Results 10,721-10,740 of 17,012 for speaker:Paul Kehoe

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Recruitment (17 Jan 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I take the concerns the Deputy raised but the EU and UK have recognised that the open border on the island of Ireland has been essential to peace and the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. There is no planning for infrastructure at the Border. In the normal course of events, the Defence Forces carry out analysis and background research into contingencies and this is no...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Recruitment (17 Jan 2019)

Paul Kehoe: My priority is to ensure we get back up to 9,500. The Government has provided a full budget to reach this figure. I take the Deputy's views on board. I reiterate the Taoiseach's words earlier last week. All agencies and organisations of the State are engaged in prudent planning for Brexit. I am repeating exactly what the Taoiseach and all Ministers have stated previously. It is my...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Equipment (17 Jan 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I am advised by the military authorities that all members of the Defence Forces are trained in the fitting of the general service respirator as part of their basic training and that tests of elementary training are conducted annually in a respirator test facility. This training is in keeping with chemical, biological, radioactive and neurological training that all Defence Forces personnel...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Equipment (17 Jan 2019)

Paul Kehoe: With regard to the Air Corps, I am surprised that people who specifically deal with chemicals are trained in the wearing of respirators only if they are involved in dealing with these types of chemicals. Full training is given to these people and they undergo relevant retraining to ensure they are fully trained.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Equipment (17 Jan 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I do not have a specific date but to my knowledge full training is carried out in line with what is required. I will come back to the Deputy with a specific date.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Remuneration (17 Jan 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 23 together. 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 members of the Defence Forces and other public servants in accordance with public sector pay agreements. The...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Expenditure (17 Jan 2019)

Paul Kehoe: With regard to defence spending, Government policy is defined within the parameters of our national budgetary process and role of Dáil Éireann. Within the EU, it is accepted that defence and security is a national competence, including national spending on defence and security. As part of our participation in PESCO, Ireland has committed to regularly increase our defence...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Deployment (17 Jan 2019)

Paul Kehoe: As of 10 January 2019, Ireland is contributing 678 personnel to 9 different missions throughout the world and also to a range of international organisations and National representations. The UNIFIL mission in Lebanon continues to represent Ireland's largest and most well known overseas deployment with 460 personnel. Until recently, Irish troops served as part of a joint Irish-Finnish...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Strength (17 Jan 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 19 together. The Government remains committed to achieving the strength target of at least 9,500 personnel for the Permanent Defence Force (PDF). There are a number of factors, some of which are hard to predict, which will impact on the timeframe within which this will be achieved. As at 31 December 2018, the most current figures provided by the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service Operations (17 Jan 2019)

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. As the Deputy will be aware, the Naval Service is the State's principal sea-going agency tasked with a variety...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Deployment (17 Jan 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 20, 25 and 32 together. Ireland has participated in the EU Training Mission in Mali since the mission was launched in 2013. Currently, Ireland is contributing twenty (20) Defence Force personnel to this mission. EUTM Mali is part of a wider EU effort in support of international peace and security in the wider Sahel region. The mission is being...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Operations (17 Jan 2019)

Paul Kehoe: The Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) meeting of Defence Ministers was held in Brussels on 19th and 20th November last. There was a joint session between Foreign Affairs and Defence Ministers on the afternoon of Monday 19th, and two sessions with Defence Ministers the following morning. Altogether there were three working sessions over the course of the meeting, chaired by the High...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Operations (17 Jan 2019)

Paul Kehoe: Firstly I would like to add my praise and thanks to those expressed by an Taoiseach during our recent visit to Mali. Irish Defence Forces personnel participating in the EU training mission there are making an important and valuable contribution to both regional and international peace and security through their efforts on the mission. It is with great pride and respect that I acknowledge the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (17 Jan 2019)

Paul Kehoe: A Malaria Chemoprophylaxis Working Group was established in January 2011 and reported in April 2013. The Group was re-convened in August 2015 and reported in October 2017. The purpose of the Group was to review, inter alia, issues arising in relation to the use of Lariam, particularly in the context of the current and potential litigation. The re-convened Working Group's recommendations...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Operations (17 Jan 2019)

Paul Kehoe: The establishment of Permanent Structure Cooperation (PESCO) represents a further development in EU Cooperation in support of international peace and security under CSDP. Under PESCO, Member States will come together in different groups to develop and make available additional capabilities and enablers for peacekeeping and crisis management operations. Ireland is currently participating in...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Gender Equality (17 Jan 2019)

Paul Kehoe: The Government is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for men and women throughout the Defence Forces and to the full participation by women in all aspects of Defence Forces activities. This is underlined by a commitment in the Programme for Government to increase the level of female participation in the Defence Forces. The Defence Forces Dignity Charter states that the Defence...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Operations (17 Jan 2019)

Paul Kehoe: The Government is committed to retaining the capacity of the Defence Forces to operate effectively across all roles and to undertake the tasks laid down by Government both at home and overseas. In this context, recruitment efforts for the Permanent Defence Force are ongoing and continue to be a priority. There were several significant recruitment initiatives throughout 2018 in the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Strength (17 Jan 2019)

Paul Kehoe: The whole time equivalent (WTE) strength of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF), as of as of 31 December 2018 (the latest date for which figures are available), is 8,957. The Government remains committed to returning to, and maintaining, the agreed strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel as set out in the White Paper on Defence (2015). In order to achieve this...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (17 Jan 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 30 and 34 together. As of 10 January 2019, Ireland is contributing 678 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 460...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Army Barracks (17 Jan 2019)

Paul Kehoe: As part of a whole of Government approach, my Department continues to engage 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 outlined previously, the UK's decision to leave the...