Results 561-580 of 3,962 for speaker:Lisa Chambers

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Strength (29 Mar 2017)

Lisa Chambers: The ongoing difficulty in the retention of skilled Defence Forces personnel has been well documented. Despite an establishment figure of 9,500, figures released to me by the Minister of State's Department last week show fewer than 9,100 in the Permanent Defence Force currently. We have a budget for 9,500. We never seem to get there and I do not envisage us getting there any time soon. The...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Strength (29 Mar 2017)

Lisa Chambers: Despite the recovery in public finances and a recruitment campaign, numbers are down again in any event. The Minister of State’s focus is far too much on the recruitment side. While it is essential, the retention of specialists and their hard-earned skills is paramount. There are 28 recruits in training with the Air Corps, with eight due to graduate in quarter 4 of 2017. The...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Strength (29 Mar 2017)

Lisa Chambers: There are 211 vacancies. We are not taking in enough.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Strength (29 Mar 2017)

Lisa Chambers: I know that. However, I am talking about retention. We are losing more personnel than we are taking in.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (29 Mar 2017)

Lisa Chambers: 3. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the discussions he has undertaken and the representations he has made with regard to reviewing the industrial relations process for Defence Forces representative associations. [15651/17]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (29 Mar 2017)

Lisa Chambers: What discussions has the Minister of State undertaken and what representations has he made with regard to reviewing the industrial relations process for Defence Forces representative associations, and will he make a statement on the matter?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (29 Mar 2017)

Lisa Chambers: While the Minister of State might remain satisfied with the current arrangement in place, I assure him that the Defence Forces are not. The Minister of State will be aware that until 2016, both the Garda and Defence Forces representative associations have been precluded from trade union status and affiliation to ICTU. Garda and the Defence Forces representative associations were granted...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (29 Mar 2017)

Lisa Chambers: I am concerned that the Minister of State thinks the process currently in place is adequate. Let us talk about the conciliation and arbitration process in place and why I say it is dysfunctional. Government recently agreed that the WRC Garda settlement will be on the terms of the Lansdowne Road agreement, and the Department allowed for negotiations to take place between the officers of the...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Strength (29 Mar 2017)

Lisa Chambers: On the subject of whether units are operating at half their capacity in respect of the officer corps, the Minister of State has said that it is a difficult number to quantify. It is not difficult. We are talking about small enough numbers. The Chief of Staff and the Department of Defence should be able to quantify if units have sufficient officer numbers or if they do not. It is well...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Strength (29 Mar 2017)

Lisa Chambers: They are massively under strength.

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (29 Mar 2017)

Lisa Chambers: 12. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the status of his Department’s preparations for Brexit. [15413/17]

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (29 Mar 2017)

Lisa Chambers: In light of the fact that Prime Minister Theresa May initiated Brexit today, my question concerns the status of the Minister of State's Department's preparations for Brexit. The time is over for the Minister of State to say he is waiting to see whether Brexit is initiated. It has started. What is the Minister of State going to do about it?

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (29 Mar 2017)

Lisa Chambers: The appointment of a senior Department official is not sufficient to plan adequately for Brexit and all of the aspects that will affect the Defence Forces. What planning has the Minister of State conducted in advance of Brexit? Specifically, what areas has he looked at in terms of a hard Border, our fishing stocks, the Irish Sea and the extra capabilities we are likely to need in our...

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (29 Mar 2017)

Lisa Chambers: The Minister of State has not really answered any of my questions. He tells me that it is not just one person but has not detailed how many persons are involved, their roles, where they are working or what they are doing. He did not answer my question as to what agencies the Department or Defence Forces have consulted. Have they engaged, for example, with the Northern Ireland forces,...

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (29 Mar 2017)

Lisa Chambers: That is today.

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (29 Mar 2017)

Lisa Chambers: The Minister of State does not need that information to plan ahead.

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (29 Mar 2017)

Lisa Chambers: I am not suggesting that.

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (29 Mar 2017)

Lisa Chambers: What the Minister of State wants and what could happen are two different things.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Reserve (29 Mar 2017)

Lisa Chambers: 44. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the plans that have been brought forward by the Secretary General of his Department in conjunction with the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces for the operation of a scheme of opportunities for paid service by members of the Reserve Defence Forces. [15411/17]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (29 Mar 2017)

Lisa Chambers: 19. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his plans to honour the terms and conditions of service of the representative association professional staff under Defence Forces regulation S6 as it relates to their career progression arrangement. [15410/17]