Results 9,401-9,420 of 12,701 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

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 It should not go out of date soon because the information it contains is general.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.

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...