Results 9,621-9,640 of 12,632 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The question of the recruitment of foreign-nationals to the Defence Forces is not a new one. Defence Force Regulations have always allowed for the recruitment of foreign-nationals to the Defence Forces. People from diverse backgrounds have already been employed in the Defence Forces, but this has mainly been in certain specialised areas. This has worked well — albeit on a limited scale....

Written Answers — White Paper on Defence: White Paper on Defence (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The Review of implementation of the White Paper on Defence 2000 was published in April 2007. The White Paper set a target for implementing change and reorganisation in the Department of Defence and Defence Forces over a 10-year period. The Review of implementation finds that good progress has been made. Particularly noteworthy are the improvements in equipment, infrastructure, training...

Written Answers — Percent for Art Scheme: Percent for Art Scheme (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: From 2002 to date no monies have been drawn down by my Department under the Per Cent for Arts Scheme.

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: My Department is engaged in an ongoing capital building programme designed to modernise and enhance the training, operational and accommodation facilities available to the Defence Forces both Permanent and Reserve. The programme focuses mainly on infrastructural projects comprising the construction of new buildings and the refurbishment of existing buildings. The number of Capital Projects...

Written Answers — Financial Management Systems: Financial Management Systems (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: My Department has a single fully integrated financial management system, the Oracle e-Business Suite, which services the requirements of both the Department and the Defence Forces. The system includes a number of modules such as Purchasing, Inventory, Accounts Payable and Receivable, General Ledger and Asset Management. Each module requires software update and product support licences while...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The property in question is vested in the Minister for Finance. It comprises 3.5 acres approximately and includes four houses formerly used as married quarters for the Defence Forces. The Office of Public Works is in the process of disposing of the property.

Written Answers — Equity Stake: Equity Stake (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: My Department does not hold an equity stake in any company.

Written Answers — EU Summits: EU Summits (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I am constantly in touch with my EU colleagues both in the context of European Defence and Security and other matters. Two official meeting of EU Defence Ministers are held during each six month EU Presidency. These present the opportunity to engage in bi-lateral meetings with my Defence colleagues. The most recent meeting was the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC)...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: In the Headline Goal 2010, the EU set itself the objective inter alia, of being able "to respond with rapid and decisive action applying a fully coherent approach to the whole spectrum of crisis management operations covered by the Treaty on the European Union". A key element of the Headline Goal is the capability to deploy forces at high readiness, broadly based on the Battlegroups concept....

Written Answers — Search and Rescue Service: Search and Rescue Service (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The White Paper on Defence of February 2000 sets out a figure of 10,500 personnel for the Permanent Defence Force, comprising 930 for the Air Corps, 1,144 for the Naval Service and 8,426 for the Army. The strength of the Permanent Defence Force on 31 December 2007, as advised by the military authorities, was 10,434. This comprises 8,512 in the Army, 845 in the Air Corps and 1,077 in the Naval...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: As the Deputy will be aware, significant investment has been made in Defence Forces equipment in recent years to provide them with the most modern equipment to undertake tasks assigned to them by Government. The equipment issued to the Defence Forces is in keeping with the most modern requirements and the highest international standards. Ongoing investment in the Defence Forces will ensure...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: As of 1 February 2008, a total of 427 members of the Permanent Defence Force is serving overseas. Of the 427 currently serving overseas, 413 are Army personnel, 8 are Air Corps personnel and 6 are members of the Naval Service. The deployment of some 50 Army Ranger Wing (ARW) personnel to the European Union military mission to Chad and the Central African Republic, EUFOR TCHAD/RCA is...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The ongoing equipment modernisation programme ensures that the Defence Forces are fully equipped with the most modern of equipment for their day-to-day roles at home and on overseas missions. The equipment issued to the Defence Forces is in keeping with the most modern standards. Continual investment in the Defence Forces will ensure that this remains to be the case.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: There is ongoing monitoring of Defence Forces facilities to ensure they are adequate to meet military requirements. To supplement this my Department is engaged in an on-going capital building programme designed to modernise and enhance the training, operational and accommodation facilities available to the Defence Forces both Permanent and Reserve. The programme focuses mainly on...

Written Answers — Regulatory Authorities: Regulatory Authorities (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: There is no regulator or regulatory authority under the remit of my Department.

Overseas Missions. (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: As Deputy O'Shea has noted, chaotic hardly begins to describe the situation. I have discussed that specific matter with the force commander. It is my earnest hope that we will be able to make a difference in that regard and that we will be in a position to prevent a recurrence. When Deputy O'Shea raised the question of children, it reminded me that I had not replied to one of the...

Overseas Missions. (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I agree with Deputy Collins that while we must be conscious of the fact that it is a dangerous mission and we need to keep this to the forefront of our considerations at all times, we do not wish to emphasise it too much out of consideration for the families of those who are going abroad into a very hostile environment. In reply to Deputy Collins's question about equipment, the force is...

Overseas Missions. (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I said last week that General Nash had reassured me that the medical and logistical matters had been sorted out to his satisfaction. He is the force commander——

Overseas Missions. (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: He is the force commander and I take his word for it. What would the Deputy do in that situation?

Overseas Missions. (19 Feb 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I did ask him.