Results 11,861-11,880 of 12,701 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Defence Forces Equipment. (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 7, 21 and 41 together. The Air Corps has a 40-aircraft complement comprising 14 helicopters and 26 fixed-wing aircraft. The type and age of the aircraft is set out in the tabular statement. In January 2005, two contracts were signed for the provision of new helicopters for the Air Corps at a cost of over €61 million. At a cost of €48.4 million, inclusive...

Defence Forces Equipment. (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I agree with the Deputy that the strongest possible Air Corps is necessary. The eight Pilatus aircraft which we acquired last year are replacing seven Marchetti aircraft which had an average age of 28 years and were becoming obsolete. While six new helicopters will replace 12 old aircraft, lower maintenance demands and greater efficiency will allow them to deliver nearly twice the flying...

Defence Forces Equipment. (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: It is not currently envisaged.

Defence Forces Equipment. (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: While the agreement is not yet finalised, I am advised that it is almost concluded. The question of a dedicated air ambulance service is a matter in the first instance for the Department of Health and Children. There are plans, however, on foot of the service level agreement to involve the Air Corps. The detailed service level agreement will set out the details of the specific capabilities...

Defence Forces Equipment. (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: No.

Overseas Missions. (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 30 together. As the House is aware, the circumstances in which the Defence Forces may participate in overseas peace support operations have been made very clear by the Government. For participation to take place, the conditions known as the triple lock must be satisfied. According to the triple lock, an operation must be authorised or mandated by the...

Overseas Missions. (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Our contribution in the eyes of the world will not be undermined. The world has shown great admiration for our contribution over the past 50 years which has been made within the constraints of the triple lock and which will continue. The rapid reaction proposal is one further element which consists of a relatively small group of 1,500 troops going in at five days' notice from the time the...

Overseas Missions. (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I am personally committed to the triple lock, as Deputy Gormley recognised, but I also speak for the Cabinet. That is Government policy. We will stick with the triple lock. In regard to Deputy Gormley's reference to À la carte members of battle groups, my understanding is that one cannot become an À la carte member of a battle group, one is either in or out. Our non-participation in common...

Overseas Missions. (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: No, the triple lock is not written into the Constitution but non-participation in common defence will suffice in this regard.

Overseas Missions. (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I do not share Deputy Gormley's pessimism.

Military Hospitals. (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9, 42 and 55 together. The House will be aware that I have indicated my willingness to make the facilities at St. Bricin's military hospital available to the public health service. Representatives from the Health Service Executive, HSE, and the Department of Health and Children have visited St. Bricin's Hospital to inspect the facilities there. I inspected the...

Military Hospitals. (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I will take the last question first. The answer is "yes", St. Bricin's is primarily a military hospital and the military will always have priority there. Deputy Sherlock asked which Department would pay for the renovations. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that it is the Department of Health and Children. Regarding the amount of expenditure, as I stated, it would depend on the use to which...

Military Hospitals. (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: If I understand the question the Deputy asked, the position is that the then Minister, Deputy Michael Smith, indicated in 2001 that St. Bricin's would be available. The relevant health authority looked at St. Bricin's and decided it would not be cost effective. A number of possible uses were considered. The first option, to turn it into a proper hospital such as an acute hospital, would have...

Military Hospitals. (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I assure Deputy Sherlock that whatever the Health Service Executive and the Department of Health and Children want to do, they will have my full co-operation. I am waiting for them to finalise their processes. I cannot speak for them.

Military Hospitals. (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: They have told me they will come back to me shortly.

National Emergency Plan. (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 12, 19 and 24 together. I express my condolences and sincere sympathy to the families and friends of those who died and were injured in the tragic road accident in County Meath last Monday. I visited both Navan and Drogheda that evening and the response to this incident has brought home to me, as chairperson of the Government task force on emergency...

National Emergency Plan. (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: On the first question, we discussed the results of the exercise in Youghal, which was code-named "Blackwater". By and large, it was very successful. Without going into too much detail, I can state there were some glitches pointing to a few areas where there is room for improvement. We are examining these. The purpose of such exercises is to determine what weaknesses exist in the system. The...

National Emergency Plan. (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Perhaps The Irish Times does not like me. I do not know why. There were a number of inaccuracies in the article. I have a draft of the article I was to write in reply and I might let Deputy Gormley have a copy. The article suggested that, in the event of an emergency, a committee of Ministers would meet but would not include the Minister for Defence.

National Emergency Plan. (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: It is incorrect. I wanted to correct this inaccuracy in the interest of public knowledge. I am on the committee. There has been much talk about co-ordination. In some countries, the office of emergency planning is located in the office of the Prime Minister. In Ireland it is located in the Department of Defence. This is because our approach is different. The lead role is taken by each...

National Emergency Plan. (26 May 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has a major plan for such.