Results 16,441-16,460 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Green Paper on Defence (10 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Green Paper on Defence, which was published earlier this year, initiated a public consultative process which will inform the development of the next White Paper on Defence. The response to the request for submissions has been very positive. 122 submissions were received from a wide and diverse range of sources. As part of the consultative process, a number of people who made written...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Family Clinics (10 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Curragh Families Clinic currently provides free GP and pharmacy services to the families of certain enlisted military personnel who are resident within the Curragh camp and surrounding areas. The services provided by the Clinic are being discontinued with effect from 31 December 2013. The service dates back to a time where the provision of medical services for all families of enlisted...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Charities Regulation (10 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: The table below outlines the amounts paid by my Department to registered charities in 2013: Organisation/Body Organisation/Body Organisation/Body Organisation of National ex-Servicemen and Women (ONE) Irish United Nations Veterans Association (IUNVA) The Irish Red Cross Society € 40,000 € 10,000 € 739,000 Both the Organisation of National ex-Servicemen and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Equipment (11 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: In recent years the defence budget, in tandem with all other areas of the public service, has had to bear its share of cuts. However, the Government’s agreement in 2012 to my recommendation to stabilise the strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel, together with the reorganisation and other reforms, has facilitated the retention of key capability. All elements of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Equipment (11 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: Regarding equipment, it was the policy of the previous Government and the current Government, in the context of the current financial difficulties, that substantial portions of the funding raised from the sale of barracks and other properties held by the Defence Forces were to be utilised in the provision of resources and equipment to the Defence Forces. The Defence Forces' resources and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Equipment (11 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy knows the answer to the question. If any issue arises about which I need to engage with RACO, I am available to engage with the organisation. I have met them on various occasions. On this occasion, the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, attended the conference because it coincided, as the Deputy will be aware, with the publication of the Smithwick report and it was necessary for me...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Equipment (11 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: A small number of members of the Defence Forces feel life has been made a little more difficult for them by the reorganisation but it has also made life easier for a considerable number of members in the context of where they are now located. To conclude-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Equipment (11 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: The relevant authorities within the Defence Forces are doing everything they can to facilitate members arising out of the reorganisation.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: White Paper on Defence (11 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: This is an issue the Deputy returns to obsessively. The Green Paper on Defence, which was published earlier this year, initiated a broad consultative process, as the Deputy will be aware, that will inform the development of the next White Paper on Defence. One of the questions posed in the Green Paper was: "How can our policy of military neutrality be dovetailed with increasing requirements...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: White Paper on Defence (11 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: I welcome the fact that the Deputy's party, Fianna Fáil and others contributed to the Green Paper process by making a submission. I was interested in Sinn Féin's submission in the context of the issue the Deputy has raised. It states, "The Green Paper on Defence states that military neutrality is a policy which was formed in the context of interstate armed conflict". We are...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: White Paper on Defence (11 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: Sinn Féin in its submission referred to "the need for a human security-based approach", which seems to simply be that if we feed the world, there will be no terrorism.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: White Paper on Defence (11 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: I wanted to assure the Deputy that I had read his submission.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: White Paper on Defence (11 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: I am somewhat puzzled as to what military alliances the Deputy thinks we are engaged in. We are a party to the European Common Security and Defence Policy. That is of importance to this State, as it is to the rest of Europe. If there are issues relating to cybersecurity or terrorism, we have an interest in this State in ensuring difficulties do not arise and in co-operating with other...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Properties (11 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: In February 1997 the then Minister for Defence set out policy on married quarters on the basis that they were largely an anachronism and that they should be discontinued in a managed and orderly way. Since then my Department has discontinued the practice of providing such accommodation. In addition, given the age of the housing stock, it has been found that over time the properties require...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Properties (11 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: As is the Deputy's usual presentation, she is creating a drama and exaggerating the extent of any difficulties. There are currently 29 married quarters being occupied by overholders in the Curragh camp, with a further 14 overholders in the Dublin area. The duration of overholding - or individuals retaining possession of properties they should not retain, as opposed to the many former...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Properties (11 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: As the Deputy should know, the authorities within the defence family have sought to deal with people in an appropriate way in the context of the legal obligations which those individuals have. Is the Deputy suggesting that people who cease being members of the Defence Forces should not comply with legal obligations and vacate a property. It was known that these properties would not be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (11 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 does not apply to Defence Forces personnel when they are on active service. Nevertheless, I am informed by the military authorities that risk assessments are carried out for all mission areas. These risk assessments are intended to identify all hazards that might exist in a mission area, including health risks. Suitable control measures are...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (11 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: In the context of the issue raised by the Deputy I want to be absolutely clear. The Defence Forces follow best international practice in prescribing lariam. Personnel are screened for illness and medical suitability for service overseas. This automatically rules out from overseas service personnel with certain conditions, for example, depression, anxiety, pregnancy and neurodegenerative...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (11 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: The only matter the Deputy knows is legally privileged is the report obtained with regard to lariam in the context of litigation pending before the courts taken against the Department of Defence. My recollection is much of the litigation arises from a time when the Deputy's party was in government and the members of the Defence Forces were serving at that time. It was the Deputy's colleague...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Equipment (11 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Defence Forces currently operate an unmanned aerial vehicle system, commonly referred to as UAVs or drones. These UAVs, are, in effect, an information gathering asset which have no offensive capability. They do not carry weapons. We do not have any drones which carry weapons in the context of the Defence Forces. Following a tender competition, an order for two man portable mini...