Results 10,281-10,300 of 17,012 for speaker:Paul Kehoe

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service Strength (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 69 and 79 together. As the Deputy may be aware, the main day to day role of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with the State's obligations as a member of the European Union. To this end, the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) has a Service Level Agreement with the Department of Defence. This is intended...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Retirements (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Kehoe: Given the unique and demanding nature of military life, it is understandable that there is a relatively high level of turnover among Defence Forces personnel. This is not a new phenomenon and the Permanent Defence Force has always had a level of turnover that exceeds other areas of the public service. This is a feature of military organisations worldwide and is not unique to Ireland. The...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Remuneration (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Kehoe: Similar to other areas of the public service, the pay of Permanent Defence Force personnel was reduced during the financial crisis. The recovery in the economy has afforded the opportunity for the Government to begin the restoration of pay to all public servants. Defence Forces pay is continuing to increase in accordance with public sector pay agreements. The focus of these increases is...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Review (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Kehoe: The White Paper on Defence sets the defence policy agenda for the next ten years. As a subset of the totality of the work being carried out to implement the White Paper, nearly 90 actions or projects were specifically identified. The extract on page 73 (Chapter 7) of the White Paper, to which the Deputy refers, does not relate to an individual review but rather encompasses the 29 White Paper...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Curragh Plains Representative Forum (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Kehoe: As the Deputy will be aware, both the Department of Defence and Kildare County Council are members of the Curragh Forum which was established in March 2016 and provides "stakeholders with an opportunity for the consideration / progress of a wide range of issues regarding the use, management and long term development of the Curragh Plains". My Department met with Kildare County Council on...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps Strength (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Kehoe: As with other areas of the public service, challenges have arisen in relation to the recruitment and retention of personnel in particular areas of expertise. The loss of experienced personnel is driven by a range of factors, including the availability of attractive job opportunities in the wider economy. The Air Corps is experiencing a shortage of trained Air Traffic Control (ATC)...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Public Service Pay Commission (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 78 and 82 together. The Public Service Pay Commission was established to provide objective advice to Government in relation to Public Service remuneration policy. In 2017, under my direction, the Department of Defence brought issues of recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces to the attention of the Public Sector Pay Commission (PSPC). As a direct...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service Promotions (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Kehoe: The Defence Forces are an inclusive, equal opportunity organisation that encourages participation of women at all levels. All promotion competitions are open to female members of the Naval Service and, while no female personnel have been promoted to the rank of Chief Petty Officer in the Naval Service to date, female Petty Officers have competed in the competitions. Such competitions are...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Recruitment (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Kehoe: There are significant recruitment opportunities available in the Permanent Defence Force, at both enlisted and officer level, for eligible individuals who wish to have a rewarding and positive career in service to the State. General service recruitment campaigns, an officer cadetship competition, a competition for Air Corps apprentices and a competition for instrumentalists in the DF School...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Remuneration (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Kehoe: The Defence Forces continue to offer excellent career prospects with opportunities for lifelong learning and self development for new and serving members. Similar to other sectors in the public service, the pay of Permanent Defence Force personnel was reduced as one of the measures to assist in stabilising national finances during the financial crisis. Pay is being restored to...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Kehoe: Given the unique roles assigned to the Defence Forces, there are a range of restrictions that apply to members of the Defence Forces relating to political and industrial relations matters. Section 103 of the Defence Act prohibits members of the Permanent Defence Force from membership of, or subscription to, any political organisation or society; DFR A9 prohibits participation by uniformed...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Remuneration (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Kehoe: The Conciliation and Arbitration scheme for members of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) provides a formal mechanism for the PDF representative associations, i.e. RACO and PDFORRA, to engage with the Official side. Having regard to commitments under national public service pay agreements, the representative associations can make representations in relation to the pay and conditions of their...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ministerial Meetings (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Kehoe: A range of powers and responsibilities were delegated to me as Minister with Responsibility for Defence by the Defence (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2017, made on 5 July 2017 under s. 2(1) of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1977. In that role, I have attended numerous events since my appointment. The Taoiseach has been in attendance at a number of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ministerial Briefing (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Kehoe: A range of powers and responsibilities were delegated to me as Minister with Responsibility for Defence by the Defence (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2017, made on 5 July 2017 under s. 2(1) of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1977. In that role, I am in daily contact with my officials as part of the on-going business of the Department including defence policy...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ministerial Briefing (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Kehoe: A range of powers and responsibilities were delegated to me as Minister with Responsibility for Defence by the Defence (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2017, made on 5 July 2017 under s. 2(1) of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1977. In that role, I frequently meet with the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces and receive regular briefings in relation to a wide...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Properties (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Kehoe: The provision of housing accommodation is a matter in the first instance for my colleague the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government and the local authorities falling under the remit of that Department. My Department is committed to providing whatever assistance possible to support the implementation of the Government strategy on housing and homelessness. In this regard, my...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Remuneration (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Kehoe: Similar to other areas of the public service, the pay of Permanent Defence Force personnel was reduced during the financial crisis. The recovery in the economy has afforded the opportunity for the Government to begin the restoration of pay to all public servants. Defence Forces pay is continuing to increase in accordance with public sector pay agreements. The focus of these increases is...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Retirements (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Kehoe: The nature of military service requires that the age and health profile of personnel in the Defence Forces must be appropriately managed to ensure that capability requirements are met. In this context, the Defence Forces have a higher level of turnover than other areas of the public service and this is a feature of military organisations internationally. The overall numbers departing the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Army Barracks Closures (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Kehoe: There are no plans to close Cathal Brugha Barracks. The Land Development Agency have recently identified the St. Bricin's Hospital site as possibly suitable for development. In this context, I have requested my officials, with the co-operation of the Defence Forces, to explore the viability and implications of the relocation of the medical facility to an alternative location should the LDA...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Kehoe: As of 01 October 2018, Ireland is contributing 616 personnel to 9 different missions throughout the world and also to a range of international organisations and National representations. The main overseas missions in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed is the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)with 353 personnel, the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force...