Results 10,521-10,540 of 17,012 for speaker:Paul Kehoe

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: We are skipping Questions Nos. 64 and 65.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: The Deputy is not present.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I never waste time. I propose to take Questions Nos. 66 and 81 together. The limitations on working time set out in the working time directive are for the purpose of preserving the health and safety of personnel. The Department of Defence and military management are aware of the provisions of the working time directive and have been working closely to progress its implementation. As I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: The health and safety of members of the Defence Forces is a priority for me and the military authorities. Many of the activities of the Defence Forces comply with the provisions of the working time directive. As the Deputy will appreciate, implementation of the directive will amount to a fundamental change in working conditions that have been in place for many years. The implementation of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: When the numbers drop, of course there will be more challenges within any organisation. The Defence Forces' organisation is no different. Then we have to prioritise the work. What are the most important pieces of work? Is it sending people overseas, aiding the civil power, aiding the civil authority, or the daily ongoing duties that members of the Defence Forces carry out? I have tasked...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: Less than 1% of the personnel in the organisation is on the working family payment. People talk about 70%, 60% and 40% but it is actually less than 1% of the Defence Forces organisation personnel. That includes the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces. I have not come across people who have not been able to get on the housing list. I do not know about people's personal...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 67, 73 and 74 together. The EU Common Security and Defence Policy operation, EUNAVFOR MED Operation Sophia, was launched in June 2015. It is part of the EU's broader action to provide a comprehensive response to the global migration and refugee crisis and to encourage a democratic, stable and prosperous Libya. It specifically seeks to counter human...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I totally disagree with the Deputy when he says that we have not saved any lives. I think we have saved thousands because we have interrupted the smugglers' model and have destroyed the boats that they used to smuggle migrants. The UN migration agency has been compiling migrant arrival data across the Mediterranean since 2014 and has reported that the number of migrants arriving by sea has...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I agree with the Deputy 100% that it is a military mission, but it is also a UN mandated mission. When we joined PESCO, which I brought to Cabinet and to the House. Members of this House voted democratically to join Operation Sophia. It totally changed the mission in which we were participating under Operation Pontus. Operation Sophia specifically seeks to counter human trafficking and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I was at a European Council meeting yesterday at which Operation Sophia was discussed-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I am very proud of the work members of the Defence Forces, inlcuding the Naval Service, have been doing in the past few months. Our mission statement changed when we joined Operation Sophia. I was not hiding behind anything. Part of it was picking up migrants. The UN Migration Agency has stated the number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean has decreased in the past few years. If one...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I am not arguing, but if one talks to any of the NGOs, they will agree that the number of migrants has dropped. Our number one priority was reducing the number of lives being lost because no one was stopping smugglers from bringing migrants across. We are now stopping them from bringing migrants across very unsafe waters in unsafe vessels.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I will pick up on a point made by Deputy Wallace. The European Union was also building capacity in Libya aimed at improving conditions for the exact people to whom the Deputy referred. That is a known fact which the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Coveney, has stated in the House. Operation Sophia is only one element of the European Union's response. We in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I have the figure, but I do not have it to hand. It is in my notes.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I will get the Deputy the number of boats that were destroyed. We are operating within a UN mandate and will continue to do so. Members of the Naval Service are doing a very proud job for them and Ireland.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Recruitment (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 68, 71 and 82 together. As in other military organisations, turnover in the Defence Forces is higher than that which normally prevails in other sectors. In that context, there is ongoing recruitment to replace personnel who depart. Recruitment to the Permanent Defence Force has continued throughout 2018. It encompassed two general service recruitment...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Deployment (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 65 together. As part of a whole of Government approach, my Department is engaged in forward planning with the other Departments involved in addressing all issues relevant to the UK's decision to leave the European Union. This engagement involves the identification of key strategic, operational and policy issues arising from Brexit. As I have...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Medical Services (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: A review of the Defence Forces psychiatric service recommended the employment of a full time military psychiatrist. The previous incumbent providing these services to the Defence Forces on contract retired in May 2018 while arrangements were being made to implement this recommendation. In the intervening period, patients presenting to Defence Forces Primary Carers (Medical Officers or...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Expenditure (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: Ireland joined Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) in December, 2017 following Government and Dáil approval. As part of our participation in PESCO, Ireland has committed to regularly increase our defence budgets in real terms. It should be noted that regularly does not mean annually but rather over the medium term. The allocations for defence announced in the budget for 2019 mean...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Operations (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: The Department of Justice and Equality and An Garda Síochána have primary responsibility for the internal security of the State. Among the roles assigned to the Defence Forces in the White Paper on Defence is the provision of Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP) which, in practice, means to assist An Garda Síochána when requested to do so. On each occasion that the support of...