Results 8,021-8,040 of 12,646 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Defence Forces Strength. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: It does not, I chair the task force. The Office of Emergency Planning services the task force. That office is always there. I will get the information on the number of times the task force has met this year.

Defence Forces Strength. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: It is a permanent office staffed by civil servants. The task force comprises meetings of representatives from the different Departments with the Garda Síochána, the Defence Forces and the emergency services. It has met several times this year, I will get the exact number for the Deputy. The Office of Emergency Planning is well aware of the situation that might pertain next Tuesday. There...

Defence Forces Strength. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I would have to guess how many people would leave the Army between now and 31 December, I do not know. We are getting near the 10,000 level. Even the McCarthy report recommends a minimum of 10,000 to be achieved over a two or three year time scale but we are already there. I would like not the Army to drop under 10,000. That is why I have asked for permission to recruit extra personnel....

Defence Forces Strength. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: No such matter has been brought to my attention, but I am aware there are a number of difficulties due to the fact that people acting above their rank are not being recognised as such. I have addressed this matter out in some 42 cases in relation to the Chad mission and 20 cases with regard to the Kosovo mission, where people are actually in the field. I am also trying to address this...

Army Barracks. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I propose taking Questions Nos. 7 and 11 together. The closure of barracks and the consolidation of the Defence Forces formations into a smaller number of locations is a key objective of the White Paper on Defence. The dispersal of personnel over an extended number of locations is a major impediment to essential collective training. It also imposes increased and unnecessary overheads on...

Army Barracks. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: With regard to individual firms, I believe the security contracts were put out to tender, but I do not know the names of the firms who tendered. However, I will get them for the Deputy. On the question of anti-social behaviour, I have received complaints regarding McKee Barracks, but there is a separate question on that which we shall come to shortly. In relation to community groups I have...

Army Barracks. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: That is a fair point. With regard to the Deputy's first question about the barracks that are being sold to other State agencies, VECs, etc., the procedure will be to have valuers employed by the Department to give a proper valuation on these properties. That is the price we charge, essentially. On the question of whether there is any great indication at the moment re St. Bricin's or other...

Army Barracks. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I wish to make it clear to the House that it did not emanate from me. My view on barracks closures is that the Government is committed to the idea of collective training and obviously, the fewer units one has, the more people will be trained collectively. I acknowledge there has been much difficulty and angst on foot of the recent barracks closures. My approach is to let things settle...

Commemorative Events. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The State ceremonies in which the Defence Forces have participated in the current year to date include the Easter Sunday commemorative event, the 1916 Arbour Hill commemoration ceremony, the national day of commemoration, the national Famine memorial day, presentation of credentials to the President, state visits by prime ministers and foreign Heads of State and state visits by the President,...

Commemorative Events. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I do not envisage an extension or expansion of such activities at present. However, I do not envisage any reduction either. As for 1916, Deputy Deenihan is aware the Government is planning for the centenary. It is a slow process and the next meeting of the long-term planning committee will be held on 2 December. As the Deputy is aware, 1916 is now commemorated on an annual basis. This is...

Commemorative Events. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I have had representations from many parts of the country regarding participation in St. Patrick's Day parades and I have asked the Army to be as generous as possible. In addition to taking part in the aforementioned official events, the Army also takes part in many civic events such as shows, aerial displays etc., as well as sometimes providing tents for organisations that are holding...

Ministerial Transport. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The ministerial air transport service, MATS, provides the Government and the President with an independent flexible and effective air transport service to assist in meeting national and international obligations. The service is primarily provided by the Gulfstream IV and Learjet 45 aircraft, which were specifically acquired for that purpose. The Gulfstream IV was acquired in December 1991...

Ministerial Transport. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The Deputy said that I occasionally lecture the House on matters of finance. My lecturing days are long behind me. I do not lecture now, I inform. The jets would be called wasting assets for the purpose of capital gains tax. Deputy O'Shea pointed out the undesirability of selling fixed property due to the bad market conditions. I do not imagine there is a good market for a Government...

Ministerial Transport. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: We continue to consider all options. The Government jets are not used only for ministerial transport. They are also used in air ambulance missions, for example, the latest figures available to me for 2008 show that the Air Corps completed six search and rescue missions and 87 air ambulance missions, which is significant. The initial figures I have received for 2009 show that those figures...

Ministerial Transport. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: To my knowledge that has not been considered.

Ministerial Transport. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: Maybe now that the Deputy has mentioned it.

Defence Forces Deployment. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The concern felt by the nation at the news of the capture of Ms Sharon Commins and her colleague Hilda Kawuki by rebels in Sudan in July of this year was mirrored in equal amounts by the joy felt on their release in October. My colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, when considering the range of options open to him to bring this matter to a safe conclusion, requested the assistance of...

Defence Forces Deployment. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The Defence Forces played a crucial role in this matter and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and his Department have communicated their appreciation of that. We are always available to assist in any way we can when called upon to do so.

Defence Forces Deployment. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: An article appeared in the Irish Mail on Sunday on 27 September 2009 stating members of the Army Ranger Wing were on the ground in Sudan as part of the Government's efforts to free Ms Commins. On 25 September in response to queries received from a journalist on the previous day, 24 September, representing that newspaper, the journalist was advised specifically, unambiguously and...

Army Barracks. (19 Nov 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The Government decided on 1 July 2003 that the former Magee Barracks in Kildare town would be among the State lands released to Kildare County Council for inclusion in the sustaining progress affordable housing initiative. My Department has been involved in the process of transferring ownership to Kildare County Council with the final contract of sale being sent to the solicitors for Kildare...