Results 9,421-9,440 of 12,631 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The total number of Civil Servants in my Department is 385 (whole time equivalents). An outline of the functions and responsibilities of the various branches of the Department is set out as follows. Minister's Office The number of civil servants in this Office is 11.8. The Office of the Minister of State The number of civil servants in this Office is 2. The Secretary General & Management...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Promotions: Defence Forces Promotions (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Significant progress has been made recently in implementing schemes to enable more commissioning from the ranks. The revised cadetship competition is now seen as the primary means of commissioning from the ranks. The cadetship competition has been revised to increase the maximum entry age to 28 and to award bonus marks to candidates with previous experience in the Permanent Defence Force...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Reserve: Defence Forces Reserve (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The Reserve Defence Force Review Implementation plan provides for a phased approach to enhancing the capabilities of the Reserve over the period to the end of 2009. The introduction of new RDF organisational structures, the development of new training syllabi, improved equipment and clothing have successfully been delivered as part of phase 1 of the plan. Phase 2 of the Implementation plan...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I am very conscious of the commitment given by military personnel on overseas duty and the impact it has on their families and loved ones. Regular contact with home helps to sustain the high morale of military personnel serving overseas and facilitating communication with home is seen as a priority. In the normal course of events all personnel serving overseas are entitled to one free five...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Medical Corps: Defence Forces Medical Corps (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 21, 27 and 30 together. Military medical services and facilities exist to maintain the health of the Defence Forces and to support them in operational and overseas activities. The focus of the military medical service is on primary care, occupational medicine, acute trauma management, preventative medical programmes and field medical training. The challenges...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Reserve: Defence Forces Reserve (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: A breakdown of the number recruited into and discharged from the Reserve Defence Force since 1 January 2008 is in the form of a Tabular Statement. The Reserve Defence Force (RDF) comprises the Army Reserve and the Naval Service Reserve. As of 31 March 2008, the number serving in the Army Reserve is 7,948 and in the Naval Service Reserve is 317. The White Paper on Defence outlines the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: 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 policy of ongoing recruitment to the Defence Forces....

Written Answers — Commemorative Events: Commemorative Events (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The Permanent Defence Forces receive many requests each year to participate in St. Patrick's Day parades throughout the country. Every effort is made to accede to each request as participation in the various parades highlights the community profile of the Permanent Defence Forces. Regrettably, not all requests can be met in full and occasionally some have to be refused due to prior...

Written Answers — Civilianisation of Military Posts: Civilianisation of Military Posts (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Civilianisation was addressed in the "Review of Implementation of the White Paper on Defence", published in April 2007. The Review noted some areas where civilianisation of military posts had been successfully implemented in the past and recommended that further work be done in this area. Subsequent to the publication of the Review, civilianisation was incorporated into the "Pay Agreement...

Written Answers — Military Neutrality: Military Neutrality (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The Lisbon Treaty will have no effect on Ireland's traditional policy of military neutrality. As I have said on many occasions, Ireland's neutrality is in our hands and that is where it will be staying at all times. The Lisbon Treaty does not change or alter this position. The triple lock, requirement of Government decision, Dáil approval and UN authorisation for any overseas deployment of...

Written Answers — Interdepartmental Meetings: Interdepartmental Meetings (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I have not had any discussions with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform on this matter.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The acquisition of new equipment for the Defence Forces continues to be a key focus for me as Minister for Defence. Significant investment has taken place in recent years across all facets and elements of the Defence Forces. This investment has been assisted by pay savings arising from the reduction in the strength of the Permanent Defence Force in the context of the White Paper of 2000,...

Written Answers — Commemorative Events: Commemorative Events (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: An All-Party Consultation Group on the commemoration of the 1916 Rising was established in 2006. Following on from the General Election in 2007, the Group had to be re-constituted from the current Oireachtas membership. I wrote to all party leaders on the 17th January 2008, inviting them to nominate a representative to the Group. The nominations have been received and arrangements for the...

Written Answers — Naval Service Vessels: Naval Service Vessels (22 May 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 — White Paper on Defence: White Paper on Defence (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The current White Paper on Defence, which was published in February 2000, was the first-ever White Paper on Defence and set out the policy framework and development strategy for the period 2000 — 2010. The overall Government objective was to achieve affordable and sustainable Defence Forces capable of fulfilling the roles laid down by Government. A detailed review of White Paper...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: All Army Officers, on commissioning after completion of Cadet Training, who meet the academic entry requirements for third level education, and who do not already hold a Level 7 Qualification, are eligible to participate in the USAC Scheme. The USAC Scheme permits such newly commissioned Officers to attend university on a full time basis as undergraduates for 3-4 years and to complete a...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Seven (7) females have been enlisted into the Permanent Defence Force to-date during 2008 out of a total intake of 169. It is not possible to project the number of females who might apply to enter the Defence Forces and who might succeed in that application. However, based on previous years, this figure might be expected to rise to fifty-five (55) by year end. A detailed breakdown of the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Reserve: Defence Forces Reserve (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The White Paper on Defence 2000 outlines the blueprint for the Reserve Defence Force (RDF). The Reserve Defence Force Review Implementation Plan provides for the phased enhancement of Reserve capabilities over the period to the end of 2009. Revised organisation structures came into effect in October 2005. The Reserve has been re-organised along similar lines to the PDF with three brigades, a...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: On 24 April 2008, I met with Mr. Norbert Darabos, the Austrian Minister of Defence in Vienna. I was accompanied in the talks by the Secretary General of the Department of Defence, Michael Howard; the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lt Gen Dermot Earley; Assistant Secretary General, Ciaran Murphy; and Mr Frank Cogan, Irish Ambassador to Vienna. A number of issues were discussed at our...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (22 May 2008)

Willie O'Dea: During my visit to Kosovo on 23rd April 2008, I visited the Irish Troops based there. I was given a comprehensive briefing by Brigadier General Gerry Hegarty, Commander Multinational Task Force (Centre). I also had meetings with: Mr. Colm Ó Conaill, Political Adviser; Mr. Joachim Rücker, the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary General (UNSRSG), and Head of the UN...