Results 9,281-9,300 of 12,596 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The matter to which the deputy is referring is the case of the killing of Privates Thomas Barrett and Derek Smallhorne, while serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in 1980 and the efforts to bring the alleged perpetrator of the crime to justice. The question of the measures open to the Irish Authorities to bring the alleged perpetrator of this crime to justice have...

Written Answers — Search and Rescue Service: Search and Rescue Service (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The Irish Coast Guard has overall responsibility for the provision of maritime and inland Search and Rescue services within the Irish Search and Rescue region, for pollution and salvage response in the marine environment, and for marine safety awareness. In accordance with the roles assigned to them by Government in the White Paper on Defence, the Defence Forces are committed to providing...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: With regard to Ireland's participation in future Battlegroups, we are committed in principle to participation in the Nordic Battlegroup (NBG) which will be on stand-by for the first six (6) months of 2011. Other contributors to the Nordic Battlegroup are Sweden, acting as Framework Nation, Finland, Norway and Estonia. Informal discussions have also taken place between staff in the Department...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: As the Deputy will be aware, significant investment has been made in Defence Forces equipment in recent years to provide them with the most modern equipment to undertake tasks assigned to them by Government. The equipment issued to the Defence Forces is also in keeping with the most modern requirements from the health and safety perspective. On-going investment in the Defence Forces will...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 229 and 238 together. The White Paper on Defence of February 2000 set out a figure of 10,500 personnel for the Permanent Defence Force as the strength sufficient to meet all foreseeable military requirements for the period comprehended by the White Paper (i.e. up to 2010). This remains the position. It is my intention to maintain the established Government...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Promotions: Defence Forces Promotions (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: A breakdown of the number of female personnel promoted in the Permanent Defence Force since 1 May 2007 is as follows: Promotion Number Recruit to Private 2* 18 Private 2* to Private 3* 20 Private 3* to Corporal 19 Corporal to Sergeant 11 2/Lieutenant to Lieutenant 3 Lieutenant to Captain 11 Captain to Commandant 8 The Government is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for men...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: 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 to maximise the operational capacity of those 8...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 234 and 237 together. The White Paper on Defence of February 2000 sets out a figure of 10,500 personnel for the Permanent Defence Force, comprising 930 for the Air Corps, 1,144 for the Naval Service and 8,426 for the Army. The Naval Service provides the maritime element of the Defence Forces and has a general responsibility to meet contingent and actual...

Written Answers — Reserve Defence Force: Reserve Defence Force (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: A breakdown of the number recruited into and discharged from the Reserve Defence Force from 2003 to 2007 inclusive is as follows: Year Recruited Discharged Change +/- 2003 1,987 2,306 - 319 2004 1,377 1,876 - 499 2005 1,069 3,085 - 2,016 2006 1,124 1,948 - 824 2007 972 1,497 - 525 The Reserve Defence Force (RDF) comprises the Army Reserve and the Naval Service Reserve. As of 31 May...

Written Answers — European Defence Agency: European Defence Agency (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The European Defence Agency (EDA) was established under a Joint Action of the Council of Ministers on 12 July, 2004 "to support the Member States and the Council in their effort to improve European defence capabilities in the field of crisis management and to sustain the European Security and Defence Policy as it stands now and develops in the future". The EDA is an Agency of the European...

Defence Forces Retirement Scheme. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The age profile of the Permanent Defence Force is presented in a tabular statement which follows. There are no plans at present to extend the retirement age of officers or other personnel in the Defence Forces. The 2000 White Paper on Defence and the earlier Defence Force review implementation plan both identified the requirement to address the high age profile of the Defence Forces. The...

Defence Forces Retirement Scheme. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: It might not be any harm if Deputy Deenihan's suggestion were taken on board and we were all made to retire at 55. Deputy Deenihan mentioned there were more people in receipt of Army pensions than there are serving Army personnel. I do not know whether that is the case, although the numbers are close. I will find out for the Deputy. Even if it was the case, however, it would not worry me...

Defence Forces Retirement Scheme. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The average age of officers is 36.67, that of NCOs is 41, and that of privates is 32.49, which seems to be just about right. As I have already indicated to the House, a specific proposal has been made and is currently being discussed. We will see what comes of that.

Defence Forces Civilianisation. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The White Paper on Defence 2000 covers the potential benefits of civilianisation and contracting out of certain military posts. It recognises that civilianisation could "release personnel for operational duties for which they are specifically trained". It could release them "from essentially administrative and other tasks which can more appropriately be undertaken by civilians". It further...

Defence Forces Civilianisation. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Regarding the Deputy's comments on the speed at which the process is being driven, we do not want to impose it on anyone and are taking a partnership approach based on agreement. My answer may have been misleading in that I mentioned four posts in the IT area and three in the archives area, but the catering business has also been contracted out, which has released 100 soldiers for...

Defence Forces Civilianisation. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I agree with Deputy Deenihan. As he will be aware, because the incentives did not succeed in increasing the complement of doctors and dentists to the level needed by the Army, rather than avail of the services of the private sector we will completely organise the Army medical corps. We have brought in consultants to advise us in this regard. Regarding Deputy Wall's question, to the best of...

National Emergency Plan. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: A public information and awareness campaign on emergency planning was launched in April. The campaign was implemented following proposals that I brought to Government in late 2006 and January this year. My desire to implement a public information and awareness campaign on emergency planning stemmed from research that I had commissioned. The research clearly showed that there was a desire...

National Emergency Plan. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I will answer the final question first. Anecdotal evidence suggests the campaign was a success, although we intend to conduct some relatively low cost market research later this year to determine what the impact the handbook has had. It should not go out of date soon because the information it contains is general. Any changes would be a matter for the lead Department and flagged on the...

National Emergency Plan. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Is the Deputy talking about the emergency planning office?

National Emergency Plan. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: That is still based in my Department. It has not yet moved permanently to Kildare Street.