Results 1,621-1,640 of 12,630 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (20 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I have previously indicated my willingness to make the facilities at St. Bricin's Military Hospital available to the public health service, in the event that the public health service would wish to secure access to these facilities. Representatives from the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Department of Health and Children visited St. Bricin's Hospital in 2005 to inspect the facilities....

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (20 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: Castlebar Military Barracks is primarily a Reserve Defence Force Facility and provides training facilities, office accommodation and storage facilities for Permanent Defence Force Cadre and Unit personnel of Units stationed in the Barracks. I have no plans to change this position. The accommodation currently available in Castlebar Military Barracks is not of the standard required for the...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (21 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: Ireland has been strongly supportive of the peace process in Sudan, generally, and also in the troubled region of Darfur, providing financial support to the UN-authorised African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) there, as well as seconding an army officer, as a military observer, to it between July 2004 and June 2005. Since July 2005, Ireland has provided one officer — a Logistics Planner —...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (21 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: MONUC is the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and was established in February 2000 by Resolution 1291 of the United Nations Security Council. It is headquartered in Kinshasa and consists of about 16,000 troops. Ireland contributes three military observers to the mission. Elections are due to take place in DRC under UN supervision in July 2006. In December 2005, the UN...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (21 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: Ireland has participated in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan since 5 July, 2002, following Government Decision S140/45/28/0002 of 2 July, 2002 authorising the provision of seven members of the Permanent Defence Force for service with the force. The level of threat to Defence Forces personnel on all Peace Support Operations is kept under constant review and the...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (21 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: Seven Irish Defence Forces personnel are currently serving with the UN authorised International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. All personnel are stationed in the Kabul area. Three (3) personnel are employed at ISAF HQ while the remaining four (4) personnel are working with the Kabul Multinational Brigade (KMNB). The three (3) personnel at ISAF HQ hold staff appointments in...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (21 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I am pleased to say that I have recently received from the military authorities their report on the minimum height standards for Defence Forces personnel. This report was prepared in the context of encouraging more women to apply to join the Defence Forces. The report deals comprehensively with the complex issues relating to this matter and as such requires careful consideration. I will be...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (21 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The question of the recruitment of ethnic minorities is not a new one, Defence Force Regulations have always allowed for the recruitment of ethnic minorities to the Defence Forces. 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...

Defence Forces Recruitment. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I have recently received the military authorities' report, which I commissioned, on the minimum height standards for Defence Forces personnel. It was prepared in the context of encouraging more women to apply to join the Defence Forces and deals comprehensively with the complex issues relating to this matter. As such, it requires careful consideration. In the light of this report, I will...

Defence Forces Recruitment. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: While it may be correct for Deputy Timmins to state that the report was completed several weeks ago, I have only seen it in recent days. I have been busy doing other things and it may be that other people were also busy and did not hand it to me. I am engaged in consultations in this regard and can assure the Deputy that a decision will be made very quickly. I must resolve a number of...

Defence Forces Recruitment. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: It is true that some armies, including the United States army, have significantly lower height requirements for entry than the Irish Army. However, the difference is that armies such as the United States army and the British army have a number of different divisions which are permitted to perform different tasks. Women do not have access to all activities whereas, uniquely, in the Irish Army,...

Overseas Missions. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The statutory authority for the dispatch of contingents of the Permanent Defence Force for service overseas is provided for in the Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1960 and the Defence (Amendment) Act 1993. The Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1960, as amended by the Defence (Amendment) Act 1993, authorises, subject to the prior approval of Dáil Éireann, the dispatch of a contingent of the...

Overseas Missions. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I will be glad to.

Overseas Missions. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I do not in any way suggest that Deputy Costello is opposed to the Irish presence in Kosovo. I did not mean to imply that at any time. Before we deploy troops abroad following a United Nations resolution, we take the advice of the Attorney General on whether, as the Defence Act 1960 as amended in 1993 stands, we are entitled under the wording of the resolution to deploy troops abroad. The...

Overseas Missions. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The Attorney General defined it as including "authorised".

Overseas Missions. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: He defined it as extending to "authorised", but not extending to "support", "endorsed" or "calls upon". That is why I included that terminology in the new Bill. We will discuss that later. If I can obtain the Attorney General's detailed legal advice I do not see any difficulty in publishing it. I will return to the Deputy on that matter.

Overseas Missions. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: No.

Overseas Missions. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The short answer is the legislation does not apply to them. It will only come into play from when the President signs it. I am satisfied they are abroad legally. The advice of the Attorney General on that matter is crystal clear. If I can procure that advice I will be glad to communicate it to Deputy Costello.

Overseas Missions. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: Between mid-1997 and January 2003, a Defence Forces military police contingent of approximately 50 personnel served in the NATO-led Stabilisation Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina, following Dáil Éireann approval in July 1997. The force is known as SFOR. The Irish contingent formed part of the international military police company at SFOR headquarters in Sarajevo. The military police...

Overseas Missions. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The protocol is simply that the Irish troops would not countenance any such activity. Our troops regard such activity as beyond the pale. As to whether they should have been aware of what may have happened, a number of investigations are taking place at present. An investigation by the European Parliament will be discussed on 5 July and voted on the following day. The Council of Europe is...