Results 2,461-2,480 of 49,960 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: The establishment versus the strength of the Army Reserve (AR) and Naval Service Reserve (NSR) as of 30 June 2024: - AR NSR Total Establishment 3869 200 4069 Strength 1423 96 1519 The number which applied and the numbers inducted in the years 2019 to date: Year AR Applications NSR Applications Total AR Inductions NSR Inductions Total 2024 861 118 979...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: The military authorities advise that, as at 30 June 2024, the strength of the Permanent Defence Forces stood at 7,399 personnel. The agreed establishment strength was recently increased by 100 to 9,600 to account for the first cohort of Commission on the Defence Forces (CODF) appointments. The tables below, provided by the military authorities, details the number of applications (Table 1)...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service (23 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Naval Service is the State's principal sea-going agency and is tasked with a variety of defence and other roles. The primary day-to-day tasking of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with the State's obligations as a member of the European Union. These patrols are carried out on a regular and frequent basis and are directed to all areas of Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (23 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: There are a number of significant capital projects that are currently on the Infrastructure Development Plan for progression across all the military installations in the Country. The information sought by the Deputy in relation to Casement Aerodrome is set out as follows: Projects Listed on the IDP (design/planning) Estimated Cost incl. VAT Anticipated Completion Year New Gym...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (23 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service is maintained and developed. This is to enable the Defence Forces to carry out the roles assigned by Government. Equipment priorities (including replacement capabilities as they near end of life) for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service are considered in the context of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service (23 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service is maintained and developed. This is to enable the Defence Forces to carry out the roles assigned by Government. Equipment priorities (including replacement capabilities as they near end of life) for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service are considered in the context of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service (23 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: I am informed by the military authorities that the number of Naval Service personnel sent to the US for specialist Naval Service training during the requested period is as follows: Year Number 2023 1 2024 to date 0

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (23 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: It has not been possible to collate the requested data in the time allocated for PQs. I will revert to the Deputy when I receive the material.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 148 and 149 together. Since the events of 14th December 2022, in which Private Seán Rooney was killed and a number of his colleagues from the 121st Battalion were injured, I have consistently expressed both my and the Government's determination that all of the facts and circumstances of the incident are fully established and that no stone is left unturned...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: Over the last number of years members of the Defence Forces have benefitted from a range of pay increases associated with national pay agreements. In addition to these pay increases, members of the Defence Forces have further benefitted from specific recommendations arising from the Report of Commission on the Defence Forces (CoDF), which was established by Government in December 2020. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy is aware, in July 2022, Government approved the move to ‘Level of Ambition 2’ (LOA2), as set out in the capability framework devised by the Commission on the Defence Forces. This provides for a rise in the Defence budget to €1.5 billion, in 2022 prices, by 2028, as part of annual Estimates processes. One of the recommendations from the report, was that...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy is aware from my previous replies on this matter, the Government has decided that the site at Columb Barracks, Mullingar will transfer to the LDA. My Department has completed all the pre-contract paperwork to facilitate the transfer of the site as soon as the LDA is ready to accept the site.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: As Minister for Defence, I am deeply committed to the transformation of the Defence Forces into a modern fit for purpose organisation to defend the State and meet the challenges of today and the future. The Commission on the Defence Forces was established on foot of a commitment in the Programme for Government, and its report was published on the 9th of February 2022. The Commission...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 154 and 155 together. As of 30 June 2024, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force stood at 7,399 personnel and 213 personnel had been inducted. Induction numbers fluctuate from year to year. The military authorities initially projected an induction figure of 540 for 2024. I believe that the Defence Forces' recruitment target needs to be more ambitious. On...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: As Minister, I am deeply committed to the transformation of the Defence Forces into a modern fit for purpose organisation to defend the State and meet the challenges of today and the future. The Commission on the Defence Forces was established on foot of a commitment in the Programme for Government, and its report was published on the 9th of February 2022. There were 69 main recommendations...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy will be aware the provision of housing is a matter in the first instance for my colleague the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and my Department assists in any way it can in support of such applications for housing assistance, when requested to do so. The Deputy may also be aware that it is a long-standing policy that long term residential accommodation is no...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ministerial Responsibilities (23 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: Jennifer Carroll MacNeill T.D. is the Minister of State in the Department of Defence. She is also Minister of State for European Affairs and was appointed by the Taoiseach to these separate roles on 9thApril 2024. No formal functions of the Minister for Defence have been delegated to the Minister of State and full responsibility for Defence policies, the Department of Defence, and the Defence...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: I will engage with the Minister for Education in respect of the Delvin situation which the Deputy mentioned and also more broadly on introducing the practical measures contained in the school transport review as effectively as possible within the funding framework. It is the largest review of the school transport scheme since it was established in 1967. About 135,000 children are now...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: I do believe there is a very serious issue here in relation to children’s access to therapy. There are recruitment issues within the HSE but in my view we must look at other mechanisms and initiatives to deal with this. We are dealing with this at Cabinet subcommittee level at the moment and will be pursuing alternative approaches. However, that length of time is not acceptable.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for her help and co-operation and all of the ushers in the Dáil as well for all their support, and the staff in general.