Results 8,601-8,620 of 17,012 for speaker:Paul Kehoe

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel Data (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I am not sure whether the Deputy is aware that PDFORRA brought a claim within the provisions of the conciliation and arbitration scheme. Discussions within the scheme are confidential. In addition, the matter is now subject to legal proceedings. It would be totally inappropriate for me to comment on these cases. However, as the Deputy will be aware, it remains open to PDFORRA, under the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel Data (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I am glad the Deputy was listening to me on "Drive Time" yesterday evening. He omitted to say that I doubled the budget last year for investment in barracks and specifically in areas of accommodation. I am very disappointed that he only heard what suited him and his negative talk about the Defence Forces of the last months. Not one member of the Defence Forces has ever come to me and...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel Data (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: If the Deputy listens to me maybe------

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel Data (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: Not one of them ever approached me to say there was no hot water or broken urinals or damp on the walls or any of that. If they have an issue with their accommodation, they are welcome to address it to me. I am open and transparent and have no issue whatsoever.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel Data (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I am in this position for the past 12 months. I doubled the budget in that time. I do not think that is bad going.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I thank the Deputy for his question. 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 security of the State. Among the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I wish to inform the Deputy that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has primary responsibility for overflights and landings of foreign military aircraft. This has been facilitated for 50 years or more. I presume that when the Deputy speaks about what has happened in Iraq and whatever is on board the planes, he is aware that the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: That would be a matter for An Garda Síochána. We are called upon as aid to the civil power by An Garda Síochána when we are required to provide a service at Shannon Airport. As I have stated, we have provided a service on 167 occasions since 1 January 2017. It is not my area of responsibility. It is a matter for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which has...

Other Questions: Military Medals (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The Cabinet and I decided on 13 June last to award medals to the men of A Company, 35th Infantry Battalion and to the next of kin of deceased members in full and due recognition and in honour of the courageous actions of the men during the siege at Jadotville in September 1961. This decision fully recognises their bravery and courage during the unique circumstances of the siege of...

Other Questions: Military Medals (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: This specially commissioned Jadotville medal will be attached to the unit citation that was presented in September 2016. As Minister of State with responsibility for defence, I decided - in conjunction with the former Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny - to award medals to all the men of A company in recognition of the significance of their actions at Jadotville. We made this decision on the...

Other Questions: Military Medals (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: Absolutely. A team from the Department of Defence and the military has commissioned the medal and is working on the ceremony. It will probably be late September or October before we have a date set for the ceremony. I intend that it will be similar to the event that was held in Athlone when the citation was presented. It will be a day for the surviving members and the families of the...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 34, 35, 55 and 68 together. The United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, UNDOF, was established on 31 May 1974 under United Nations Security Council Resolution 350 (1974) following the agreed disengagement of the Israeli and Syrian forces in the Golan Heights in May 1974. UNDOF was established to maintain the ceasefire between Israel and Syria, to...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I answered questions from the media on this last week. I was asked a number of frank questions and I responded to them. No member of the Opposition contacted me to outline their concerns about what happened last week. Our ability to protect the health and safety or our personnel is my paramount concern when considering any mission and it is policy and practice to ensure that Defence Forces...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I will state again that no mission comes without its dangers and I do not believe it would be in the best interests of peacekeeping to pull members of the Irish Defence Forces out of the Golan Heights. I believe they are doing very important work there on an ongoing basis. To respond to Deputy Chambers, I received a brief from the general staff on the ongoing situation regarding UNDOF and...

Other Questions: Air Corps Operations (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: As I have previously indicated to the Deputy, I was advised by the military authorities that a report on measuring carbon monoxide fumes from aircraft was complied by Forbairt in 1995. A further report on monitoring air contaminants in workshops in 1997 was also compiled by Forbairt. Unfortunately, following an extensive search and the military authorities having consulted with...

Other Questions: Air Corps Operations (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: As I have stated, I have written to the Chief of Staff and asked him to investigate the reports that were alleged to have been carried out by Forbairt. I await his reply but I note in the reply to a parliamentary question given earlier today that Deputy Ó Snodaigh has stated he has copies of some of the reports. I do not have copies of those reports but I would very much appreciate...

Other Questions: Air Corps Operations (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The buck will always stop at the Minister's desk, but I am glad that the Deputy has said that I did not destroy the reports. I absolutely did not destroy the reports. I had not seen any of these reports, and I have stated to both Deputies that I have written to the Chief of Staff, who has primary responsibility for the Defence Forces. These reports were carried out under the auspices of...

Other Questions: Common Security and Defence Policy (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I presume that the Deputy is alluding to an article in of 22 June, following the European Council of the same date. As the Deputy will be aware, discussions within the EU in the area of defence and security take place in the context of the Common Security and Defence Policy, CSDP, including at regular meetings of Heads of State and Government. The European Council of 22 June last reviewed...

Other Questions: Common Security and Defence Policy (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I know the Deputy has concerns. He has raised these concerns with me on numerous occasions. We operate within the structures of common security and defence. Any contribution I make at EU level always comes back to Ireland's neutrality. Our policy on neutrality, in any decision we make as a Government in the future, will not be compromised in any way. It is a primary concern for me at EU...

Other Questions: Common Security and Defence Policy (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: If the Deputy looks at any of the contributions I have made at those meetings, it is clear that I have no issue with being out in the wilderness. I also, however, look for inclusiveness in any of the policies going forward, be it permanent structured co-operation, PESCO, the co-ordinated annual review of defence, CARD, or any decision making relating to common security and defence. Our...