Results 10,381-10,400 of 12,596 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Defence Forces Training: Defence Forces Training (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The Defence Forces are required to maintain the highest standards in preparation for meeting the roles assigned to them by Government, including participation in multinational peace support operations. The Royal School of Artillery runs an All Arms Tactical Targeting (AATT) Course at its training camp in Larkhill, Wiltshire. Two junior officers from the Permanent Defence Force were students...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The Defence Forces and the Department have taken a wide variety of initiatives and have devoted extensive resources to this issue, since Dr Eileen Doyle and the External Advisory Committee presented their original report "The Challenge of a Workplace" in March 2002. This independent report addressed the entire range of interpersonal issues within the Defence Forces. Its contents and...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: KFOR was established in June 1999 to support the maintenance of civil law and order within Kosovo, so as to develop a climate of safety and security, which will enable the transfer of increased responsibility to the civil authorities. Ireland has participated in the KFOR since August 1999. The Irish contingent currently comprises an APC Mounted Infantry Group of some 215 personnel including...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Reserve: Defence Forces Reserve (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 61 together. The White Paper on Defence outlines the blue print for a new Reserve Defence Force. An Implementation Plan has been developed that will ensure the realisation of the White Paper vision and this will be rolled out over the period to end 2009. The new Reserve will have a clearly defined role, an enhanced relationship with the PDF, better...

Written Answers — National Emergency Plan: National Emergency Plan (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 27 and 64 together. As chairman of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning, I have stressed, on many occasions, the importance that I attach to departments and key public authorities having structured exercise programmes in place. I believe that the development of these programmes is essential in order to refine and develop the arrangements that exist,...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Reserve: Defence Forces Reserve (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The payments and allowances paid to members of the Reserve Defence Force are as follows: Reservists of the First Line Reserve, who are former members of the Permanent Defence Force, are paid an annual gratuity. Reservists of the Second Line Reserve, during attendance on training, are paid: Basic pay for Second Line Reservists, being the 1st point of the pay scale for the equivalent rank in...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I do not intend to raise the minimum age for recruitment to either the Permanent Defence Force or to the Reserve Defence Forces to a minimum of 18 years of age. The Deputy's question may refer to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, which was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in May 2000....

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The acquisition of new equipment for the Defence Forces continues to be a key focus for me as Minister for Defence. Significant investment has taken place in recent years throughout all facets of the Defence Forces and I will continue the good work in that regard. In recent years a particular focus of the investment has been on equipment for the individual soldier. In this regard the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 32 and 55 together. The Deputy knows, I am keen to increase the number of women applying to join our Defence Forces. To facilitate this, I have, with effect from 1st September 2006, reduced the minimum height requirement for entry into both the Permanent Defence Force and the Reserve Defence Force from 162.56cm (5'4") to 157.48cm (5'2"). This change, which...

Written Answers — Search and Rescue Services: Search and Rescue Services (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The Irish Coast Guard has overall responsibility for the provision of maritime Search and Rescue services within the Irish Search and Rescue region. The Defence Forces are committed to providing support to the civil authorities specifically in relation to search and rescue. In this regard, the Naval Service and Air Corps provide support to the Coast Guard as the need arises and within their...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: Haulbowline Island comprises 84 acres approximately. The property is vested in the Minister for Finance. The Naval Service currently occupies c. 40 acres and these lands are administered by my Department. The balance of the Island lands which were formerly under Lease to Irish Ispat (previously Irish Steel) are under the administration of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and...

Written Answers — Military Medals: Military Medals (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: Of some 550 enquiries made to date, my Department has received 392 completed application forms for Medal certificates in respect of Veterans of the 1916 Rising and the War of Independence. Following examination, entitlement to certificates has so far been established in 275 cases. A total of 152 of these cases have been finalised involving the issue of 486 certificates. The issuing of...

Written Answers — Prison Security: Prison Security (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: An Garda Síochána have the primary responsibility for law and order, including the protection of the internal security of the State. Among the roles assigned to the Defence Forces is the provision of the aid to the civil power (meaning in practice to assist, when requested, an Garda Síochána). Duties include the protection and guarding of vital installations, and the provision of...

Written Answers — Commemorative Events: Commemorative Events (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 50 together. A commemoration will again be held this Easter Sunday at the GPO to mark the anniversary of the Easter Rising 1916. Following discussions at the All Party Oireachtas Committee it has been decided that the format of this years commemoration will be a military ceremony centred on the GPO with appropriate military honours rendered. There...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I previously advised the Deputy that in 2005 expenditure for fuel in relation to the provision of heating and electricity in the various offices of my Department was €315,350.00. In addition a further €16,324,500.00 was spent on energy and fuel by the Defence Forces across 100 sites including 27 permanently occupied Military Barracks. This included expenditure of €8,900,000.00 on fuel...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The question of the recruitment of foreign nationals to the Defence Forces is not a new one and Defence Force Regulations have always allowed for the recruitment of foreign-nationals to the Defence Forces. Entry to the Permanent Defence Force is either through the Cadetship Competition, Apprenticeship Competition, General Service Enlistment or Direct Entry Competitions which are held to fill...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: On 20 December, 2001, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1386 authorising the establishment of an International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) for six months to assist the Interim Afghanistan Authority in the maintenance of security in Kabul and the surrounding areas. The authorisation of ISAF has been extended by the UN Security Council since then. NATO assumed the...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 45, 273 and 280 together. Currently, a total of 830 Defence Forces personnel is serving overseas, full details of which are listed in the attached statement. Ireland has offered, through the UN Standby Arrangements System (UNSAS), to provide up to 850 military personnel, configured as a light infantry mounted battalion, for overseas service at any one time....

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 46 and 47 together. UNIFIL was originally established on 19 March 1978 under United Nations Security Council resolutions 425 and 426, following the invasion of Lebanon by Israel, with a mandate "to confirm the withdrawal of Israeli Forces, to restore international peace and security and to assist the Government of Lebanon in ensuring the return of its...

Written Answers — Ministerial Travel: Ministerial Travel (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: During the past year I visited Irish personnel serving with the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and with the NATO-led International Security presence (KFOR) in Kosovo. During the period 28 February, 2006, to 2 March, 2006, I took the opportunity to visit Liberia where I met with the Irish personnel of 94th Infantry Battalion serving with UNMIL. The primary purpose of my visit was...