Results 12,121-12,140 of 12,596 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Security Threats: Security Threats (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Both the Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces perform complementary roles in relation to the protection of the security of the State. There is ongoing and close liaison between the Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces regarding internal security matters including in the intelligence field. Both agencies gather and share information and assessments in relation to perceived and-or...

Written Answers — Military Police Investigation: Military Police Investigation (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Military Police investigation in relation to this matter is still in progress. The scale and scope of the investigation is very broad due to the numbers of personnel to be interviewed and the seriousness of the allegations in this case. Fair procedures and due process must be fully observed. Every effort is being made to ensure that the investigations will be finalised as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Retirement Scheme: Defence Forces Retirement Scheme (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The details of an individual's pension are regarded as confidential to the individual concerned and are not disclosed to other parties except with the individual's consent or as required by law. The basic pension payable to a retired sergeant is €218.59 a week for 21 years' service. Where service exceeds 21 years, the pension is increased by an additional €7.53 for each further year of...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1262 and 1263 together. There are eight individuals in receipt of a pension or allowance from my Department relating to the War of Independence, none of whom belonged to units based in Waterford city or county.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Retirement Scheme: Defence Forces Retirement Scheme (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The military authorities have advised that the individual in question enlisted in the Defence Forces on 3 May 1994, being engaged to serve for a fixed term of five years in the Permanent Defence Force, PDF. The individual, having satisfied the various criteria required for an "extension in service"— for personnel who enlisted after 1 January 1994 — was permitted on 2 May 1999 to extend...

Written Answers — Emergency Response Procedures: Emergency Response Procedures (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Defence Forces have contingency plans in place in relation to the provision of aid to the civil power (meaning in practice to assist, when requested, the Garda Síochána), and the provision of assistance to the civil authorities for a range of emergency situations. A detailed review of capacities and procedures to deal with a range of emergency situations was undertaken by the military...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1266, 1289 and 1290 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. The strength of the Permanent Defence Force (comprising the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service) as of 31 December 2004 was as...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I am glad to say that the Defence Forces have always responded to humanitarian crises by offering their skills and services to those in need. Defence Forces regulations provide that volunteer members of the Permanent Defence Force can be seconded by the Minister for Defence, with their agreement and with the consent of the Minister for Finance, for periods of up to one year. In the case of...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The military authorities advise that the information requested by the Deputy is not readily available in either electronic or paper format. Such information could only be obtained from the existing medical records of individual personnel by examining all sick reports on their files for 2003 and 2004 in order to identify those recorded as suffering from stress or stress related illnesses. It...

Written Answers — Service Medals: Service Medals (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Members of the second line reserve, which consists of An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil and An Slua Muirí, (now being re-named as the Army Reserve and the Naval Service Reserve, respectively) are awarded An Bonn Seirbhíse on completing seven years satisfactory service. A bar is added to the medal on completing 12 years satisfactory service and a second bar on completing 21 years satisfactory...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: No request was received by me for helicopter support nor was this ever a matter actively considered by me or the senior management in my Department or in the Defence Forces. It is not within our capacity to deploy and support the current fleet overseas. As Deputies will be aware, I have recently signed contracts for new helicopters for the Air Corps on the basis that the current fleet is...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: As the Deputy will appreciate, the release of the addresses of the next-of-kin would represent personal information and, as such, it would not be appropriate for the Department to release it to the organisation. In the absence of a written submission from the organisation setting out what is proposed it is not possible for my Department to consider this matter further. However, the Department...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Two contracts have been signed for the provision of six new helicopters for the Air Corps, at a total cost of over €61 million — four new AB 139 helicopters and two EC 135 helicopters. Their primary role will be that of general purpose military operations and training. Primary taskings will include training and operations with the Army, security and aid to the civil power, military...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The State, semi-State, State-sponsored and statutory bodies under the aegis of my Department that are not subject to the Freedom of Information Acts are the Civil Defence Board, Coiste an Asgard and the Irish Red Cross Society. Proposals for extending FOI are being developed at present in the Department of Finance with a view to extending FOI to other appropriate bodies by the end of 2005....

Written Answers — Army Training Programme: Army Training Programme (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I am advised by the military authorities that the practice of informing local residents when a night training exercise is planned remains in force at the Curragh. The military authorities have undertaken to regularise the process to ensure that the individual concerned is informed of such activities in the future.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The reorganisation of the Medical Corps, which was effected as part of the Defence Forces review implementation plan in November 1998, redirected the focus of military medical care in the Defence Forces from a predominantly hospital based service to one in which primary, occupational and field support would continue to be further developed. The Medical Corps facilities currently consist of...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Retirement Scheme: Defence Forces Retirement Scheme (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Retirement benefits by way of pension or gratuity are granted to retiring members of the Permanent Defence Force under the Defence Forces pensions schemes. Under those schemes, the minimum service required to qualify for a pension in the case of NCOs and privates is 21 years and maximum pension accrues over a period of 31 years. Pensions are not pay-related as such but are flat rates which...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Currently, a total of 772 Defence Forces personnel are serving overseas, full details of which are listed in the following table. Ireland has offered, through the UN Standby Arrangements System (UNSAS), to provide up to 850 military personnel, configured as a light infantry mounted battalion, for overseas service at any one time. This figure equates to 10% of Ireland's standing Army and...

Written Answers — Search and Rescue Service: Search and Rescue Service (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Irish Coast Guard has overall responsibility for the provision of maritime search and rescue services within the Irish search and rescue region. The Air Corps had been providing search and rescue services but withdrew in October 2004 following a hand-over of this role to CHCI, a private operator, which also provides the service at the country's other SAR bases at Dublin, Shannon and...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1286 to 1288, inclusive, together. The strength of females in the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps by rank within these services, is provided in the following table. The figures provided are as at 31 December 2000 to 31 December 2004. In the five year period 2000-04 inclusive, the strength of female personnel in the Permanent Defence Force grew from 429 to...