Results 8,241-8,260 of 12,593 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The Government decision of 8 July 2008 instructed all Departments to achieve a 3% reduction in payroll costs in 2009. In order to achieve these savings, it was necessary from that date to impose severe restrictions on the filling of vacancies in my Department. On 27 March 2009 the Government imposed a moratorium on recruitment and promotion. Subsequently, it introduced the incentivised...

Written Answers — Sail Training Programme: Sail Training Programme (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 44 and 71 together. The refurbishment programme for the Creidne is almost complete. The vessel is due to undergo trials over the coming days and I expect it to be ready in time for its first voyage on the 3rd July. The Creidne Sail Training Programme begins on 3 July and ends on 11 September. During that time it will undertake five voyages, mainly along the...

Written Answers — Army Medical Corps: Army Medical Corps (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 46, 66, 79, 85 and 369 together. The development of the Medical Corps in the Defence Forces forms part of the agreed programme for Government. I am committed to providing a sustainable medical service to meet the needs of the Defence Forces both at home and abroad. As you are no doubt aware the challenges in the medical arena have been recognised for some time...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos 47, 53, 60, and 68 together. Defence Forces contingents were first deployed to Chad in February 2008 with the UN-mandated EU-led operation in the Republic of Chad and the Central African Republic, EUFOR Tchad/RCA. EUFOR's mandate expired on 15 March 2009 and the operation was replaced by the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad...

Written Answers — Naval Service Vessels: Naval Service Vessels (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions number 48 and 378 together. The Naval Service provides the maritime element of the Defence Forces and has a general responsibility to meet contingent and actual maritime Defence requirements. In the 2000 White Paper on Defence, the Government decided that the Naval Service would be based on an 8-ship flotilla and committed to a modernisation and replacement...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The Defence Forces signed a contract at the end of May 2008 with a UK company, Air Partner Commercial Jets, for the charter of two Mi -8T helicopters to support its operations with EUFOR in Chad. The helicopters arrived in theatre in June 2008 and were contracted to March 2009. The Defence Forces contracted the helicopters for the operational deployment of troops in EUFOR and to facilitate...

Written Answers — Irish Red Cross: Irish Red Cross (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 50, 80 and 83 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. The Order sets out the basis on which the Society shall be governed. It provides that there shall be a Central Council which shall exercise the powers of the Society, organise the Society and...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Chaplains: Defence Forces Chaplains (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: There are seventeen Chaplains serving with the Defence Forces, sixteen of whom are Roman Catholic and one Church of Ireland. Other Chaplains are engaged from time to time as the occasion demands. Chaplains provide spiritual guidance to all ranks of the Defence Forces by engaging with personnel in their work, prayer and in dealing with their families. Two chaplains are currently based...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: 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, Co. Kildare and the transfer of Defence Force Headquarters (DFHQ) to the Curragh. In relation to the move of my Department to Newbridge, the costs involved in the physical move, designing, erection and equipping...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The final report into the incident involving the Air Corps helicopter AW139 on 2 March 2009 was provided to me by General Officer Commanding Air Corps on 11 June 2009. The final report was compiled following a detailed investigation into the incident by the Air Corps Military Airworthiness Authority. The investigation included interviews with the crew and passengers of the aircraft. The...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: A total of nine civilian employees are employed by my Department under short term contracts to work with the Defence Forces. Contracts relating to two of these employees are due to expire by the end of 2009. My Department is, along with the Department of Finance, currently considering the implications of the Government decision on the savings measures on public service numbers announced by...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 59, 65, 74, 90 and 364 together. The strength of the Army, Air Corps, Naval Service, Army Reserve and Naval Reserve as of 31 December 2008 is set out in the tabular statement below. The recent Government Decision on savings measures on public service numbers is being implemented in the Defence Forces. I am in contact with my colleague, the Minister for...

Written Answers — White Paper on Defence: White Paper on Defence (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The current White Paper on Defence, which was published in February 2000, was the first-ever White Paper on Defence and set out the policy framework and development strategy for the period 2000 – 2010. The overall Government objective was to achieve affordable and sustainable Defence Forces capable of fulfilling the roles laid down by Government. A detailed review of White Paper...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: Under section 13 of the Defence (Amendment) Act, 2006 the Minister for Defence is obliged to report annually to Dáil Éireann on Irish Defence Forces participation in United Nations missions in the preceding year. The report in respect of service by the Defence Forces with the United Nations in 2008 will be laid before the House in the near future.

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has primary responsibility for the remediation of the former ISPAT site at Haulbowline Island, while the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is responsible for the future development of the site. A working group, which will include representation from my Department, is being established to consider the future...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Reserve: Defence Forces Reserve (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 67 and 87 together. The White Paper on Defence 2000 outlines the blueprint for the Reserve Defence Force (RDF). The RDF Review Implementation Plan provides for the phased enhancement of the Reserve over the period to end 2009. The Plan proposed an establishment of 9,692 for the non-integrated element of the Reserve (9,292 Army Reserve and 400 Naval Service...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: In 2003 a Military Law Review Board, established to review the adequacy, effectiveness and fairness of the military justice system as laid down in Part V (Discipline) of the Defence Act 1954, recommended the amendment of some 76 sections within Part V of the Act. In 2005, the Government approved the drafting of a Bill based on the recommendations of the Board. During drafting of the Bill it...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The frequent and ongoing piracy attacks off the coast of Somalia have been threatening commercial shipping and fishing in the region since the beginning of Somalia's civil war in the early 1990s. A very severe consequence of this piracy has been the impediment to the delivery of humanitarian assistance to hundreds of thousands of Somalis. In December 2008, the European Union launched...

Written Answers — Cash in Transit Escorts: Cash in Transit Escorts (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The number of cash in transit escorts provided by the Defence Forces in 2008 was 2,210 involving a total of some 232,235 personnel hours by the Army and the Air Corps. In accordance with the agreement I made with the Irish Banking Federation in 2005, the banks were invoiced for the full share of the cost incurred by the Defence Forces in providing a cash escort service to the banks. The...

Written Answers — National Emergency Plan: National Emergency Plan (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: As chairman of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning, I have stressed, on many occasions, the importance that I attach to departments and key public authorities having structured exercise programmes in place. I believe that the development of these programmes is essential in order to refine and develop the arrangements that exist to improve them through review and revision, and to...