Results 7,901-7,920 of 17,012 for speaker:Paul Kehoe

Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The State Claims Agency is currently managing six claims taken between 2013 and 2016 by former and current members of the Air Corps against the Minister for Defence for personal injuries alleging exposure to chemical and toxic substances whilst working in the Air Corps in Baldonnel in the period 1991 to 2006. As such my Department and the Defence Forces were aware of...

Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: Let me repeat this for the Deputy. I was made aware of the protected disclosures following my appointment in May 2016, as I have previously advised the House during another debate. A number of litigation cases between claimants and the Defence Forces, specifically in the Air Corps, have been going on since 1991. I stand to be corrected on that but I think the date is 1991. If I am wrong...

Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I will of course go back to the military authorities, but I can assure the Deputy that thus far this is what I have been briefed on and told. If the Deputy has any information that he wants to bring to my attention, involving the health and safety of the men and women of the Defence Forces - specifically in the Air Corps to which he referred - I will take it on board. He can be assured that...

Priority Questions: Defence Forces Recruitment (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: For the avoidance of any doubt, I want to state very clearly that there are no plans to stand down the Reserve and I do not accept the assertion that the Reserve will cease to exist within months. On the contrary, in the White Paper on Defence 2015, the Government has reaffirmed its commitment in terms of the Reserve. My Government colleagues and I recognise the important role that the...

Priority Questions: Defence Forces Recruitment (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I refer to the issue raised by RDFRA at the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence last week. A rolling recruitment campaign for the Reserve Defence Forces general service was launched in September 2015. As of 31 December 2016, a total of 5,891 applications were received of which 726 were from females. The Army Reserve had 5,190 applications while the Naval Service...

Priority Questions: Defence Forces Recruitment (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The Deputy opposite is well aware that I have similar issues of Garda clearance checks and vetting.

Priority Questions: Defence Forces Recruitment (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: It is an issue.

Priority Questions: Defence Forces Recruitment (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: It is an issue for the time it is taking. I have to try to balance the PDF and the RDF. I met the deputy Chief of Staff, Major General Kevin Cotter, last week around recruitment for both the PDF and the RDF. I have a meeting with him and his team every nine weeks. I agree with the Deputy that we face a challenge, but I assure her that I have in no way-----

Priority Questions: Defence Forces Recruitment (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: It is not a crisis if one looks at recruitment in previous years. While 2016 was a very disappointing year, I am willing and want to correct the position we are in. I have my own thoughts about the single force concept. I will bring those forward. I assure the Deputy that I am working with the military to resolve the recruitment issue.

Priority Questions: Shannon Airport Facilities (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 29 together.

Priority Questions: Shannon Airport Facilities (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I apologise if that is the case.

Priority Questions: Shannon Airport Facilities (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: As I said, I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 39 together. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade has responsibility for the use of Shannon Airport by foreign military aircraft and for the granting of permission for overflights by foreign military aircraft. The Department of Justice and Equality and An Garda Síochána have primary responsibility for the internal...

Priority Questions: Shannon Airport Facilities (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I take it from his contribution that Deputy Boyd Barrett is no friend of Donald Trump.

Priority Questions: Shannon Airport Facilities (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: As I stated in my initial reply, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade has responsibility for the use of Shannon Airport by foreign military aircraft and the granting of permission for overflight by foreign military aircraft. As I also made the Deputy aware, the Department of Justice and Equality and An Garda Síochána have primary responsibility for the internal security of...

Priority Questions: Shannon Airport Facilities (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: There has been no change. We are directed by An Garda Síochána to assist in aid to the civil power. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade has responsibility for the use of Shannon Airport and what flights go in and out of it. As I have repeatedly stated in the Chamber in response to Deputy Daly and other Deputies, we are requested by An Garda Síochána to assist in...

Priority Questions: Shannon Airport Facilities (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: We are called by An Garda Síochána to aid in the civil power to Shannon Airport on occasion. We protect the planes. We do not search them or make any policy decision whatsoever. That is a matter for the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. I have repeated that in the House on numerous occasions. I am not sure whether the Deputy is looking for information on exact dates,...

Priority Questions: Shannon Airport Facilities (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: We have carried out this facilitation for over 50 years. Our policy has not changed.

Other Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 62 together. As part of a whole-of-Government approach, my Department is engaged in forward planning for the UK exit from the EU. While the nature of the Border will be decided during the course of the negotiations, it is this Government’s stated goal to try to ensure that the current on-island Border arrangements are maintained to the...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The Government wants the current arrangements to continue. As I stated in my reply, this is a part of the whole-of-Government approach. My Department is engaged in forward planning for the UK exit from the EU. I remind the Deputy that when the British Prime Minister was in Ireland a number of weeks ago, one of the top items on the agenda was a hard Border. The Deputy referred to an article...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I assure the Deputy that the Government has a comprehensive Brexit plan in place. Once Article 50 is triggered, I assure her that we will be very much involved in the negotiations. Let me state, however, that on the Defence Forces side, the consolidation of the Defence Forces formations into a smaller number of locations was a key objective in the ongoing defence modernisation programme....