Results 9,841-9,860 of 12,596 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Overseas Missions. (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I do not want to get into numbers. In the Abéché area where the Irish troops will likely be based, we would need at least three med-evac helicopters and one fixed wing med-evac aircraft. More will be needed in other parts of Chad. We are making progress, the signs are hopeful and the operation commander, an Irish general — Lieutenant General Pat Nash — will not deploy the force until...

Overseas Missions. (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The proposed deployment of a Defence Forces contingent to the UN-mandated EU operation in the Republic of Chad and the Central African Republic will be the most expensive operation on which the Defence Forces have ever been deployed. As the House will be aware, Chad is landlocked and nearly 2,000 km from the nearest port facility. There are few if any roads or infrastructure over which to...

Overseas Missions. (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The cost of the type of aircraft necessary to transfer troops and equipment like Mowags to a destination such as Chad is in the order of €75 million. I am also told that the equipment is expensive to maintain and use. I realise that €20 million for transportation — I can give the Deputy a breakdown — is a great deal of money. This is the most expensive mission in which we have...

Overseas Missions. (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I have told the House again and again that the force commander and the EU Military Committee will not deploy the force, including Irish troops, until they are fully satisfied——

Overseas Missions. (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: ——beyond a shadow of a doubt that all necessary logistical supports are in place.

Overseas Missions. (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: We cannot send our helicopters because they do not have the range. It is a vast country that contains the Sahara Desert and is as large as France, Spain and Germany put together, if not larger. Our helicopters do not have the range to do the job of air transport in such a huge interior.

Overseas Missions. (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: Deputy Deenihan asked a question that I forgot to answer, namely, for what are the helicopters used. They are used for training purposes, search and rescue missions, as Garda backup and as Navy backup in fisheries protection. Regarding their use for foreign aid, that is certainly something that——

Overseas Missions. (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I appreciate that. It is worth considering and I will discuss it with my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Defence Forces Reserve. (12 Dec 2007)

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. The plan provided for a non-integrated Army Reserve with an establishment of 9,292 personnel and a Naval Service Reserve with an establishment of 400...

Defence Forces Reserve. (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I would not agree with Deputy O'Shea that there has been a fall-off of 40% in strict numbers terms. I have some figures in that regard. It may be 40% but the recent emphasis on taking non-active people, those who do not turn up for training on a regular basis, off the rolls has played a major part. Efforts were made to find out the reason people left. The Reserve Defence Force...

Defence Forces Reserve. (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: It is not a case of taking a "one size fits all" approach. The geography is important, as I pointed out. The Deputy will find that in the report and also in the recommendations. On the numbers, the target in the White Paper between the integrated element of the Reserve and the ordinary element is approximately 11,800. The standing amount was approximately 8,939 on 31 October, almost 9,000,...

Defence Forces Training. (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The role of the Defence Forces is laid out in the White Paper on Defence. It commits the Defence Forces to being actively involved in providing a broad range of services at home and challenging deployments overseas. I have previously outlined the position on the forthcoming mission to Chad and the House will be familiar with the other overseas missions with which the Defence Forces are...

Defence Forces Training. (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: Perhaps I did misunderstand Deputy Deenihan's statement issued over the weekend.

Defence Forces Training. (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I read a statement in the paper.

Defence Forces Training. (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I assumed you issued it as it was in your name.

Defence Forces Training. (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I am sorry somebody is issuing Deputy Deenihan's statements and putting his name to them.

Defence Forces Training. (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: If it does not involve the Army going out to schools, I am relieved to hear that because we have approximately 25 fitness instructors in the Army and there are 4,000 schools in the country.

Defence Forces Training. (12 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I am giving the Deputy the official figures. There are 25 full-time and 90 part-time instructors.

Written Answers — Energy Resources: Energy Resources (11 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: To date the emphasis in my Department and across the Defence Forces has been on energy conservation and increasing energy efficiency. In 2003, an Energy Efficiency Working Group was established in the Defence Forces to examine fuel economy measures throughout the Defence Forces. A number of initiatives to improve efficiency have since been implemented and have resulted in more efficient...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (11 Dec 2007)

Willie O'Dea: Following is the information required by the Deputy: Combined totals for the Department and the Defence Forces are as follows: Year â'¬ % 2006 Total Mobile Bills 253,117 Total Data Charges 20,964 8.28 Total Roaming Charges 18,265 7.22 2007 Total Mobile Bills 347,499 Total Data Charges 32,016 9.21 Total Roaming Charges 81,035 23.32 The increase in DF charges in 2007 is due...