Results 9,041-9,060 of 12,631 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (29 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Civil Service posts at the levels of Assistant Secretary and Deputy Secretary are covered by a scheme of performance related awards. The operation of the scheme is overseen by the Committee for Performance Awards (CPA). Details of awards to individual officers under the scheme are not disclosed on the basis that they are confidential to the officer concerned. However, I can say that during...

Written Answers — Army Barracks: Army Barracks (29 Oct 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 Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (29 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Earlier this year the projected figure for recruitment to the Permanent Defence Force in 2008 was in the region of 690 general service recruits, 30 apprentices and 45 Cadets. To date in 2008 a total of 506 general service recruits have been enlisted of which 440 were to the Army and 66 to the Naval Service. Following the Cadetship Competition 41 Cadets commenced their cadet training on 29...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (23 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the following table. Post No. Salary Scale Special Adviser 1 Principal Officer Standard Scale: €86,168 — €106,582 Press Adviser 1 Principal Officer Standard Scale: €86,168 — €106,582

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (23 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The Government decided on 1 July 2003 that Magee Barracks, Kildare, would be among the State lands released for inclusion in the Sustaining Progress Affordable Housing Initiative. With regard to Magee Barracks, I am pleased to advise you that my Department is currently finalising contracts with the Chief State Solicitor's Office and the final contract should be forwarded to Kildare County...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (23 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: In April 2008 a Public Information and Awareness Campaign on Emergency Planning was launched at the National Emergency Coordination Centre. The main focus of the campaign was the publication and distribution of a handbook — 'Preparing for Major Emergencies'. The handbook was distributed to every household in the country. The cost of design, compilation, printing and distribution of 1.8...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (23 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 183 and 184 together. The estimated costs of incremental pay increases together with the estimated full year impact of the 2.5% pay increase and the proposed 3.5% pay increase are set out in the following tables. These estimates are based on existing personnel numbers and do not reflect any changes in numbers or profile of staff that might take place in the...

Written Answers — Sail Training Vessel: Sail Training Vessel (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18, 23 and 46 together. The Marine Casualty Investigation Board, which is a statutory, independent body, is carrying out an investigation into the cause of the sinking of Asgard II on 11 September. I have no information as to when the result of that investigation will be available. Asgard II was insured with Allianz Plc in the sum of €3.8m. Following...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Ombudsman: Defence Forces Ombudsman (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The Office of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces was established under the Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Act 2004. On 19 September 2005, Ms. Paulyn Marrinan-Quinn SC was appointed by the President, upon the recommendation of the Government, as the first Ombudsman for the Defence Forces. Her term of office was recently extended for a further three years from 19 September 2008. I am advised...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: There are existing controls in place to ensure that there can be no interference to inventoried weapons assigned to a Unit of the Defence Forces. All weapons are stored in sound and secure premises where access is restricted to designated personnel. There are frequent and detailed inspections of the serial-numbered assets and items of controlled stores. Defence Force Regulation L2 on...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The reduction in funding is due to the fact that substantial travel and freight costs incurred this year on the initial deployment by the Defence Forces to the EUFOR Chad mission will not arise in 2009.

Written Answers — Naval Service Vessels: Naval Service Vessels (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 and 29 together. The Naval Service provides the maritime element of the Defence Forces and has a general responsibility to meet contingent and actual maritime defence requirements. In the 2000 White Paper on Defence, the Government decided that the Naval Service would be based on an 8-ship flotilla and committed to a modernisation and replacement strategy...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The total number of personnel on the payroll of my Department is as follows: Permanent Defence Force Civilian Employees Civil Service Staff* Total 31/12/97 11,472 1,260 426 13,158 31/12/02 10,559 1,025 415.1 11,999.1 31/12/07 10,434 829 385.4 11,648.4 *Whole Time Equivalents. The figures for civil service staff in 1997 and 2002 include staff of the Civil Defence Branch which was set up...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 50 together. I am advised that the Defence Forces signed a contract at the end of May 2008 with a UK company, Air Partner Commercial Jets, for the charter of two Ukrainian Mi -8T helicopters. Air Partner contracted the two Mi-8Ts helicopters from the Ayr Group UK, the owners of both helicopters. The helicopters operate on the civilian register under a...

Written Answers — Military Medical Services: Military Medical Services (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Military medical services and their facilities exist to maintain the health of the Defence Forces and to support them in operational and overseas activities. The focus of the military medical service is on primary care, occupational medicine, acute trauma management, preventative medical programmes and field medical training. The challenges in the medical arena have been recognised for some...

Written Answers — Air Corps Equipment: Air Corps Equipment (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The issue of the replacement of the Air Corps Cessna Fleet is under consideration. The question of funding the replacement programme has to be considered in tandem with the overall equipment requirements of the Defence Forces generally and the funding available for this. As the Deputy may be aware, a very significant level of investment in new equipment for the Air Corps has taken place in...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 54 together. A tender competition is well advanced for the acquisition of Light Tactical Armoured Vehicles for the Defence Forces. The intention is that the LTAV will complement the Mowag Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) in the conduct of conventional and Peace Support Operations and will fill a gap that exists between soft-skinned vehicles and the...

Written Answers — Personal Injury Claims: Personal Injury Claims (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 30 and 75 together. Since 2001 the State Claims Agency handle all personal injury claims arising from accidents in this jurisdiction involving Defence Forces vehicles. The Agency has provided the information requested in relation to this category of claim. The Department and the Chief State Solicitor's Office deal with such claims where they arise from...

Written Answers — PDFORRA Conference: PDFORRA Conference (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 32 and 71 together. On 8 October 2008, I addressed the Annual Delegate Conference of the Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association (PDFORRA). I sought to make my address relevant, positive and informative. I addressed such diverse issues as the Defence Forces continuing high profile commitment to overseas service, investment in...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (22 Oct 2008)

Willie O'Dea: 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 service posts together with 43...