Results 22,621-22,640 of 26,256 for speaker:Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Commemorative Events (3 Feb 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 658. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will designate a specific day, for example the second Sunday of May, in each year as the national Famine commemoration day; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4595/15]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: State Properties (29 Jan 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 66. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the Office of Public Works owns the premises in Newbridge, County Kildare from which social protection services are currently delivered; his Department's proposals for future use; if his Department will make the building available to the local authorities or the local community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4208/15]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: State Properties (29 Jan 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 67. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department or the Department of Social Protection owns the premises in Newbridge, County Kildare from which social protection services are currently delivered; his Department's proposals for future use; if his Department will make the building available to the local authorities or the local community; and if he will make a...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Department of Defence (Revised) (28 Jan 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I concur with the Deputy and I am grateful to the Minister for briefing us on this occasion. More than anything, it will put the minds of family members across the country at ease. We extend our sympathy to the family of the member of the Spanish defence forces who lost his life. The Minister will be keeping the situation under review and we would appreciate it if he continued to brief us,...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Department of Defence (Revised) (28 Jan 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: We are all conscious of the pressures in various Departments because of staffing constraints. I am thinking, in particular, of the difficulties in the Department of Social Protection, for example. In the Defence Forces there are 9,500 personnel. On staffing, it strikes me as being considerable that in the Department of Defence there are 352 full-time equivalents. How does this figure...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Department of Defence (Revised) (28 Jan 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: One of the most critical issues facing Defence Forces personnel is the 21 year contract. Should this matter be resolved in a manner that allows people who have 21 years-----

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Department of Defence (Revised) (28 Jan 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I was looking at the wrong subhead.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Department of Defence (Revised) (28 Jan 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: Should the issue of the 21-year contract be resolved in such a manner as to allow a significant number of able bodied personnel to continue to serve beyond 21 years? Would such an outcome have a significant impact on the figures before us, given that persons who have accrued 21 years service would be at a considerably higher level on the payscale than persons joining the Defence Forces?

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Department of Defence (Revised) (28 Jan 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: The continued underspend in this area underlines in a practical way the difficulties that have faced the Reserve Defence Force in recent times. While the Minister's recent statements have convinced me of his commitment to the Reserve, definitive action must be taken to consolidate the position of the Reserve Defence Force. The expenditure provided for this year may be more realistic than...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Department of Defence (Revised) (28 Jan 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I am concerned that a fairly significant decrease in expenditure is proposed here of about 20%. Over the past decade or so there was very significant investment in equipment such as the Mowags, which are invaluable to our peacekeepers abroad. What is the lifespan of such heavy equipment? At what stage do we need to consider replacing them? I am also conscious when we look at this-----

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Department of Defence (Revised) (28 Jan 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I am conscious that our overall expenditure on defence is very small - both in percentage terms and relative to what our European partners spend. I take the Minister's point about different demand from time to time.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Department of Defence (Revised) (28 Jan 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I appreciate that but nonetheless there is a 20% cut against a background of a very low level of overall expenditure. I am very conscious of this as I come from County Kildare, where the military are of particular significance. There is concern that arising from the Minister's recent negotiations with the British Government there was a suggestion that the Irish Defence Forces would be...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Department of Defence (Revised) (28 Jan 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: There might not be from the Minister but there were certainly media reports to that effect. If it is not happening, we would be very pleased to hear it.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Public Works Properties (28 Jan 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 54. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he wil provide in tabular form the number and percentage of the property portfolio which falls under the heading of heritage buildings; the overall budget allocation to these buildings out of the total Office of Public Works property budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4002/15]

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Cultural Policy (28 Jan 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 143. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department is currently working on a national cultural policy; the process for drafting this policy; when this policy will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3995/15]

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Concert Hall (28 Jan 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 144. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the current relationship between the Lincoln Centre and the National Concert Hall; the total budget spent by the National Concert Hall from 2011 to date in 2015; the money accrued from that relationship to the National Concert Hall from 2011 to date in 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3996/15]

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Concert Hall (28 Jan 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 145. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her attention has been drawn to the conflicting legal advice received by the board of the National Concert Hall with regard to its relationship with the Lincoln Centre and the NCH's fundraising activities; the reason the Attorney General was asked to advise the NCH Board; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3997/15]

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Concert Hall (28 Jan 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 146. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if reports have been carried out on the future of the National Concert Hall between 2011 and 2015; if all these reports are public; her views on the recommendation of the reports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3998/15]

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Concert Hall (28 Jan 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 148. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she is satisfied with the current governance of the National Concert Hall; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4000/15]

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Concert Hall (28 Jan 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 147. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reasons five board members of the National Concert Hall resigned in April 2014; if she has been in contact with these former board members since their resignation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3999/15]