Results 11,041-11,060 of 12,596 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 96 and 474 together. The White Paper on Defence of February 2000 sets out a figure of 10,500 personnel for the Permanent Defence Force, comprising 930 for the Air Corps, 1,144 for the Naval Service and 8,426 for the Army. It is my intention to maintain the established Government policy of ongoing recruitment to the Defence Forces. Recruitment into the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: There are a total of 33 locations across the 6 Military Formations which are used by the Defence Forces for accommodation purposes. The accommodation provided caters for the operational, living, recreational and training needs of the Defence Forces. The locations are as follows:

Written Answers — Defence Forces Investigations: Defence Forces Investigations (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 118 together. On 2 February, 2006, I received a report from Mr. Sean Hurley, who I had appointed to carry out an independent review of the interaction between the Department of Defence/Defence Forces and parents and family of Private Kevin Barrett in the aftermath of his tragic death, on 18 February, 1999, while serving with the 84th Infantry Battalion...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Investigations: Defence Forces Investigations (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The military authorities advise that the Military Police investigation into the alleged larceny of diesel oil from military vehicles in Donegal has been completed. I am advised that disciplinary proceedings are imminent.

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 100, 122, 123 and 129 together. Ireland is currently contributing approximately 765 Defence Forces personnel to 19 different missions throughout the world. Full details of all personnel currently serving overseas are listed in the following tabular statement. The main commitments are to the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), with 422 personnel, to the...

Written Answers — National Emergency Plan: National Emergency Plan (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The Civil Defence is a declared resource of the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII). They have a specific role in the National Emergency Plan for Nuclear Accidents. Civil Defence volunteers are exercised regularly in their role in relation to the National Emergency Plan. In May 2005 they exercised their assigned role in the national emergency plan for nuclear accidents with...

Written Answers — Emergency Services: Emergency Services (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The Irish Coast Guard, formerly the Irish Marine Emergency Service, under the aegis of the Department of Transport, is the State Agency with responsibility for marine emergency management within the Irish Pollution Response Zone (IPRZ). The role of the Naval Service in pollution control involves the provision of aid to the civil authority, i.e. the Irish Coastguard, as and when required,...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Investigations: Defence Forces Investigations (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I undertook during Priority Questions on Thursday 23 February, 2006 to ask the military authorities to revisit this matter in light of the questions raised on that date. The Chief of Staff has appointed a Senior officer to examine all aspects of the Niemba ambush in the Congo in November 1960. So far contact has been made with both survivors. One has been interviewed already and the other is...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Reserve: Defence Forces Reserve (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: Adequate clothing and equipment is available to Reserve Defence Force personnel, and the scale of issue reflects the recommendations of the Reserve Defence Force Review Implementation Plan. The military authorities have advised me that with regard to clothing an enhanced scale of personal issue has been approved and will be published in the near future. In addition to personal issues there is...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: Ireland's participation in Peace Support Operations is subject to what has come to be known as the Triple Lock — i.e. Government decision, Dáil Éireann approval and UN authorisation. This will also be the case for any operations which may be undertaken on EU Battlegroups. This is entirely consistent with our foreign policy commitment to collective security which recognizes the primary...

Written Answers — National Emergency Plan: National Emergency Plan (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The most recent meetings of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning and the Inter-Departmental Working Group on Emergency Planning were specifically convened to provide the various Government Department representatives with updated briefings from the Department of Agriculture and Food with regard to avian flu and from the Department of Health and Children with regard to a possible...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: Elections are due to take place in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) under UN supervision in July 2006. In December 2005, the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) invited the EU to consider the possibility of providing "a suitably earmarked force reserve that could enhance MONUC's quick reaction capabilities during and immediately after the electoral process." MONUC is the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Deployment: Defence Forces Deployment (9 May 2006)

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 aid to the civil power (meaning in practice to assist, when requested, an Garda Síochána), which duties include the protection and guarding of vital installations. I have been advised by the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Ombudsman: Defence Forces Ombudsman (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The Office of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces was established under the Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Act 2004. In accordance with the terms of Section 2 of the Act, the President, acting upon the recommendation of the Government, appointed Ms Paulyn Marrinan Quinn SC as Ombudsman for the Defence Forces with effect from the 19th September 2005. The Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Act 2004...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The Civil Defence Board has completed its relocation from Dublin to its new premises in Roscrea, County Tipperary. The number of Civil Defence personnel who have relocated to Roscrea is 17; the number of those who were in the Civil Defence headquarters in Dublin is 11. This does not include 2 personnel who had re-located from Civil Defence headquarters in Dublin to Roscrea but have since left...

Written Answers — Air Corps Support: Air Corps Support (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: 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 roles assigned to the Defence Forces. In this regard, the Defence Forces assist the Gardaí as required in duties, which include cash escorts, prison escorts and explosives...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel is the principal base of the Air Corps. With the withdrawal of aircraft from Gormanston and the relocation of Air Corps headquarters to Baldonnel, the Air Corps has the basis for better management of its resources. Baldonnel will continue to be the centre of military aviation in Ireland. Periodic interest by the private sector has been expressed during the past...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 120 and 124 together. I am advised by the Attorney General that there is a constitutional impediment to the training and exercising of foreign troops in Ireland and, as such, there are no plans for the training of foreign troops in this country. It is expected that training for EU Battlegroups will normally take place in the country of the lead or framework...

Written Answers — National Emergency Plan: National Emergency Plan (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The emergency plan for Dublin Harbour is a matter for the Dublin Port Harbourmaster. The Naval Service has no role in this emergency plan.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Deployment: Defence Forces Deployment (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The current deployment of the Permanent Defence Force, which comprises the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service, is based on and derives from the Defence Forces Review Implementation Plan 1996-1998 and the subsequent White Paper on Defence of February 2000. The main focus during this period was on the restructuring of the Defence Forces into a more rationally structured and streamlined...