Results 9,881-9,900 of 12,632 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

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...

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

Willie O'Dea: There are no payments of mobile telephone bills made, in the form of expenses, to staff of my Department or the Defence Forces.

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

Willie O'Dea: The amount paid in respect of the mobile telephone assigned to me as Minister for the years in question are as follows: 2006: €960.00 (Roaming charges €80.00; data charges €30.00) 2007: €1,046.97 (Roaming charges €110.00; data charges €40.00)

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

Willie O'Dea: The Expenditure Review of maintenance of aircraft in the Air Corps was published in July 2006. The main findings of this review were that the efficiency and effectiveness of aircraft maintenance was being compromised by the age and diversity of the fleet that the Air Corps operated over the period of the review. The ongoing investment in Defence equipment has resulted in significant...

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

Willie O'Dea: The Value for Money Review of Clothing Procurement in the Defence Forces was published in September 2007. The review has identified potential for increased efficiency and effectiveness in the clothing storage and distribution system. An implementation group, tasked with drawing up a detailed implementation plan has been established. The anticipated improvement in inventory turnover ratios...