Results 8,621-8,640 of 17,012 for speaker:Paul Kehoe

Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: As I have stated, the Department of Defence, in conjunction with the Defence Forces, made a submission to the Public Service Pay Commission. This is specifically mentioned by the commission in paragraph 6.13 of the report. Following the publication of the report of the Public Service Pay Commission on 9 May 2017, the Government initiated negotiations on an extension to the Lansdowne Road...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: Prior to the recent pay talks I spoke to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, asking that PDFORRA and RACO be very much involved in the pay talks, and they were present for the full duration of the talks. PDFORRA signed up to the Lansdowne Road agreement in March and its members will have significant salary increases. The benefits which accrue to PDFORRA members...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I am not sure the Deputies are aware that a committee has been set up by the Department of Justice and Equality with a representative from the Department of Defence. We are keeping abreast of anyone getting rights on industrial relations. There were also side deals for members of the Defence Forces and the new Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020, which was negotiated recently,...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The State Claims Agency is currently managing 55 claims which have been made by members and former members of the Defence Forces who allege personal injury as a result of their consumption of mefloquine, also known as Lariam. The first was scheduled to be heard in the High Court on 4 July 2017 and has now been adjourned to 3 November 2017. The question raised by the Deputy would engage me...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The choice of medication is a matter for the medical professionals within the Defence Forces, namely, the medical officers. It is not up to Members of Dáil Éireann to decide on what is the most appropriate medication to be taken in sub-Saharan Africa. All personnel are screened prior to deployment to ensure they are suitably fit for whatever medication is prescribed. It is the...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: It would be totally inappropriate for me to comment on the decision-making of the medical professionals within the Defence Forces. Prior to deployment, all personnel are screened as to the medication it is most suitable to prescribe for them. If there are issues around the medication prescribed during deployment, that is a matter for the medical professionals who will take the most...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel Data (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The role of Legal Officers employed by the Defence Forces is to advise the Chief of Staff on legal matters pertaining to the Defence Forces. Separately, legal advice for the Minister is provided by the Office of the Attorney General. I am informed that there are currently a total of seven (7) Legal Officers employed in the Legal Service Branch of the Defence Forces. It is difficult to...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service Operations (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: In April 2017, the Government approved the despatch of a Naval vessel to the Mediterranean to undertake humanitarian search and rescue tasks as part of a bilateral arrangement with the Italian authorities. Similar arrangements were put in place in 2015 and 2016. The role of the Irish Naval vessels is to provide a search and rescue capability and to undertake humanitarian search and rescue...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: As I stated in my reply to the Private Members' Motion which was before the Dáil on 28 June, fundamentally the use of anti-malarial drugs is a medical matter that should be decided by qualified medical professionals. In the Defence Forces these are decisions for highly qualified Medical Officers having regard to the specific circumstances of the mission and the individual member of the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Recruitment (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 64 together. The Government is committed to maintaining a strength level of 9,500 personnel for the Permanent Defence Force. This comprises 7,520 Army, 886 Air Corps and 1,094 Naval Service personnel,as stated in the 2015 White Paper on Defence. The manpower requirement of the Defence Forces is monitored on an ongoing basis in accordance with...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Courts-Martial (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The Defence Act 1954, as amended, provides that members of the Defence Forces are liable to military law. The military law system reflects that of the criminal law system of the State in that it has its own prosecutor, military judge, courts martial system and administrator. These appointees are independent in the performance of their functions and I have no role to play in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 43 and 63 together. The Defence (Amendment) Act 1990 and Defence Force Regulations (DFR) provide for the establishment of representative associations for members of the Permanent Defence Force. The associations that have since been established are RACO (for commissioned officers) and PDFORRA (for enlisted personnel). A Scheme of Conciliation and Arbitration...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Remuneration (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 44, 50 and 59 together. Rates of remuneration and conditions of employment in each part of the Irish public sector have traditionally been set by reference to levels of pay available in related public sector employments. The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts of 2009-2015 and the Public Service Stability Agreement 2013-2018 (the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Reserve (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The Government appreciates the service of the Reserve Defence Force (RDF) and the White Paper on Defence is clear that there is a continued requirement to retain and develop the Reserve. The White Paper on Defence confirms that the primary role of the Reserve is to augment the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) in times of crisis. In non-crisis situations, the main focus will be on training to...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Military Medals (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: As part of the Programme for Government, it was decided that a 1916 Centenary Commemorative medal be awarded to all Defence Forces personnel, both Permanent and Reserve, who were recorded as being in service in the course of 2016. The 1916 Centenary Commemorative Medal was awarded as a commemorative medal, personal to an individual’s service in the Defence Forces in the course of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The Deputy will be aware that this matter was the subject of discussion at a recent Private Member’s Motion in the Dáil on 28 th June last. As I indicated to the House, Malaria is a serious disease and is a threat to any military force operating in areas where the disease is prevalent. There are three anti-malarial drugs in use by the Irish Defence Forces, namely Lariam...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Pensions (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The occupational pension scheme terms of post-1 January 2013 new entrants to the public service, including entrants to the Permanent Defence Force, are governed by the Public ServicePensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012. All first-time new entrants to pensionable public service employment on or after that date are members of the Single Scheme. Under the 2012 Act, overall...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Properties (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: As I have previously informed the Deputy following the closure of Columb Barracks in 2012, my Department has explored a number of avenues to try and secure the long term future of the former barracks for the benefit of the local community. Government Departments and other Public Bodies, including Westmeath County Council, have been invited to declare any interest in acquiring the property....

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: As I stated in my reply to the Private Member s’ Motion which was before the Dáil on 28 June, fundamentally the use of anti-malarial drugs is a medical matter that should be decided by qualified medical professionals. In the Defence Forces these are decisions for highly qualified Medical Officers having regard to the specific circumstances of the mission and the individual member...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: White Paper on Defence (11 Jul 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The White Paper on Defence committed the Government to putting in place a new employment support scheme with the direct involvement of the Defence Forces. A successful pilot programme was held in Gormanston Camp from 20thJune 2016 to 26thAugust 2016 with 25 participants. Following an evaluation of the pilot programme and Ministerial approval, it is intended to run 2 iterations of the...