Results 6,961-6,980 of 17,012 for speaker:Paul Kehoe

Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2017: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Jun 2018)

Paul Kehoe: Throw him out.

Pre-European Council: Statements (27 Jun 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I thank everyone who contributed to this debate on what will be an important and wide-ranging meeting of the European Council over the next two days. While Brexit is clearly the priority for Ireland, migration is a crucial issue for the Union as a whole, and it is likely to be a major focus at the meeting. As the Taoiseach stated, we will seek to continue to play a constructive role in the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (27 Jun 2018)

Paul Kehoe: My priority as Minister with Responsibility for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Defence Forces is maintained to the greatest extent possible to enable the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service to carry out their roles as assigned by the Government. Participation in military exercises enhances capabilities in order to retain a flexible response for a wide range of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Electric Vehicles (27 Jun 2018)

Paul Kehoe: There are currently no e-car charging points provided at any of my Department’s locations. However, the options and benefits of providing such a facility is currently under consideration.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Provision (27 Jun 2018)

Paul Kehoe: 192. To ask the Minister for Health if hospital transport can be provided to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28240/18]

Other Questions: Defence Forces Training (26 Jun 2018)

Paul Kehoe: Talking about repetition, what I do not want is to have a leadership institute that will collapse in two, three, four or five years' time. I want something that is attractive and will be there for years to come. We have to get the expertise of partners involved. When we let this go out to a feasibility study in January 2018 we asked the company to interact with the Department, the Defence...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (26 Jun 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I previously informed the House that a Government decision on 18 November 2016 approved the drafting of the heads of Bill to amend the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997. This will remove the blanket exclusion of An Garda Síochána and members of the Defence Forces from its scope. It will be subject to the application of the appropriate exclusions or derogations permitted by EU...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (26 Jun 2018)

Paul Kehoe: The case before the High Court on 14 June was settled on consent of all the parties in the proceedings in respect of one specific aspect of an individual's claim in so far as it related to the carry-over of her annual leave. There was no court ruling made on the wider issue of the claim given the settlement reached by parties. The facts of the case were not opened to the court. Decisions...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (26 Jun 2018)

Paul Kehoe: As I previously stated, I want the deliberations to continue between my Department and the representative associations. What I said was the legislative process was not embarked upon on foot of the decision made in the court case. It has been ongoing since 2016. It is not just about the Defence Forces; it also involves members of An Garda Síochána. The Department of Employment...

Other Questions: EU Meetings (26 Jun 2018)

Paul Kehoe: The informal EU defence ministerial meeting was held in Sofia on 4 and 5 May. The meeting was hosted by Bulgaria, which currently holds the Presidency of the EU. There were two working sessions over the course of the meeting which was chaired by the High Representative, Ms Federica Mogherini. The two sessions dealt with a range of ongoing developments in regard to EU Common Security...

Other Questions: EU Meetings (26 Jun 2018)

Paul Kehoe: The PESCO commitments will include a regular increase in defence budgets in real terms, collective benchmarks such as an increase in defence investment expenditure to 20% of total defence spending and 2% of total defence spending allocated to research and technology. The benchmarks are for the EU as a whole rather than for individual member states; increased co-operation in cyber defence;...

Other Questions: EU Meetings (26 Jun 2018)

Paul Kehoe: As the Deputy understands, regarding NATO, we are not members of NATO but we are involved with it in Partnership for Peace. There were no decisions taken at that meeting, as the Deputy stated. It was more for the participation of NATO member states rather than Ireland's participation because of our term of neutrality.

Other Questions: Defence Forces Training (26 Jun 2018)

Paul Kehoe: The White Paper on Defence includes a commitment to evaluate the potential development of a new institute for peace support and leadership training in the Defence Forces Training Centre in the Curragh. A Programme for a Partnership Government also includes a commitment to develop this institute. It is foreseen that the new institute would have international standing and contribute...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Training (26 Jun 2018)

Paul Kehoe: Initial research and consultation suggests there is a considerable number of national and international operators within the areas of peace and support leadership and conflict resolution. Therefore, in order to identify and leverage Ireland's unique selling points, for example, our neutrality and the Northern Ireland peace process, I felt it appropriate when I was appointed as Minister to...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Strength (26 Jun 2018)

Paul Kehoe: The Deputy's question is "[to ask] the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his plans to address problems with recruitment and retention across the Defence Forces", and I am outlining them. Had he asked me for the specific figures, I would have had them to hand, but he did not ask that specific question. He does not have to table another question; I will come back to him with that...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Strength (26 Jun 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I met the CEO of the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority last Friday.

Other Questions: Defence Forces Strength (26 Jun 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I spoke to her about the service level agreement we have with the agency, and she did not highlight any of the issues the Deputy has raised.

Other Questions: Defence Forces Strength (26 Jun 2018)

Paul Kehoe: A number of specific initiatives have been implemented to increase the level of female participation. Women's websites and magazines are targeted. I just mentioned sports clubs and organisations as examples. I agree that it is difficult to attract women to the Defence Forces. We must change the mindset. I am not sure why women might think a career in the Defence Forces is not an...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Strength (26 Jun 2018)

Paul Kehoe: I am always open to suggestions. However, I have looked at the British system and a private company does a lot of the recruitment for the British army. This year, 15% of the applications for the cadets have been from females. If my memory serves me correctly, the figure for general service recruitment for females was 13%. However, the Deputy is correct that we must change our recruitment...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Strength (26 Jun 2018)

Paul Kehoe: The Department of Defence, in conjunction with the Defence Forces, raised recruitment and retention issues for certain specialists as part of its submission to the Public Service Pay Commission. This is specifically referenced by the commission in paragraph 6.13 of its report. Section 3 of the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020 provides that the Public Service Pay Commission be...