Results 12,221-12,240 of 12,701 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Army Equitation School: Army Equitation School (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: An investigation was carried out into the operation of the Army Equitation School in McKee Barracks, Dublin, following on from unattributed rumours which suggested that certain unacceptable practices were happening in the equitation school. The Chief of Staff advised me that there were no grounds for believing that anything untoward was actually happening in the equitation school. However, as...

Written Answers — Ministerial Travel: Ministerial Travel (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: At present the only definite plans for travel in my capacity as Minister for Defence are to visit a number of barracks throughout the State over the coming months and to attend the informal meeting of Ministers of Defence of the European Union in Luxembourg on 18 and 19 March 2005. I also intend to visit our troops who are serving abroad but these plans are not yet finalised.

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 138 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 — Shannon Airport Landings: Shannon Airport Landings (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Responsibility for the approval of overflights and landings by foreign military aircraft lies with my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs. In relation to civil aircraft and civil airports, the responsibility lies with my colleague, the Minister for Transport. I have no role in relation to the investigation of any allegations regarding any activity at Shannon Airport. I have made my...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: My first public engagement after being appointed Minister for Defence was to attend PDFORRA's annual delegate conference in Letterkenny last October. I had the privilege of addressing the delegates and meeting briefly with officials of the association. PDFORRA is the voice of enlisted personnel of the Permanent Defence Force and it plays an integral and valuable part within the representative...

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.