Results 12,001-12,020 of 12,596 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 89, 127, and 393 together. 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 Clancy Barracks, Dublin. The sale of 97 acres approximately at Murphy Barracks, Ballincollig was...

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

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 91, 101, 108, 125 and 378 together. On 26 July 2004 my predecessor the former Minister, Deputy Michael Smith, officially launched the Reserve Defence Force review implementation plan which is the start of a process that will radically change the structure and configuration of the reserve while preserving its traditional strengths. These include such things as...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 94 and 104 together. The Office of Public Works, which has responsibility for the provision of official accommodation for Government Departments, has issued tenders for the fit-out of the leased building in Roscrea, and it is hoped that a contract can be placed shortly. It is expected that this building will be available for occupation later this year. There...

Written Answers — Common Foreign and Security Policy: Common Foreign and Security Policy (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 96 and 130 together. At the European Council at Helsinki in 1999, member states set themselves a headline goal, that is, that "by the year 2003, co-operating together and voluntarily, they will be able to deploy rapidly and then sustain forces capable of the full range of Petersberg Tasks as set out in the Amsterdam Treaty", that is, in short, humanitarian,...

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

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 97, 100 and 391 together. Ireland is currently contributing approximately 770 Defence Forces personnel to 22 different missions throughout the world, full details of which are listed in the following statement. The main commitments are to the United Nations mission in Liberia, UNMIL, with 434 personnel and to the NATO-led international security presence, KFOR,...

Written Answers — Common Foreign and Security Policy: Common Foreign and Security Policy (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: A decision to establish an intergovernmental agency in the field of defence capabilities development, research, acquisition and armaments, known as the European Defence Agency, EDA, was formally adopted at the General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting on 12 July 2004. The overall aim of the agency is to support member states in their efforts to improve European defence...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 and 126 together. The Government decision on decentralisation 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 200. The Government decision also provides for the transfer of 300 Defence Forces headquarters staff to the Curragh, County Kildare. A...

Written Answers — Military Police Investigations: Military Police Investigations (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The military police investigation into the second alleged incident is still ongoing and therefore it would be inappropriate to comment on the matter.

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

Willie O'Dea: The initial contract for 40 APCs with Mowag of Switzerland was valued at €51 million inclusive of VAT and saw deliveries completed by March 2002. The second contract for an additional 25 armoured personnel carriers was valued at some €33 million. Deliveries of all 25 took place in 2004. This gives the Defence Forces 65 Mowag APCs in total. Some 28 Mowag APCs are currently on operational...

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

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 119 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 — European Council Meetings: European Council Meetings (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: As of today, 1 March 2005, I have not received the agenda for the forthcoming informal meeting of Defence Ministers, which will take place in Luxembourg on 18 and 19 of March next. However, indications are that the main issues for discussion will be the continued development of capabilities through the headline goal 2010, development of the rapid reaction elements concept, the fight against...

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

Willie O'Dea: In the White Paper on Defence, the Government decided that the Naval Service will be developed around the provision of an eight ship flotilla. In recent years, two new ships have been delivered to the Naval Service and the service is operating with the recommended eight ships. LE Roisin was commissioned in December 1999 and her sister ship, LE Niamh, which replaced LE Deirdre, was...

Written Answers — Partnership for Peace: Partnership for Peace (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Ireland's participation in Partnership for Peace, PfP, to date is set out in our four individual partnership programmes, IPPs, copies of which have been lodged in the Oireachtas Library. Ireland's fourth IPP, covering the period 2004-05, was completed in consultation with the Departments of Foreign Affairs, the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Justice, Equality and Law Reform,...

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

Willie O'Dea: There are no current plans for refurbishment of the RDF premises at Fair Street, Mallow, County Cork. The matter, however, is being kept under review.

Written Answers — Military Neutrality: Military Neutrality (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I have had no discussions with my counterparts at European Union level on the development of a common defence arrangement across the EU. Ireland's position with regard to the issue of common defence is as set out in our National Declaration to the European Council held in Seville in June 2002: 4. In line with its traditional policy of military neutrality, Ireland is not bound by any mutual...

Written Answers — Military Neutrality: Military Neutrality (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I have written to the Deputy in the past few days setting out the nature of the advice available to me.

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

Willie O'Dea: A sum of €33.447 million has been provided in my Department's Estimates for the building and refurbishment programme for 2005. This amount is divided into capital and non-capital expenditure. The capital expenditure allocation for 2005 is €19.479 million. This amount is made up mainly of expenditure on projects started in late 2004 and projects starting in 2005. Details of these projects...

Written Answers — Hearing Impairment Claims: Hearing Impairment Claims (1 Mar 2005)

Willie O'Dea: On 31 January 2005 there was a total of 1,290 army hearing loss claims still outstanding. It is hoped that these claims can be disposed of this year subject to the plaintiffs' solicitors having these claims listed for court. It should be noted, however, that a small number of new hearing loss claims are still being received in my Department each month.

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

Willie O'Dea: The acquisition of new equipment for the Defence Forces is a key focus for me as Minister and I intend continuing the good work done in this area in recent years. Investment in new equipment for the Army, Air Corps and the Naval Service is provided for under various subheads of the defence Vote relating to defensive equipment, mechanical transport, aircraft, ships and naval stores,...

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

Willie O'Dea: The acquisition of light tactical armoured vehicles, LTAVs, for the Defence Forces has been identified as a key priority by the military authorities for 2005. The LTAVs will complement the work of the 65 Mowag armoured personnel carriers delivered in the last few years at a cost of €84 million. The procurement of the light tactical armoured vehicles is being undertaken by way of a tender...