Results 6,961-6,980 of 50,134 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: We do not provide lethal aid to Ukraine in terms of the European peace facility. That was a commitment in the programme for Government. Military neutrality is defined in terms of our membership or non-membership of a military alliance.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: I agree with the absolute necessity of a strong Reserve force. There were 90 recruited in 2022. I am nine months in office and I made it clear earlier in the year that I was not happy with the rate of progress. When we consider that 1,000 had applied in the earlier recruitment process, the process of medical testing and so on was far too slow. I asked and instructed that this would...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: That is why we set up the office, specifically following the recommendation from the commission on the Defence Forces to establish an office of Reserve affairs. That was a recognition that over the years, the level of urgency and attention to this was not what it should have been. Early on, after I became Minister, I had a specific meeting on this issue. The office has been established and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. No proposals have been made to me in respect of the fire service in the Defence Forces Training Centre, DFTC, in the Curragh Camp and I have made no decision in relation to it. I just want to make that clear because I did hear of reports in August which were a surprise to me at the time. They were not brought to my attention in any...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: Sorry?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: My understanding is that it is part of the implementation of the working time directive. I have taken an initiative to accelerate work on the working time directive and in that context there were consultations with the representative associations by the military authorities. They indicated that they were reviewing current operational outputs and that the fire service in the Curragh camp was...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Reserve Defence Force, RDF, comprises the First Line Reserve, the Army Reserve and the Naval Service Reserve. The establishment of RDF is 4,069. This comprises 3,869 for the Army Reserve and 200 for the Naval Service Reserve. The strength of the RDF as of 31 August 2023 stood at 1,319 members in the Army Reserve; 81 members in the Naval Service Reserve; and 280 members of the First...

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

Micheál Martin: The Army Ranger Wing (ARW) are the Special Operations Forces of the Defence Forces. The need for a high level of preparedness to deal with any requests for Special Forces operations is inherent in the unit’s mission, and members, as we have seen in recent days, are trained to the highest levels of motivation, physical fitness and skill at arms for their specialist role. The ARW is on...

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

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 84, 87 and 116 together. The security situation in Europe has changed fundamentally since Russia’s illegal and unprovoked attack on Ukraine, which has resulted in major conflict returning to the European continent for the first time in decades. Millions of civilians have been forced to flee and take refuge across Europe. In the context of this...

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

Micheál Martin: A Naval Service Sea-going Service Commitment Scheme was introduced with effect from 1 January 2021. It was targeted at retaining and incentivising experienced and trained Naval Service personnel to undertake sea-going duties. It is one of a number of measures aimed at addressing retention issues in the Naval Service. The scheme was re-launched in December 2022 with revised Terms and...

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...