Results 4,981-5,000 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Charities Regulation (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: In the context of the treasurer, his resignation is a matter for the society itself. I understand the society hopes to be in a position to elect a new honorary treasurer at its forthcoming general assembly meeting, which is taking place on Saturday, 29 June next. In accordance with the society's rules and constitution, the election of the treasurer is a matter for the society's general...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Charities Regulation (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy of course would be aware the governance difficulties in the Red Cross occurred during the lengthy period in office not of my immediate predecessor, former Deputy Killeen, who was only briefly in the Department of Defence, but under the watch of Deputy O'Dea, who did not seem to do a whole heap about it. I had concerns about governance in the Red Cross and I addressed those within-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Charities Regulation (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: -----the early weeks of my period in office. I am not aware of any governance issues that have given rise to the resignation of the treasurer. People resign from positions of responsibility in voluntary organisations for all sorts of reasons and it would be most unfortunate were the Deputy, by a loose comment, to damage the reputation of the Red Cross by suggesting there is a difficulty of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Investigations (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: If there are serious allegations to be made, let the people making them set them out in writing, detail the evidence and furnish it to me.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Charities Regulation (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: Pursuant to the Red Cross Act of 1938, the Irish Red Cross Society was established by Government order in 1939 as an independent charitable body corporate with full power to manage and administer its own affairs. Since 1939, the relevant establishment order had undergone piecemeal changes only but, in April of last year, I received Government approval to make substantial changes to the 1939...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Investigations (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The individual referred to by the Deputy as a whistleblower sent a letter dated 22 April 2010 to the then Minister for Defence, Mr. Tony Killeen. The letter, which contained a number of allegations pertaining to serving and former Defence Forces personnel, was brought to the attention of the military authorities. The letter was referred to the military authorities without providing personal...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Investigations (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: As the Deputy is aware, these are matters that go back prior to my time in office. If a person provides information that appears to be hearsay from a third party, if the person who provides the information is not involved in it, and if the person whom the Deputy apparently describes as a whistleblower - anyone who has information about anything - provides the information on the condition that...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: Perhaps I might finish this sentence as it might be of assistance to the Deputy. The death rate in the Defence Forces from self-inflicted injuries in the period 2000 to 2010, when lariam was being prescribed, was 0.24%. The death rate from self-inflicted injuries in the period 1989 to 1999, when Lariam was not being prescribed, was 0.32%, which is higher than the death rate in the period...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The answer is very simple. I understand the United States forces stopped using the medication owing to concerns about inadvertent prescribing to soldiers who should not take it. In this regard I am advised that the US authorities undertook mass administration of lariam for soldiers serving in areas subject to malaria without any individual screening of personnel. That is the difference...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The decision to prescribe lariam is not based on cost but based on it being the appropriate medication to prescribe to provide protection against malaria for members of the Defence Forces going to particular regions. I remind the Deputy that the Irish Medicines Board is the statutory authority with responsibility for the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines for use in Ireland. That...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Fatalities (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I emphasise that there is no question of any nature of Cadet Jevens being responsible for the events that occurred. I dearly wish that the family understood and fully accepted that there is no issue in that context. In the context of the various safety recommendations of the air accident investigation unit, I am advised that all seven safety recommendations have been acted upon or...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: Malaria is a serious disease that kills approximately 1 million people per annum in sub-Saharan Africa alone. It is a serious threat to any military force operating in the area. The anti-malaria regime in place in the Defence Forces, including the use of Lariam, has worked. In the decade of deployment to sub-Saharan Africa by the Defence Forces, not a single member of the Defence Forces...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Fatalities (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: As the Deputy will be aware, three separate investigations have been conducted into this tragic accident. The first was conducted by the air accident investigation unit of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, which published its report on 24 January 2012. The second was held with the coroner's inquest in May 2012. The coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death in respect of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Fatalities (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I wish to extend my sympathies to the family members of the deceased. I have been in correspondence with the family on the matter and officials from my office met with them as recently as 16 May. The family have supplied me with information in relation to their concerns. This information has been examined by officials in my Department and I have now sought further legal advice from the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: In April 2013 a request was received from the United Nations to deploy additional UN Military Observers to the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation in the Middle East to the Headquarters of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in Syria. This request is currently receiving consideration and a decision is expected shortly. In response to a separate request from the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: European Council Meetings (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The European Council meeting in December next will include, for the first time in five years, a thematic discussion on defence issues. The European Council will discuss three clusters of issues. These are (a) increasing the effectiveness, visibility and impact of CSDP; (b) enhancing the development of defence capabilities; and, (c) strengthening Europe’s defence industry. As part of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The maintenance of a cadre of personnel capable of meeting the physical demands of a career in the Defence Forces is a key human resources requirement. The medical classification of all personnel is kept under review and where a person is confirmed as being unfit for service with the Defence Forces, action is initiated towards retirement, relinquishment of commission or discharge, as the case...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Reserve Issues (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: Since I accepted the Report on the Value for Money Review of the Reserve Defence Force (RDF) which identified the need for reform I have not received a request for a meeting with the Reserve Defence Forces Representative Association (RDFRA). Should such a request be received I would, of course, give it due consideration. The major re-organisation of the RDF currently underway is being...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service Operations (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The primary day-to-day tasking of the Naval Service, as provided in the White Paper on Defence (2000), is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with national legislation and the State’s obligations as a member of the European Union. In its fishery protection role, the Naval Service is committed to having at least three vessels on patrol within the Irish Exclusive...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Irish Red Cross Governance (18 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: Pursuant to the Red Cross Act of 1938, the Irish Red Cross Society was established by Government Order in 1939 as an independent charitable body corporate with full power to manage and administer its own affairs. Since 1939, the relevant Establishment Order had undergone piecemeal changes only but, in April of last year, I received Government approval to make substantial changes to the 1939...