Results 8,381-8,400 of 17,012 for speaker:Paul Kehoe

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Naval Service (17 May 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I would agree, but some of the Deputy's questions should be to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Naval Service (17 May 2017)

Paul Kehoe: However, we work very closely with the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority and in 2016 alone, we had 1,249 boardings on Irish and foreign vessels by way of protecting our fish stocks in our area of responsibility. I take the Deputy's point. I understand where he is coming from and the sentiments he has expressed but a large part of his question on policy is for the Department of Agriculture,...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (17 May 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 36 and 63 together. As I confirmed in my earlier reply, my Department has raised recruitment and retention issues, as part of its submission to the Public Service Pay Commission. This submission was made in accordance with the required protocols for submitting observations to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for onward transmission to the...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (17 May 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I have asked the Department of Social Protection for the exact number of members of the Defence Force that are in receipt of family income supplement but I am not able to find that out.

Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (17 May 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I hear different figures from everyone around the House. Someone told me previously that 70% of members of the Defence Forces are on family income supplement. I totally dispute that figure. I have acknowledged in the past, and I will continue to do so until we solve the problem, that there are retention issues and the reason for those is the improving economy. I want to state also that...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (17 May 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I am not sure whether the Deputy listens to other spokespersons. They come in and defend various interests, be it the nurses, teachers or gardaí. I absolutely admire them for defending various organisations and I will defend the Defence Forces absolutely, but everyone is looking for more money. Has the Deputy been around for the past five years and noted where we have come from since...

Other Questions: Air Corps (17 May 2017)

Paul Kehoe: With regard to the Air Corps, a key focus for me is on the recruitment of personnel and the initiation of procurement priorities identified in the White Paper on Defence. The Air Corps continues to provide a broad range of services on a daily basis in accordance with its primary security roles, including Army and Naval Service supports, maritime patrols and fishery protection and supports in...

Other Questions: Air Corps (17 May 2017)

Paul Kehoe: A service level agreement between my Department and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport provides that the Coast Guard's search and rescue services can request the support of the Air Corps on an "as available" basis. The Irish Coast Guard, which operates under the aegis of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, has overall responsibility for the provision of search and...

Other Questions: Air Corps (17 May 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I may come back to the Deputy on the issue because I am in no way qualified to answer the question of whether Cessna aircraft would be able to put out gorse fires. A service level agreement is in place with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport which is responsible for the Irish Coast Guard service. We offer backup or top cover on an availability basis to that Department for the...

Other Questions: Civil Defence (17 May 2017)

Paul Kehoe: As Minister of State with responsibility for defence, I provide policy direction for Civil Defence and oversee the management and development of Civil Defence at national level. At local level, Civil Defence units are based in each local authority area under the operational control of the relevant local authority. On a day-to-day basis, these units operate under the control of a Civil...

Other Questions: Civil Defence (17 May 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I facilitated a meeting with the Deputy, local people and Civil Defence volunteers and was informed about the state of the Civil Defence facilities in County Westmeath. They are not fit for purpose, especially for volunteers who give freely of their time. Communications are continuing between my Department and the local authority in County Westmeath to come up with more permanent and...

Other Questions: Civil Defence (17 May 2017)

Paul Kehoe: We have been in consultation with Westmeath County Council on the vacant premises at Columb Barracks and asked officials to come up with a plan. As the Deputy noted, the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government recently examined all vacant lands in the country for housing. My Department is dealing with that matter. I have asked the officials in the property management...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Equipment (17 May 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The primary purpose for the procurement of defensive equipment by the Department of Defence is to enhance the capability of the Irish Defence Forces and to afford the greatest possible force protection to Irish troops on domestic operations and overseas peace support operations. The White Paper on Defence identified, as key operational priorities, the replacement of major equipment platforms...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Equipment (17 May 2017)

Paul Kehoe: Over the last number of years, the Government has invested €250 million in the ships replacement programme. At the moment, our armoured personnel carriers are being refurbished at a total value of €55 million. We have also issued a tender for the replacement of the Cessna aircraft in the Air Corps. It is important in any investment we make in the Defence Forces that there is...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Equipment (17 May 2017)

Paul Kehoe: We will stick to our neutrality policies when operating with other countries. To respond to Deputy Durkan, when I go abroad and visit our troops, whether in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, or in the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, UNDOF, we are the envy of other countries when it comes to our equipment, the level of equipment we have and the value for...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (17 May 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 74 together. Malaria is a serious disease which killed approximately 438,000 people in 2015, with 90% of deaths occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. As reported by the World Health Organization, it is a serious threat to any military force operating in the area. Anti-malarial medications, including Lariam, remain in the formulary of medications...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (17 May 2017)

Paul Kehoe: As I stated in my original reply, I am advised by the Defence Forces' medical policy that the use of malaria chemoprophylaxis is in line with United Nations and World Health Organization guidelines. I have listened to the views of the Deputies on a number of occasions. However, I have been informed by management of the Defence Forces organisation that Lariam is the most appropriate...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (17 May 2017)

Paul Kehoe: There are no plans to withdraw Lariam from the range of anti-malarial medications available to members of the Defence Forces. As I have indicated, it remains in the formulary of medications prescribed by the medical corps for Defence Forces personnel on appropriate overseas missions to ensure they have effective protection against the very serious risks posed by malaria. The use of and the...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (17 May 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The advice is that it is the best anti-malarial drug available for use by members of the Defence Forces.

Other Questions: Defence Forces Recruitment (17 May 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The Government is committed to maintaining the establishment of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel, comprising 7,520 Army, 886 Air Corps and 1,094 Naval Service members, as stated in the 2015 White Paper on Defence. On an ongoing basis the manpower requirements of the Defence Forces are monitored in accordance with the operational requirements of each of the three services. As...