Results 8,921-8,940 of 12,596 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Defence Forces Equipment. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I agree with Deputy O'Shea and this is exactly what I am saying. We will lead the field in this regard. There is no one size fits all system but what is encouraging is that testing has already begun. A number of systems will be fitted to other trucks during the coming weeks. After the initial teething difficulties we are well on the way and it is our intention to provide a safe system for...

Army Barracks. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 72, 74, 75, 79, 94, 116, 121, 123, 125, 130 and 132 together.

Army Barracks. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 72, 74, 75, 79, 94, 116, 121, 123, 125, 130 and 132 together. The military authorities have conducted a detailed review of the immediate requirements to enable the closure of the relevant barracks and the redeployment of personnel to their new locations. In addition, medium-term capital works required in Athlone, Dundalk and Finner, to accommodate the...

Army Barracks. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I am sure Deputy McHugh is not suggesting we could make savings by leaving alone the number of barracks, even though there are clearly too many for an army the size of the Irish Army. We are closing four of the seven barracks in the Border region. This is because the threat justifying the establishment of those barracks has disappeared. As far as I am aware, the British army has closed or...

Army Barracks. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I intended to address that point earlier when it was mentioned by Deputy O'Shea. Although I am certain no one in the House believes it, we cannot work on the assumption that the economy will never recover. Of course the economy will recover. We are under no obligation to rush out and sell those sites immediately. However, I understand from some of my officials that we have received some...

Army Barracks. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I am very pleased that my fellow Limerick colleague, Deputy Collins, mentioned the opening of Thomond Park. It was a stupendous occasion, which words cannot begin to describe. I believe Deputy Deenihan was present.

Army Barracks. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The stadium could only accommodate 14,000 people, yet 500,000 attended the game in 1978. Deputy Collins asked if someone who was re-deployed from a barracks in Monaghan to Dundalk, or someone re-deployed from Lifford to Finner Camp could apply to move to a different location. The answer is "Yes"; it is possible to apply to a different location. I have instructed the military authorities to...

Army Barracks. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The Army did a security analysis and reported to me that there were no down-side security implications. I have to take that as is. With regard to the timeframe, Deputy Deenihan will understand, as will others, that if one is doing something like this one must have a target time; otherwise, nothing will ever get started. The target time in this case is the end of January. If we do not...

Army Barracks. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I have written back to PDFORRA saying I was prepared to sit down and talk, not about the substance of the decision but about how it is being implemented, and about any issues such as station allowances and transport.

Army Barracks. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I have not yet heard back from the organisation.

Army Barracks. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I have not yet heard back. I have given it the opportunity to respond to me. However, if Deputy Deenihan is suggesting it, in the spirit of Christmas I will accept his suggestion that I contact PDFORRA and invite its representatives to a meeting.

Army Barracks. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: As I have told the House, a security assessment has been done by the military, which found that there would be no down-side implications. I know the military has acted as an aid to the civil power in Donegal and elsewhere. I have met delegations for hours and heard many stories about crime — people being shot and robbed and so on. That is primarily a matter for the Garda Síochána, not...

Army Barracks. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Deputy McGinley's colleague, Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher, has already made strong representations——

Army Barracks. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: ——to me about going to Donegal and I am considering those.

Army Barracks. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: When I make a decision I will come back to Deputy Gallagher.

Army Barracks. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Yes, PDFORRA sought a meeting with me to discuss the issue of barrack closures. While no date has been set for such a meeting, I have assured PDFORRA that I will meet it to discuss how we can achieve the implementation of the decision to close barracks, including the closure date of 31 January 2009. I have had no request for a meeting from RACO.

Army Barracks. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: My secretary wrote to PDFORRA on my behalf on 13 November, making it clear to PDFORRA that I would be prepared to meet to discuss the implementation of the Government decision, not the substance of the decision. I am awaiting a response from PDFORRA to that letter. If PDFORRA wants to meet me to discuss the implementation of the decision, I assure the House there will be no difficulty....

Army Barracks. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I can give the House this guarantee, that no one will be moved until the facilities in the receiving barracks are adequate. As a representative of a party in favour of cutting public expenditure to a greater extent than the Government is——

Army Barracks. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: ——Deputy Deenihan will support that. I recall Deputy Deenihan's immediate reaction to barrack closures. He did not question the merit of the barrack closure at all, in sharp contradiction to the Deputy James Bannon who stood on a platform in County Longford, trying to score political points off my colleague, Deputy Peter Kelly.

Army Barracks. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: He said that Fine Gael would oppose the closure of the barracks no matter what. It did not matter what it cost.