Results 10,301-10,320 of 12,596 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Defence Forces Recruitment. (7 Mar 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I will certainly consider the matter. I have had no complaints in that regard from the military. I understand the recruitment of apprentices is taking place as normal and as is needed. In answer to Deputy Timmins with regard to Lebanon, I did not receive any request when I was there to either extend the period of the Irish troops being there or to expand the force. The United Nations...

Defence Forces Recruitment. (7 Mar 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I met people from all over the country. I cannot recall specifically whether any of them was from Tallaght. If I have occasion to visit there again, I will make representations on Deputy O'Connor's behalf. There were 1,154 applicants for enlistment to the Permanent Defence Force, of whom 66 have been found to be unsuitable. With regard to the upper age limits, an applicant for a cadetship...

Defence Forces Recruitment. (7 Mar 2007)

Willie O'Dea: We have direct entry competitions for professionals such as doctors, dentists, engineers and so on. The point I tried to make in Lebanon — perhaps I did not make it articulately enough — was that there was a fundamental difference between the Irish Army and the Finnish army which is largely a conscript army. People are called up as and when it needs them. Some 80% consists of...

Defence Forces Strength. (7 Mar 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 88, 94, 102, 122, 299 and 305 together. The White Paper on Defence of 2000 provides for a Permanent Defence Force strength of 10,500, comprising 8,426 for the Army, 1,144 for the Naval Service and 930 for the Air Corps. It is my intention to maintain the established Government policy of ongoing recruitment to the Defence Forces. Recruitment to the Permanent...

Defence Forces Strength. (7 Mar 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I accept the Deputy's point but it is not just a question of cost. Similar arguments are often made with regard to experienced members of the detective branch of the Garda Síochána. When an officer reaches a certain age, he or she knows where to look when a crime is committed. Nevertheless, such officers must retire at that age and their expertise is lost. There are certain upper...

Defence Forces Strength. (7 Mar 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I will look into whether it can be done and will talk to the relevant people.

Defence Forces Strength. (7 Mar 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The current number is based on the White Paper. We decided to reduce the numbers in the Army by approximately 1,000 and to put the savings made into better training and equipment, which we have done. It was envisaged that the situation would continue for the duration of the White Paper until the end of 2009 and there are no plans to change the maximum strength of the Army until that point.

Defence Forces Strength. (7 Mar 2007)

Willie O'Dea: People from different backgrounds can join the Army — one does not have to be an Irish citizen.

Defence Forces Strength. (7 Mar 2007)

Willie O'Dea: At the moment that is the case. However, some changes have recently been made to the cadet competition which will open the door to refugees, nationals of EEA states and nationals of any other state who have been lawfully present in Ireland for five years, among others. If somebody who is not an Irish citizen applies to become a cadet it requires special clearance from the Minister but,...

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The Labour Party cut corporate taxes.

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2007)

Willie O'Dea: Although the Deputy is 100 years out of date, he is consistent.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (6 Mar 2007)

Willie O'Dea: There are no vacancies for tradesmen at the Naval Dockyard, Haulbowline, Co. Cork.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Morale: Defence Forces Morale (6 Mar 2007)

Willie O'Dea: 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. The Service is tasked with patrolling all Irish waters from the shoreline to the outer limits of the Exclusive Fishery Limits. In 2006 the Naval Service achieved an output of 1,658 patrol days, which represents an average of...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (6 Mar 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I am advised that adequate clothing and equipment is available to Reserve Defence Force personnel throughout the country. The scale of issue of the clothing and equipment to Reserve Defence Force personnel reflects the recommendations of the Reserve Defence Force Review Implementation Plan, which was officially launched in July 2004. This plan which runs to 2009 set out an ambitious programme...

Ministerial Air Transport Service. (6 Mar 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The Deputy was not bad at it himself.

Written Answers — Air Services: Air Services (28 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: Red safety areas were first adopted at Casement Aerodrome following a review in 1992 by Aer Rianta, on behalf of the Department of Defence, of policy in relation to safety zones at the aerodrome. International Civil Aviation Organisation standards and recommendations in relation to obstacle limitation surfaces for airports, designed to protect the safety of aircraft as they land and take off...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (27 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: A Battlegroup is simply another vehicle under which the Defence Forces may participate in UN mandated peace support operations and humanitarian tasks. As such, the current standing arrangements for the selection of members of the Defence Forces to participate in overseas peace support missions will continue to apply. While all members of the Permanent Defence Force are liable for overseas...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Health Care: Defence Forces Health Care (27 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: Enlisted personnel retain an entitlement to paid sick leave, provided this leave is certified by a Medical Officer of the Defence Forces or on the recommendation of a civilian medical practitioner. All enlisted personnel are entitled to medical care at the Department of Defence expense. The Defence Forces supply medical care to all members of the Permanent Defence Force, either directly from...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (27 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The headquarters of the Department of Defence which is currently located at Infirmary Rd., Parkgate, Dublin 7 and Coláiste Caoimhín, Glasnevin, Dublin 9 is due to move in its entirety from Dublin to Newbridge, Co. Kildare by late 2008. There will be 200 posts in my Department post decentralisation; the same number as there are currently in Dublin. It is understood that the building at...

Order of Business (22 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: It is a long question.