Results 8,521-8,540 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Foreign Policy (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: Ireland has been a member of NATO’s Partnership for Peace (PfP) since 1999. Our relationship with NATO is partner-led, which allows us to choose those areas on which we wish to cooperate and the extent to which we wish to cooperate. Over the past 24 years, participation in Partnership for Peace has been fundamental to Ireland being able to keep abreast of developments in areas such as...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: European Union (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: Let me be clear, participation in a Battlegroup has no effect on our traditional policy of military neutrality which is characterised by non-participation in military alliances or common or mutual defence arrangements. The decision to participate in an EU Battlegroup does not presume any further decision in relation to participation in an actual Battlegroup operation. Any such decision is...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ukraine War (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 16, 17 and 42 together. On 21st February, the Government approved the participation of up to 30 Defence Forces’ personnel in the newly established European Union Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine). The primary role of the Defence Forces will be to provide training to members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) in one or...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: The benefit of the 2% pay increase effective from 1 March 2023 under the extension of the Building Momentum Agreement 2022-2023 is applicable to the vast majority of Defence Forces pensioners. Currently there are in excess of 13,100 Defence Forces pensioners in receipt of payments. The existing government pension policy, as it applies to the Defence Forces, is as follows: For Defence Forces...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: I last met both Permanent Defence Forces Representative Associations, RACO and PDFORRA, on 13th February this year. At this meeting, we had discussions on a number of key issues, including on pay and conditions matters for Defence Forces personnel. There have been a number of key recent improvements in pay for Defence Forces personnel, which I will take this opportunity to outline to the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 22 together. The military authorities advise that as at the end of February 2023, the number of personnel in the Defence Forces stood at 7,917, some 83% of the authorised strength of 9,500. The Defence Forces are developing strategies to achieve increased recruitment and to address the current shortfall in numbers. The longer-term target is to realise...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service is maintained and developed. This is to enable the Defence Forces to carry out the roles assigned by Government, as set out in the White Paper on Defence. In this context, the principal aim over the period of the White Paper is to replace and upgrade, as required,...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Commission on the Defence Forces was established on foot of a commitment in the Programme for Government and the Government decision in December 2020 which also agreed its terms of reference and membership. The report was published on the 9th February 2022. The Commission undertook a significant body of work, encompassing wide-ranging terms of reference. It recommended significant...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: There is a specific process in place concerning the award of medals to members of the Defence Forces, as set out in Defence Force Regulation (DFR) A9 and the associated Administration Instructions, wherein the qualifying criteria and procedures required for the awarding of Defence Forces Medals, in addition to the various types of medal awards, are delineated. Such awards are made on the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 26, 28, 39 and 51 together. As of 1 March 2023, some 546 Irish Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed overseas. The main overseas missions are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with 344 personnel and the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in Syria with 133 personnel. The Department of Defence and the Defence Forces...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy will appreciate that, for sound reasons, it is not the practice to comment on the security infrastructure in place for undersea cables nor would it be in the public interest to do so. The Naval Service, as the State's principal sea-going agency, is tasked with a variety of defence and other roles. While the main daily tasking of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Civil Defence (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) is an independent statutory agency with responsibility for standards in the field of pre-hospital emergency care, including setting rules on the privileging of paramedic and advanced paramedics. PHECC, also maintains a statutory register of Emergency Medical Service practitioners; which includes Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT), Paramedics...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: In 2020, an individual commenced considerable correspondence detailing allegations of sexual misconduct within the Permanent Defence Force. The incidences spanned a broad period between the 1970s and 1990s. The allegations included one of the existence of a paedophile ring in the Curragh Camp. The individual sought an acknowledgement that abuse happened, a statement of apology and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ukraine War (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: This past year has transformed the European security and defence landscape. The EU has had to respond to war on the continent of Europe with the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022. This is reflected in a significant increase in investment in defence expenditure across Europe as well as the decision by Finland and Sweden to join NATO, which reduces further the number of non-NATO...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for affording me the opportunity to outline the significant investments we are making in improving the Defence Forces built infrastructure, including improving accommodation facilities for our personnel. This year we are providing some €55m in improving our built infrastructure; a record allocation which will increase in the years ahead to match the roll out of new...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: Thank you Deputy for giving me the opportunity to outline the significant investments we are making in improving the Defence Forces built infrastructure. The Defence Forces Infrastructure Development Plan (IDP) sets out a programme of anticipated project delivery based on the achievement of the high-level goals as set out in White Paper 2015. A key feature of the IDP is the modernisation and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 41 together. The Commission on the Defence Forces was established on foot of a commitment in the Programme for Government, and its report was published on the 9th of February 2022. The Commission has undertaken a significant body of work, encompassing wide-ranging terms of reference. It recommends significant changes for the Defence Forces and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: My officials and the Defence Forces continue to engage with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications in relation to the protection of Ireland’s offshore energy infrastructure and data cables. While the Defence Forces have limited sub-sea capabilities, enhanced maritime patrolling of the Irish Sea in the vicinity of priority offshore energy infrastructure and data...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 44, 49 and 245 together. As of the 28 February 2023, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force stood at 7,917 personnel. Recruitment and retention difficulties in the Defence Forces have been previously acknowledged and the Defence Forces are developing strategies to achieve increased recruitment and to address the current shortfall in numbers. The...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Commission on the Defence Forces was established on foot of a commitment in the Programme for Government. The report of the Commission was published on 9th February 2022. The Commission undertook a significant body of work, encompassing wide-ranging terms of reference. It recommended significant changes for the Defence Forces and Defence provision in Ireland. It covers high level...