Results 7,741-7,760 of 12,593 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Army Equitation School: Army Equitation School (20 Jan 2010)

Willie O'Dea: The mandate of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes was to examine all current Exchequer spending across all Departments and agencies and to identify where expenditure and staff savings might be made. One of the savings measures identified for the Defence Vote in the Report of the Special Group was the discontinuation of the Army Equitation School. While some...

Written Answers — Commemorative Events: Commemorative Events (20 Jan 2010)

Willie O'Dea: The All Party Oireachtas Consultation Group on the Centenary of the Rising met in Leinster House on Wednesday, 2 December, 2009. The Group were informed of recent developments and events, including:- (a) Commemorations at a. the General Post Office, Dublin on Easter Sunday, 12 April, 2009 b. the War Memorial Park, Islandbridge, 11 July, 2009 c. National Day of Commemoration, Kilmainham, 12...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (20 Jan 2010)

Willie O'Dea: As the Deputy is aware, there has been very significant investment in equipment and infrastructure in the Defence Forces over the past ten years. The acquisition of new and replacement equipment for the Defence Forces remains a key focus for me as Minister for Defence. It is, however, imperative that my Department and the Defence Forces look to whatever efficiencies we can make, taking into...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (20 Jan 2010)

Willie O'Dea: My Department, in conjunction with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, has commenced the process of drafting a Defence (Amendment) Bill to amend the provisions of Part V of the Defence Act 1954, primarily relating to offences against military law and extended provisions for arrests and detention. The requirement for the amendment to the Act arises from the recommendations of a Military...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (20 Jan 2010)

Willie O'Dea: Like all areas of the public service, the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces will contribute towards resolving the current challenges facing the country. The Defence Organisation will be required to operate on a reduced budget for 2010 as outlined in the Budget 2010 documentation. I am committed to maintaining the strength of the Defence Forces at a level of 10,000 across all...

Written Answers — Departmental Websites: Departmental Websites (20 Jan 2010)

Willie O'Dea: My Department provides five websites. The following table provides the information requested in relation to each of these websites: Site Name Unique Hits (2009) Cost (2009) Department of Defence defence.ie Unavailable â'¬27,340 Civil Defence civildefence.ie Unavailable Unavailable Office of Emergency Planning emergencyplanning.ie 55,817 â'¬14,220 Permanent Defence Forces...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (20 Jan 2010)

Willie O'Dea: The Deputy will be aware that the Government decision on decentralisation provides for the transfer of my Department's Dublin-based civil service staff, together with a number of military personnel, to Newbridge, County Kildare, and for the decentralisation of the Defence Forces Headquarters (DFHQ) to the Curragh. The new building at Newbridge is progressing well and is expected to be...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Staff: Defence Forces Staff (20 Jan 2010)

Willie O'Dea: I am advised by the Military Authorities that no dental hygienist is currently employed in the Defence Forces. However, it is intended to appoint a dental hygienist in the coming weeks. The overall structure of the dental service and the requirement for dental hygienists is being considered in the context of the restructuring of the Medical Service.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Staff: Defence Forces Staff (20 Jan 2010)

Willie O'Dea: The services of civilian medical practitioners, including on occasion retired Defence Force medical officers, are used in the delivery of medical services to the Defence Forces. I am advised by the Military Authorities that 12 former military medical officers - ten doctors and two dentists - provided medical services in 2009 at a cost of €538,532.

Written Answers — National Emergency Plan: National Emergency Plan (20 Jan 2010)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 260, 262 and 263 together. Emergency planning in this country is developed on the "lead Department" principle. This means that each Department is responsible for planning for and responding to those emergencies that fall within its area of responsibility. In my capacity of Chairman of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning, I brought a document,...

Written Answers — Search and Rescue Service: Search and Rescue Service (20 Jan 2010)

Willie O'Dea: The Irish Coast Guard has overall responsibility for the provision of maritime search and rescue services within the Irish Search and Rescue region. In accordance with the roles assigned to them by the Government in the White Paper on Defence, the Defence Forces are committed to providing support to the civil authorities including in relation to search and rescue. In this regard, the Naval...

Written Answers — Overseas Assistance: Overseas Assistance (20 Jan 2010)

Willie O'Dea: The Deputy will appreciate that in the context of the current disaster in Haiti there are a number of responses that can be made by Ireland, the EU, and other international organisations. The immediate EU response to the earthquake in Haiti and its terrible consequences was dealt with at an emergency meeting of EU Development Ministers on Monday of this week attended by my colleague the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Training: Defence Forces Training (20 Jan 2010)

Willie O'Dea: Following the closure of the Army Apprentice School in 1998, and in order to ensure the availability of the requisite levels of technical skills in the Defence Forces, a Trainee Technician Scheme and an Apprentice Scheme were introduced. Personnel already serving in the Defence Forces enter the Trainee Technician Scheme while civilian personnel who join the Defence Forces to begin their...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (20 Jan 2010)

Willie O'Dea: The acquisition of new equipment for the Defence Forces continues to be a key focus for me as Minister for Defence. Significant investment has taken place in recent years across all facets and elements of the Defence Forces. This investment has been facilitated by the re-investment both of pay savings arising from the reduction in the strength of the Permanent Defence Force in the context of...

Defence Forces Deployment. (20 Jan 2010)

Willie O'Dea: I would like to respond to that briefly. Every county and city manager in this country has been informed about the framework for emergency planning. Every county and city manager knows a mechanism is in place for establishing a local plan. They also know that one must respond to circumstances such as those described without being directed, as the Deputy suggests, without anyone declaring a...

Defence Forces Deployment. (20 Jan 2010)

Willie O'Dea: The primary requirement was to have a local response. As the situation evolved, however, a national response became appropriate.

Defence Forces Deployment. (20 Jan 2010)

Willie O'Dea: If roads in Limerick, Kerry or Waterford freeze up, it is not necessary in the first couple of days to have someone sitting in the national co-ordination office. It is a matter for the local authority in the first instance.

Irish Red Cross Society. (20 Jan 2010)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 72 and 73 together. The Irish Red Cross Society is an autonomous body established by the Irish Red Cross Society Order 1939 pursuant to the Red Cross Act 1938 and is an independent, self-governing charitable institution. By resolution passed by its council of delegates in November 2007, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies,...

Irish Red Cross Society. (20 Jan 2010)

Willie O'Dea: I concur with the Deputy that the bad press is extremely regrettable. I am in a difficult position as Minister because, under the terms of the Geneva Convention, the Government is obliged by law to ensure the independence of the Red Cross. Although the Government provides the Irish Red Cross Society with a grant-in-aid of almost €1 million per annum and supplies a building owned by the...

Irish Red Cross Society. (20 Jan 2010)

Willie O'Dea: Regarding the final question, it is not my responsibility. The Red Cross is statutorily independent but I will find out for Deputy Deenihan how much it collected and when it will be distributed. I wish to correct the record of the House. Deputy Deenihan quoted me as saying I can do absolutely nothing. Anyone who has been in the House for the past two or three minutes knows that is not...