Results 9,361-9,380 of 12,646 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

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.

Waste Disposal. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: In June 2007, I was asked by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, if the Defence Forces would provide explosives for use in the disposal of a number of hydrogen cyanide cylinders in the possession of a private company and for a site on which they could be disposed of safely. The disposal of commercial hazardous waste is not a matter for the Department of Defence or...

Waste Disposal. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: While I can understand the logic of the questions raised by Deputy McManus — I know she is representing her constituency and wants to get answers for her constituents — I must respectfully suggest that many of them would be better addressed to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and South Dublin County Council. The Department of Defence involvement in this...

Waste Disposal. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Deputy McManus correctly stated that four sites were examined. The site was selected on the basis that the other three sites did not meet the criteria in terms of safety. I do not know the locations of the other sites. However, I will obtain that information and communicate it to the Deputy. The Deputy is correct that the burn-off and explosion was cancelled as a result of sabotage on the...

Waste Disposal. (2 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The answer is "No". I do not have it yet, but I will have it before the actual procedure takes place. If it had taken place last Monday as planned, I would have insisted on having that indemnity before we allowed it to go ahead on our property.

Written Answers — Commemorative Events: Commemorative Events (1 Jul 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The Programme for Government 2007-2012 sets out the Government's intentions in this regard and includes plans to: establish the GPO as a museum of celebration of Irish progress and achievement across a broad spectrum as a landmark 1916 centenary project; support the creation of programmes of events in all cities and towns in Ireland;. make available to historians and to the public, records of...