Results 8,961-8,980 of 12,596 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (25 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: As the Deputy will be aware, the Irish Battalion withdrew from the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) in May 2007 and no members of the Defence Forces are currently serving with UNMIL. While the Defence Forces were serving in UNMIL, there was no postal system operating to or within Liberia. The Defence Forces, therefore, contracted a commercial courier to deliver post to and from...

Written Answers — Army Barracks: Army Barracks (25 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I am assured by the military authorities that there is a range of available accommodation and facilities in place in Dundalk Barracks and that any additional arrangements required will be in place by the time personnel from Monaghan Barracks will have to transfer to their new location.

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (25 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The information requested by the Deputy is set out below. My Private Office Grade/Position No. Salary Scale as at 01/09/2008 Special Adviser(Non-established) 1 Principal Officer standard scale €86,168 – €106,582 Press Adviser(Non-established) 1 Principal Officer standard scale €86,168 – €106,582 Higher Executive Officer 1 Higher Executive Officer standard scale €46,558...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (25 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The net effect in real terms of the provision under subhead A1 of the 2009 Defence Estimate is just over a 4% reduction in the payroll costs for the civil service staff of my Department in 2009. In the case of subhead B (Permanent Defence Forces pay), the precise reduction compared with 2008 is 1.6%, which was rounded up to 2% in the published Estimates. The approved allocation for that...

Leaders' Questions (25 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The person was no relation to me.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (20 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: My Department engaged consultants to carry an Environmental Health and Safety Assessment in the Naval Base, Haulbowline earlier this year. RPS were commissioned to do the assessment. The cost of the review was €50,000 (excluding VAT). This cost includes some additional costs for sampling and testing which was commissioned as a result of the preliminary findings of the report.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Personnel: Defence Forces Personnel (18 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The military authorities have advised that the person in question served for nine years as a member of the Permanent Defence Force in the Air Corps from 1958 to 1967 and a further three year period with the First Line Reserve. The question of care provision for former members of the Defence Forces is dealt with by the HSE as part of the provision of services to the public generally. In...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Personnel: Defence Forces Personnel (18 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The individual concerned was retired, by the President, on the advice of the Government with effect from a date in June, 1969. The retirement was effected pursuant to Section 47(2) of the Defence Act, 1954 and Paragraph 18(1)(f) of Defence Force Regulations A.15, which provide that an officer may be retired "in the interests of the service". The Deputy will appreciate that a decision to...

Written Answers — Benchmarking Awards: Benchmarking Awards (18 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The Civil Service Performance Verification Group has monitored the performance of my Department with respect to the achievement of modernisation objectives under successive public sector pay agreements. In this context, my Department has consistently received a positive assessment. There was no requirement to undertake a similar process under Benchmarking, however, in light of the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (18 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The procurement of the Dauphin helicopters in the 1980's followed from competitive tendering competitions at that time based on specifications drawn up by the Air Corps. The Dauphin helicopters were fitted with a suite of digital instrumentation, having some analogue components, which was the most advanced cockpit fit available for any type of aircraft at the time. The Dauphin helicopters...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (18 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The information sought by the Deputy in relation to consultants is set out in the following table. Year Name of Consultancy firm Work Carried Out Cost € 1999 – 04 Brady, Shipman, Martin Drawing up of an integrated Area Action Plan for Murphy Barracks, Ballincollig, Cork 128,902 1999 – 05 Sir Frederick Snow & Partners Ltd. Review of policy in relation to Casement Aerodrome,...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (13 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the tables below. In addition, I wish to state that none of the people named below are elected to city, county, town or borough councils or are members of State Boards. Minister for Defence, Mr Willie O'Dea, T.D. Staff appointed by me who are located in my Department Name Rank/Responsibility Salary Scale as at 01/09/2008 Derek Mooney...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (13 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Interviews to fill these vacancies were held from the 15 – 17 January 2008. The military authorities have informed me that the report of the Selection Board has been the subject of correspondence since then, within the Defence Forces, relating to the procedures applied. I also understand that the candidates were to be kept informed of developments. The Chief of Staff has accepted that...

Written Answers — National Security: National Security (13 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The issue of threats to and vulnerabilities of ICT systems is a matter for each individual Department/Office and its Minister as appropriate. Insofar as my Department and the Defence Forces are concerned, there is a programme of continuous review of ICT security, overseen by designated specialist groupings, in order to keep up to date with current threat levels. Policies and guidelines are...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (13 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I welcome the opportunity to clarify for the Deputy the situation on the sale of the Dauphin helicopters following the Sunday Tribune article on 9 November 2008. In 2005, the General Officer Commanding Air Corps recommended the sale of four Dauphin helicopters. The Dauphins being over twenty years old needed significant maintenance and the investment required in the aircraft was considered...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (13 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The Deputy will be aware that the Government decision on decentralisation provides for the transfer of my Department's Dublin-based civil service staff, together with a number of military personnel, to Newbridge, Co. Kildare and for the decentralisation of the Defence Forces Headquarters (DFHQ) to the Curragh. The number of posts to be relocated to Newbridge is approximately 200 civil...

Brutal Killing in Limerick: Statements. (13 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The brutal and callous murder of Shane Geoghegan has horrified and appalled every right thinking person across the country, but especially in Limerick. Our city has had to endure several cruel and horrific incidents perpetrated by a small number of people who continue to show contempt for the value of human life. Shane's killing and the pain this has inflicted on his family, friends and...

Written Answers — Army Barracks: Army Barracks (12 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The consolidation of the Defence Forces formations into a smaller number of locations is a key objective of the White Paper on Defence. The dispersal of personnel over an extended number of locations is a major impediment to essential collective training. It also imposes increased and unnecessary overheads on the Defence Forces in terms of barrack management, administration, maintenance and...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Deployment: Defence Forces Deployment (12 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The primary responsibility for law and order, including the protection of the internal security of the State, rests with An Garda Síochána. The Defence Forces pursuant to their role of rendering aid to the civil power, assist the Gardaí as required. The role does not extend to general policing which falls solely within the remit of An Garda Síochána.

Written Answers — Army Barracks: Army Barracks (12 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 243 to 246, inclusive, together. The annual maintenance costs for Rockhill and Lifford army barracks amount to approximately € 130,000 for 2007. This covers maintenance to buildings such as general repairs, painting and decorating. A further €160,000 approximately is spent on annual running costs such as gas, electricity, heating oil water and waste...