Results 4,781-4,800 of 17,012 for speaker:Paul Kehoe

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Advertising Data (18 Dec 2019)

Paul Kehoe: My Department did not incur any advertising expenditure in relation to Brexit for the period in question.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Personal Injury Claims (18 Dec 2019)

Paul Kehoe: The State Claims Agency (SCA) manages personal injury claims on behalf of the Minister for Defence.  In respect of personal injuries, details of the number of claims and associated costs are set out in the Department’s Annual Reports which can be accessed at www.defence.ie. Note that the Annual Report for 2019 will be published in 2020. With regard to a specific breakdown...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Expenditure (18 Dec 2019)

Paul Kehoe: Expenditure by my Department is mainly on pay and allowances, operational costs and capital investment across the Defence Forces. Capital expenditure on projects in Counties Meath and Louth by my Department, in the period in question, was limited to expenditure on the maintenance and upgrade of military installations. The capital expenditure on projects in County Meath and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: White Paper on Defence (18 Dec 2019)

Paul Kehoe: The White Paper on Defence sets the defence policy agenda over a ten year planning horizon and covers all aspects of defence within overall security policy. The White Paper on Defence – Update 2019, which I published last week following Government approval, is the first in a new fixed cycle of defence reviews which the Government decided to introduce when it approved the White Paper in...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel (18 Dec 2019)

Paul Kehoe: The Working Time Directive has been transposed into national legislation by way of the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997 and the Defence Forces are currently excluded from the provisions the Act. The Government has however committed to amending this Act and bringing the Defence Forces and An Gárda Síochana within the scope of its provisions. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (18 Dec 2019)

Paul Kehoe: 166. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of progress on a building project (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53575/19]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Partnership for Peace (17 Dec 2019)

Paul Kehoe: Ireland's relations with NATO are set within the framework of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council and Partnership for Peace. The primary aim of Ireland's Partnership for Peace participation is to enhance the Defence Forces' interoperability with other professional military forces for the purpose of engaging in UN-authorised peacekeeping and peace-support operations led by the UN, EU or...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Partnership for Peace (17 Dec 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I have stated on numerous occasions that I defend our traditional policy on military neutrality, even when it comes to Partnership for Peace, in which I am a very strong believer. I mean no disrespect to anyone in this House in saying that I have had the opportunity to go overseas to visit our troops, be they in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon or in the Golan Heights. I see...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (17 Dec 2019)

Paul Kehoe: In recent months, I got an extra €20 million for the Defence Forces for pay and allowances, as recommended by the recent Public Service Pay Commission under the public service stability agreement. We are also looking at other retention matters. I agree with Deputy Moynihan that this is not all down to euro. We must provide a work-life balance for members of the Defence Forces and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (17 Dec 2019)

Paul Kehoe: The amount returned between 2014 and 2018 was €4.5 million out of a total budget of €4.5 billion. Any savings made on pay are not handed back to the Exchequer. In fact, they are reinvested in the organisation for the benefit of all members. Deputy Moynihan understands the public service stability agreement. When his party signed up to the confidence and supply arrangement,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (17 Dec 2019)

Paul Kehoe: That is one of the reasons the Defence Forces were prioritised by the Government and the Public Service Pay Commission was asked to examine the key challenges we face in the Defence Forces. I am not saying we do not have challenges. I accept that we have significant challenges and these were addressed in the recommendations of the Public Service Pay Commission. I am delighted that both...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (17 Dec 2019)

Paul Kehoe: Following six months of training, a young person who joins the Defence Forces receives in excess of €28,000, plus whatever allowances he or she is entitled to. I accept that Defence Forces personnel work for their allowances. One of the issues I addressed in recent years was to give people more opportunities to go overseas. That was an important issue to address in the context of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Resources (17 Dec 2019)

Paul Kehoe: The document addresses the threat of mines and improvised explosive devices which may close ports and sea lanes and demand the protection of privately-owned cables. A key thrust of the argument is the need for the protection zones around cables. These cables are the responsibility of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. We have a responsibility in that area as...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Resources (17 Dec 2019)

Paul Kehoe: We have to look at the challenges of the situation post Brexit. One issue is the possibility of a hard border. Thankfully, it appears that the latter will not come to pass. That is good news. We have to look at these situations and the challenges we are facing.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Resources (17 Dec 2019)

Paul Kehoe: Deputy Jack Chambers always shifts the discussion. Different Departments have different responsibilities. The Deputy should be able to understand that. The security of the State is the responsibility of An Garda Síochána. Cyber risks are the remit of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. These cables are a major concern. This document in question...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (17 Dec 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 61, 67 and 82 together. Similar to other sectors in the public service, the pay of PDF personnel was reduced as one of the measures to assist in stabilising national finances during the financial crisis. Improvements within the economy have provided an opportunity for the unwinding of the financial emergency measures in the public interest, FEMPI,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (17 Dec 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I do not accept any of the Deputy's comments. As part of the terms of reference of the review of the conciliation and arbitration scheme, I asked the chairman of the review, Mr. Barry, to look at ICTU affiliation for members of the Defence Forces. That arose from a decision in a EUROMIL case. It is incorrect of the Deputy to say I have been ignoring this issue. If she had read a little...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (17 Dec 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I acknowledge we have major challenges in the future. To return to the issue the Deputy raised about ICTU affiliation, I noted during a debate on a Private Members' motion tabled by Deputy Jack Chambers of Fianna Fáil that all Opposition Deputies supported membership of ICTU. The motion was supported by all Members of the House at the time. As the Minister of State with responsibility...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Resources (17 Dec 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 60 and 62 together.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Resources (17 Dec 2019)

Paul Kehoe: My priority as Minister with responsibility for defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Defence Forces is maintained to the greatest extent possible to enable the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service to carry out their roles as assigned by Government. The resources available to the Defence Forces to carry out their operational commitments are kept under constant review and...