Results 8,461-8,480 of 12,593 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Defence Forces Strength. (6 May 2009)

Willie O'Dea: Just a minute.

Defence Forces Strength. (6 May 2009)

Willie O'Dea: Recruitment is suspended for the present, pending my talks with the Minister for Finance. As for the technical questions raised by Deputy Deenihan, these all are matters which are being discussed at present. I am discussing them with the representative organisations and the military authorities and, ultimately, I will discuss them with the Department of Finance. I am not taking these...

Defence Forces Strength. (6 May 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I reiterate I am satisfied the Army will be capable of doing its job both at home and overseas. As for recruitment, it has been suspended across all branches of the Army for the present. However, this is a matter I will discuss with the Minister for Finance.

Defence Forces Strength. (6 May 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The Government introduced a moratorium on recruitment to the public service with effect from 27 March 2009. In this context and given the reduced budgetary provision available for 2009, all recruitment to the Defence Forces, which includes both the Reserve Defence Force and the cadets, has been suspended for the present. The moratorium and the reduction in the pay budget were introduced as...

Defence Forces Strength. (6 May 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I do not accept that morale is low in the Defence Forces. The Department of Defence has been very responsible in expenditure since the White Paper. It is probably the best behaved Department in the State from the point of view of public expenditure.

Defence Forces Strength. (6 May 2009)

Willie O'Dea: Nevertheless, we are in difficult economic times and each Department must accept a certain amount of pain. Considering the figures, the Department is accepting less of the pain than others in recognition of what it has achieved in the past. I am acutely aware of those who went through the process and were then told they cannot join the reserve. I am discussing this matter with the...

Defence Forces Strength. (6 May 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The difficulty is we have only a certain amount to pay people who engage in training.

Defence Forces Strength. (6 May 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I understand that. My officials have a difficulty with the idea of a sort of two-tier reserve, with one group entitled to take up paid days while another group is excluded. That is one side of the story. The other side relates to the Deputy's valid point that we want to include people if possible. They have evinced an interest in the matter and it is damaging to morale and disillusioning...

Defence Forces Strength. (6 May 2009)

Willie O'Dea: A saving, particularly as regards public expenditure, can sometimes consist of an accumulation of small savings. I imagine the amount is quite small but it is part of an overall pattern.

Defence Forces Strength. (6 May 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I will get the figure for the Deputy. On the question regarding man days, just in excess of 81,000 man days were utilised last year and this year we have provision for 60,000 man days, according to the difference in financing. I believe that is something in the order of €2 million but I will get the exact figure for the Deputy.

Military Uniforms. (6 May 2009)

Willie O'Dea: A maternity wear uniform was introduced into the Defence Forces in the middle part of the 1990s. The provision of this type of uniform has been an evolving process. There have been many design and specification changes over time in response to reviews and submissions on the need for change or alteration to the uniform. This change process has always had at its core the needs and comfort of...

Military Uniforms. (6 May 2009)

Willie O'Dea: We must do everything to encourage more females to join the Defence Forces because at present, they make up just over 5% of the force. I agree with the Deputy on that point. However, female members of the Defence Forces who are pregnant are not deployed on overseas duties. In addition, if they are members of the Naval Service, they are not be deployed at sea and if they are members of the...

Military Uniforms. (6 May 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I accept that it is not a question of people being on duty. I was merely making the point that the Defence Forces do not ignore the fact that people might be pregnant. I take the Deputy's point that Defence Forces personnel want to feel as comfortable as possible. The uniform was last redesigned in the mid-1990s. If improvements can be made - and in light of developments in the interim - I...

Naval Service Vessels. (6 May 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 64 and 103 together. The the value for money review of Naval Service vessel maintenance was recently completed and was laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas earlier this month. The review comprehensively examines all aspects of Naval Service vessel maintenance and was undertaken by a steering committee comprised of civilian personnel from the Departments...

Naval Service Vessels. (6 May 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I agree with the Deputy. The management team has already been put in place and work on the preventative maintenance manuals has already commenced. The value for money review highlighted a number of issues, on many of which the Naval Service was already working. As already stated, the Department of Defence has a good record in implementing the findings of value for money reviews. In view...

Naval Service Vessels. (6 May 2009)

Willie O'Dea: Yes.

Naval Service Vessels. (6 May 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The value for money review discovered there was a low incidence of unscheduled maintenance resulting in lost patrol days. However, it also discovered that the situation could be improved in two ways. The first of these is by putting in place a dedicated maintenance management team in place, which has been done, and the second is by drawing up preventative maintenance manuals for each ship,...

Naval Service Vessels. (6 May 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I would appreciate all the assistance Deputy O'Shea can provide when I am discussing this matter with the Department of Finance. It is true that the older a vessel, the more difficult and expensive it is to maintain. The position will improve as a result of the implementation of the recommendations in the value for money review. We are all aware that approximately 30 years is the extent of...

Departmental Properties. (6 May 2009)

Willie O'Dea: Haulbowline Island comprises approximately 84 acres. The property is vested in the Minister for Finance. The Naval Service currently occupies approximately 40 acres and these lands are administered by my Department. The balance of the island lands were formerly under lease to Irish Ispat, formerly Irish Steel, prior to the liquidation of that company. The Department of the Environment,...

Departmental Properties. (6 May 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I agree we need more territory. Deputy Stanton is correct about that. We have expressed our interest in acquiring more for the reasons he stated. I understand this matter will shortly become live when the working group under the aegis of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment meets. I understand it is about to be established and we will be represented on that working group....