Results 12,261-12,280 of 12,596 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Partnership for Peace: Partnership for Peace (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I have not had discussions with my EU colleagues in the context of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council or Partnership for Peace in the short time since my appointment.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: Personnel, on being discharged from the Permanent Defence Force, are obliged to vacate married quarters within a short period of the dates of their discharge. The provision of housing is primarily a matter for the local authorities and married military personnel have an equal claim on such housing as other members of the community in the same income category. The individuals overholding 54...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Training: Defence Forces Training (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: 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 advice available to me at this time is that, while the Garda authorities recognise that the terrorist threat to Europe may...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The White Paper provides an overall strength figure of 10,500 for the Permanent Defence Force all ranks. This figure comprehends provision for the allocation of up to 850 members of the Permanent Defence Force to overseas peacekeeping missions at any given time. At present, there are only 740 members of the Permanent Defence Force serving overseas on such missions.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I am satisfied that military training techniques and equipment, including military vehicles, are up to date in all respects. Defence Forces training plans are structured to provide the capabilities needed to execute the roles assigned to them under the White Paper on Defence of February 2000. Priority is given to meeting operational tasks in Ireland. The challenges of preparing military units...

Written Answers — Search and Rescue Service: Search and Rescue Service (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 74 and 75 together. The White Paper on Defence of February 2000 sets out a figure of 930 personnel for the Air Corps. There are no proposals to increase the strength of the Air Corps above the White Paper figure. It is my intention to maintain the established Government policy of ongoing recruitment to the Defence Forces and to continue to maintain the...

Defence Forces Personnel. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: A total of 28 non-commissioned officers have been commissioned as officers in the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service in the past five years. Potential officers courses, POC, are held for non-commissioned personnel from time to time within the Defence Forces. Personnel who successfully complete such courses are commissioned as officers in the Permanent Defence Force. Participants on such...

Defence Forces Personnel. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I agree with the Deputy that promotion prospects are extremely limited. The figures clearly show that to be the case and they do not lie. The last such course which would enable enlisted personnel to become officers took place in 2000. It is the intention that as part and parcel of the integrated personnel management system those competitions will take place regularly. I do not wish to go...

Defence Forces Personnel. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: Specific deadlines are set out in the White Paper on Defence. My understanding is that considerable progress has been made in the discussions and, hopefully, the matter will be resolved shortly. I am sure Deputy Stanton will continue to ask about the discussions until such time as the matter is resolved.

Defence Forces Equipment. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The acquisition of new equipment for the Defence Forces will be a key focus for me as Minister for Defence. I am aware that significant investment has taken place in recent years and I want to continue the good work in that regard. The unprecedented level of expenditure on equipment for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service was made possible by the Government's decision that pay savings...

Defence Forces Equipment. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: It is not my information that there are substantial difficulties with maintaining these armoured personnel carriers. Certainly that has not been brought to my attention. I am aware that a detailed evaluation process, including value for money considerations, takes place when equipment of this magnitude is being purchased. That evaluation committee comprises personnel from the relevant section...

Defence Forces Equipment. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I do not have the exact figure, but it was of the order of approximately €200 million and it all went towards either the purchase of equipment, protective clothing, radio equipment or upgrading of infrastructures, specifically barracks. It all went back into the Department of Defence.

EU Presidency. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 21 together. During Ireland's Presidency of the EU, my Department was responsible for progressing the military aspects of the European security and defence policy as well as co-ordinating the ministerial air transport service and Defence Forces aid to the civil power. Costs to my Department arising from the Irish Presidency of the European Union come...

EU Presidency. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The EU-US summit on 25 and 26 June necessitated the US President visiting Ireland. The total cost to the Defence Forces in this regard was €448,000.

Bullying in the Workplace. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The Deputy's question refers to the provision of 200 designated contact persons within the Defence Forces as an integral part of the new, revised military grievance procedures. A need was identified for the putting in place of contact persons within the Defence Forces organisation in line with recognised best practice. The aim of the designated contact persons is to provide a voluntary...

Bullying in the Workplace. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: Certainly bullying appeared to be endemic in the military when the Doyle report was commissioned in 2002, which is more than two years ago. There is evidence that the situation has improved substantially since then. As I said earlier, there is still much to be done but I believe the Defence Forces ombudsman, the new training schemes, new integrated personnel management system and the...

Overseas Missions. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: Ireland is currently contributing approximately 740 Defence Forces personnel to 21 different missions throughout the world. The main commitments are to the NATO-led international security presence in Kosovo, with 213 personnel, and to the United Nations Mission in Liberia, with 435 personnel. Other personnel are serving as monitors and observers with the United Nations, the Organisation for...

Overseas Missions. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: Discussions have taken place with regard to the proposed takeover by the EU, as mandated by the UN, of the NATO led operation in Bosnia. I understand this will take place in December. Ireland already has 12 people working on that mission and we have agreed in principle to provide 30 and 50 personnel to the force. Some 7,000 are already participating in this operation and they will be replaced...

Overseas Missions. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I believe Deputy McGinley is referring to the mission whereby UN sanction was vetoed by China. In effect, members of the Security Council have a veto on such operations. It is our intention that the triple-lock arrangement will continue. Any peacekeeping operations or foreign engagements involving Irish troops will require a decision by the Government, ratification by the Dáil and sanction...

Search and Rescue Service. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: As I outlined in my reply to Deputy McGinley, the Air Corps has withdrawn from the provision of search and rescue in the north west with effect from yesterday. The Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, which has overall responsibility for the provision of maritime search and rescue services within the Irish search and rescue area has contracted with a private operator,...