Results 9,681-9,700 of 17,012 for speaker:Paul Kehoe

Other Questions: Defence Forces Reserve (21 Jun 2016)

Paul Kehoe: I will come back to the Deputy on exactly when the specialist reserve will be set up. It will be done in conjunction with the Secretary General of the Department, the Chief of Staff and myself. I would like to see it being brought forward as soon as possible because it is in the White Paper which we are implementing. I will come back to the Deputy with an exact date in that regard. What...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Reserve (21 Jun 2016)

Paul Kehoe: I have not yet seen any proposals. The next time I respond to parliamentary questions I will bring it to the Deputy’s attention when such a proposal is brought to my attention, if that answers the Deputy’s question.

Other Questions: EU Battle Groups (21 Jun 2016)

Paul Kehoe: I am not aware of any war games that the Irish Defence Forces have participated in. I assure the Deputy, again, that our participation has no effect on our traditional policy of military neutrality. I am not aware, so far as I understand, that military training of that type is carried out in any battle group. I actually visited a battle group back in 2012 and I can assure the Deputy that...

Other Questions: EU Battle Groups (21 Jun 2016)

Paul Kehoe: I am not aware of-----

Other Questions: EU Battle Groups (21 Jun 2016)

Paul Kehoe: I did not see any such article on it.

Other Questions: Naval Service Operations (21 Jun 2016)

Paul Kehoe: Following a Government decision on 12 May 2015, the Irish Naval Vessel LE Eithnewas deployed to the Mediterranean Sea on 16 May 2015 to assist the Italian authorities with the migrant crisis. During 2015 two further vessels were deployed, LE Niamhand LE Samuel Beckett, and the deployment was completed on 29 November 2015, with LE Samuel Beckettarriving back in Ireland on 17 December 2015....

Other Questions: Naval Service Operations (21 Jun 2016)

Paul Kehoe: I can assure the Deputy that the members of the Naval Service who are carrying out the rescue operations were trained to a very high standard. If one looked at the work carried out in 2015 and to date in 2016 it would give an overview of exactly the training they have gone through for such an operation. Those involved must be commended on the work they have carried out to date, because it...

Other Questions: Naval Service Operations (21 Jun 2016)

Paul Kehoe: The Deputy will appreciate that the mission will be kept under ongoing review in light of developments in the Mediterranean Sea. There has been a significant decline in the number of migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea in the last week or two. It is unclear whether this is due to the adverse weather conditions or some other factor, but the current plan is to rotate LE...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Reserve (21 Jun 2016)

Paul Kehoe: As the Deputy will be aware, there is currently no provision in the Defence Acts to allow Reserve Defence Force personnel to be deployed overseas. The White Paper on Defence confirmed that the primary role of the Reserve Defence Force is to augment the Permanent Defence Force in crisis situations and to contribute to State ceremonial events. It was also identified in the White Paper on...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (21 Jun 2016)

Paul Kehoe: Deputy Daly mentioned the UK defence committee report on Lariam. I am very much aware of the report and its conclusions. However, the use of Lariam by other armed forces is an internal matter for them. It would be inappropriate for me to comment on the policy of other states in this regard. The Deputy may wish to note that the working group invited two of the doctors who provided evidence...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (21 Jun 2016)

Paul Kehoe: There are different practices between Ireland and the UK. Our position is that Lariam remains formally on the list of medications prescribed by the medical corps for Defence Forces personnel on appropriate overseas missions to ensure that our military personnel can have effective protection from the serious risks posed by malaria, which killed approximately 438,000 people in 2015, with 90%...

Other Questions: EU Battle Groups (21 Jun 2016)

Paul Kehoe: A central plank of Irish foreign policy is support for the multilateral system of collective security represented by the United Nations. In this regard, Ireland has worked to uphold the primary role of the Security Council when it comes to international peace and security. This commitment has found expression in Ireland's long-standing tradition of participation in UN peacekeeping...

Other Questions: EU Battle Groups (21 Jun 2016)

Paul Kehoe: I absolutely agree that the term battle group is a misleading and unfortunate term. I have raised this with the Department but I understand that we alone cannot change it. A change in the term would have to go through the UN. The term is a standard, technical military term. Essentially, it is a battalion size force with support elements including transport and logistics. The overall size...

Other Questions: Departmental Properties (21 Jun 2016)

Paul Kehoe: There is a template in the form of what happened with the barracks in Cavan and Clonmel, which were closed at the same time. Cavan VEC took over Cavan barracks and Tipperary County Council has taken over Clonmel. I believe there are different tenants there now but I am open to correction on that. In any event, both communities were very active from the time their barracks closed in trying...

Other Questions: Departmental Properties (21 Jun 2016)

Paul Kehoe: -----but any proposal will have to come through Westmeath County Council.

Other Questions: Departmental Properties (21 Jun 2016)

Paul Kehoe: It boggles my mind, too, that the Deputy has suddenly developed a great interest in this since I first said I had taken an interest in trying to dispose of Mullingar barracks. In the past five years neither my Department nor I have received one proposal-----

Other Questions: Departmental Properties (21 Jun 2016)

Paul Kehoe: We have not received any proposal from Westmeath County Council, though we have given the council every opportunity to come forward with a proposal. I will take any proposal from Westmeath County Council on the use of these barracks.

Other Questions: Departmental Properties (21 Jun 2016)

Paul Kehoe: For safety reasons, if we do not get such a proposal I will go ahead with the sale of Mullingar barracks.

Other Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (21 Jun 2016)

Paul Kehoe: The health and welfare of the Defence Forces are a priority for me and this informs my approach to the issue of Lariam. As I have already advised the House today, a malaria working group was established in January 2011 and reported in April 2013. The group was reconvened in August 2015. The purpose of the group is to review, inter alia, issues arising in relation to the use of Lariam,...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Strength (21 Jun 2016)

Paul Kehoe: The Department and the Defence Forces try at the start of every year to calculate how many retirements they expect in that calendar year. As I have said to the Deputy opposite, that fluctuates from time to time. It is very difficult to say exactly how many will retire. I have already indicated that personnel can retire from the Defence Forces for a variety of reasons and the Deputy will,...