Results 9,081-9,100 of 17,012 for speaker:Paul Kehoe

Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I wrote to the Chief of Staff and he says all these matters are receiving the fullest attention. I will not jump to any conclusions. I will wait until I have the full independent review of the person I appointed in 2016. I will look at the recommendations he makes and consider the findings of the report. It would be totally wrong of me to jump to any conclusions. I will use the...

Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The State Claims Agency is currently managing six claims taken between 2013 and 2016 by former and current members of the Air Corps against the Minister for Defence for personal injuries alleging exposure to chemical and toxic substances whilst working in the Air Corps in Baldonnel in the period 1991 to 2006. As such my Department and the Defence Forces were aware of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: European Defence Action Plan (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 53 together. The College of Commissioners adopted the European Defence Action Plan on 30 November last. This Commission proposal has yet to go through the wide ranging and extensive EU procedures before any part of it becomes a reality. The aim of the Plan is to explore how EU policies and instruments can ensure that the EU’s industrial...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 65 together. As the Deputy is aware, the purpose of the recently published Defence Forces Climate Survey is to inform consideration of the ongoing human resource and strategic needs of the Defence Forces. I have reviewed the Report in detail and have also received a briefing from the University of Limerick (UL) researchers who undertook the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps Strength (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The Government is committed to maintaining the stabilised strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel, comprising of 7,520 Army, 886 Air Corps and 1,094 Naval Service as stated in the 2015 White Paper on Defence. The manpower requirement of the Defence Forces is monitored on an ongoing basis in accordance with the operational requirements of each of the three services. As...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Operations (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 50, 61 and 68 together. The Department of Justice and Equality and An Garda Síochána have primary responsibility for the internal security of the State. Among the roles assigned to the Defence Forces in the White Paper on Defence is the provision of Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP) which, in practice, means to assist An Garda Síochána when...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Properties (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: There are currently three schools operating within the Curragh Camp. The Post Primary School, the Curragh Boys National School and the Curragh Girls School. While the provision of schools is a matter for the Department of Education and Skills in the first instance I will of course consider any proposals regarding the development of schools on Department lands which are no longer required for...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Protected Disclosures Data (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 52 and 54 together. Under the provisions of my Department’s customer charter it is policy to acknowledge written and electronic customer correspondence within 3 working days of receipt, unless a definitive reply can be issued within 5 days. With regard to the protected disclosures submitted in respect of health and safety issues in the Air Corps...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) was established on 31 May 1974 by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 350 (1974), following the agreed disengagement of the Israeli and Syrian forces in the Golan Heights in May 1974. UNDOF was established to: - Maintain the ceasefire between Israel and Syria; - Supervise the disengagement of Israeli and Syrian forces; and -...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: As the Deputy is aware the Malaria Chemoprophylaxis Working Group was established in January 2011 and reported in April 2013. The Group was re-convened in August 2015. The purpose of the Group is to review, inter alia, issues arising in relation to the use of Lariam, particularly in the context of the current and potential litigation. It is to review the Defence Forces approach in...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Medical Services (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: Mental health services are part of the range of medical services provided so as to ensure that Defence Forces personnel are medically fit to undertake the duties assigned to them and to treat any medical conditions arising which would inhibit their capacity to undertake such duties. The mental health support services, available to members of the Permanent Defence Force, range from...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Strength (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: As of the 31 December, 2016 the strength of the PDF (whole-time equivalent) was 9,126 personnel, comprising: - Army: 7,332 personnel, - Naval Service: 1,090 personnel and - Air Corps: 704 personnel. There were 654 retirements from the Defence Forces in 2016 and 690 new entrants were inducted (590 General Service and 100 Cadets). The Government is committed to maintaining the stabilised...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps Strength (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The serving strength of the Air Corps as at 31 December, 2016 was 704 personnel (whole time equivalent). The overall establishment figure for the Air Corps (as set out in Defence Forces Regulations CS4) is 887. Due to the complexity of the task and the resources required, it is not possible to provide a complete breakdown of vacancies for all roles in the Air Corps for a specific given...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Allowances (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: PDFORRA, the Representative Association for enlisted personnel, submitted a claim for an Overseas Armed Peace Support Allowance to be paid to personnel deployed to the humanitarian mission in the Mediterranean (Operation Pontus). In discussions, through the Conciliation & Arbitration Scheme, with officials from my Department agreement could not be reached on the payment of the claim...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Health and Safety Regulations (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The health and welfare of the men and women of the Defence Forces is a high priority for me and for the Military Authorities. I am advised that it is the policy of the Defence Forces to manage Health and Safety risks to all of its members. This is achieved in line with national Health and Safety regulations. The Defence Forces are committed to continuous risk mitigation and encourage...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Ombudsman (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The Office of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces was established as an independent statutory office, under the Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Act 2004. The Ombudsman has full independence and autonomy in the discharge of his statutory functions. The function of the Ombudsman is to act as the ultimate point of appeal for, and administrative investigation into, complaints made by members and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps Operations (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The Air Corps is responsible for the provision of air navigation services in areas of Irish airspace designated for use by the Defence Forces including the management of air traffic at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel. As the Deputy will be aware, the Air Corps is currently experiencing shortages of trained air traffic control (ATC) personnel. While a plan is in place to return a full level...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Health Insurance Community Rating (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: As the deputy is no doubt aware, Lifetime Community Rating (LCR) Regulations, S.I. No. 312 of 2014, became applicable with effect from 1 May 2015.   Lifetime Community Rating introduced a late entry loading on health insurance premiums for those aged 35 and older taking out private health insurance for the first time. No loading is applied to an insured person if, on 1 May 2015, the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Reserve (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: A rolling recruitment campaign for the RDF General Service was launched in September 2015. As of 31 December, 2016 there were a total of 5,891 applicants (of which 726 were female) as set out below: - Army Reserve – 5,120 applicants (of which were 579 female) and - Naval Service Reserve – 771 applicants (of which 147 were female). The Defence Forces will continue to process...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service Operations (15 Feb 2017)

Paul Kehoe: Following Government Decisions on 12 May 2015 and 6 April 2016, Irish Naval Vessels were deployed to the Mediterranean from May to November 2015 and from May to December 2016 to assist the Italian Authorities with the migrant crisis. The number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea in both 2015 and 2016 was higher during these months when weather conditions were more favourable to...