Results 1,421-1,440 of 12,630 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (28 Mar 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The individual soldier is now required to carry an array of equipment on operational duties. In that regard, one of the essential ongoing equipment acquisition projects relates to the provision of a modern integrated protection and load carrying system for members of the Defence Forces on operational duties. This involves, inter alia, the personal protective equipment consisting of body...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (28 Mar 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 48, 64, 83 and 100 together. Following on from a request from the UN, the EU is currently examining the question of providing a supporting operation, under an EU flag, for MONUC, the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Various options for the mission are currently being considered within the EU, which has indicated that it is positively...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (28 Mar 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The number of applications received for general service enlistment to the Permanent Defence Force in 2004 and 2005 was 1,943 and 1,125, respectively. A total of 579 general service recruits enlisted in the Permanent Defence Force in 2004 and a further 384 recruits enlisted in 2005. The number of applications received for cadetships in 2004 and 2005 was 916 and 1,004, respectively. In 2004 a...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (28 Mar 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 50, 57, 92, 97, 103, 107, 512 and 521 together. Ireland is currently contributing approximately 764 Defence Forces personnel to 19 different missions throughout the world. Full details of all personnel currently serving overseas are listed in the following tabular statement. The main commitments are to the United Nations Mission in Liberia, UNMIL, with 427...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (28 Mar 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The role of the Defence Forces is set out in the White Paper on Defence. The Naval Service provides the maritime element of the Defence Forces and has a general responsibility to meet contingent and actual maritime defence requirements. Arising from the White Paper, the primary role of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with the State's obligations as a...

Written Answers — National Emergency Plan: National Emergency Plan (28 Mar 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 52, 55, 111 and 121 together. The Government task force on emergency planning has worked since it was set up in 2001 to co-ordinate emergency planning and response arrangements across those Departments that lead and support the State's response in an emergency. The task force met on eight occasions in 2005 and on two occasions to date this year. The task force...

Written Answers — Research and Technology Fund: Research and Technology Fund (28 Mar 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 53, 89, 110 and 507 together. The European Defence Agency, EDA, steering board met in Defence Ministers formation in Innsbruck, Austria, on 7 March 2006 and one of the items discussed was the need for a new mechanism for joint investment in research and technology projects. The EDA is proposing to establish a category A or opt-out programme, with an associated...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Investigations: Defence Forces Investigations (28 Mar 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 75 together. The report of the military police investigation into alleged irregularities in the operation of the unit fund account of the 3rd field artillery regiment, Reserve Defence Force, was received in Defence Forces headquarters on 24 March. The report has been referred to the Garda Síochána for its consideration. The sum of €66,213 was...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (28 Mar 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The amount spent by my Department on the purchase of uniforms, boots and other clothing worn by members of the Defence Forces in the period mentioned is as follows: 2004 —€2.30 million; 2005 —€2.60 million; and 2006 to date —€0.087 million. In the main this expenditure has been incurred by the purchase of the following uniforms, etc. 2004 2005 2006 Total â'¬m ...

Written Answers — National Emergency Plan: National Emergency Plan (28 Mar 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The lead responsibility for specific emergency planning functions remains with the relevant lead Departments and those bodies under their aegis. Emergency plans are co-ordinated and exercised by the various lead Departments at a national level and through the local authorities, including the fire services, the Health Service Executive and the Garda divisions at regional and local level. The...

Written Answers — Commemorative Events: Commemorative Events (28 Mar 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 60, 72, 77 and 79 together. The Easter Rising of 1916 will be commemorated by a military parade in Dublin on Sunday, 16 April 2006. Preparations for the parade, as announced by the Taoiseach last October, are being made by the Defence Forces. Approximately 2,500 personnel representing all branches of the forces together with representatives of ex-service...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (28 Mar 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 61, 68, 71, 85, 86, 91, 117, 118, 520 and 523 together. The ambition of the EU to be able to respond rapidly to emerging crises has, and continues to be, a key objective of the development of the European Security and Defence Policy, ESDP. The tasks to be carried out under ESDP, the so-called Petersberg Tasks, are defined in the Amsterdam treaty as...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Investigations: Defence Forces Investigations (28 Mar 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I am advised by the military authorities that on 15 September 1961, Trooper Patrick Mullins and Corporal Michael Nolan were killed in action in the Congo when their armoured vehicle was hit by anti-tank fire from armed elements. While the remains of Corporal Nolan were recovered, those of Trooper Mullins were not. An investigation into Trooper Mullins's death by the military authorities at...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (28 Mar 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 66 and 90 together. I was aware of the Deputy's previous questions in this area. As previously outlined in replies to the Deputy, Defence Forces training syllabi reflect the full range of contemporary developments in international humanitarian law, human rights law and the various specific humanitarian issues that may arise in theatre specific circumstances....

Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (28 Mar 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The military has advised that the numbers of military personnel attending education courses at third level, ranging from certificate to masters degree level in 2004 included 129 commissioned personnel and 26 non-commissioned personnel. In 2005, the numbers attending such courses included 143 commissioned personnel and 44 non-commissioned personnel. The fees incurred in relation to such...

Written Answers — Commemorative Events: Commemorative Events (28 Mar 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The all-party group held its first meeting on Wednesday, 1 March 2006. The arrangements for Easter Sunday to mark the ninetieth anniversary of the Easter Rising were outlined and the group discussed these. Preliminary discussions were also held in relation to the framework for the centenary programme. I envisage that the next meeting of this group will be after Easter to progress the...

Written Answers — National Emergency Plan: National Emergency Plan (28 Mar 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The Government task force on emergency planning has worked since it was set up in 2001 to co-ordinate emergency planning and response arrangements across those Departments that lead and support the State's response in an emergency. The interdepartmental working group on emergency planning supports the work of the task force. The working group is a forum for developing strategic guidance for...

Written Answers — EU Ministerial Meetings: EU Ministerial Meetings (28 Mar 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 78 and 101 together. An Informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers was held in Innsbruck, Austria, on 6 March 2006. At the meeting, Ministers discussed civil-military co-ordination, CMCO, which was an initiative begun under the UK Presidency to improve the management of operations involving EU civil and military elements in a manner which would support greater...

Written Answers — Hearing Impairment: Hearing Impairment (28 Mar 2006)

Willie O'Dea: No recruits of the Army, the Air Corps or the Naval Service have been discharged from the Defence Forces on the grounds of hearing difficulties from 2000 to the present date.

Written Answers — Military Archives: Military Archives (28 Mar 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The military authorities advise that at present the staff strength of the military archives is three, comprising a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer and a private. Approval has been granted to source two additional officers. One such graduate officer has been identified and it is planned to have this individual undergo postgraduate archival studies in UCD in September 2006. The...