Results 10,941-10,960 of 12,596 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Overseas Missions. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: It is not the Government's fault either. We had certain legislative and technical difficulties to overcome and we have done that, and people are literally waiting for a decision. On the last occasion I answered questions in the House, I gave an undertaking that this legislation would be through the Houses hopefully by the summer recess. I could not guarantee that but I said that was my...

Overseas Missions. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: It will depend on the circumstances of the mission. In regard to what the Deputy said about a force being endorsed, supported, sanctioned and so on, the law provides and will continue to provide that we will only commission troops on international peacekeeping operations if the United Nations directs that we do so. Everybody knows the United Nations want troops to keep the peace or to prevent...

Overseas Missions. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The advice on that matter has been given by the Attorney General with reference to a particular article in the Constitution. The advice is that those people are not unconstitutionally allowed to come here whereas contingents of troops coming here bearing arms would be unconstitutional.

Overseas Missions. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: Deputy Costello has already asked me for that and I have told him I will try to procure it.

Defence Forces Retirement. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 78 together. There is no judicial decision of the courts relating to the compulsory retirement of the individual concerned from the Permanent Defence Force in 1969, nor is there a judicial decision that fair procedures were not followed with regard to the retirement of the individual from the Permanent Defence Force in 1969. The High Court judgment of 27...

Defence Forces Retirement. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The fact somebody is dismissed from the Army does not automatically mean he or she was unfairly dismissed.

Defence Forces Retirement. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The Judge Advocate General's report was quashed on the basis that proper procedures were not followed. It would be impossible to reconstitute that procedure because the nature of the court decision was that the type of inquiry necessary is not appropriate. It would be an inquiry where, on one side, the applicant gives oral evidence, but on the other side, we would have only the dusty archives...

Defence Forces Recruitment. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I have recently received the military authorities' report, which I commissioned, on the minimum height standards for Defence Forces personnel. It was prepared in the context of encouraging more women to apply to join the Defence Forces and deals comprehensively with the complex issues relating to this matter. As such, it requires careful consideration. In the light of this report, I will...

Defence Forces Recruitment. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: While it may be correct for Deputy Timmins to state that the report was completed several weeks ago, I have only seen it in recent days. I have been busy doing other things and it may be that other people were also busy and did not hand it to me. I am engaged in consultations in this regard and can assure the Deputy that a decision will be made very quickly. I must resolve a number of...

Defence Forces Recruitment. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: It is true that some armies, including the United States army, have significantly lower height requirements for entry than the Irish Army. However, the difference is that armies such as the United States army and the British army have a number of different divisions which are permitted to perform different tasks. Women do not have access to all activities whereas, uniquely, in the Irish Army,...

Overseas Missions. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The statutory authority for the dispatch of contingents of the Permanent Defence Force for service overseas is provided for in the Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1960 and the Defence (Amendment) Act 1993. The Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1960, as amended by the Defence (Amendment) Act 1993, authorises, subject to the prior approval of Dáil Éireann, the dispatch of a contingent of the...

Overseas Missions. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I will be glad to.

Overseas Missions. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I do not in any way suggest that Deputy Costello is opposed to the Irish presence in Kosovo. I did not mean to imply that at any time. Before we deploy troops abroad following a United Nations resolution, we take the advice of the Attorney General on whether, as the Defence Act 1960 as amended in 1993 stands, we are entitled under the wording of the resolution to deploy troops abroad. The...

Overseas Missions. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The Attorney General defined it as including "authorised".

Overseas Missions. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: He defined it as extending to "authorised", but not extending to "support", "endorsed" or "calls upon". That is why I included that terminology in the new Bill. We will discuss that later. If I can obtain the Attorney General's detailed legal advice I do not see any difficulty in publishing it. I will return to the Deputy on that matter.

Overseas Missions. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: No.

Overseas Missions. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The short answer is the legislation does not apply to them. It will only come into play from when the President signs it. I am satisfied they are abroad legally. The advice of the Attorney General on that matter is crystal clear. If I can procure that advice I will be glad to communicate it to Deputy Costello.

Overseas Missions. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: Between mid-1997 and January 2003, a Defence Forces military police contingent of approximately 50 personnel served in the NATO-led Stabilisation Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina, following Dáil Éireann approval in July 1997. The force is known as SFOR. The Irish contingent formed part of the international military police company at SFOR headquarters in Sarajevo. The military police...

Overseas Missions. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The protocol is simply that the Irish troops would not countenance any such activity. Our troops regard such activity as beyond the pale. As to whether they should have been aware of what may have happened, a number of investigations are taking place at present. An investigation by the European Parliament will be discussed on 5 July and voted on the following day. The Council of Europe is...

Overseas Missions. (22 Jun 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I do not know exactly when they became aware of it. I will check and communicate with the Deputy.