Results 8,981-9,000 of 12,646 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

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.

Army Barracks. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: This is playing politics and talking out of two sides of one's mouth.

Army Barracks. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Perhaps Deputy Deenihan will enlighten the House——

Army Barracks. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: ——as to where Fine Gael stands on this matter. Is Fine Gael for or against the closure of the barracks?

Army Barracks. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I would like to get some clarification. The people are entitled to know where Fine Gael stands on this important matter.

Information and Communications Technology. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Cyber security, cyber crime and Internet security represent challenges that are constantly evolving and require vigilance and appropriate responses. Cyber security is multifaceted. The nature of the threat and the potential impact also varies considerably depending on the approach and objective of those with malicious intent. Each State agency, business and individual should take every...

Information and Communications Technology. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The Department of Defence is not the lead Department. We operate the same system as under the emergency planning provisions. Each Department is primarily responsible for its own security. The central, co-ordinating Department is the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. That has been agreed by the committee on emergency planning. I am aware of the situation in...

Information and Communications Technology. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I agree with Deputy O'Shea about the possible devastating impact of such an attack. Considerable discussion has taken place on who should be the lead Department in this regard and after due consideration it was decided that the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources should be the lead Department. I do not have time to go into all the factors that led to that conclusion...

Defence Forces Policy. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The White Paper on Defence 2000 sets out defence policy and a framework for modernisation and change over the period to end 2010. This framework has provided the overarching modernisation goals for the Defence Forces. Action plans under successive pay agreements have underpinned this ongoing modernisation process. The commitment to which the Deputy refers is contained in the action plan...

Defence Forces Policy. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I do not believe it is a breach of the pay agreement. My understanding of the pay agreement is that if we were proposing to close barracks in normal circumstances we would consult. As Deputy Deenihan knows, this was a budgetary decision taken by Government in regard to cutting public expenditure generally. This relates to the Department of Defence specifically. It was not a unilateral...

Defence Forces Policy. (26 Nov 2008)

Willie O'Dea: First, it is not all about cost. It is also about collective training. I have been under pressure from the military from the time I took over this Department to consolidate the number of barracks to allow people going into dangerous foreign territory to train together. It is felt to be in the interest of the safety of the troops that they should train together in advance of going into...