Results 1,041-1,060 of 12,629 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Defence Forces Equipment. (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Attorney General's advice on the matter is the subject of a further question which I will deal with in detail when we come to it. I do not claim to know as much about military hardware as Deputy Ó Snodaigh obviously knows.

Defence Forces Equipment. (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I have read the documents. I would not like to leave the House with the misleading impression with which Deputy Ó Snodaigh seeks to leave it. The Deputy specifically stated that EU battle groups can operate without a UN mandate. I have made clear to anyone who wants to listen and I will do so again in words of fewer syllabi, if the Deputy wishes——

Defence Forces Equipment. (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: ——that if Ireland was to become involved in battle groups, we would not be involved in any specific operation without a UN mandate. I tell the Deputy this in words as small as I can devise.

Defence Forces Equipment. (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: If Ireland becomes involved in battle groups, we will not purchase military equipment to contribute to those battle groups. I do not know if the Deputy is aware of the requirements catalogue for battle groups which will be finalised during the British EU Presidency and which outlines the maximum level of equipment needed for participation in battle groups. Obviously, some of the participating...

Defence Forces Equipment. (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The most important defence against any terrorist attack is detection and prevention by the security forces. While the Garda Síochána has primary responsibility for law and order, one of the roles assigned to the Defence Forces is the provision of aid to the civil power, meaning, in practice, to assist, when requested, the Garda Síochána. The various components of the Defence Forces are...

Defence Forces Equipment. (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The secrets are out already. What happened in New York on 11 September 2001 shows how even a powerful country with a large air force and air protection capabilities cannot guarantee it will not be successfully attacked by terrorists. There is no small state, including Israel, that could be said to have a comprehensive air defence system. The threat to Ireland of an attack from the air is low....

Defence Forces Equipment. (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: There is no formal arrangement. Ireland might be an island but the world is a small place. If Ireland came under attack from the air, it would present obvious dangers to neighbouring states who would be on high alert.

Overseas Missions. (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Since Ireland took part in its first United Nations mission in 1958, Defence Forces personnel have performed approximately 54,000 tours of duty on 58 peace support operations worldwide. The nine members of the Defence Forces killed in the Niemba ambush were the first members to lose their lives in battle while serving on a UN mission. This was the largest single loss of life in any one...

Overseas Missions. (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Eight of the nine bodies of those killed were recovered over the course of the two days following the ambush on 9 and 10 November 1960. The ninth body was not located at the time. In the autumn of 1962, the Defence Forces learned that the location of the ninth body was known. A team of officers was sent to meet the Niemba civil administration. After lengthy discussions, the team was brought...

Overseas Missions. (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I will consider the Deputy's proposal.

National Emergency Plan. (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 60 together. The Government task force on emergency planning last met on Tuesday, 20 September 2005. The next meeting of the task force is scheduled to take place on 9 November. The task force has met on 41 occasions to date. Arrangements to deal with any possible flu pandemic fall into two main categories. My colleague the Tánaiste and Minister for...

National Emergency Plan. (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I assure the Deputy there is a specific public health emergency plan, which has been discussed at the emergency planning task force. It was produced in September 2004 and some changes were recommended last July following further advice and research conducted by the World Health Organisation. Several people were assigned to incorporating those changes in the plan and I expect them to be...

EU Battle Groups. (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7, 23, 30, 56 and 65 together. The rapid response elements concept, commonly referred to as battle groups, originated at the European Council in Helsinki in 1999. Ireland supports the development of the EU's rapid response capability in support of UN authorised missions and is positively disposed towards participation in the rapid response elements in this...

EU Battle Groups. (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I will explain the current position, although I expected the process to be further advanced at this stage. The interdepartmental group did not wish to finalise its report, although it had much work done, until it received formal written legal advice from the Attorney General. It was received a fortnight ago, although I expected to receive it sooner. Unfortunately, a number of aspects of the...

EU Battle Groups. (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: That will depend on what the Government decides. I was at the PDFORRA conference referred to by Deputy Gormley and I listened to some of the speeches with great interest. I do not agree with every statement which every official from PDFORRA makes. I disagree with the statement referred to by Deputy Gormley. The Government is engaged in the modernisation of equipment which forms part of a...

EU Battle Groups. (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: A battle group is defined as the minimum military effective, credible, rapidly deployable, coherent force package capable of stand-alone operations or for the initial phase of larger operations. As Deputy Timmins has rightly noted, the name is a misnomer and they should be called peace brigades. The intention of forming battle groups is that in some cases, because it would take several months...

EU Battle Groups. (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: ——thousands of people could be killed in the meantime. Members should consider what happened in the Balkans and in Rwanda. In a similar situation, one needs, as Deputy Gormley is aware, to be able to deploy a temporary force quickly to prevent something catastrophic from happening.

EU Battle Groups. (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Yes. Almost invariably, it will be followed by the bigger traditional type of peacekeeping force. As I stated previously with respect to equipment, I have made it clear to my fellow Ministers for Defence of those countries which will participate in battle groups that if Ireland is to participate in battle groups, they will be obliged to take us as they find us. I have made the point that we...

EU Battle Groups. (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Yes they are, because apparently unlike some Members, they realise that the intention of battle groups is not to go to war. Battle groups will participate in Petersberg Tasks, which include, as Deputy Ó Snodaigh stated, missions up to and including chapter 7, or peacemaking, missions. That has been decided. Liberia is a chapter 7 mission. When we deployed troops to Liberia, several Members...

EU Battle Groups. (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I meet individual members of the Defence Forces as I go around the country and morale is extremely high. This is partially due to the unprecedented amount of money invested in the Defence Forces in recent years.