Results 11,021-11,040 of 17,012 for speaker:Paul Kehoe

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: White Paper on Defence Update: Discussion (5 Mar 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I came here looking for the views of the committee on the White Paper. The issue of pay has nothing to do with the White Paper. I am just seeking members' views. It would be totally remiss of me if I did not come before the committee in the context of reviewing the White Paper. I wrote to the committee in the autumn and stated that I would like the opportunity to come before it to ask...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: White Paper on Defence Update: Discussion (5 Mar 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I will go through the questions asked by the Deputy. Pay is not an issue for the White Paper but the Secretary General, the Chief of Staff and officials from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform met the Pay Service Pay Commission this morning. I do not determine who appears before the commission. As I have pointed out to the Deputy on numerous occasions, the commission is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: White Paper on Defence Update: Discussion (5 Mar 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I have been reassured by the Chief of Staff that it is very well resourced and that we do our best to facilitate any requests put to us. Cyber issues are security matters for the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: White Paper on Defence Update: Discussion (5 Mar 2019)

Paul Kehoe: The capability development plan is an ongoing project but it is a priority. A significant amount of work has been carried out in respect of it. The Deputy asked about qualifications in the Defence Forces. I will come back to him on that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: White Paper on Defence Update: Discussion (5 Mar 2019)

Paul Kehoe: In the context of amendments required for the DFR R5, structure of the Reserve Defence Force, RDF, and DFR S7, establishment of the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association, RDFRA, the regulations encompass a broad range of matters from finance to human resources to training matters to effectiveness criteria. Amendments of DFR S7 are linked to DFR R5. The former cannot be finalised...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: White Paper on Defence Update: Discussion (5 Mar 2019)

Paul Kehoe: Sorry, the Deputy asked about Brexit and the memorandum of understanding. Any consultation I have had with my ministerial colleagues in the UK relates to a memorandum of understanding. Brexit has no impact on that whatsoever. That was signed in 2015 and it is working extremely well. There is significant communication between my Department, the British Ministry of Defence, our Defence...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: White Paper on Defence Update: Discussion (5 Mar 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I will come back to the Deputy on that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: White Paper on Defence Update: Discussion (5 Mar 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I will respond to Deputy Ó Snodaigh first. There are 88 projects in the White Paper but a number of them have subprojects and rather than trying to hide the figure of 88, I said 95. I hope that explains it. Recruitment and retention are challenges for the Defence Forces but it is a challenge for defence forces throughout Europe and armed forces throughout the world. When I speak to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: White Paper on Defence Update: Discussion (5 Mar 2019)

Paul Kehoe: It is because of the type of helicopter we have that we do not fly at night time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: White Paper on Defence Update: Discussion (5 Mar 2019)

Paul Kehoe: We have a memorandum of understanding with the HSE that we will provide the service when available.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: White Paper on Defence Update: Discussion (5 Mar 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I know.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: White Paper on Defence Update: Discussion (5 Mar 2019)

Paul Kehoe: To date, the Defence Forces have been able to honour all asks by the Government, at home or overseas. The Deputy referred to operations abroad and perhaps assisting abroad where there is a catastrophe. At present, where we are on peacekeeping duties we reach out into the communities. The Deputy also referred to the reorganisation and the number of engineers. We reduced from three...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: White Paper on Defence Update: Discussion (5 Mar 2019)

Paul Kehoe: Absolutely. I also want to make it clear that there are no plans for the sale of Cathal Brugha barracks. The decade of commemorations is the responsibility of the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Madigan. Following on from the work done on the 1916 commemorations, which were really successful, there is an all-party commemorations committee. We must be very careful...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: White Paper on Defence Update: Discussion (5 Mar 2019)

Paul Kehoe: Chairman-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: White Paper on Defence Update: Discussion (5 Mar 2019)

Paul Kehoe: The Deputy has a point. We might be able to do that. To address the Chairman's point, my assistant secretary to my left has worked on the White Paper since 2000 so he has almost 20 years of corporate knowledge in this area. He is very well versed in-----

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (5 Mar 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I welcome the opportunity to engage with the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence to consider the 2019 Revised Estimates for Vote 35 - Army Pensions and Vote 36 - Defence. I have a short opening statement which sets out the overall position. I will update members on some of the main developments within the defence sector in recent times. There are two Votes for the...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (5 Mar 2019)

Paul Kehoe: In regard to the children's hospital overrun, the defence budget will not be affected in any way. In regard to CASA replacement, we are not diverting funding from any other budget. Regarding the capital overspend, I do not have that information to hand but I will have it forwarded to the Deputy. On Operation Sophia, there is a review under way of the mission. The UN has granted an...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (5 Mar 2019)

Paul Kehoe: It depends on the level of operation during the year. As the Deputy will know, the price per litre of fuel rose substantially in 2018.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (5 Mar 2019)

Paul Kehoe: That is covered by the pay increases under the Public Service Stability Agreement until 2020. The chaplaincy service is vital. There were 15 chaplains in 2017 and 16 in 2018. A female Church of Ireland chaplain is in situin the Curragh. The chaplains provide an important service, especially when overseas.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (5 Mar 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I am delighted to say that for the first time in 11 years, there will be a commissioning on 13 or 14 March. It is the first time there has been a commissioning from the ranks, where members of the Defence Forces' ranks will be fully commissioned, which is brilliant. While I am not sure of the exact number, it is approximately 26 or 27 and I will revert to the Deputy in that regard. On...