Results 15,921-15,940 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Other Questions: Defence Forces Reserve Review (6 Nov 2013)

Alan Shatter: As the Deputy may be aware, a value for money review of the Reserve Defence Force was completed and published in November 2012. It recommended the retention of an Army reserve, previously known as the FCA, and a Naval Service reserve, previously known as An Slua Muirí, with a combined strength of approximately 4,000 personnel and a range of other reforms which together would ensure a...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Reserve Review (6 Nov 2013)

Alan Shatter: The changes introduced were of crucial importance. One of the difficulties with the Reserve Defence Force is that a significant number of its members do not participate in paid training days. It is very important that we have a Reserve Defence Force that is fit for purpose and can engage with and assist the Permanent Defence Force when required. The new reforms we have introduced are...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Reserve Review (6 Nov 2013)

Alan Shatter: Yes, the title is the Reserve Defence Force.

Other Questions: Defence Forces Reserve Review (6 Nov 2013)

Alan Shatter: While I have not recently met representatives of the association, I met them in or around the time of the meeting to which the Deputy referred. I am always happy to meet the organisation. This is never an issue and I am not aware of an outstanding request for a meeting. If its representatives wish to meet me, I would be happy to meet them. To address Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan's question,...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Expenditure (6 Nov 2013)

Alan Shatter: The comment to which the Deputy refers comes from a presentation I recently delivered at the Institute of International and European Affairs. In the presentation I outlined key issues raised in the Green Paper on Defence published in July. The purpose of the Green Paper was to initiate and stimulate a broad consultative process which would inform the development of a new White Paper on...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Expenditure (6 Nov 2013)

Alan Shatter: There are many things that I would like to do and that we might like to do in this State but, of course, we have to be realistic in what we can achieve. It is important that, in developing the future direction and vision for our Defence Forces, we maintain a balanced perspective with regard to expenditure and resourcing decisions, while also having an awareness of what expenditure may be...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Expenditure (6 Nov 2013)

Alan Shatter: I can only say to the Deputy that he has a brass neck. When I came into the Department the position was, based on the funding that his party agreed with the troika, we would have been to maintain a defence force of personnel across the three services of more than 7,000. This Government made serious decisions to maintain the operational capacity of the Defence Forces and maintain their...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Equipment (6 Nov 2013)

Alan Shatter: I am satisfied that the level of resources available to the Defence Forces, including training, equipment and up to date technology, enables the Defence Forces to carry out their roles both at home and overseas. All elements of defence expenditure were examined for the comprehensive review of expenditure in 2011. In response to these resource constraints, the defence organisation has...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Properties (6 Nov 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 12 together. As the Deputy is aware the Department has been engaged on an ongoing programme of barrack consolidation since 1998. This programme has brought to fourteen the number of barracks closed during that time. To-date nine of these barracks - Clancy (Dublin), Castleblaney, Ballincollig, Fermoy, Naas, Monaghan, Cavan, Castlebar and a large...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Funding (6 Nov 2013)

Alan Shatter: I am satisfied that the level of resources available to the Defence Forces, including, training, equipment and up to date technology, enables the Defence Forces to carry out their roles both at home and overseas. All elements of Defence expenditure were examined for the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure in 2011. In response to these resource constraints, the Defence Organisation has...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Operations (6 Nov 2013)

Alan Shatter: I understand that Secretary General Rasmussen referenced the need for greater cooperation among EU member States when he addressed an Inter-parliamentary Conference hosted by the Lithuanian Presidency in Vilnius on the 6th September 2013. At the conference, he stated that if European countries are to have access to the full spectrum of capabilities and forces they require for crisis...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (6 Nov 2013)

Alan Shatter: Since I accepted the Report on the Value for Money Review of the Reserve Defence Force (RDF) which identified the need for reform I have not received a request for a meeting with the Reserve Defence Forces Representative Association (RDFRA). Should such a request be received I would, of course, give it due consideration. The major re-organisation of the RDF currently underway is being...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (6 Nov 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17, 23 and 29 together. I addressed the question of Defence Forces participation in the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) on the Golan Heights in Syria, in answering the priority PQ earlier. The Irish 43rd Infantry Company currently serving with UNDOF deployed to the mission area on 28 September 2013 and achieved full operational...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Emergency Planning (6 Nov 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Government Task Force on Emergency Planning, which I chair, includes senior officials of Government Departments, senior officers of An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces and officials of other key public authorities, which have a lead or support role in Government emergency planning. The Task Force meets on a regular basis. So far this year there have been four meetings of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Expenditure (6 Nov 2013)

Alan Shatter: During the period 9 to 15 March 2013, I visited Lebanon and Israel in a comprehensive St Patrick’s Day programme in the Middle East. My main purpose in travelling to Lebanon was to visit the Irish troops serving as part of a joint Irish/Finnish battalion with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). I was accompanied on this trip by the Chief of Staff, three officials...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Family Clinics (6 Nov 2013)

Alan Shatter: A full analysis of the service provided at the Curragh Families Clinic was undertaken prior to the decision being taken to discontinue the services being provided. The analysis concluded that the service provided by the Curragh Families Clinic is an anomaly in that it is a benefit which is only available to a relatively small number of families of enlisted personnel resident within the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Remuneration (6 Nov 2013)

Alan Shatter: Rates of remuneration and conditions of employment in each part of the Irish public sector have traditionally been set by reference to levels of pay available in related public sector employments. In this regard, the level of remuneration in the Defence sector has maintained relativity with the levels available in other related public sector employments. I fully appreciate that many of our...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (6 Nov 2013)

Alan Shatter: The statutory authority for the despatch of contingents of the Permanent Defence Force for service overseas as part of an International Force, is set out in Section 2 of the Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1960, as amended by the Defence (Amendment) Act 2006. This provision is commonly referred to as the "triple lock" and comprises three requirements namely: - the authorisation of the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (6 Nov 2013)

Alan Shatter: As of 1 November 2013, Ireland is contributing approximately 560 Defence Forces personnel to 14 different missions throughout the world. Full details of all personnel currently serving overseas are listed in the tabular statement below. The main overseas missions in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with 356...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service Vessels (6 Nov 2013)

Alan Shatter: A vessel replacement strategy for the Naval Service is currently in progress. In that regard, a contract was signed in October 2010, with Babcock Marine, part of the Babcock International Group, in the United Kingdom for the provision of two new offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) for the Naval Service. The cost of the two new ships is €108m, exclusive of VAT. In addition, the cost of...