Results 11,261-11,280 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Reserve (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I am trying to be of help to the Opposition. In fairness to Deputy McGrath, the Acting Chairman indicated to him that he had four minutes. My recollection from other Question Time occasions is that the Chair normally indicates to the Deputy opposite when he or she had gone past a particular point in order to allow time for the Minister to respond. It is also unsatisfactory for the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Reserve (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I think there has been a very dramatic change in the way Priority Questions are dealt with.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Reserve (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I am trying to be of assistance to Deputy McGrath. For once he might actually not feel the need to shout across the floor at me.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I announced details of the reorganisation of the PDF on 17 July last, which resulted from the Government decision to maintain the strength of the PDF at 9,500. As the reorganisation entailed a reduction in numbers across all levels of the organisation, it will have some impact on the career prospects of some members of the PDF. The approach being taken in the reorganisation is designed to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I do not accept that there is such a difficulty. We had a three brigade structure posited on a Permanent Defence Force strength of 11,500. When I entered office, the Defence Forces were heading towards a position where, based on the funding provided by the previous Government, there would have been a strength of fewer than 8,000. We consolidated the number at 9,500. I received a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I cannot comment and I am sure the Deputy would not want me to comment on a specific instance he has raised. If he wants to set out the difficulties he says occurred, I will ensure he receives a reply. There are very specific procedures to be complied with in promotions in the Defence Forces. Should the procedures not be complied with, or should a difficulty issue arise, a complaint can...

Other Questions: EU Battlegroups (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 29 and 33 together. Ireland is participating in the Austro-German-led battle group which will be on standby until 31 December. In 2010 the then Government approved Ireland's participation in this battle group. The other members of the Austro-German battle group are Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic, Croatia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of...

Other Questions: EU Battlegroups (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I am happy to tell the Deputy that preliminary discussions have been held on Ireland's possible participation in 2015 in the Nordic battle group, to which he referred. Ireland participated in the Nordic battle group in 2008 and 2011. Other members of the Nordic battle group were Sweden which was acting as the framework nation, Finland, Norway, Estonia and Croatia. Ireland is due to...

Other Questions: EU Battlegroups (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: We have a number of priorities dealing with the European Council meetings that will take place. As the Deputy may already know, an informal Council meeting will take place in Dublin, based at Dublin Castle, on 12 and 13 February at which a variety of issues will be under discussion. One of the issues of importance as we go through our Presidency is preparation for the European Council...

Other Questions: White Paper on Defence (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: The White Paper published in 2000 has provided, as the Deputy is aware, the framework within which the defence organisation has responded to the significant changes in the defence and security environment. I am of the view that the preparation for the new White Paper on defence will benefit greatly from an informed and wide-ranging debate on Ireland’s defence policy. To that end and...

Other Questions: White Paper on Defence (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I would not give respectability to the groups the Deputy mentioned by referring to them as dissident republicans: they are primarily criminal terrorists who have no respect of any description for the democratic will of people on both sides of this island to bring an end to violence, mayhem and destruction. They are individuals who, while waving a green flag, are deeply involved in...

Other Questions: White Paper on Defence (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I thank the Deputy for his question. There will be widespread consultation following the publication of the Green Paper. I am very conscious that when the last White Paper was published it had very important content and it has stood the test of time, in fairness to those who published it, but it appeared a little like a rabbit out of a hat without the level of consultation that I believe...

Other Questions: European Council Meetings (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 16 together. I attended both the formal Foreign Affairs Council in defence Minister format and the meeting of the European Defence Agency steering board which preceded it on 19 November. The agenda for the steering board consisted of the 2013 budget and work programme, the work plan for 2013 to 2015 and a voluntary code of conduct on defence pooling...

Other Questions: European Council Meetings (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: It means double the time and double the excitement.

Other Questions: European Council Meetings (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I appreciate the Deputy's continuing interest in my having possible gems of wisdom. All members of the Fine Gael Party always have interesting things to say on a broad range of issues. Interoperability is like pooling and sharing, a relevant issue in the context of member states dealing with common security or defence issues or, as I said earlier, dealing with co-operation in EU-UN...

Other Questions: Overseas Missions (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Question Nos. 9, 15, 32 and 176 together. I am frightened to ask how much time that gives us as a consequence.

Other Questions: Overseas Missions (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I will try and be briefer than that. Through the United Nations stand-by arrangements system Ireland has offered to provide up to 850 military personnel for overseas service at any one time, which demonstrates our commitment to the cause of international peace. This continues to be the maximum sustainable commitment that Ireland can make to overseas peacekeeping operations. Ireland is...

Other Questions: Overseas Missions (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I commend the Deputy on researching some of the views expressed by members of the Fine Gael party. At least they have views on issues of importance and we debate and consider them. The debate on the Green Paper will give us a useful opportunity to discuss our position in dealing with peacekeeping and peace enforcement; to discuss the benefits of the triple lock and whether there are any...

Other Questions: Overseas Missions (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: As the Deputy is well aware, section 2 of the Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1960, as amended by the Defence (Amendment) Act 2006, makes provision for the triple lock mechanism. That is the law and our position on this issue. It would be odd to produce a Green or White Paper that omitted all references to the triple lock mechanism. The Deputy would be more excited and upset if that were...

Other Questions: Overseas Missions (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: It is important that we review where we are, where we were in the past and what we believe will be the position in the future and the roles we can play of a constructive nature. Irish Defence Force' roles outside the domestic environment are essentially in the area of peacekeeping, peace enforcement and humanitarian assistance and will continue to be such. The south Sudan region has been...