Results 9,161-9,180 of 17,012 for speaker:Paul Kehoe

Other Questions: Defence Forces Expenditure (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I understand the rules of the House but I would have liked another opportunity to respond.

Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 51, 57, 64, 70 and 83 together. As I said earlier in reply to a previous question, the pay of the Permanent Defence Force, similar to other areas within the public service, was reduced during the financial crisis. The reductions in pay were on a graduated scale with higher percentages being deducted from those on higher earnings. This action was one of...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I remind the Deputy that fewer than 117 people, out of a total of 9,219 or 9,220 whole-time equivalent members, are in receipt of family income supplement in the Defence Forces. It is totally untrue to say there is a large number, or a high percentage, of people in the Defence Forces in receipt of family income supplement. This information is also in the public domain. The Deputy...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I did not use the word "customers".

Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I outlined to the Deputy the pay increases. All elements of the public service were subjected to pay cuts during the financial crisis. On completion of recruit and three star training, newly qualified three star privates and their Naval Service equivalents can expect minimum gross annual earnings of €27,000, up from €21,800 last year. A newly qualified non-graduate entry...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I am the first to recognise that when barracks closed during the reorganisation extra costs were incurred by members of the Defence Forces and I am not disputing this. Since I was appointed to this position in May 2016 I have asked that members of the Defence Forces are located as closely as possible to their homes and this is happening. A number of family initiatives have been introduced...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: In pay restoration for all public servants anybody on less than €70,000 per year will have their pay fully restored and this is part of the legislation going through the Seanad at present and which went through the House last week. I engage regularly with the representative organisations PDFORRA and RACO. The report of the Public Service Pay Commission published in May 2017...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Strength (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: From the most recent figures available, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force is currently 9,219 personnel, or 97% of the establishment of 9,500 personnel. To return to and maintain the agreed strength levels, significant targeted recruitment has taken place in 2017 which resulted to date in 702 personnel being inducted, comprising general service recruits, cadets and specialists for...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Strength (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The establishment strength and number of ships in the Naval Service have not changed in decades. The Deputy referred to the Irish Coast Guard. The latter is responsible for coast guard activities and assistance is provided on an available basis.

Other Questions: Defence Forces Strength (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: It is on an available basis only.

Home Care Packages: Motion [Private Members] (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I hope you disclose to SIPO if he sees you.

Home Care Packages: Motion [Private Members] (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I thank all of the Deputies for a very worthwhile debate on this very important matter. It is clear from the comments tonight that there is agreement on the need for reform of home care services and the development of a new statutory home care scheme. I see examples of this in my constituency of Wexford. It is one of the great success stories of our age that so many more people are...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service Vessels (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The White Paper on Defence underpins the ongoing replacement of the Naval Service fleet. In this regard, in the absence of a mid-life upgrade, naval vessels have a planned life expectancy of 20 to 25 years. The three ships most recently decommissioned by the Naval Service were LÉ Emer, commissioned in 1978, LÉ Aoife, commissioned in 1979 and LÉ Aisling, commissioned in 1980....

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Retirements (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: Given the unique and demanding nature of military life, there is understandably a relatively high level of turnover among Defence Forces personnel. However, this is not new and the Defence Forces have always had a level of turnover that far exceeds other are a s of the public service. Voluntary exit interviews of personnel of all ranks conducted by the Defence Forces indicate that the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Remuneration (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The Conciliation and Arbitration scheme for members of the Permanent Defence Force provides a formal mechanism for the Permanent Defence Force Representative Associations, that is PDFORRA and RACO, to engage with the Official side. Having regard to commitments made under pay agreements, members of the Permanent Defence Force can make representations in relation to their pay and conditions...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Legislative Programme (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: A case was brought to the European Committee of Social Rights by EUROCOP, on behalf of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors. EUROMIL, a European umbrella body for military associations, made a similar complaint to the Committee on behalf of PDFORRA about the lack of union rights for military Representative Associations in Ireland. PDFORRA are claiming most of the same violations...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (12 Dec 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...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Equipment (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: My priority as Minister with Responsibility for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service, is maintained to the greatest extent possible so as to enable the Defence Forces to carry out their roles as assigned by Government. Within the Naval Service, examples of this include the acquisition of new ships under the ship replacement...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Reports (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I can confirm to the Deputy that my attention has been drawn to the Chemical Exposure Report 1994 to 2005. As I outlined to the Deputy in my reply to Parliamentary Question number 547 of 26 September 2017, the report was undertaken in the context of ongoing legal proceedings. As the report is subject to legal privilege, it was not appropriate to make it available to the independent...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Permanent Structured Co-operation (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: As the Deputy is aware PESCO is a mechanism provided for in the Treaty of the European Union to enable participating member States to come together and, on a project by project basis, jointly develop military crisis management capabilities for use in support of the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) operations and missions in support of international peace and security. ...