Results 4,961-4,980 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Development of Cork Prison: Motion (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I move:That Dáil Éireann: noting: -- that the Minister for Justice and Equality, having considered the need for a new prison in the Cork area, has decided to proceed with the development of a prison on a portion of the site used as Cork Prison, in the townland of Rathmore and city of Cork; -- that the Minister for Justice and Equality has caused the documents specified in section...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Representation (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: It is very important, when there are discussions relating to terms and conditions of employment, such as occurred recently and which led to the Haddington Road agreement, that the representative bodies, be they from the Defence Forces side or the Garda side, feel they can be fully engaged. The parallel process that took place facilitated that. However, I have stated I am happy to look at...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Representation (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: -----to figure out whether this is a new Fianna Fáil policy, or some sort of revised policy for Opposition that will be buried should that party ever find itself, in some distant future, back in government again.

Other Questions: Defence Forces Representation (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I have no idea how serious the Deputy is in dealing with the issue.

Other Questions: Defence Forces Representation (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I will conclude on this for Deputy Broughan. It is important to note the first objective of the ICTU constitution is: "to uphold the democratic character and structure of the trade union movement, to maintain the right and freedom of association, the right of workers to organise and negotiate" - all of which are of great importance - "and all such rights as are necessary to the performance...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Representation (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: We are moving with great speed today. I believe this is the first time we have got through this number of questions.

Other Questions: Defence Forces Personnel Official Visits (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lieutenant General Seán McCann, paid an official visit to Lithuania during the period 28 May to 1 June 2013. His visit was conducted in the context of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union as part of the 18 month Trio programme of Ireland, Lithuania and Greece. The visit afforded the Chief of Staff the opportunity to...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Personnel Official Visits (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: This is part of the Deputy's party's daily hang-up. We have dealt with it at great length before. Since 1999, Ireland has been part of Partnership for Peace, together with other neutral states in Europe. This body plays a hugely important role in UN peacekeeping and humanitarian missions, something we have in common with Lithuania. The Lithuanian Minister, whom I know, is looking forward...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Representation (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy may be aware that PDFORRA requested on a number of occasions - in 2002, 2009 and 2012 - to become either affiliated to or to take up associate membership of ICTU. These requests from PDFORRA raised significant challenges requiring mature consideration. Ireland has always been at the forefront in Europe in accepting defence forces into industrial relations mechanisms. The system...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Recognition (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: Other than the service medal, and the service medal for the Reserve Defence Force, other medals are awarded to members of the Defence Forces. I do not know whether the Deputy is aware of this. Military medals are bestowed in recognition of specific acts or service which can vary in significance from routine duty to bravery and valour. The following medals have been awarded to personnel who...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The total number of personnel who left the Permanent Defence Force in the period 2010 to 2012 is 2,066, broken down as follows: 534 personnel left in 2010, of which 53 were officers; 729 personnel left in 2011, of which 72 were officers; and 803 personnel left in 2012, of which 70 were officers. The total number of personnel who left the Reserve Defence Force in the period 2010 to 2012 is...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Representation (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The position is that under the terms of the Defence (Amendment) Act 1990 the Defence Forces representative associations are prohibited from being associated with or affiliated to any trade unions, or any other body without the consent of the Minister. Accordingly, the representative association PDFORRA cannot be affiliated to ICTU at present. A similar arrangement applies to the Garda...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Recognition (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: There are currently two medals that mark the service of personnel with either the Permanent Defence Force or the Reserve Defence Force. The medal known as the "Service Medal” may be awarded to an officer, non-commissioned officer or private of the Permanent Defence Force or a member of the Army nursing or chaplaincy services who possesses the qualifying criteria for the award. In...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Operations (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The primary responsibility for the maintenance of law and order rests with An Garda Síochána. The Defence Forces, pursuant to the role of rendering aid to the civil power, assist An Garda Síochána when requested. The explosive ordnance disposal, EOD, teams respond when a request is made by An Garda Síochána for assistance in dealing with a suspect device or for...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Operations (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: To take the Deputy's last question first, there are a number of sites on the web providing substantial detail on how to make bombs. It is a continuing and difficult issue and I can see it from both sides in my role as Minister for Justice and Equality and dealing with counter-terrorism. One cannot police every website in the world and information is currently readily available. It is an...

Other Questions: EU Presidency Priorities (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: Since the coming into force of the Lisbon treaty, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Baroness Catherine Ashton, conducts the Union's common foreign and security policy assisted by the European External Action Service. The EU's common security and defence policy forms an integral part of the Union's common foreign and security policy. In the area of common...

Other Questions: EU Presidency Priorities (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: In the context of EU-UN relations, one of the issues on which we wanted to focus particularly is the need for EU states to provide greater participation in UN missions and to ensure there are the necessary resources across the European Union to facilitate appropriate missions being undertaken, and that resources are used wisely and acquired in co-operation. One of the issues with regard to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Military Neutrality (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy should be reasonably clear by now that the answer is "yes". I become concerned when neutrality is used as a flag to suggest we should not engage in peacekeeping, or that we should be neutral when it comes to terrorism and people being blown apart. I will never be neutral about that. Neutrality can be a convenient flag on occasions to avoid making moral judgments that should be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Military Neutrality (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I agreed to an interview with NATO Review on 21 March this year. The question I was asked regarding Ireland's neutrality was how important it is for a militarily neutral country like Ireland to be in partnership with an organisation like NATO. In response to this question I referred to the fact that although we are a neutral country, our traditional stance on neutrality bears no relevance...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Military Neutrality (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I am very proud of the dynamic role we are playing in peacekeeping operations over the world and in our engagement with partners in the European Union. I recognise the importance of us being members of Partnership for Peace and I do not have a problem of any description with our military neutrality, but I will reiterate and repeat every time anyone asks me that I am not neutral when it comes...