Results 9,281-9,300 of 17,012 for speaker:Paul Kehoe

Priority Questions: European Defence Action Plan (13 Dec 2016)

Paul Kehoe: If the Deputy talks to any member of the Defence Forces, he or she will tell her that the most important thing is-----

Priority Questions: European Defence Action Plan (13 Dec 2016)

Paul Kehoe: -----that they have the proper equipment.

Priority Questions: European Defence Action Plan (13 Dec 2016)

Paul Kehoe: There is huge potential in this proposal for Ireland. We must give that fact serious consideration. It is about pooling resources. I have said this in the House in the past. We must consider all of the proposals very carefully over the coming period, especially at Head of State level. That is where the Commission's proposals will really be considered. The action plan will be formally...

Priority Questions: European Defence Action Plan (13 Dec 2016)

Paul Kehoe: That will be discussed at the upcoming EU Council meeting.

Priority Questions: European Defence Action Plan (13 Dec 2016)

Paul Kehoe: I am not going to get into an argument. This is a proposal that has been sent. There is a huge amount of negotiation yet to be done in respect of it. We must give serious consideration to these proposals. There are huge benefits in this for Ireland.

Priority Questions: Naval Service Operations (13 Dec 2016)

Paul Kehoe: The Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jursidiction Act 2006 established the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority, SFPA, as the competent authority for securing efficient and effective enforcement of sea fisheries protection legislation and the sustainable exploitation of marine fish resources from the waters around Ireland. To this end, the SFPA has a service-level agreement with the Department of...

Priority Questions: European Defence Action Plan (13 Dec 2016)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28, 29 and 32 together. The College of Commissioners adopted the European defence action plan on 30 November last. This is simply a proposal from the Commission. It has not been discussed or agreed by the member states or the European Parliament. As such, it has yet to go through the wide ranging and extensive EU procedures before any part of it becomes a...

Priority Questions: European Defence Action Plan (13 Dec 2016)

Paul Kehoe: The Deputy is right to say that this does not put our neutrality in question. I agree ours is a changing society and the world is changing and we have to be ready for whatever eventuality happens. We have to have the best equipped army to be able to react to whatever is the situation. This is only a proposal from the Commission. It is to be agreed by the Council. I do not want, and it...

Priority Questions: European Defence Action Plan (13 Dec 2016)

Paul Kehoe: The European defence action plan refers to the creation of a European defence fund which consists of two distinct financial structures. In respect of the research window, Ireland recognises the need for investment to be made in defence research, particularly in innovative technologies and products and services which will assist the development of future capability requirements for our...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: European Security Strategy (13 Dec 2016)

Paul Kehoe: The joint paper prepared by the German and French Defence Ministers - 'A strong Europe in a world of uncertainties' - is one of a number of papers written by Member States setting out their priority areas for discussion on the implementation of the EU Global Strategy on Foreign and Security Policy. This paper, along with others, was considered as part of the discussions on future...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Civil Defence (13 Dec 2016)

Paul Kehoe: The provision of accommodation for local Civil Defence Units is the responsibility of the relevant local authority. This is a long-standing position which was reaffirmed in the 2015 White Paper on Defence. As Minister with responsibility for Defence I provide policy direction for Civil Defence and the Department of Defence manages and develops Civil Defence at national level. The Civil...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Military Aircraft Landings (13 Dec 2016)

Paul Kehoe: 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 is the provision of Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP) which, in practice, means to assist An Garda Síochána when requested to do so. The number of occasions that the aid to civil power functions were...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Maternity Leave (13 Dec 2016)

Paul Kehoe: Female members of the Permanent Defence Force are entitled to take maternity leave in the same way as all other employees in the State. Defence Forces Regulations specifically provide for 26 weeks paid maternity leave and 16 weeks additional unpaid maternity leave for Permanent Defence Force personnel. I can confirm that the 26 consecutive weeks’ maternity leave with pay and allowances...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel Data (13 Dec 2016)

Paul Kehoe: As of 1 December 2016, Ireland is contributing 661 Defence Forces personnel to 11 different missions throughout the world, along with deployments to two standby Battlegroup Headquarters and a range of international organisations and National Representations The main overseas missions in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel (13 Dec 2016)

Paul Kehoe: The provisions for the granting of annual leave to members of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) are set out in Paragraph 16 of Defence Forces Regulations A.11. The current provision in relation to annual leave that cannot be availed of is that Officers can carry-over a maximum of 24 days and Other Ranks can carry-over a maximum of 19 days. The Deputy may wish to note that personnel who...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (13 Dec 2016)

Paul Kehoe: The Conciliation and Arbitration scheme for members of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) provides a formal mechanism for the PDF Representative Associations, RACO and PDFORRA, to engage with the Official side. The purpose of the scheme is to provide a means for the determination of claims and proposals from the Associations relating to remuneration and conditions of service. Since 1993,...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: European Defence Capabilities (13 Dec 2016)

Paul Kehoe: The College of Commissioners adopted the European Defence Action Plan on 30 November last. I should point out at the outset that this is simply a proposal from the Commission. It has not been discussed or agreed by the member States or the European Parliament. As such, it has yet to go through the wide ranging and extensive EU procedures before any part of it becomes a reality. The aim of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: European Council Meetings (13 Dec 2016)

Paul Kehoe: I attended the recent joint Foreign Affairs and Defence Council along with my colleague Minister Dara Murphy who represented Minister Flanagan, at the meeting. At this meeting Council Conclusions were adopted on implementing the EU Global Strategy in the area of security and defence. Ireland is supportive of the range of actions set out in the conclusions and is committed to the EU's...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Equipment (13 Dec 2016)

Paul Kehoe: My priority as Minister with Responsibility for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Defence Forces is maintained to the greatest extent possible so as to enable the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service to carry out their roles as assigned by Government. The acquisition of new equipment and equipment upgrades for the Defence Forces remain a clear focus for me, and the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Legislative Measures (13 Dec 2016)

Paul Kehoe: The implications of the Working Time Directive and its implementation, in respect of the Defence Forces, under the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997, have been the subject of an intensive and ongoing review by my Department for some time. I understand and accept that the current blanket exemption in respect of Defence Forces activities under the Act in implementing the Directive is no...