Results 11,481-11,500 of 12,596 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Ireland is currently contributing 730 Defence Forces personnel to 19 different missions throughout the world. The main commitments are to the United Nations Mission in Liberia, UNMIL, with 403 personnel, to the NATO-led International Security presence, KFOR, in Kosovo, with 202 personnel, and to EUFOR, the EU-led operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with 54 personnel. Ireland, together with...

Written Answers — Commemorative Events: Commemorative Events (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The military aircraft in question, three Pilatus PC9-M flown by the Air Corps Flying Training School, were carrying out a rehearsal fly-past over the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, in preparation for the National Day of Commemoration on 11 July 2005. The National Day of Commemoration is held in honour of all Irish men and women who died in past wars or on peace-keeping duties with the United...

Written Answers — Humanitarian Assistance: Humanitarian Assistance (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 41 and 53 together. While primary responsibility in this area lies with my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, a request for assistance from Pakistan in the aftermath of the South Asia earthquake was received through the European Union Monitoring and Information Centre, MIC, in Brussels. Following consideration by the military it...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Defence Forces have available to them equipment for monitoring and protecting their members in dealing with nuclear, biological or chemical, NBC, threats identified from time to time. They hold an extensive range of modern NBC equipment that meets their current requirements. This range includes approximately 7,000 NBC suits, 1,500 of which were delivered in 2004. A further 1,000 suits...

Written Answers — Common Foreign and Security Policy: Common Foreign and Security Policy (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The battlegroup is designed to respond rapidly to the full range of Petersberg Tasks, either on its own or as an initial response pending the deployment of a follow-on force. Potentially, a battlegroup could be deployed to counter the threat of genocide. In such a situation, I would expect the UN to respond with all haste and put in place an appropriate resolution to ensure the protection of...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: A tender competition is currently in train to replace the existing FN 9mm Browning automatic pistol within the Defence Forces. Proposals have been received and are under evaluation by a project evaluation team. The requirement is for up to 1,400 new pistols. It is expected that a contract will be placed in the first quarter of 2006 but this is dependent on how long the technical evaluation...

Written Answers — Military Police Investigations: Military Police Investigations (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The military authorities advise that there is a military police investigation ongoing into the alleged larceny of diesel oil from military vehicles in Donegal. It would be inappropriate to comment on the details of the investigation but it can be confirmed that a member of the Defence Forces has been interviewed in the course of the investigation. As the investigation is continuing and...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (3 Nov 2005)

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 my Department's Dublin based Civil Service staff to Newbridge, County Kildare. The number of staff to be relocated to Newbridge is 202. While the Office of Public Works has identified a suitable site in Newbridge for the Department's new...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Medical Services: Defence Forces Medical Services (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: As part of the modernisation agenda agreed under Sustaining Progress a review, involving the representative associations, of the provision of medical services in the Defence Forces has been ongoing. This review has dealt with, among other things, the level of services to be provided to members of the Defence Forces and the resources required for the delivery of that service. This review,...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: In the period 30 May to 1 June, I visited Irish troops serving with KFOR in Kosovo, and EUFOR in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Parliamentary and presidential elections in Liberia took place on 11 October 2005. As the presidential election did not produce an outright winner, a run-off between the two leading candidates — Ms Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and Mr. George Weah — will be necessary. The next...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The primary responsibility for the internal security of the State rests with the Garda Síochána. The Defence Forces, pursuant to their role of rendering aid to the civil power, assist the Garda as required. Defence Forces Border operations are undertaken as aid to civil power, ATCP, requests. The Defence Forces also assist the Garda in relation to prisoner escorts, cash escorts and...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Training: Defence Forces Training (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I am advised by the military authorities that the current training for overseas deployment follows a specific training syllabus developed for such missions. Each syllabus is based on comprehensive studies carried out by a number of specialist staffs of each mission area after reconnaissance. All recommendations of these staffs are incorporated into the syllabus and the troops trained...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The most important defence against any terrorist attack is detection and prevention by the security forces. While the Garda Síochána has 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, the Garda Síochána. The various components of the Defence Forces are...

Written Answers — Common Foreign and Security Policy: Common Foreign and Security Policy (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Deputy cannot take my response to a previous parliamentary question and turn it on its head the way he has done here. As the Deputy is aware, the Government supports the development of the EU's rapid response capability in support of the UN. This is in keeping with our long tradition and policy of support for the UN, multilateralism and the Security Council as the lead authority for the...

Written Answers — Army Barracks: Army Barracks (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Castlebar military barracks is primarily a Reserve Defence Force facility and provides training facilities, office accommodation and storage facilities for Permanent Defence Force cadre and unit personnel of units stationed in the barracks. The military have costed the refurbishment of some buildings necessary to effect compliance with building, health and safety, and fire regulations to...

Written Answers — Common Foreign and Security Policy: Common Foreign and Security Policy (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Defence Forces have looked at a number of options in terms of their contribution to rapid reaction forces under the Helsinki headline goal. I am not sure where the Deputy got the figure of 120 troops in the context of battlegroups. While I have yet to receive the report of the interdepartmental group, which is examining the issue of battlegroups, my understanding is that the Defence...

Written Answers — European Defence Agency: European Defence Agency (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: As the Deputy will be aware, Ireland participates in the European Defence Agency which is charged with supporting the development of capabilities in relation to battlegroups and the headline goal, supporting collaboration and rationalisation in the European defence equipment market and increasing the effectiveness of European defence expenditure, particularly in the area of research and...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Ireland is currently contributing 730 Defence Forces personnel to 19 different missions throughout the world, full details are as listed in the following tabular statement. The main commitments are to the United Nations Mission in Liberia, UNMIL, with 403 personnel, the NATO-led international security presence, KFOR, in Kosovo, with 202 personnel, and EUFOR, the EU-led operation in Bosnia and...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I do not concur with the views expressed by PDFORRA at its recent annual conference in Athlone on the subject of defence expenditure with particular regard to spending on modern equipment. The position is that there has been an unprecedented level of expenditure on infrastructure and equipment for the Defence Forces in recent years and it is my clear intention to continue with the investment...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 Nov 2005)

Willie O'Dea: In the period from 1997 to date, capital building projects undertaken in the Curragh Camp cost a total of approximately €78 million. A significant number of projects were funded from the barrack re-investment programme which commenced in 1999 to provide the Defence Forces with operational, living and recreational accommodation suitable to the needs of a modern military organisation. The...