Results 8,661-8,680 of 12,646 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Defence Forces Deployment: Defence Forces Deployment (10 Mar 2009)

Willie O'Dea: As set out in the White Paper on Defence the Defence Forces may be requested to assist the civil authorities in the maintenance of essential services. The level of information sought is not readily available and its compilation would involve a disproportionate amount of time and work. I have set out below the most recent instances where the Defence Forces have either provided assistance or...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (10 Mar 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The level of support provided by the Defence Forces in relation to industrial disputes is demand-led and is provided on an "as available" basis having regard to both current and contingent Defence Forces operation commitments. There is no specific funding allocated for this role.

Written Answers — Emergency Planning: Emergency Planning (10 Mar 2009)

Willie O'Dea: While no area of my Department is exempt from budgetary cutbacks, I assure the House that the Office of Emergency Planning will continue to fully discharge the various roles and responsibilities assigned to it in an effective manner.

Written Answers — Ministerial Travel: Ministerial Travel (10 Mar 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The Ministerial Air Transport Service is provided by the Air Corps to facilitate members of the Government in fulfilling their official engagements at home and abroad. The Service is primarily provided by the Gulfstream IV and Learjet 45 aircraft, which were specifically acquired for that purpose, and the Beech Super Kingair 200 turboprop aircraft, which is now used mainly in a training role...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (10 Mar 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 352 and 353 together. In common with other areas of the public service a reduction of 3% in payroll costs has been applied to the Defence Forces. Recruitment was suspended in late 2008 pending consideration of the best means by which to achieve this reduction. My officials and the military authorities are keeping the situation under close review on an ongoing...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (10 Mar 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 355 and 356 together. The amount paid by public servants in the agencies under the remit of my Department in superannuation and pension contributions in 2007 and 2008 is €8,440.69 and €13,334.57 respectively. Agencies under the aegis of my Department are Coiste an Asgard, the Civil Defence Board and the Army Pensions Board. The amount paid by public...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (10 Mar 2009)

Willie O'Dea: My Department employs one professional accountant. The Defence Forces also employ one civilian professional accountant.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Reserve: Defence Forces Reserve (10 Mar 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The White Paper on Defence sets out the blueprint for a new Reserve Defence Force. This blueprint outlines a new Reserve with a clearly defined role, an enhanced relationship with the PDF, better equipment and training and opportunities for reservists to serve on overseas peace support missions. An Implementation Plan has been developed that will ensure the realisation of the White Paper...

Written Answers — Departmental Advertising: Departmental Advertising (10 Mar 2009)

Willie O'Dea: Expenditure on advertising by my Department in 2008 amounted to €684,000 all of which was non-statutory. Of this total, €562,000 was in respect of the public information and awareness campaign on emergency planning (April 2008). This was a once-off campaign and there are currently no plans to run a similar campaign. A further €90,000 was expended in relation to property transactions...

Written Answers — Army Barracks: Army Barracks (10 Mar 2009)

Willie O'Dea: A Government decision, on 15 July 1998, approved a programme of closure and disposal of six barracks considered surplus to military requirements. The barracks in question were located at Ballincollig, Fermoy, Naas, Castleblayney, Kildare, and Islandbridge, Dublin. Five of these properties have been disposed of with net receipts as follows: Murphy Barracks, Ballincollig €44.5 million,...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Reserve: Defence Forces Reserve (10 Mar 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The Reserve Defence Force (RDF) is comprised of the Army Reserve and the Naval Service Reserve. As at 31 January 2009, the number serving in the Army Reserve was 7,284 and the number serving in the Naval Service Reserve was 291. The White Paper on Defence outlines the blueprint for the RDF. An Implementation Plan has been developed to realise the White Paper vision and is being rolled out...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (10 Mar 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The EU operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina — Operation "Althea" — was established in December 2004, under the authority of UN Security Council Resolution 1575 of 22 November 2004, to replace the NATO-led Stabilisation Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina (SFOR). Ireland has participated in EUFOR since December 2004, having previously been a participant in SFOR since 1997. The resolution...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (10 Mar 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The White Paper on Defence provides for an allocation of up to 850 Permanent Defence Force personnel to be deployed overseas at any one time. While this may be exceeded for short periods, deployments above this level are not sustainable on an ongoing basis within existing resources. Any commitments to EU or UN missions will be met within this context. In common with other areas of the public...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (10 Mar 2009)

Willie O'Dea: My Department supports the provisions of Section 7 of the Finance (No.2) Act 2008 which introduced an exemption from an income tax charge under section 118 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 in respect of a benefit in the form of a bicycle or associated safety equipment provided to a director or employee by his or her employer, where the bicycle/associated safety equipment is used by the...

Marine Accidents. (10 Mar 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The amount due in respect of the insurance payment for Asgard II is €3.8 million. As the Deputy will be aware, I have accepted the unanimous recommendation of the board of Coiste an Asgard not to proceed with a salvage operation. The main reason for that decision was that I considered that the risks were too great to commit to spending a sum in the region of €2 million at this time on a...

Marine Accidents. (10 Mar 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I have not spoken personally to Captain Newport but I am aware of his comments. I want to take this opportunity to compliment him again on the wonderful job he did at the time the boat unfortunately sank in the Bay of Biscay. I am also aware of the crew's comments. My advice, however, is that despite those comments it was uncertain what condition the Asgard would be in if we salvaged it....

Marine Accidents. (10 Mar 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The answer to Deputy Deenihan's last question is that the vessel is still owned by the Department of Defence. As regards giving a salvage opportunity to others, I already said in my initial announcement that a number of people have been in touch with my Department and have written to newspapers to say they would be willing to make a contribution towards salvaging the Asgard. I intend to put...

Marine Accidents. (10 Mar 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The Government still owns the boat.

Overseas Missions. (10 Mar 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 44 and 47 together. The mandate of the European Union military mission to Chad and the Central African Republic, EUFOR TCHAD/RCA, established under the authority of United Nations Security Council resolution 1778 (2007), is due to expire on 15 March 2009. Ireland is the second largest contributor to the mission with 439 Defence Forces personnel. The aim of...

Overseas Missions. (10 Mar 2009)

Willie O'Dea: As I indicated in my reply, it was felt that the issue of the arrest warrant against the Sudanese President, al-Bashir, would result in a renewed effort on the part of the Sudanese Government to further support the rebels attacking Chad and trying to undermine the Chadian regime. There is no evidence that this has happened to date. If it were to happen, it would have profound consequences,...