Results 1,201-1,220 of 12,630 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Defence Forces Personnel: Defence Forces Personnel (7 Dec 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The military authorities have advised that the deputy chief of staff has recommended the continuance in service of the individual in question.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (7 Dec 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Four permanent civil servants are employed in my private office, comprising one higher executive officer, one executive officer, one staff officer and one clerical officer. At current rates and since 1 January 2005, the salaries of these staff amounted to €144,018 per annum. Costs in regard to overtime and expenses, travel and subsistence, have amounted to €3,966. Six permanent civil...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (7 Dec 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The acquisition of new equipment for the Defence Forces continues to be a key focus for the Minister for Defence. I am aware that significant investment has taken place in recent years and I will continue the good work in that regard. The unprecedented level of expenditure on equipment for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service was made possible by the Government's decision that pay savings...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (7 Dec 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The most important defence against any gas or chemical terrorist attack is detection and prevention by the security forces. While the Garda Síochána has the 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...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (7 Dec 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 245 and 250 together. The White Paper on Defence of February 2000 sets out a figure of 10,500 personnel for the Permanent Defence Force, comprising 930 for the Air Corps, 1,144 for the Naval Service and 8,426 for the Army. It is my intention to maintain the established Government policy of ongoing recruitment to the Defence Forces. Recruitment into the...

Written Answers — Common Security and Defence Policy: Common Security and Defence Policy (7 Dec 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I have not had any discussions with my EU colleagues in the matter of co-operation or training with other EU forces. However, Defence Forces personnel have for many years attended workshops, training courses, desktop exercises, seminars and other events overseas as part of their military training and I expect that they will continue to do so. The Defence Forces have also attended training...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (7 Dec 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 247 and 248 together. The White Paper on Defence of February 2000 sets out a figure of 10,500 personnel for the Permanent Defence Force, comprising 930 for the Air Corps, 1,144 for the Naval Service and 8,426 for the Army. It is my intention to maintain the established Government policy of ongoing recruitment to the Defence Forces. Recruitment into the...

Written Answers — Security Escort Service: Security Escort Service (7 Dec 2005)

Willie O'Dea: An annual contribution of €2.86 million has been paid by the banks to my Department in respect of the provision of cash escorts. This figure was set by the Department of Finance in the 1995 budget and had not been altered since. The contribution from the banks was designed to cover part of the total cost to the State of providing cash escorts. At that time, the contribution covered...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (7 Dec 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 251 and 252 together. The Defence Forces are committed to providing support to the civil authorities specifically with regard to search and rescue. The Irish Coast Guard has overall responsibility for the provision of maritime search and rescue services within the Irish search and rescue region, and the Naval Service and the Air Corps provide support to the...

Order of Business. (8 Dec 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I might mention the Deputy. He turned up one day in the ratings.

Overseas Missions: Referral to Select Committee. (8 Dec 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I move: That the proposal that Dáil Éireann approve the despatch, pursuant to section 2 of the Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1960, as applied by the Defence (Amendment) Act 1993, of a contingent of the Permanent Defence Force for service with the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), established on 19 September 2003, under UN Security Council Resolution 1509 (2003) in carrying out...

Order of Business (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Deputy Broughan should speak for himself.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (8 Dec 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I should explain that the sick pay arrangements for civilian employees of my Department apply to this person. In general, civilian employees may be granted up to six months' sick leave at full pay in any period of 12 months and half-pay thereafter, subject to a maximum of 12 months sick leave of any kind, full pay, half-pay or without pay, in any period of four years or less. Civilian...

Written Answers — Military Medical Services: Military Medical Services (13 Dec 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The military medical services and their facilities exist primarily to maintain the health of the Defence Forces and to support them in operational and overseas activities. The reorganisation of the Medical Corps, which was effected as part of the Defence Forces review implementation plan in November 1998, redirected the focus of military medical care from a predominantly hospital based...

Written Answers — Airport Safety Zones: Airport Safety Zones (13 Dec 2005)

Willie O'Dea: As I explained in my reply to Questions Nos. 139 to 142, inclusive, on 15 June 2004, the red safety areas are essentially two-dimensional surfaces on the ground originating 60 m beyond the runway thresholds, have a width of 300 m and diverge at a rate of 15% at each side to a width of 700 m and have an overall length of 1,370 m in the case of each runway. The runway approach surfaces are...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (13 Dec 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I am advised that six snowmobiles obtained by the Department of Defence during 1981-82 were donated by the Canadian Government via Bombardier Aerospace. I understand that the snowmobiles were written off in 2000 due to the fact that they were obsolete and uneconomic to repair. The Defence Forces have no plans to replace the snowmobiles.

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (13 Dec 2005)

Willie O'Dea: There are two permanent civil servants employed in the office of the Minister of State for Defence comprising of one higher executive officer and a clerical officer. At current rates and since 1 January 2005, the salaries of these staff amounted to €86,946 per annum. Costs in relation to overtime and expenses, travel and subsistence have amounted to €1,525.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (13 Dec 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Entry to the Permanent Defence Force is either through the cadetship competition, apprenticeship competition, general service enlistment or direct entry competitions, which are held to fill vacancies in specialist appointments. All applicants for each of these entry streams are required to meet qualifying criteria. The Defence Forces equality policy, which was produced and formalised some...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (13 Dec 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Curragh Camp area comprises some 312 hectares, 771 acres, known as Brown Lands. The Curragh of Kildare Act 1868, granted the military authorities exclusive use of the Curragh Camp. This was confirmed by the Curragh of Kildare Act 1961. The camp is the national training centre for the Defence Forces.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Inquiries: Defence Forces Inquiries (13 Dec 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I undertook during Priority Questions last Thursday, 3 November 2005 that I will have the relevant records in military archives examined to establish the factual position in this regard. I expect that this process will be completed shortly. I will communicate further with the Deputy as soon as possible.