Results 9,301-9,320 of 12,596 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

National Emergency Plan. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The emergency centre in Kildare Street is all geared up to be used in the event of an emergency. It is also being used by the various Departments on a fairly continual basis for table-top exercises. I do not know whether people still have the booklet, but I do know that the whole thing is on the Internet. I do not know about Kerry, but most people in Limerick and Wexford have access to the...

National Emergency Plan. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: People have been made aware that the Government has a plan in place to deal with a range of emergencies. If one clicks onto the website, one will see telephone numbers one can ring if one needs further information.

National Emergency Plan. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Is the Deputy asking about the national emergency committee?

National Emergency Plan. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I am chairman of the emergency planning task force, which meets every four or five weeks. We have a meeting tomorrow afternoon. I do not know how often the national security committee meets. I am not a member of that august body.

National Emergency Plan. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I thank the Deputy for his nomination.

National Emergency Plan. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I gave an instruction to one of my officials to speak to the Ceann Comhairle. I am disappointed that nobody has got back to me about it yet.

National Emergency Plan. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I will find out.

Army Equitation School. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The day-to-day administration of recruitment in the Defence Forces is the responsibility of the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces. I am informed by the military authorities that the Army equitation school has an establishment strength of 34, all ranks. Vacancies exist for two non-commissioned officers and ten privates, or grooms. As no serving personnel are available to fill these...

Army Equitation School. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I have no problem with that. I am sure the Department does not have a problem with it. I wish to focus on one of the reasons we have been unable to recruit new staff for the Army equitation school. It would be ideal if we could recruit people to work in the school from within the people we have listed at the moment. As the work in question involves early starts and late finishes, there...

Army Equitation School. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Some people who apply to work as grooms choose not to follow up on those applications. The normal intake procedures, which include medical screening, physical training tests and security clearance, can take a great deal of time. I will state honestly that we have had some difficulty with security clearance. By the time successful candidates are called, they may have secured alternative...

Army Equitation School. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I think the cameramen were following Mr. Walsh. As I have said previously in the House, if the staff of the Army equitation school want to acquire an Irish-bred horse, and the horse passes the various veterinary examinations, etc., money will not be an obstacle in acquiring such a horse. I am sensitive to the Deputy's remarks about gold medal prospects, etc. As far as my Department is...

Overseas Missions. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 77, 81, 91, 96, 100, 104, 112, 116, 119 and 125 together. Ireland has deployed 411 personnel to the UN-mandated European Union military mission to Chad and the Central African Republic. Some 371 personnel are deployed with the 97th Infantry Battalion in Goz Beida in the south east of Chad, 22 personnel are deployed in the force's headquarters in Chad and 18...

Overseas Missions. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I agree with the Deputy's comment about the terrain in Chad. It is certainly the roughest I have ever seen. It was a wonderful operation to have transported all the equipment and the camp set up so quickly in such a remote part of the world. Regarding air support and logistical backup, the position is that we knew in advance what the operation commander's advice was and also that of our own...

Overseas Missions. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The first question, on the extent of the brief of EUFOR in Chad, is important. Its brief is to protect refugees and internally displaced persons, of whom there are approximately 450,000. It also has a mandate to protect UN personnel, equipment and installations. It is not just a matter of protecting the lives of people in the camps but also of ensuring the flow of aid to them is not...

Overseas Missions. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: On the problems with the terrain, one arose because Chad does not have any port, thus necessitating the shipment of much of the equipment to Douala in Cameroon, from where it had to be brought across country to Goz Beida at the other end of Chad. A certain amount of damage was done on this long journey which I understand was in excess of 2,000 km. The damage has, by and large, been...

Overseas Missions. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: As a result of an undertaking I gave in the House on the last occasion to Deputy Deenihan, I stated I would raise the matter with the Irish commanders in Chad. I have done so and asked them to try to accommodate the delivery of parcels at Christmas. As the Deputy knows, the supply flights are to resupply necessary equipment. However, I have told the commanders that if at all possible, they...

Defence Forces Ombudsman. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I welcome the second annual report of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces, which covers the period January to December 2007. This is a further milestone in the development of the office, which became operational on 1 December 2005 and which represents a significant development in the modernisation of the military redress of wrongs process. The Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Act 2004 provides...

Defence Forces Ombudsman. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I agree with Deputy Deenihan's final point. It is extremely important that people can make complaints to the ombudsman. That is why we introduced legislation to establish her office in the first instance. I am informed by my officials that there has been a high turnover of staff in the Office of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces. I do not know the reason for this. The difficulty is...

Defence Forces Ombudsman. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I will give two commitments. First, we are engaged in discussions with the ombudsman in respect of staffing and these will continue in a constructive manner. Second, and as regards accommodation, I am not responsible for the activities of the OPW. We already made a number of representations to it but we will renew these.

Overseas Missions. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Ireland has deployed 411 personnel to the UN-mandated European Union military mission to Chad and the Central African Republic. Some 371 personnel are deployed with the 97th infantry battalion at Goz Beida in the south east of Chad and 22 are deployed at the force headquarters in Chad. In addition, 18 personnel, including the operation commander, Lieutenant General Pat Nash, are deployed in...