Results 11,061-11,080 of 12,596 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

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

Willie O'Dea: 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 Permanent Defence Force will continue to maintain the strength...

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

Willie O'Dea: The most important defence against any terrorist attack is detection and prevention by the security forces. While An Garda Síochána have the primary responsibility for law and order, one of 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. The various components of the Defence Forces are...

Written Answers — Naval Service Vessels: Naval Service Vessels (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The Naval Service operates eight general purpose patrol ships. The details of the ships are in the form of a tabular statement which follows. All eight ships are fitted with primary and secondary armament. The Primary armament ranges from 40 mm to 76 mm and secondary armament ranges from 12.5 mm to 20 mm. The ships are involved in coastal and offshore patrolling and surveillance by...

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

Willie O'Dea: As the House will be aware I established an Interdepartmental Group to examine all issues relating to Ireland's potential participation in an EU-led rapid response capability. The Group reported to me in November 2005 and, since then, its report has been considered by the Cabinet Sub Committee on European Affairs and, informally, by the Government. As part of its study the Group recommended...

Written Answers — Airspace Encroachments: Airspace Encroachments (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I am advised by Air Corps Air Traffic Services that there were 16 encroachments in 2004 and 17 encroachments in 2005 into military airspace, i.e. those portions of airspace designated for use by the Defence Forces during periods when those areas had been notified to civil air traffic services as being active, without an air traffic control clearance. The records held by the Air Corps do not...

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

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 462 and 463 together. The White Paper on Defence of February 2000 sets out a figure of 10,500 personnel for the Permanent Defence Force. This comprising 930 for the Air Corps, 1,144 for the Naval Service and 8,426 for the Army. Recruitment into the Permanent Defence Force is continuous in order to maintain the strength at the level set out in the White Paper,...

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

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 465 and 466 together. I would like to take this opportunity to once again acknowledge the supreme sacrifice of the Air Corps personnel who so tragically lost their lives in the Tramore helicopter crash and to extend my renewed sympathy to their families, to their friends and also to their colleagues in the Air Corps. We all recognise and appreciate the nature...

Written Answers — Search and Rescue Service: Search and Rescue Service (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The Irish Coast Guard has overall responsibility for the provision of maritime Search & Rescue services within the Irish Search and Rescue Region. The White Paper on Defence establishes the roles of the Defence Forces as including the provision of assistance to civil authorities as and when required. The Defence Forces have never been found wanting in this regard, and in the event of any...

Written Answers — Naval Service Vessels: Naval Service Vessels (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The Naval Service operates eight general-purpose patrol ships. All eight ships are involved in coastal and offshore patrolling and surveillance by maintaining a Naval and Maritime service for the State in that part of the seas where State jurisdiction applies such as Internal Waters, Territorial Sea and the Irish Sector of the Exclusive Economic Zone and on the high seas. They operate as the...

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

Willie O'Dea: An Garda Síochána have primary responsibility for law and order, including the protection of the internal security of the State. The potential threats to the State arising from terrorism are continuously monitored by them in cooperation with the Defence Forces. It is important that all prudent precautions are taken and that matters are kept under continuous review. The objective of the...

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

Willie O'Dea: The safety and health of Irish personnel serving overseas is always of paramount concern to me and it is my policy and practice to ensure that Defence Forces personnel are appropriately prepared and equipped to carry out their mission. The ongoing equipment modernisation programme ensures that the Defence Forces are fully equipped with the most modern of equipment for their day-to-day roles...

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

Willie O'Dea: 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 tabular statement attached. The main commitments are to the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), with 422 personnel, to the NATO-led International Security presence (KFOR) in Kosovo, with...

Departmental Staff. (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The military authorities advise that the staff strength of the military archives is three, comprising a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer and a private. Two further commissioned officers serving at the military archives retired recently and approval has been granted for their replacement. The military authorities advise me that a strength of five, including suitably qualified...

Departmental Staff. (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I will have a bigger job then.

Departmental Staff. (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I am very happy, but one can always do more.

Departmental Staff. (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The supplementary question asked by the Deputy about relocation is the subject of Question No. 65, which we will deal with later. I agree that a staff of three is inadequate. The view of the Chief of Staff, who is responsible for the section, is that a staff of five is necessary. Two people retired last October and I have given the authority the go-ahead to have them replaced. Sometimes if...

Overseas Missions. (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 and the other is...

Overseas Missions. (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I welcome Deputy Costello to this portfolio. I worked with him when I was a Minister of State in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and he was spokesperson on justice for the Labour Party. He did an excellent job in that portfolio and was a very effective spokesperson on justice. I am aware of the Deputy's long-standing interest in this matter. The question raised on 23...

Overseas Missions. (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: The 30-year rule applies to some of the material retained by the military. I will check the files to which that rule applies. I do not know whether it applies to all of the data concerned, but I will check it out.

Overseas Missions. (9 May 2006)

Willie O'Dea: I will have to check it out first.