Results 10,881-10,900 of 12,596 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The Government decision on decentralisation, announced by the Minister for Finance in his Budget statement on 3 December 2003, provides for the transfer of all of my Department'sDublin based civil service staff to Newbridge, Co. Kildare. The number of staff to be relocated to Newbridge is 200. A total of 385 personnel, of which 60 are from within the Department, have opted to move to...

Written Answers — National Emergency Plan: National Emergency Plan (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 72 together. The lead responsibility for specific emergency planning functions remains with the relevant lead Government Departments and those bodies under their aegis. Emergency plans are coordinated and exercised by the various lead Government Departments at a national level and through the Local Authorities, including the Fire Services, the Health...

Written Answers — National Emergency Plan: National Emergency Plan (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: In July 2005 the Government approved the establishment of a National Emergency Coordination Centre. The primary purpose of this Centre will be to provide a dedicated, central and multifunctional facility in which a high-level inter-departmental group of Ministers or senior officials would convene to coordinate the response in the event of a national level emergency. A suitable location for...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 44, 56, 63, 64, 73 and 80 together. I established an interdepartmental group made up of representatives from the Department of Defence, the Defence Forces, the Department of An Taoiseach, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Attorney General's Office, to examine all issues relating to Ireland's potential participation in an EU-led rapid response...

Written Answers — National Emergency Plan: National Emergency Plan (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I am conscious of the need to keep the public fully informed of developments in the emergency planning area. Following consultation with the key Government Departments and public authorities involved in emergency planning, I decided in 2005 to proceed with a market research programme into public attitudes and awareness of emergency planning in Ireland. The results of this research, which took...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: Military vehicles undergo regular maintenance and overhauls to ensure that they are roadworthy and provide value for money service. When, having regard to age, condition and mileage, vehicles are considered by military transport personnel to have reached the end of their economic life, they are proposed for disposal. Before the disposal action can be commenced, each vehicle requires...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Personnel: Defence Forces Personnel (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The tender for the supply of foodstuffs is an estimation of requirements published to inform suppliers of the type and quantity of products that may be required on a particular running contract. The tender is not a reflection of the exact diet of members of the Defence Forces. Efforts have been made over the past year by the Food Procurement Section of the Defence Forces to increase the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: With the arrival of the eight new Pilatus aircraft and two EC 135 helicopters and the planned arrival of four AW 139 helicopters, two in November 2006 and two in 2007, the disposal of six Marchetti aircraft, four Dauphin helicopters and one Gazelle helicopter by tender competition is ongoing. Tenders have been received for the Marchetti aircraft and associated spares. It is expected that a...

Written Answers — National Emergency Plan: National Emergency Plan (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The lead responsibility for specific emergency planning functions remains with the relevant Government Departments, as do the budgetary and resource management requirements. There are no plans to change this arrangement. Emergency plans are coordinated by the various lead Government Departments at a national level and through the Local Authorities, including the Fire Service, the Health...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (22 Jun 2006)

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. The Cadet Competition is the entry level for recruitment as an Officer of the Defence Forces. I have made changes to the 2006 Cadet competition to broaden the entry criteria thereby making...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 53, 71 and 76 together. The White Paper on Defence outlines the blueprint for a new Reserve Defence Force. An Implementation Plan has been developed that will ensure the realisation of the White Paper vision. This will be rolled out over the period to the end of 2009. The new Reserve will have a clearly defined role, an enhanced relationship with the PDF,...

Written Answers — Search and Rescue Service: Search and Rescue Service (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The Air Corps has not received any requests from the Irish Coast Guard or any other agency to assist in a Search and Rescue mission at Glendalough, Co. Wicklow since 1 January 2005. The Irish Coast Guard has overall responsibility for the provision of maritime Search and Rescue services within the Irish Search and Rescue Region. The Air Corps withdrew entirely from the provision of Search and...

Written Answers — Military Archives: Military Archives (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 57 and 61 together. The military authorities advise that at present the staff strength of the Military Archives is three, comprising a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer and a private. The military authorities advise me that a strength of 5, including suitably qualified replacements for two retired Officers, is sufficient to meet the current...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: It is not generally the practice to sell defensive equipment. Such equipment is normally scrapped when it is considered to be defunct. However, there are a number of categories of equipment that are disposed off. The main category relates to military vehicles. Military vehicles undergo regular maintenance and overhauls to ensure that they are roadworthy and provide value for money service....

Written Answers — Naval Deployments: Naval Deployments (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The Naval Service flagship vessel LÉ EITHNE undertook an historic visit to Argentina in February 2006 on foot of an invitation from the Argentine Government, where it participated in celebrations to commemorate the memory of Foxford-born Admiral William Brown, the founder of the Argentine Navy. LÉ EITHNE also visited Brazil and Uruguay as part of her South American deployment, which was the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The revised Cadet competition is now seen as the primary means of commissioning from the ranks. The cadet competition has been revised to increase the maximum entry age to 28 and to award bonus marks to candidates with previous experience in the PDF or RDF. Results for the 2005 cadet competition are encouraging with 14% of PDF and 8% of RDF applicants being successful in obtaining cadetships...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Deployment: Defence Forces Deployment (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The roles of the Defence Forces, as assigned by Government, are set out in the White Paper on Defence which was published in February 2000. To aid the civil power (meaning in practice to assist, when requested, An Garda Síochána, who have the primary responsibility for law and order, including the protection of the internal security of the State) is among the assigned roles. The Defence...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: When the difficulty with Dr. Lieberthal's registration came to light the first priority was the welfare of the troops who were attended to by him. The Director of the Medical Corps contacted each person who had served in Liberia during the period in question alerting them to the situation and advising them of the measures the Medical Corps were putting in place to deal with any concerns they...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I felt that the 90th anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising would be an appropriate time to show the country's appreciation of the major part played by Veterans of the War of Independence and their spouses in the foundation of the State. Accordingly, I sought and obtained the approval of the Minister for Finance for an increase of 50% in these pensions effective from the 1st April 2006. The...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: During the period 12 to 14 June, 2006, I took the opportunity to pay a short visit to Kosovo where I met with the Irish personnel of 32nd Infantry Battalion serving with the NATO-led International Security presence (KFOR) in Kosovo. The primary purpose of my visit was to see at first hand the work of the Irish Defence Forces personnel serving with KFOR and to convey to them, on behalf of the...