Results 11,881-11,900 of 12,596 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Defence Forces contingent, which was deployed for service with the United Nations mission in Liberia, UNMIL, in December 2003, currently comprises a motorised infantry battalion, of some 410 personnel. A small number of additional personnel have been also deployed at force headquarters and as military observers. Irish personnel are rotated on a six monthly basis. The 92nd infantry...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 20, 26 and 32 together. The Government's legislative programme for the current Dáil session which commenced on 12 April 2005, as announced by my colleague, the Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, Deputy Kitt, lists in section C my intention to seek Government approval to amend Part V (Discipline) of the Defence Act...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: When the Defence Forces are deploying a contingent on an overseas mission and where contingent personnel are drawn from different brigades, they are trained together for a period, in order to improve cohesiveness and understanding among the personnel comprising the contingent. Similarly, from an objective standpoint, it will be important, in order to reach the requisite level of...

Written Answers — Common Foreign and Security Policy: Common Foreign and Security Policy (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25, 30, 34, 43, 244 to 247, inclusive, 256 and 257 together. The background to the rapid response elements concept, commonly referred to as battle groups, is that at the European Council in Helsinki in 1999 member states set themselves a headline goal that "by the year 2003, cooperating together and voluntarily, they will be able to deploy rapidly and then...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Defence Forces participate in two main types of overseas missions, namely, traditional UN-led "Blue Hat" missions and UN authorised missions, where the mission is established under the authority of the UN Security Council or the General Assembly of the UN. UNIFIL in Lebanon and UNMIL in Liberia are examples of such missions. The second type are missions authorised to be established by the...

Written Answers — Humanitarian Relief: Humanitarian Relief (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: As soon as the scale of the recent disaster in South East Asia became clear, the Department of Foreign Affairs deployed a high-level technical assessment team, which included a member of the Defence Forces, to examine the situation on the ground and identify what assistance Ireland should offer to the affected region. Arising from its initial assessment, the team advised the Department of...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The total number of Defence Forces personnel currently serving overseas is 750, of whom 716 are serving on UN-led or UN authorised missions. Full details are as listed in the following statement.

Written Answers — European Council Meetings: European Council Meetings (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Unfortunately, due to illness, I was unable to attend the informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers convened by the Luxembourg Presidency and the Secretary General of my Department attended in my place. As previously reported to the House, these meetings provide a useful forum for Ministers to exchange views on the continued development of the European security and defence policy, ESDP, in...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Section 85 applies only to members of the Permanent Defence Force employed on a State ship or service aircraft which is travelling outside the territorial seas of the State. State ships or aircraft have not been deployed on service with the United Nations or other international organisations. The specific provision, within the corpus of defence legislation, under which members of the...

Written Answers — International Terrorism: International Terrorism (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 40 together. The most important defence against any terrorist attacks 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...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions. : Overseas Missions. (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The central issue here, raised on 1 March 2005 is currently being examined by my officials in order to address the particular difficulty outlined by the Deputy. I understand that in practice cases such as this only arise infrequently. Nevertheless, I feel that we must provide compassionately for these cases administratively on an individual basis in order to avoid the imposition of...

Written Answers — Military Police Investigations. : Military Police Investigations. (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The second Military Police investigation into alleged incidents onboard a Naval Service vessel was concluded on 28 February 2005. The military authorities advise that there was insufficient evidence to provide a basis for further action.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Training: Defence Forces Training (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The military authorities advise that chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear, CBRN, training is conducted at cadet and induction level in the Defence Forces. During this training, students are trained and tested in personal nuclear decontamination techniques. In each brigade and the Defence Forces training centre, a CBRN platoon is fully trained in all aspects of nuclear...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 254 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 — Labour Protection Code: Labour Protection Code (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Over the years PDFORRA has canvassed the idea that a soldier's conditions of employment should largely replicate conditions in the civilian world. However, in a professional military organisation, this approach is simply not practical and this is widely recognised internationally. It is an inherent and overriding principle of military service that personnel are at all times subject to...

Written Answers — National Emergency Plan: National Emergency Plan (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Government Task Force on Emergency Planning, which I chair, was established in October 2001. The membership of the task force includes Ministers, senior officials of Departments, senior officers of the Defence Forces and the Garda Síochána, and officials of other key public authorities that have a lead or support role in Government emergency planning. The work of the task force...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Since my appointment on the 29 September 2004, I accompanied President McAleese on her visit to west Africa during the period 13 to 15 December 2004. I attended a General Affairs and External Relations Council, GAERC, meeting in Brussels on 22 November 2004. I have not made any other foreign trips.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The properties disposed of by my Department following the approval by the Government in July 1998 of a programme of evacuation and sale of barracks considered surplus to military requirements are as set out in my reply to Questions Nos. 89, 127 and 393 on 1 March 2005. It is the policy of my Department to dispose of properties surplus to military requirements. In this regard the property...

Written Answers — International Terrorism: International Terrorism (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 248 to 252, inclusive, together. The most important defence against terrorist attacks is detection and prevention by the security forces. While the Garda 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 the Garda, when requested. The...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The refurbishment of residential accommodation is an integral part of my Department's ongoing building programme. Major contracts to improve the standard of accommodation have been placed over the past number of years as part of an ongoing investment programme within the Defence Forces. For example, from 2003 to date, major accommodation upgrades have taken place in McKee and Cathal Brugha...