Results 11,981-12,000 of 12,596 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (22 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: My special adviser is not part of the line management system of the Department.

Written Answers — Departmental Transport: Departmental Transport (22 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The amounts paid by my Department, including arrears in respect of previous years, by way of car mileage allowances and the total mileage claimed by civil and military personnel in 2004 are as follows. Amount Mileage â'¬m Civil Servants, Civilian Employees and Members of the Civil Defence Board And the Army Pensions Board 0.231 239,200 Military: — Permanent Defence Force...

Written Answers — Ministerial Responsibilities: Ministerial Responsibilities (22 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Section 3 of the Public Service Management Act 1997 states that: A Minister of the Government having charge of a Department shall, in accordance with the Ministers and Secretaries Acts, 1924 to 1995, be responsible for the performance of functions that are assigned to the Department pursuant to any of those Acts. I am, therefore, responsible for the performance of functions that are assigned...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (10 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 204 and 205 together. Under the Defence Forces pension schemes the minimum service required for an immediate pension in the case of NCOs and privates is 21 years. The pension for 21 years service consists of the following elements: a basic flat rate pension which varies according to rank; an addition in respect of military service allowance, MSA, in the case...

Written Answers — Army Barracks: Army Barracks (10 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Government on 15 July 1998 approved a programme of evacuation and sale of six barracks considered surplus to military requirements. The barracks in question were located at Ballincollig, Fermoy, Castleblayney, Naas, Kildare and Dublin. The sale of approximately 97 acres at Murphy Barracks, Ballincollig, County Cork, was completed in 2003 for a total of €42 million. The majority of the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Personnel: Defence Forces Personnel (10 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: In accordance with the criteria set out under the Defence Forces conciliation and arbitration scheme there are regular discussions with the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers, RACO, on the induction of officers including direct entry officers in the Permanent Defence Force. These discussions are normally undertaken at a sub-committee of the conciliation council. Under the...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (9 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 323 to 325, inclusive, together. Assignments of responsibility have been made to named officers at assistant secretary and principal officer levels in respect of all of the elements described in section 4(1), paragraphs (d) to (h) of the Public Service Management Act 1997. All of the requirements listed in section 9(1), paragraphs (a) to (f) of the Act have...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (9 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: At the outset, I should explain that, under the Defence Forces pension schemes, the minimum service required for an immediate pension in the case of NCOs and privates is 21 years. The pension for 21 years' service consists of a basic flat rate pension which varies according to rank, an addition in respect of military service allowance, MSA, in the case of qualified personnel discharged since...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (9 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: A runway end safety area, RESA, is defined as "an area symmetrical about the extended runway centreline and adjacent to the end of the strip primarily intended to reduce the risk of damage to an aeroplane undershooting or overshooting the runway". RESAs are contained completely within the airfield boundary and are referred to in International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, annex 14,...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Training: Defence Forces Training (8 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 433 and 434 together. The military authorities have advised that training instructions 03/77 and 17/87 have been replaced by training instruction 2/2002, Safety Precautions for Live Firing — Small Arms and Use of Pyrotechnics. Training instruction 2/2002 has been issued to all unit commanders and is published on the directorate of Defence Forces training web...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (8 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: There are four members of staff employed in my private office. At current rates, the salaries of these staff amount to €159,001 per annum. Costs in relation to expenses — travel and subsistence — have amounted to €252 since 29 September 2004. There is a staff of six in my constituency office, one of whom is work-sharing. At current rates, the salaries of these staff amount to...

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

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 211 and 212 together. The items referred to in the Deputy's questions are matters for consideration by the military court of inquiry to which I have referred in previous replies to the House on this incident. The court of inquiry will be held following completion of the civil legal action which has been initiated.

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (3 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: As no consultancy or other work was carried out for or on behalf of my Department by the person referred to by the Deputy, the payment of fees or remuneration does not arise.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Personnel: Defence Forces Personnel (3 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The White Paper on Defence and the programme for Government recognise the importance of offering rewarding and challenging careers to Defence Forces personnel. In this regard, both provide for the preparation of an updated and comprehensive plan for an integrated personnel management system, IPMS, to address this and related issues. Initial proposals for an IPMS were developed by the military...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 83, 110, 111 and 123 together. 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...

Written Answers — United Nations Reform: United Nations Reform (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The comments attributed to me were made consequent to the publishing of the UN's Report of the High Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change, which issued on 2 December 2004. I refer Deputies to the reply to Question No. 173 given by my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, to this House on 2 February. Briefly, the background is that the high level panel was established in...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The focus with regard to new aircraft for the Air Corps this year is on the acquisition of helicopters. I previously informed the House that following a comprehensive tender competition, two contracts have now been signed for the provision of new helicopters for the Air Corps, at a total cost of over €61 million. Four utility AB 139 helicopters are being acquired from the Bell Agusta...

Written Answers — Commemorative Events: Commemorative Events (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: As outlined to the House on 26 January 2005, detailed consideration was being given to the most appropriate form of commemoration for those involved in the events in Jadotville and I am pleased to be in a position to report on the progress made since then. I have decided that a plaque will be situated in Athlone to commemorate the events at Jadotville and the very significant contribution of...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 87 and 102 together. The Garda Síochána has primary responsibility for law and order, including the protection of the internal security of the State. It continuously monitors the potential threats to the State arising from international terrorism in co-operation with the Defence Forces. The Defence Forces make contingency plans for a range of scenarios where...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 88 and 95 together. The Defence Forces contingent, which was deployed for service with the United Nations Mission in Liberia, UNMIL, in December 2003, comprises a motorised infantry battalion of 428 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...