Results 10,401-10,420 of 12,596 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

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

Willie O'Dea: The Government has approved the preparation of a commemorative programme for the 400th Anniversary of the Flight of the Earls, combined with the 400th Anniversary of the Irish College at Louvain and the 350th Anniversary of the Franciscan scholar Luke Wadding. A commemorative planning group, comprised of officials from several Government Departments, has been established to bring forward a...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Support Services: Defence Forces Support Services (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The Defence Forces run regular pre-retirement courses in advance of retirement for personnel who are due to retire on normal age grounds. The courses are provided within five years of the due retirement date. Permanent Defence Force personnel are briefed about the important life changes that result from reaching retirement age. They receive information about how others have dealt successfully...

Written Answers — Infectious Diseases: Infectious Diseases (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The Inter-Departmental Working Group on Emergency Planning last met on the 18 January 2007. This was the 46th meeting of the Working Group. At that meeting the Department of Agriculture and Food briefed the Working Group of its assessment on the current risk of an avian flu outbreak. The Department's assessment is that the current risk of an avian flu outbreak in Ireland is low. The...

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

Willie O'Dea: The numbers of applications received for General Service Enlistment to the Permanent Defence Force in 2004, 2005 and 2006 were 1,943, 1,125 and 2,495 respectively. A total of 579 general service recruits enlisted in the Permanent Defence Force in 2004, 384 enlisted in 2005 and 559 enlisted in 2006. The numbers of applications received for Cadetships in 2004, 2005 and 2006 were 916, 1,004 and...

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

Willie O'Dea: The Office of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces was established under the Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Act 2004. On the 19th September 2005, Ms Paulyn Marrinan-Quinn, SC, was appointed by the President, upon the recommendation of the Government, as the first Ombudsman for the Defence Forces. The function of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces is to act as the ultimate point of appeal for,...

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

Willie O'Dea: It is intended, with the co-operation of Dublin City Council, to erect a "National Memorial to Members of the Defence Forces who died in Service" in Merrion Square in Dublin later this year. A tender competition was undertaken to select an artist to design, construct and install the Memorial. The closing date for receipt of tenders was 30 November 2006 and five short-listed proposals were...

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

Willie O'Dea: The Irish United Nations Veterans Association (IUNVA) was formed in 1990. Membership is available to those who have successfully completed a tour of duty with a UN Force or Organisation. I understand this membership would largely comprise both serving and former members of the Permanent Defence Force, but also includes serving and former members of the Garda Siochána and those who have...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: A Compulsory Substance Testing Programme was introduced on 1 February 2002 as part of a Defence Forces Substance Abuse Programme. This followed a long consultative process involving the Office of the Attorney General, the Deputy Judge Advocate General and the Defence Forces Representative Associations. The primary objective of Compulsory Random Drugs Testing is deterrence. In order to...

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

Willie O'Dea: The military authorities have advised that there are currently 228 commissioned and non-commissioned personnel attending education courses at third level, ranging from Certificate to Masters Degree level. The fees incurred in relation to such courses amounted to €663,188 in 2004 and to €578,130 in 2005. The number of applications received from military personnel for refunds of course...

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

Willie O'Dea: Ireland has participated continuously in United Nations peacekeeping operations since 1958, a service which has comprised more than 55,000 individual tours of duty. The first members of the Defence Forces to deploy with a United Nations peacekeeping mission did so on 28 June, 1958 with the United Nations Observer Group in Lebanon (UNOGIL). A total of fifty (50) officers served with this...

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

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 63, 275 and 277 together. The White Paper on Defence of 2000 provides for a Permanent Defence Force strength of 10,500 comprising 930 for the Air Corps, 1,144 for the Naval Service and 8,426 for the Army. The strength of the Permanent Defence Force as at 31 December, 2006 was 10,479 comprising 865 for the Air Corps, 1,082 for the Naval Service and 8,532 for...

Written Answers — Naval Service Vessels: Naval Service Vessels (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 260, 261, 264, 267 and 268 together. 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 Naval Service operates eight general-purpose patrol ships. All eight ships are involved in coastal and offshore patrolling and surveillance for the State in...

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

Willie O'Dea: The chartering of aircraft by the Defence Forces for the deployment of personnel and equipment to UN missions did not commence until October 1999. Prior to that date, aircraft were chartered by the United Nations and made available to Ireland on a direct provisioning basis in order to effect Defence Forces deployment, sustainment and withdrawal of its personnel and equipment. The cost to...

Written Answers — Air Corps Equipment: Air Corps Equipment (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: There are a total of 13 helicopters in service with the Air Corps at present. The type and age of the helicopters is set out in the attached tabular statement. In addition to those listed on the schedule, two AW 139 helicopters will be delivered to Baldonnel within the first half of this year. A further two AW 139 helicopters are scheduled for delivery in 2008. Type and Age of Air Corps...

Written Answers — Air Corps Equipment: Air Corps Equipment (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: There are a total of 19 fixed wing aircraft in service with the Air Corps at present. The type and age of the aircraft is set out in the following tabular statement. Type and Age of Air Corps Fixed Wing Aircraft in Operational Service Aircraft Type Fixed Wing Number in Service Years Cessna 5 35 years Beechcraft 1 27 years GIV 1 16 years Casa 2 13 years Defender* 1 10 years Learjet 1...

Written Answers — Air Corps Equipment: Air Corps Equipment (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The Pilatus PC9M trainer aircraft operated by the Air Corps has a limited air defensive capability appropriate to its turbo prop flight envelope. While it is not an interceptor aircraft, it could catch and intercept certain aircraft. Each aircraft has the capability to be fitted with two point 5 machine guns and two rocket launchers. In addition to the Air Corps capabilities the Defence...

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

Willie O'Dea: No funds were made available to my Department under the current or previous National Development Plan.

Written Answers — Parliamentary Questions: Parliamentary Questions (1 Feb 2007)

Willie O'Dea: The number of Parliamentary Questions replied to by my Department in 2006 was 977. It is not possible to quantify the costs of answering these PQs.

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

Willie O'Dea: The strength of the Permanent Defence Force on 31 December 2006, the latest date for which detailed figures are available, as advised by the military authorities was 10,479. A detailed breakdown of the numbers in the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps by rank and gender are in the form of a Tabular Statement attached. The Tabular Statement also provides the comparable details for the Army...

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. I am aware that significant investment has taken place in recent years and I will continue the good work in that regard. The unprecedented level of expenditure on equipment for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service was made possible by the Government's decision that pay savings...