Results 9,341-9,360 of 12,631 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

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...

Overseas Missions. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: In regard to Deputy Wall's first question, comments were made to an Irish newspaper on 18 June by a representative of the UNHCR. Within hours of the statement, the UNHCR officially contacted the Chief of Staff and me to apologise for those remarks and to thank the Army for the work it has done on the ground. Later that day, I met the regional representative of the UNCHR in Camp Ciara in Goz...

Overseas Missions. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The cost will be €57 million, a large part of which covers the transportation of equipment to the region. Normally, contributing countries to UN-led missions are reimbursed for most of the costs they incur. If a mission is organised by the European Union or the African Union at the behest of the UN, each country carries its own costs. I do not know whether a hybrid arrangement can be...

Overseas Missions. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I visited Chad from 16 to 18 June 2008 to see at first hand the work of Defence Forces personnel serving with EUFOR. I was accompanied on my visit by the Secretary General of my Department, the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lt. General Dermot Earley, and Kyle O'Sullivan, Ireland's ambassador to Nigeria, accredited to Chad. On arrival in N'Djamena, I met with Chad's Secretary of...

Overseas Missions. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Two helicopters, which have not yet been allocated, will be provided to the Goz Beida area. I appreciate Deputy Deenihan's remarks in that regard. Also, I appreciate his remarks in regard to what has been done to date. I will pass on his comments to the Army. I take this opportunity to inform the House that I visited the camp and was very impressed, taking into account the distances and...

Overseas Missions. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I agree with the Deputy that much of the €57 million was spent on transporting the equipment to Chad, a factor which will have to be taken into account in consideration of a request for an extension to the mission.