Results 10,861-10,880 of 36,764 for speaker:Enda Kenny

Leaders' Questions (18 Jun 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Government decided to make €13 million available for the return of discretionary cards that were taken away from people in the review system. The Minister for Health has set up the clinical assessment panel to move to a situation in which the medical condition of a person applying for a new card today can be used to give that person access to medical facilities. Over 1,000...

Leaders' Questions (18 Jun 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Deputy is talking about exceptional circumstances. There is no inconsistency in this.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel (18 Jun 2014)

Enda Kenny: I propose to take Questions Nos. 11, 12, 26 and 123 together. One of the key areas identified for urgent action by the EAG was the development of a manpower policy with an emphasis on lowering the age profile of PDF personnel. The EAG's report was accepted by Government in 1995. In an effort to alleviate the situation, the Government had already decided in 1993 to enlist personnel on...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel (18 Jun 2014)

Enda Kenny: In October 2002 the Defence Forces introduced a Compulsory Random Drug Testing programme. The primary objective of Compulsory Random Drug Testing is deterrence. The Defence Forces policy on drug and substance abuse or misuse is based on the premise that unlawful possession, supply or use of a controlled drug is incompatible with membership of the Defence Forces. Drug and substance abuse,...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Military Aircraft Landings (18 Jun 2014)

Enda Kenny: Among the roles assigned to the Defence Forces is the provision of Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP) which, in practice, means to assist An Garda Síochána when requested to do so. There is ongoing and close liaison between An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces regarding security matters. The Defence Forces have deployed personnel to Shannon Airport, in response to...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Recruitment (18 Jun 2014)

Enda Kenny: I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 130 together. The Government is committed to maintaining the stabilised strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel, comprising of 7,520 Army, 886 Air Corps and 1,094 Naval Service. I am advised by the Military Authorities that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force, at 30 April 2014, the latest date for which details are...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel (18 Jun 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Government is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for men and women throughout the Defence Forces and to the full participation by women in all aspects of Defence Forces activities. While some progress has been made by the Military Authorities in addressing gaps between male and female participation in the Defence Forces, it is recognised that more work needs to be done to meet...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service Vessels (18 Jun 2014)

Enda Kenny: A Defence Forces vessel replacement strategy has been in progress since 2007. This investment strategy was underscored by the commitment in the 2000 White Paper on Defence to ensure an eight ship flotilla. As the Deputy may be aware, the first of two new Offshore Patrol Vessels was commissioned last month, as the L.E. Samuel Beckett, and has been deployed and is now on its maiden patrol in...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps Equipment (18 Jun 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Ministerial Air Transport Service (MATS) is provided by the Gulfstream IV and Learjet 45 aircraft, which were specifically acquired for that purpose. The Gulfstream IV was acquired in December 1991 and to date has accumulated over 13,100 flying hours. The Service provides the Government and the President with an independent, flexible, and effective air transport service to assist in...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Properties (18 Jun 2014)

Enda Kenny: I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 22 together. The Department of Defence recently undertook an assessment of vacant former married quarter properties within the Curragh Camp with a view to their potential for future military use. The properties in question comprise a terrace of 16 houses. Three of the houses had previously been reconfigured by combining adjacent houses with the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Ambulance Service Provision (18 Jun 2014)

Enda Kenny: In 2012, a Memorandum of Understanding was agreed between the Department of Defence and the Department of Health in relation to the Air Corps' support of a pilot Emergency Aeromedical Support (EAS) service which is operating out of Custume Barracks, Athlone. The purpose of the pilot is to assess the level and type, if any, of a dedicated EAS service needed to support the National Ambulance...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Rights of Way Provision (18 Jun 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Department is not aware of a right of way access to the beach adjacent to Renmore Barracks. There are no records to indicate that a right of way existed and therefore the question of it being extinguished does not arise.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (18 Jun 2014)

Enda Kenny: I am advised that the Medical Module of the Personnel Management System does not provide the specific medical reasons why personnel were discharged from the Defence Forces. Therefore, there is no way of providing this information without examining every medical record of every person discharged. In January 2011 the Department established a working group to examine the use of Lariam and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel (18 Jun 2014)

Enda Kenny: There are no plans to allow PDFORRA to take up associate membership of ICTU. Under the terms of the Defence (Amendment) Act 1990, the Defence Forces Representative Associations are prohibited from being associated with, or affiliated to any trade unions, or any other body without the consent of the Minister. Accordingly, the Representative Association PDFORRA cannot be affiliated to ICTU at...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Deployment (18 Jun 2014)

Enda Kenny: The re-organisation of the Defence Forces, finalised in October 2012, has resulted in a fundamental re-structuring of Army Formations and Units across the country including the closure of a number of operational posts. This was undertaken in order to enhance operational readiness and deployability whilst reducing numbers involved in administration. This re-organisation led to a...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Expenditure (18 Jun 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Chief State Solicitor’s office and the State Claims Agency manage and provide legal representation in relation to all cases taken against the Minister for Defence. In cases where the State is considered liable or which involve an apportionment of liability between the State and the claimant, I am informed that both the Chief State Solicitor’s office and the State Claims...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Appointments to State Boards (18 Jun 2014)

Enda Kenny: The State Boards under the aegis of the Department of Defence when the Government took office were the Civil Defence Board, the Army Pensions Board and the Board of Coiste an Asgard. The Civil Defence Board was identified in the Public Service Reform Plan as a body to be abolished. The then Minister for Defence appointed a 14 person interim Board as a temporary measure in 2011 and in this...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Strength (18 Jun 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Government is committed to a stabilised strength of 9,500 for the Permanent Defence Force. In the context of current strength numbers being below the agreed stabilised strength, a new General Service recruitment campaign for both the Permanent and the Reserve Defence Force was announced in March this year. The Defence Forces plan to induct up to 400 personnel to the Permanent Defence...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel (18 Jun 2014)

Enda Kenny: I am advised by the Military Authorities that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force, at 30 April 2014, the latest date for which figures are available was 9,110, comprising 7,338 Army, 764 Air Corps and 1,008 Naval Service personnel. The attached table outlines the establishment, strength and vacancies of the Permanent Defence Force, by Army, Air Corps and Naval Service as at 30 April...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Operations (18 Jun 2014)

Enda Kenny: As of 01 June 2014, Ireland is contributing approximately 417 Defence Forces personnel to 13 different missions throughout the world. Full details of all personnel currently serving overseas are listed in the tabular statement attached. Ireland’s main deployments are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with 199 personnel and United Nations Disengagement Observer...