Results 8,341-8,360 of 12,646 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

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

Willie O'Dea: There are currently no minimum international or national standards for military accommodation. However, all accommodation provided is measured against standards established by the Defence Forces in 1992. My Department is currently finalising a report to establish a 'desirable standard' to be applied across the Defence Forces.

Defence Forces Recruitment. (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: We have improved the conditions of the Reserve. There is better training and it is now better organised, has better clothing and equipment. As the Deputy knows, there is a proposal in the White Paper to have an integrated element in the Reserve and for it to be integrated with the Reserve Defence Forces. So far, recruitment to that has proved disappointing and only 300 people have been...

Defence Forces Recruitment. (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: Yes, that is under consideration.

Defence Forces Recruitment. (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I agree. I have made submissions to my colleague, the Minister for Finance, and I hope to meet him shortly in that regard. Like previous years, I am advised of a high level of interest this year in the cadet school. We are still not too late. If a decision is made in the next couple of weeks, we will be able to have a cadet class this year.

Defence Forces Reserve. (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 33 and 51 together. In the context of the Government decision on the implementation of savings measures on public service numbers and the reduced budgetary provision available for 2009, all recruitment to the Reserve Defence Force, RDF, was suspended. Following a subsequent review and examination of RDF personnel numbers and budgets for 2009, I was satisfied...

Defence Forces Reserve. (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I agree with Deputy Deenihan regarding the promotional structure, which is under consideration. Any perception that the reserve is being undervalued is mistaken. An entire section of the White Paper addressed the reserve and made various recommendations. For example, the recommended re-organisation has been undertaken. The White Paper recommended better uniforms, training, systems of...

Defence Forces Reserve. (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I agree with the latter point. Criteria have been drawn up by the director of the reserve and the questions of where people came in on the chain, whether they have had medicals done and when they applied will be important. I understand it will be done in chronological order. I do not want to get specific about numbers. How many we will take on depends on how many drop out or join the...

Defence Forces Reserve. (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I will have to speak to the chief of staff about that. I understand that the Army command is considering ways in which it can make some use of the integrated reserve. I do not know why that has not happened to date. I will revert to the Deputy when I have spoken to the chief of staff about it. I think that perhaps the Army command was a little underwhelmed by the number of people it...

Defence Forces Reserve. (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I am not an expert on how the Garda Reserve works but we have to be in a position whereby the money we are allocated each year for paid training days is sufficient to accommodate the number of people we have on the books. That is our duty. It would be irresponsible of me to say that we can recruit 1,000 or 2,000 people more than those for whom we can provide a reasonable number of paid...

Defence Forces Reserve. (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I assure the House that the Army has every intention of making the fullest possible use of the people who have been trained as members of the integrated reserve. I will speak to the chief of staff about when that will happen and over what timescale and I will revert to the Deputy.

Defence Forces Medical Corps. (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: 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 the Deputy is no doubt aware, the challenges in the medical arena have been recognised for some time and a review of the provision of medical services has...

Defence Forces Medical Corps. (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I do not accept the report is a damning indictment of the Defence Forces medical services. It is clear from the report that medical treatment is available to members of the Defence Forces when they need it, whether that be from within the Defence Forces or outside. I agree with Deputy Deenihan that there is considerable outsourcing, particularly in the physiotherapy area, and 30% of dental...

Irish Red Cross Society. (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The Irish Red Cross Society is an autonomous charitable body with full powers to manage and administer its affairs through its governing body, the central council. I have no function in the day-to-day administration of the Irish Red Cross and, as such, I am not involved in the day-to-day running of its affairs. I am not aware of any allegations of underperformance of the Irish Red Cross in...

Irish Red Cross Society. (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I apologise to the Deputy and I will reply to his query. The governance committee of the Irish Red Cross Society is currently examining various issues of governance and I will await the outcome of its deliberations. The chairman is appointed for a three-year term and this is the fourth time he has been reappointed. However, I have been informed that the general view, except for one or two...

Irish Red Cross Society. (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: No communication I have received from that person has indicated to me that there are problems. There are problems in every organisation but no problems on the scale referred to by the Deputy have been indicated to me.

Defence Forces Recruitment. (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: In the context of the Government decision on the implementation of savings measures on public service numbers and the reduced budgetary provision available for 2009, all recruitment to the Reserve Defence Forces had been suspended. Following a review and examination of Reserve Defence Force personnel numbers and budget, I am satisfied that there is sufficient provision to allow for paid...

Defence Forces Recruitment. (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I repeat what I stated regarding promotions: I can confirm that normal advancements within the Permanent Defence Force do not fall within the scope of the savings measures. This includes such categories as existing cadets being commissioned following cadet training, and general service recruits who have already been enlisted and who are completing their course of training. Consequently,...

Defence Forces Recruitment. (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I am gratified by Deputy Deenihan's confidence in my negotiating abilities. I will use the bargaining tool, as he suggests.

European Defence Agency. (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The European Defence Agency was established under a Joint Action of the Council of Ministers on 12 July 2004, "to support the member states and the Council in their effort to improve European defence capabilities in the field of crisis management and to sustain the European Security and Defence Policy as it stands now and develops in the future". Following Government approval, Ireland joined...

European Defence Agency. (23 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I will clarify the position on the legislation. Basically, the EDA is about developing the capability of EU member states to perform the Petersberg Tasks. Ireland has only engaged in one EDA project, the force protection project. It is about developing communications systems, body armour, sensors and so forth to protect our troops when they go into these dangerous environments. Ireland is...