Results 18,361-18,380 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Equipment (25 Mar 2014)

Alan Shatter: I am satisfied that the level of equipment currently available to the Defence Forces enables them to carry out their roles, both at home and overseas. The acquisition of new equipment for the Army, Air Corps and the Naval Service is a matter that is kept under constant review at a senior level in my Department and in the Defence Forces, through joint participation in the High Level Planning...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Army Barracks Closures (25 Mar 2014)

Alan Shatter: My 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 portion of Longford - have been sold. In relation to the remaining barracks...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel Data (25 Mar 2014)

Alan Shatter: The table contains the strength of women in the Permanent Defence Force, broken down into Army, Air Corps and Naval Service for each of the years 2009 to 2013. The Government is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for men and women throughout the Defence Forces and to the full participation by women in all aspects of Defence Forces activities. Unlike many other national armed forces,...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Meetings (25 Mar 2014)

Alan Shatter: My Department has not received any requests from, nor have any meetings been held with Philantrophy Ireland, since 2011.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (25 Mar 2014)

Alan Shatter: The United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) was established on 31 May 1974 under UN Security Council Resolution 350 in order to maintain the ceasefire between Israel and Syria. By its latest resolution 2131 of 18 December 2013, the Security Council stressed the obligation of both Israel and the Syrian Arab Republic to scrupulously observe the 1974 Disengagement of Forces...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Operations (25 Mar 2014)

Alan Shatter: Primary responsibility for the maintenance of law and order rests with An Garda Síochána. The Defence Forces, pursuant to their role of rendering Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP), assist An Garda Síochána when requested to do so. The Defence Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Teams respond when a request is made by An Garda Síochána for assistance. All EOD...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Operations (25 Mar 2014)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 832 and 835 together. Primary responsibility for security matters rests with An Garda Síochána. However, one of the roles assigned to the Defence Forces in the White Paper on Defence (2000) is to provide Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP) which, in practice, means to assist An Garda Síochána when requested to do so. The Defence Forces,...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Retirement Scheme (25 Mar 2014)

Alan Shatter: The unsatisfactory age and fitness profile of the Permanent Defence Force was an issue of serious concern during the 1990s and was the subject of severe criticism by a series of external reports, mainly Price Waterhouse Consultants and the Efficiency Audit Group (EAG). One of the key areas identified for urgent action by the EAG was the development of a manpower policy with an emphasis on...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ministerial Staff (25 Mar 2014)

Alan Shatter: There are no civil servants engaged in constituency work on my behalf in the Department of Defence.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service Vessels (25 Mar 2014)

Alan Shatter: The Naval Service conducts routine maritime surveillance patrols on a daily basis throughout Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The primary day-to-day tasking of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with the State’s fishery protection legislation and our obligations as a member of the European Union. A strategy for the replacement of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Strength (25 Mar 2014)

Alan Shatter: The strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 31 January 2014, the latest date for which figures are available, was 9,198, broken down into 7,403 Army, 775 Air Corps and 1,020 Naval Service. 556 (or 6.05%) are women. The tables contain the above mentioned strength, broken down into Army, Naval Service and Air Corps by gender and rank groupings. The Reserve Defence Force is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps Strength (25 Mar 2014)

Alan Shatter: I am advised by the Military Authorities that there are 88 pilots currently serving in the Air Corps. Of that total there is 1 female pilot.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Programme for Government Implementation (25 Mar 2014)

Alan Shatter: The commitments in the Programme for Government relating to Defence and the progress that has been made are set out in the table. Commitment Status The implementation of the Defence Forces Medical Services Review as resources allow. In line with the recommendations of the Defence Forces Medical Service Review, the Central Medical Unit was formally established in 2012. Options for...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Semi-State Bodies Remuneration (25 Mar 2014)

Alan Shatter: There are no commercial State bodies under the aegis of my Department.

Matters relating to An Garda Síochána: Statements (26 Mar 2014)

Alan Shatter: I will again start by paying tribute to Mr. Martin Callinan on his retirement as Commissioner of An Garda Síochána, in which he had a long and distinguished service. He dedicated his career to the fight against crime and has a record of which he can justly be proud. I express my sincere thanks to him for his commitment and service to the State. In its statement yesterday the...

Matters relating to An Garda Síochána: Statements (26 Mar 2014)

Alan Shatter: -----followed by the usual dosage of contrived outrage, something we see again this morning. The simple truth is GSOC did not furnish the report mentioned to me and I am advised that it did not furnish it to my departmental officials nor bring it to the Department's attention. GSOC, no doubt, can confirm this. Because of the background to the GSOC report, GSOC had no obligation under the...

Matters relating to An Garda Síochána: Statements (26 Mar 2014)

Alan Shatter: These are the facts as I have been informed of them, but of course there are many questions which need to be answered. That is why the Government has decided that it is necessary to establish the facts and has announced that there will be a statutory inquiry. It is absolutely right that all these matters should be independently examined and I will not hesitate to seek further inquiries into...

Matters relating to An Garda Síochána: Statements (26 Mar 2014)

Alan Shatter: It would be refreshing if, for once, Members opposite could restrain themselves from engaging in the usual party political point scoring and deal with the substance of issues.

Matters relating to An Garda Síochána: Statements (26 Mar 2014)

Alan Shatter: We are dealing here with a system of recording phone calls into and out of some Garda stations over a period of up to 30 years. As with other matters under investigation, these are issues which far predate my tenure as Minister for Justice and Equality. This issue, like others, is one that existed throughout the lifetime of the previous Government and, indeed, we now know the recording...

Matters relating to An Garda Síochána: Statements (26 Mar 2014)

Alan Shatter: As well as announcing yesterday a statutory inquiry into these matters the Government also announced that it will establish an independent Garda authority, while maintaining appropriate democratic accountability to the Oireachtas. This will be a hugely significant development in the governance and oversight of the Garda Síochána, a development previously rejected by the main party...