Results 6,481-6,500 of 17,012 for speaker:Paul Kehoe

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Strength (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: The Deputy's party is part of that arrangement. I want us to get to the full establishment figure of 9,500 personnel as soon as possible, but, unfortunately-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Strength (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I do not believe it will take 20 years, but I will not put a timeframe on it.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Strength (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: It is a priority for me to make sure we reach the full establishment figure of 9,500 as soon as possible. I am working with my military colleagues to make sure we will get to that number. The Government has provided the financial resources for Defence Forces management to reach the full establishment figure of 9,500 personnel. It has my full support in that regard. I have stated on...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Expenditure (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: To compare it with other Votes, the defence group expenditure ceiling was increased by 5.07%, while the education and skills group expenditure ceiling increased by 4.9%, the health group expenditure ceiling by 6.2% and the justice group expenditure ceiling by 5.9%. That confirms that the increase in the defence Vote was comparable with the increases in other Votes. The Deputy says I am a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Expenditure (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I am also looking at the comparable figures for other Departments.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Expenditure (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I am quite happy with the budget I negotiated.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Naval Service Operations (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: The Naval Service is the State's principal seagoing agency tasked with a variety of defence and other roles. While the main day-to-day role of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with the State's obligations as a member of the European Union, it also carries out a number of other non-fishery related tasks. I pay tribute to the significant security role...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Naval Service Operations (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: As I said, the annual control plan is agreed with the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority and sets out the strategy for achieving sea fisheries control targets each year. In accordance with the agreement, the 2018 annual control plan has a target range of between 1,090 and 1,267 patrol days. Notwithstanding the challenges encountered in the Naval Service this year, the projected number of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Naval Service Operations (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: We are operating the same number of ships as we operated this time last year. We also have similar commitments to those we had last year in the Mediterranean. The Deputy referred to what the Chief of Staff said last week at the committee meeting. He said that in all his years in the Naval Service days at sea had been lost for a variety of reasons. Five per cent of the days lost at sea were...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Expenditure (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: The provision of current expenditure for the defence sector for 2019 is €888 million, which is an increase of 2.1% on the 2018 provision. This comprises €639 million in current funding for Vote 36 - Defence and €249 million in current funding for Vote 35 - Army Pensions. Capital funding of €106 million has also been provided. Overall, the increase in funding for...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Expenditure (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I missed what the Deputy said. What did he call the people in my Department?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Expenditure (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I take great umbrage at the Deputy's comments. Did he call them mandarins? It is total ignorance to call a civil servant a mandarin. It is beneath the Deputy and anybody in this House. I will say no more. It is up to the Deputy to correct the record if he wants to proceed in that manner. Almost €1 billion is being allocated for defence spending in 2019. That is a €47...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Deployment (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 65 together. As part of a whole of Government approach, my Department is engaged in forward planning with the other Departments involved in addressing all issues relevant to the UK's decision to leave the European Union. This engagement involves the identification of key strategic, operational and policy issues arising from Brexit. As I have...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Medical Services (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: A review of the Defence Forces psychiatric service recommended the employment of a full time military psychiatrist. The previous incumbent providing these services to the Defence Forces on contract retired in May 2018 while arrangements were being made to implement this recommendation. In the intervening period, patients presenting to Defence Forces Primary Carers (Medical Officers or...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Expenditure (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: Ireland joined Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) in December, 2017 following Government and Dáil approval. As part of our participation in PESCO, Ireland has committed to regularly increase our defence budgets in real terms. It should be noted that regularly does not mean annually but rather over the medium term. The allocations for defence announced in the budget for 2019 mean...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Operations (21 Nov 2018)

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. On each occasion that the support of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Military Aircraft Landings (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: The only costs accrued to the Defence Forces in relation to foreign military aircraft landings are when they assist An Garda Síochána in their Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP) role in Shannon Airport. Since 5 February 2003, the Gardaí have requested support from the Defence Forces at Shannon Airport on occasion. The cost of the presence of Defence Forces at Shannon Airport...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Remuneration (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 76 to 78, inclusive, 86, 92, 98 and 99 together. Similar to other sectors in the public service, the pay of Permanent Defence Force personnel was reduced as one of the measures to assist in stabilising national finances during the financial crisis. The recovery in the economy has provided the fiscal resources to provide for a fair and sustainable...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Operations (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: As stated in the Lisbon Treaty protocols, the Lisbon Treaty does not provide for the creation of an EU Army. There is no legal basis for the establishment of an EU army, and there is no proposal set out to change this. Within the EU, it is accepted that defence and security is a national competence and that any decisions, including any deepening of EU cooperation, require unanimity....

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ministerial Meetings (21 Nov 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 80 and 89 together. I have not met with any group as described by the Deputies. I did however meet with two individuals in relation to the matters raised. As I have clearly stated to this House, the health and welfare of the men and women of the Defence Forces are a priority for me. In this regard, there are a number of processes already in...