Results 9,721-9,740 of 12,596 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Tribunals of Inquiry: Motion (30 Jan 2008)

Willie O'Dea: It is not about the expeditious conduct of the tribunal's business — it is about political invective. Fine Gael is using and abusing the tribunal process to do what it could not achieve by electoral or political means. The motion the Opposition has proposed this evening is a sham.

Tribunals of Inquiry: Motion (30 Jan 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The Deputies on this side of the House want the tribunal to finish the work it was asked to do. We want it to hear the evidence fairly and to report back to the House.

Tribunals of Inquiry: Motion (30 Jan 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The tribunal enjoys the support and encouragement of this side of the House in performing those tasks. We have given the tribunal the time, the support and the additional resources it has sought.

Tribunals of Inquiry: Motion (30 Jan 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The courts have examined the tribunal's processes and made their rulings. All we have ever asked is that the tribunal fairly and diligently discharge the task we set it over ten years ago.

Tribunals of Inquiry: Motion (30 Jan 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The Dáil has given the tribunal a job to do. It should now put an end to the political posturing that underpins tonight's Opposition motion——

Tribunals of Inquiry: Motion (30 Jan 2008)

Willie O'Dea: ——and let the tribunal get on with its work. Enough time has been wasted. We do not need to waste any more.

Written Answers — Judicial Reviews: Judicial Reviews (30 Jan 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1103 and 1104 together. Records in relation to judicial reviews are only maintained in my Department where leave to apply is granted and the following table gives the relevant numbers for each of the years 1997-2007. My Department does not keep a separate record in relation to expenditure on judicial reviews. Such expenditure is included in Subhead T of my...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (30 Jan 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The strength of the Permanent Defence Force on 31 December 1987 was 13,170 and on the 31 December 2007 was 10,434, as advised by the military authorities. Gross expenditure on Defence as a percentage of total Government expenditure was 4.1% in 1987 and 1.8% in 2007. The latter figure is based on Revised Estimates Volume for 2007.

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (30 Jan 2008)

Willie O'Dea: My Department sponsored two Acts which were passed by the Houses of the Oireachtas during the period specified by the Deputy. These were the Defence (Amendment) Act 2006, which was enacted on 12 July 2006, and the Defence (Amendment) Act 2007, which was enacted on 21 April 2007. Neither Act was wholly or partly required by Ireland's EU obligations.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (30 Jan 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The Defence Forces are committed to the principles of equal opportunities, in all employment policies, procedures and regulations. The Defence Forces operate in an environment which is free from discrimination as provided by the Equality Acts. However, the Defence Forces have a derogation from the terms of the Employment Equality Act (1998) in respect of the criteria of physical ability and...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (30 Jan 2008)

Willie O'Dea: There is no legislation in place to prohibit the civilian use of Reserve Defence Force (RDF) premises. A request by a community group or organisation for the use of a building is fully considered in my Department and can be acceded to, if deemed appropriate. The primary factors that are taken into account when considering an application are the ongoing training and administration...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (30 Jan 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The site in question forms part of lands under lease to a Company that is now in dissolution. The legal position in that regard is currently under consideration in consultation with the Office of the Chief State Solicitor. A decision on the future use of the property will be taken when the legal issues have been clarified.

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (30 Jan 2008)

Willie O'Dea: In relation to my Department no officially issued computer desktops, laptops or other data devices, such as blackberries and memory keys, have been reported lost, missing or stolen since 2002. All portable devices are issued on foot of a business requirement authorised at senior level and are recorded, tracked and maintained in accordance with the Department's ICT Security Policy and...

Written Answers — Naval Service Vessels: Naval Service Vessels (30 Jan 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. The main day-to-day role of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with the State's obligations as a member of the European Union. However, as the need arises, Naval Service vessels may be...

Written Answers — Data Protection: Data Protection (30 Jan 2008)

Willie O'Dea: My Department's computer systems are subject to the normal range and frequency of intrusion attempts. A variety of highly effective protective measures are employed. To protect the security of systems within the Defence organisation, statistics are not published.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (30 Jan 2008)

Willie O'Dea: My Department currently employs the services of private media monitoring companies to provide it with copies of articles relating to Defence matters in local and national newspapers. Copies of these articles are circulated by the Press Office to myself and senior officials within my Department and are also available to all members of staff on the Department's intranet. The annual cost of...

Written Answers — Data Protection: Data Protection (30 Jan 2008)

Willie O'Dea: There are rigorous ICT security policies in place in the Department of Defence and Defence Forces. There has been no reported incident of personal data being compromised in the period specified by the Deputy. The review of data security procedures announced by An Tánaiste on 22 November 2007 is currently under way in my Department and is being co-ordinated centrally for all Departments.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (30 Jan 2008)

Willie O'Dea: In order to comply with the reporting responsibilities under the Disability Act, 2005, the Department carried out a survey in 2007 in relation to the disability status of staff. The percentage of all staff who declared that they had a disability, as defined under the Disability Act, 2005, at that time was 2.3%. In the period since the survey was carried out, a number of staff who had...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (30 Jan 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos 1116 to 1118, inclusive, together. The Government Decision on decentralisation, announced by the Minister for Finance in his Budget Statement on 3 December 2003, provides for the transfer of my entire Department's Dublin based civil service staff to Newbridge, Co. Kildare. The number of posts to be relocated to Newbridge is about 200. A total of 338 personnel...

Tribunals of Inquiry: Motion (30 Jan 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Deputy Varadkar would not know much about honour.