Results 5,821-5,840 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Missions (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: Is that what the Deputy is suggesting?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Missions (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I do not agree with that point of view.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Expenditure (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: As provided for in the Revised Estimates Volume for 2013, the gross provision for the Defence Votes in 2013 is €895 million. This figure is made up of €680 million for the Defence Vote and €215 million for the Army pensions Vote. The gross provision for 2013 shows an overall reduction of €7 million on the 2012 gross provision of €902 million and is mainly...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Expenditure (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I disagree entirely with what the Deputy has to say with regard to my defending of the position of members of the Defence Forces. If the Deputy's party had continued in government, I would not have been in a position to secure an agreement from the Government that the strength of the Defence Forces should be maintained at 9,500. If I had not secured the additional funding necessary from the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Missions (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I wish I lived in the simplistic world the Deputy inhabits in dealing with these issues. Of course, it is important there are not food difficulties and that those that exist are addressed. It is also important that children in difficulty have their problems addressed. UNICEF is part of the same organisation involved, the United Nations. As the Deputy may be aware, the problems - despite...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Missions (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: Is the Deputy seriously saying that all of that should have been ignored or should continue to be ignored and that those groups should have been allowed to take over the entire Malian State and perpetrate murder, persecution and rape throughout that state? It was the intervention of the French and African forces that stopped that.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Missions (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: What is being done now, which is important, is that the EUTM group is not merely providing military training, but is providing training in human rights issues, in conflict resolution and in civilian protection issues. This is an important element of what needs to be done to facilitate the Malian State's return to some level of normality when the promised elections are held next July.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Reserve Issues (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: There was a consultative process by my officials with members of the Reserve Defence Force following the publication of the value for money report. The Permanent Defence Force, PDF, has been engaged with them also in the context of implementing the changes. I have met with members of the reserve previously. I am always happy to meet with members of the reserve and I had the opportunity...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Missions (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: On 25 April 2013, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2100 establishing a peacekeeping force in the west African nation of Mali. Acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the Council established the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, to be known as MINUSMA, for an initial period of 12 months. The new mission...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Reserve Issues (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: We have had an independent VFM review which made a number of key recommendations which are being implemented in the public interest and in that of members of the Reserve. I fully understand and appreciate that people have a difficulty on occasions with change and reform. It always takes a little time for matters to bed down. I know and I am conscious of the fact that there is an amount of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Reserve Review (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: The terms of reference for the value for money review were created by my predecessor in 2009. They were prescribed by the Government led by the Deputy's party. I am satisfied that a very detailed and effective analysis was conducted of difficulties within the RDF, including how to make it more effective, how to ensure that it makes a contribution that has value in the public interest and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Reserve Review (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: The reason I refer to his party in government is that in so far as there is any challenge to the nature of the value for money assessment that was undertaken it was undertaken under terms of reference, with which I have no disagreement, prescribed by the Deputy's colleagues in government. One of his colleagues who was a senior Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív, when dealing with the value...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Reserve Issues (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I can confirm that I have read the transcript from the appearance of the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association, RDFRA, before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality and have also read the RDFRA written submission to that committee. The completion of the independently chaired value for money review is an important contribution to the reorganisation of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Reserve Review (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: The value for money review of the Reserve Defence Force, RDF, recommended the retention of a reserve of approximately 4,000 personnel, with a broad range of reforms aimed at ensuring a viable and cost effective reserve into the future. A high level implementation group, HLIG, consisting of civil and military personnel, is overseeing this implementation process of the major reorganisation of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Common Foreign and Security Policy (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 79 and 84 together. 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 Security and Defence Policy, the role of the Presidency is now limited to supporting the High Representative and the European External Action Service in this regard. However, that...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Proposed Legislation (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 80 and 102 together. To this end, my Department has commenced work on the review and has had discussions with the Secretary General of the Irish Red Cross on the proposed legislative proposals, which in the main relate to codification of the various legal instruments in effect since 1939. I am advised that the Red Cross have indicated to my officials that...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ministerial Travel (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 82, 93, 106 and 107 together. My visit to Lebanon afforded me an opportunity to see, at first hand, the dedication and professionalism of military personnel and the tremendous work done overseas by the Irish Defence Forces personnel serving as part of a joint Irish/Finnish battalion with the United Nations Interim force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in south...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Deployment (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 85, 316 and 318 together. Full details of all personnel currently serving overseas are listed in the tabular statement attached. Of the 439 personnel serving overseas, 427 are Army, 2 are Naval Service and 10 are Air Corps personnel. The main overseas missions in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed are UN Interim Force in Lebanon...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Sporting Activities (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 86 and 92 together. As such, participation by members of the Defence Forces in sporting activities at local, regional and higher level competition is encouraged and where possible is facilitated having regard to, for example, the taking of annual leave. The level of participation in extracurricular sporting activities is governed by the exigencies of the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Deployment (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 88 and 95 together. The 107th Infantry Battalion, comprising some 332 personnel, will complete its deployment with UNIFIL later this month when it will be replaced by personnel of the 108th Infantry Battalion. The Irish Battalion has been working alongside a contingent of 170 personnel of the Finnish Armed Forces as part of a joint Irish/Finnish Battalion...