseas Missions. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I do not accept that there is a conflict. We both agree that to participate in the battle groups as we understand the concept at present, the law will have to be changed. I made the point that there might not be much point changing the law until the UN reforms itself to get Security Council decisions much more rapidly than at present. That in no way conflicts with what my colleague stated. We...

Bullying in the Workplace. (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Dr. Eileen Doyle and the external advisory committee presented their report, The Challenge of a Workplace, in March 2002. This independent report addressed the range of interpersonal issues for the Defence Forces. Its contents and recommendations were accepted in full. Implementation of the recommendations of the report has been one of the highest priorities for the Defence Forces and my...