Results 5,741-5,760 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Overseas Missions (14 Mar 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I have a good briefing on this one. The Defence Forces are primarily deployed on overseas missions in support of international peace and security under UN mandates. On 20 December 2001, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1386 under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, authorising the establishment of an International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. Ireland has...

Overseas Missions (14 Mar 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: The key point is what I said at the beginning. I appreciate the Deputy's comments and I support his point about any civilians being killed in a tragic and appalling manner as happened with that one soldier doing what he did. The photographs of the child victims of that extreme and appalling action are shocking as are the deaths of all civilians. The key point is that we are there...

Overseas Missions (14 Mar 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: We have seven personnel there as part of a UN-mandated force. The Deputy spoke about the Taliban and the situation in Afghanistan. The Taliban have been involved in abuses of human rights in denying women the right to be educated and people to enjoy a normal life. The Irish personnel there are rotated every six months. We are part of a group of other neutral and non-aligned countries,...

Defence Forces Strength (14 Mar 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: The number of personnel who left the Defence Forces in the period 1 January to 29 February 2012 was 551. The total number of vacancies at all ranks as at 29 February, 2011, and based on the current employment control framework, ECF, is set out in the tabular statement. The ECF is being revised in the context of the reduction in personnel to 9,500 and the reorganisation announced recently by...

Defence Forces Strength (14 Mar 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I cannot give the Deputy all the facts he has sought. However, I assure him they will be brought to him as soon as possible. The key point is the Government will maintain Army personnel numbers at 9,500 and it will recruit up to 600 as soon as possible. The Army must assess where this recruitment will take place and at what rank. The table supplied to the Deputy outlines the vacancies at...

Defence Forces Strength (14 Mar 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: It is important to get this exactly right in view of the reorganisation that is pending. There is no point in having the wrong rank of person doing a given job. Those recruited must fit the vacancies deemed to be essential. This is a fundamental reorganisation and a significant undertaking. A range of approaches must be considered. The experience from previous reorganisations has shown...

Defence Forces Operations (14 Mar 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Deputy Halligan for his question. The Customs and Excise service of the Revenue Commissioners has primary responsibility for the prevention of drug smuggling into the country. Responsibility for the prevention of crime rests primarily with An Garda Síochána. However, the White Paper on defence from 2000 provides for a security role for the Naval Service and the Air Corps to...

Defence Forces Operations (14 Mar 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Deputy for his comments. He is perfectly correct in his comments on the Defence Forces providing intelligence. As I stated earlier, a national body deals with this issue. This involves the Garda, the Army and the intelligence people. There is a great pooling of resources. Notwithstanding what Deputy Halligan stated in respect of the Garda representative body, this is not a...

Defence Forces Operations (14 Mar 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: As Deputy Halligan stated, he is not calling for the Army to be on the streets and this is not what the Army wants either. The Army is in place to aid civilian power and this is what it has always done. I agree with the Deputy, as does everyone else, that the drug situation continues to be a major priority for the Defence Forces. They play a full part in this regard.

Defence Forces Equipment (14 Mar 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Given the current economic situation, the acquisition of defensive equipment is carried out on a strictly prioritised basis to ensure that the Defence Forces can carry out their roles at home and overseas. In this regard, a ten year equipment development plan for the Defence Forces was completed in 2009. This plan provides the way forward and will ensure that modern and effective equipment...

Defence Forces Equipment (14 Mar 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: As I said in response to an earlier question, over €87 million has been spent already from moneys received from the sale of barracks closed and sold under the Fianna Fáil Administration. That money was ring-fenced and any moneys received from future sales of barracks will continue to be ring-fenced to the Defence Forces Vote. With regard to how the money will be spent this year, some...

Defence Forces Equipment (14 Mar 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Absolutely. Perhaps I did not make it sufficiently clear but all money that comes from the sale of barracks will be ring-fenced for the Defence Forces and for the purchase of equipment. With regard to barracks that are supposed to be closed, the Department has been in contact with various statutory agencies around the country and discussions are ongoing on those properties. If other...

Defence Forces Equipment (14 Mar 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I said a ten-year equipment development plan for the Defence Forces was completed in 2009 to provide a way forward.

Defence Forces Equipment (14 Mar 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: The key point is that the provision in the budget for 2012 is €27.5 million. This takes everything into account and is a significant amount of money to be spent in this area this year.

Defence Forces Personnel (14 Mar 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 20 together. Ireland has offered, through the United Nations standby arrangements system, UNSAS, to provide up to 850 military personnel for overseas service at any one time. This demonstrates Ireland's commitment to the cause of international peace. This is the maximum sustainable commitment that Ireland can make to overseas peacekeeping operations....

Defence Forces Personnel (14 Mar 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Deputy Troy is right judging by what we see in the media every day. The number of deaths is appalling and civilians are suffering significant casualties. It is not the UN that is the problem. The problem lies with two countries, Russia and China because they have not consented to a UN security resolution. In the absence of the resolution, we cannot send forces to Syria. To attempt to do...

Defence Forces Personnel (14 Mar 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: The key point is that our seven personnel are not involved in combat. They serve in the headquarters where they provide services and information relating to the improvised explosive devices. All our army personnel are professional soldiers. They are military personnel and are effectively equipped to deal with their jobs as soldiers in whatever capacity they serve. Notwithstanding whatever...

Defence Forces Personnel (14 Mar 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I will be happy to get that information for the Deputy but I do not have it with me. That is an important question. I am quite sure I can get the answer for the Deputy.

Overseas Missions (14 Mar 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: During each EU Presidency both formal and informal meetings of Defence Ministers are held. Last November my colleague the Minister for Defence attended the formal meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council with Defence Ministers. The operation commanders of the three current EU-led missions were also in attendance. Discussions were focused on these current operations and future proposed...

Overseas Missions (14 Mar 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: When a request is made for Ireland to participate in a mission, the issues that arise are dealt with on a case by case basis. They are an assessment of whether a peacekeeping operation is the most appropriate response; consideration of how the mission relates to the priorities of Irish foreign policy; the degree of risk involved; the extent to which the required skills or characteristics...