Results 6,901-6,920 of 50,064 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 86, 124 and 168 together. The Commission on the Defence Forces was established on foot of a commitment in the Programme for Government, and its report was published on the 9th of February 2022. There were 69 main recommendations and with sub recommendations there were 130 recommendations in total. The Commission undertook a significant body of work,...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 88 and 112 together. The report of the Independent Review Group (IRG) established to examine dignity and equality issues in the Defence Forceswas published following Government approval on 28thMarch 2023. The Government agreed to progress the recommendations in the Report. This included approval in principle for the establishment of a Judge-led statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: As of 1 September 2023, Ireland is contributing 540 personnel to 7 different missions throughout the world. The main overseas missions in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with 342 personnel and the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in Syria with 132 personnel. A further 12 personnel are deployed...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Strategies (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 90 and 103 together. As Minister for Defence, I chair the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning (GTF) supported by the Office of Emergency Planning (OEP) in my Department. A subgroup of the GTF was assigned responsibility to develop guidance on critical infrastructure resilience in 2017. The subgroup produced the first guideline document on critical...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: Military life places unique demands on individuals and it is necessary that Defence Forces personnel are prepared to meet the challenges of all military operations. For this reason compulsory retirement ages for ranks in the Permanent Defence Force are considerably lower than in other employments. A joint civil/military review of mandatory retirement ages and service limits in the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 92 and 93 together. Staffing difficulties in the Defence Forces and, in particular in the Naval Service, have been acknowledged. There are specific challenges in the recruitment and retention of specialists as there are competing demands from other sectors. This is particularly evident in the Naval Service where the skills developed by the highly trained...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: The strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 31 August 2023 stood at 7,671 personnel, with 775 in the Naval Service. The establishment of the Defence Forces was recently increased to 9,589. This increase is intended to expedite implementation of the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, through the creation of 89 additional promotional opportunities. Current recruitment...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 95 and 121 together. The strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 31 August 2023 stood at 7,671 personnel, with 775 personnel in the Naval Service and 695 personnel in the Air Corps. The establishment of the Defence Forces was recently increased to 9,589. This increase is intended to expedite implementation of the report of the Commission on the Defence...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Policies (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: My Department provides support to two recognised Veterans Associations. These Veterans Associations, which represent all former personnel, are Óglaigh Náisiúnta na hÉireann (ONE), the Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel, and the Irish United Nations Veterans Association (IUNVA). My Department has entered into Service Level Agreements with ONE and IUNVA,...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Government remains committed to a policy of equal opportunity for men and women throughout the Defence Forces and to the full participation by women in all aspects of Defence Forces activities. It is also Government policy to increase female participation rates at all levels of the Defence Forces in order to increase capability and to better reflect the society from which the Defence...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 98, 101 and 117 together. As the Deputy is aware, the Defence Forces are currently exempted from the provisions of the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, which transposed the EU Working Time Directive into Irish Law. I wish to assure you, however, that I am fully committed to ensuring that the provisions of the Working Time Directive are applied,...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: The strength of the Permanent Defence Force as at 31 August 2023, the latest date for which such figures are available, was 7,671 personnel. The establishment of the Permanent Defence Force has recently been increased to 9,589. This increase is intended to expedite implementation of the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, through the creation of 89 additional promotional...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 100 and 122 together. As the Deputy is aware, it has been a long standing policy of the Department and the Defence Forces, in line with other public sector employers, to discontinue the historic provision of tied housing to serving personnel, including the provision of married quarters for serving personnel. In relation to the number of vacant...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: Defence Force Regulation (DFR) A9 sets out the qualifying criteria required to be awarded such Defence Force Medals. The awarding of medals is a matter for the military authorities. In general, medals are awarded to members of the Defence Forces on the basis of various criteria such as their length of service, for service overseas and for acts of bravery associated with such service both...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: I published the Strategic Framework on the Transformation of the Defence Forces on 26 September. The purpose of the Strategic Framework is to bring together into one overarching document, the immediate actions to be taken to support the transformation of the Defence Forces into a fit for purpose organisation to defend the State and meet the challenges of today and the future. My priority...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service is maintained and developed. This is to enable the Defence Forces to carry out the roles assigned by Government. Equipment priorities for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service are considered in the context of the established capability development and Equipment Development...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 111 together. The Deputy may wish to be aware that starting rates of pay in the Defence Forces compare very well to comparable rates of pay across the public service. There is also further scope for additional income for members of the Defence Forces from duty allowances for specific duties carried out on an ongoing basis and allowances for overseas...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Official Travel (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Ministerial Air Transport Service (MATS) provides the Government and the President with an independent and flexible air transport service to assist in meeting national and international obligations. The Ministerial Air Transport Service (MATS) is delivered primarily by the use of the Learjet 45 aircraft, which came into operation in 2004. Where it is unavailable, the CASA and/or other...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Commission on the Defence Forces was established on foot of a commitment in the Programme for Government. The report of the Commission was published on 9th February 2022. The Commission undertook a significant body of work, encompassing wide-ranging terms of reference. It recommended significant changes for the Defence Forces and Defence provision in Ireland. It covers high level...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: I published the Strategic Framework on the Transformation of the Defence Forces on 26 September. The purpose of the Strategic Framework is to bring together into one overarching document, the immediate actions to be taken to support the transformation of the Defence Forces into a fit for purpose organisation to defend the State and meet the challenges of today and the future. My priority...