Results 8,821-8,840 of 17,012 for speaker:Paul Kehoe

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Air Corps (18 Oct 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I believe I must take them separately because they are Priority Questions. That is my understanding, at least.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Air Corps (18 Oct 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I am happy to group them if that is not a problem.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Air Corps (18 Oct 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I must repeat that these issues were before the courts before the protected disclosures were made to my Department. When I was appointed as Minister of State in May 2016, I was briefed on the protected disclosures issue. I felt that the best way forward was to appoint a reviewer to look at those protected disclosures. The reviewer furnished his report to me, which I then forwarded to the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Air Corps (18 Oct 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I assure the Deputy that I will not be hiding behind anything, anybody or any document. I will be very straight with the people who made the protected disclosures and I will give them the opportunity to meet me. Two of them have already taken up that offer. I met them and gave them ample opportunities to raise these. Parallel to the actions of the independent reviewer, the Health and...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Investigations (18 Oct 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The health and welfare of the men and women of Óglaigh na hÉireann are a priority for me which is why I ensured that protected disclosures alleging exposure to chemical and toxic substances were investigated by an independent third party. The reviewer’s report has indicated that, given the breadth of the remit of the terms of reference, he could only comment in general terms...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Investigations (18 Oct 2017)

Paul Kehoe: This issue has been much discussed here in the last few months, and rightly so. It is an ongoing matter. As I told Deputy Chambers, I met two of the recipients who brought up a range of concerns to me. The respectful treatment of these whistleblowers is something that I have prioritised in the Department. The reviewer has given me a copy of the report which I have in turn passed on to the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Investigations (18 Oct 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I have every confidence in the independent reviewer. I have never questioned his authority and I do not want Deputy Ó Snodaigh to put words into my mouth in this regard. I have every confidence in the work carried out by the independent reviewer. He is a professional and carried out the review within the terms of reference set out for him. A number of the issues raised by Deputy...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Investigations (18 Oct 2017)

Paul Kehoe: Significantly, it potentially affects the reputations and good names of individuals. When I have the views of those who made the protected disclosures, I will consider any appropriate action. I will take further steps after I have heard back from the people who made the protected disclosures. As I did not want to be accused of hiding behind anything, anybody or any document, I decided to...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Investigations (18 Oct 2017)

Paul Kehoe: In conclusion, it would have been very easy for me to decide to hold back the report to prevent people from asking questions on this matter. I did not want to do this. I wanted to be very open and transparent and to give people an opportunity to see exactly what the independent reviewer had said.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Investigations (18 Oct 2017)

Paul Kehoe: Okay.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (18 Oct 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I join Deputy Chambers in complimenting everyone in the Defence Forces, the Civil Defence, the Irish Red Cross and all the voluntary organisations. I would like to thank the officials in the Office of Emergency Planning and the various Departments for all their work in recent days. I thank PDFORRA for its invitation to attend and address its annual conference, which was held in Cavan just...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (18 Oct 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I would encourage Deputy Chambers to mix with members of the Defence Forces to see how morale has changed over the last while.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (18 Oct 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I am not surprised that the Deputy is carrying on like this about public sector pay.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (18 Oct 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I am replying. I think I should be allowed the opportunity to reply.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (18 Oct 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I am not surprised that Deputy Chambers is speaking about public sector pay. I would love to open the chequebook, but I am responsible. Those of us on this side of the House are taking a responsible approach to the country's economic future. When the Deputy's party and my party reached agreement on a programme for Government and a relationship for Government, the progress of the public pay...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (18 Oct 2017)

Paul Kehoe: They are ludicrous and I can understand the frustrations of the members of the Defence Forces.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (18 Oct 2017)

Paul Kehoe: They are resulting in the Defence Forces losing the services of young men and women. I want to review the whole contract system.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (18 Oct 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I do not accept any of the accusations that the Deputy has thrown across the floor at me. It is interesting to note that the Deputy left out the contracts of 1994 and 2006 in her questioning.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (18 Oct 2017)

Paul Kehoe: There were issues raised at the PDFORRA conference, which I committed to address and delegates were very happy that I did so. They asked previous Ministers, including some from Fianna Fáil, to carry out a review of the CNA process. I have committed to doing that. I considered the best way forward over the past number of months. I was not going to announce that I was going to...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Strength (18 Oct 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The White Paper on Defence, published in 2015, sets out the Government’s defence policy for the next decade. Any discussion on Defence Forces capability, numbers of personnel and so on needs to be framed in the context of the White Paper on Defence which commits to maintaining the strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel, comprising 7,520 Army, 886 Air Corps and...