Results 5,101-5,120 of 17,012 for speaker:Paul Kehoe

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (7 Nov 2019)

Paul Kehoe: That is Sinn Féin and Opposition politics.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (7 Nov 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I allowed the Deputy to speak and I ask him to allow me to reply to his question.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (7 Nov 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I am not putting words in anybody's mouth.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (7 Nov 2019)

Paul Kehoe: The Deputy understands how public service pay works. That is one of the reasons we are preparing a strong case for the next round of the public service pay talks. That is important and unique because it is the first time we have done.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (7 Nov 2019)

Paul Kehoe: That is one of the reasons that I agreed to do this when I was appointed in 2016. I have been absolutely consistent on that for the past number of years.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Army Bomb Disposals Data (7 Nov 2019)

Paul Kehoe: The Department of Justice and Equality and An Garda Síochána have primary responsibility for the internal security of the State. Among the roles assigned to the Defence Forces in the White Paper on Defence is the provision of aid to the civil power, ATCP, which, in practice, means to assist An Garda Síochána when requested to do so. The Defence Forces Ordnance Corps...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Army Bomb Disposals Data (7 Nov 2019)

Paul Kehoe: For reasons of operational security, it would be totally inappropriate for me to comment on the disposition and specifics of the Defence Forces explosive ordnance disposal capabilities. I assure the Deputy, however, that any retention and recruitment challenges are prioritised and addressed so that the Defence Forces EOD teams can respond when requests for assistance are made by An Garda...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Service Pay Commission Reports (7 Nov 2019)

Paul Kehoe: The Deputy is totally incorrect. I would not call the public service pay allowances miserly. The military service allowance has increased by 10%. This constitutes a benefit to any individual of up to €675 per annum. Then we have the reversal of the cuts under Haddington Road, the security duty allowance, the patrol duty allowance, the weekend duty allowances, the explosive ordnance...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Service Pay Commission Reports (7 Nov 2019)

Paul Kehoe: He wants negativity and I presume that is what Opposition is all about. I am not going to deal in negativity this morning. I am not going to kowtow to the Deputy's sentiments. I will look at the positives of the Defence Forces and of being a member of the Defence Forces. The Public Service Pay Commission is a start and I have stated that. I know the Deputy does not want to hear the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Service Pay Commission Reports (7 Nov 2019)

Paul Kehoe: There are good updates. I asked the Deputy which one of the technical pay groups he would take out and he has not answered that question. I insisted instead of going for one that we would go for three, with the Naval Service, the Air Corps and the CIS. If we had gone for one it might be completed by now but I insisted that we go with three because we had three challenging areas. If the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (7 Nov 2019)

Paul Kehoe: The Government has acknowledged that there are recruitment and retention difficulties in the Defence Forces. As at end September 2019, the strength of the PDF was 8,654 personnel. As the establishment is for 9,500 personnel this means that there are vacancies in units. The Defence Forces are fully funded for 9,500 personnel. This has led to reduced operational availability in certain...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (7 Nov 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I would be the first to recognise that we have challenges within the Defence Forces, specifically when we have full employment. This is not the first time we have had challenges in the Defence Forces when there is full employment in the country because there are many more opportunities out there for people. These are highly-skilled, well-trained and educated people who have been afforded...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Service Pay Commission Reports (7 Nov 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I have heard that language before from another party. The Public Service Pay Commission, PSPC, report on recruitment and retention in the Permanent Defence Force, PDF, was accepted in full by Government. A comprehensive implementation plan entitled, Strengthening our Defence Forces - Phase One, was also published by Government. The PSPC report recommended a range of measures that will...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Service Pay Commission Reports (7 Nov 2019)

Paul Kehoe: RACO and PDFORRA have accepted the independent pay commission's report. I presume Deputy Jack Chambers would have preferred if they had not accepted it. Then he would have something to give out about. I am delighted they accepted it. I understand that the Deputy was not expecting it himself. Broadly speaking, for the majority of projects the times are currently being met. Of the 15...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Reserve Review (7 Nov 2019)

Paul Kehoe: Defence Force Regulation R5 (New Series) is the governing Regulation for the Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve. My Department has been actively involved with the Military Authorities in the process of reviewing DFR R5. Completion of amendments to DFR R5 (governing the Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve) and DFR S7 (matters relating to RDFRA) are interlinked. These Regulations...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Expenditure (7 Nov 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 27 together. The primary focus for the procurement of defensive equipment by the Department of Defence is to maintain the capability of the Irish Defence Forces to fulfil the roles as assigned by Government. This includes undertaking overseas Peace Support Operations, and in this regard to afford the greatest possible force protection to Irish troops...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Strength (7 Nov 2019)

Paul Kehoe: The military authorities have advised that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force (whole time equivalent), across all services, at 30th September 2019, was 8,654 personnel. Whilst I am very much aware that there continues to be a shortfall between the current strength figures and those of the establishment. I remain committed to restoring the strength of the Defence Forces to 9,500...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (7 Nov 2019)

Paul Kehoe: The main overseas mission in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed is the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with 459 personnel. Ireland deployed an additional contingent of approximately 106 Defence Force personnel to the UNIFIL mission following the departure of the Finnish/Estonian contingent in November 2018. This additional 12 month commitment has...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel Data (7 Nov 2019)

Paul Kehoe: I am advised by the military authorities that the Defence Forces are not in a position to provide the information requested in relation to the number of self-inflicted injuries of both serving and retired personnel in the past five years. This data is not specifically captured by the medical record system and would require a search through the medical records of each individual member. ...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: EU Battle Groups (7 Nov 2019)

Paul Kehoe: At its meeting of 6th February 2018, the Government formally approved the arrangements for Ireland’s participation in the German led EU Battlegroup 2020. It agreed to provide a contingent of the Permanent Defence Force to participate in the Battlegroup which will be on standby for the second semester of 2020 from 1st July 2020. The MoU on Ireland's participation in the German...