Results 12,421-12,440 of 12,701 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Overseas Missions. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I must contradict the Deputy. My information is that the troops are supplied with the relevant protective equipment, mosquito nets etc. They are allowed 21 days' leave during their six-month service period. They can avail of this generous charter flight offer, space permitting. Some 96% of the original brigade availed of it. It appears the uptake among the troops currently serving there will...

Overseas Missions. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: Ireland's commitment to the headline goal consists of an offer of up to 850 members of the Defence Forces from within our existing commitment of 850 personnel to the United Nations Standby Arrangements System, UNSAS. I stress that the commitment to the headline goal should not be interpreted as an additional commitment of the Defence Forces to overseas operations. Any new commitments to the...

Overseas Missions. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The Government has taken no decision to date on participation or non-participation in the battle group concept to which the Deputy referred. I do not accept there is a widespread conspiracy to deprive the UN of sufficient troops for peacekeeping to allow the EU to develop its capacity. It came to world attention in the early 1990s, especially in the situation in the Balkans, that people can...

Overseas Missions. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: Yes.

Search and Rescue Service. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 and 76 together. 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 has been providing search and rescue services off the north-west coast but withdrew yesterday following a hand-over of this role to CHCI, a private operator, which currently...

Search and Rescue Service. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I agree with Deputy McGinley that the Air Corps has done a magnificent job over the past 43 years. I join with him in expressing good wishes for the Air Corps, as well as recognising its service over the years. It is appropriate to salute Air Corps personnel, some of whom have made the ultimate sacrifice in performing essential rescue missions. I will refer to those later if I get an...

Seanad: Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Bill 2002: Second Stage (Resumed). (6 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I thank all the Senators who contributed. I thank them in particular for their kind remarks of congratulation on my appointment. Each aspect of the Bill has been agreed with both representative organisations. PDFORRA and RACO have been widely consulted on almost each line of the Bill, which reflects the agreement these representative bodies made with the Government. Senator Paddy Burke raised...

Seanad: Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Bill 2002: Second Stage. (6 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I thank the Senator.

Seanad: Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Bill 2002: Second Stage. (6 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: No.

Seanad: Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Bill 2002: Second Stage. (6 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: It is covered by the Interpretation Act.

Seanad: Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Bill 2002: Second Stage. (6 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I thank the Senators. I am very pleased to present this Bill to the Seanad. It marks the realisation of an important political commitment to establish a new statutory office of ombudsman for the Defence Forces. The Defence Forces ombudsman will effect an historical transformation of current military redress procedures. The ombudsman will, in most cases, replace the Minister for Defence as the...

Written Answers — Departmental Websites: Departmental Websites (5 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The Department's website, www.defence.ie is up to date. The site is updated by the information systems branch as required. All Departmental press releases are published on the website as they as issued by the Department's press office.

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (5 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The Defence Forces headquarters decentralisation implementation group is planning for the relocation of those elements of the headquarters that will be relocated to the Curragh. Some elements of Defence Forces headquarters will also be relocated to Newbridge with my Department. The relocation will take place in two to three years' time. A site for the headquarters has been selected and...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (5 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The Office of Public Works is currently in discussions with Kildare County Council regarding the possible acquisition of a site in Newbridge for the Department's new headquarters. A total of 385 personnel, of whom 78 are currently serving in the Department, have declared an interest in relocating to Newbridge. The number of staff to be relocated to Newbridge is 200.

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Willie O'Dea: Over 12 months ago I introduced the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003 in the Seanad. The Bill has been substantively amended and I am glad to report to the Seanad on the amendments made to the Bill in the Dáil. Fourteen Government amendments were tabled and accepted on Committee Stage in the Dáil and I propose to outline their effect. Amendments Nos. 1 to 13, inclusive, correct a...

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Willie O'Dea: This arose in the Dáil and I wrote to Deputy Moynihan-Cronin as a result, giving her my interpretation of the relevant section, section 10. It states that if a woman dies after the birth of a child then the father is entitled to a certain amount of time off. The Bill goes on to state that if the mother dies before the expiry of the 16th week following the week of her confinement, the period...

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Willie O'Dea: Amendment No. 14 to section 20 corrects an omission relating to the notification of intention to return to work from a period of resumed leave in a case where the employer had waived the right to receive notification from the employee of the intention to take resumed leave. I am satisfied these amendments have improved the provisions of the Bill by offering more flexibility to employees in...

Seanad: Equality Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (7 Jul 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I thank Senators for their contributions to this legislation, which were well considered and constructive. I had the pleasure of bringing this Bill before the Seanad only five months ago. I was happy to accept substantive amendments in this House and I subsequently accepted further amendments in the Dáil, having reflected on a number of issues first raised by Senators. The Bill has been...

Seanad: Equality Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (7 Jul 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I forgot to announce that because of a typographical error, there is a superfluous "and" on page 41, at the end of line 15. In accordance with Standing Order 121, I am requesting the Cathaoirleach to direct the Clerk to make the necessary correction. I sincerely thank Senators Brian Hayes, Ryan and Walsh for their very kind comments. As I stated in the course of my reply, the Bill reflects a...

Seanad: Commissions of Investigation Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (7 Jul 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I wish to make two points in response to Senator Hayes. On the issue of clerical sexual abuse against children in Dublin, I am informed that the television programme which highlighted that issue prompted the Bill. The Senator suggested that this be the first item to be considered by one of the new commissions. I shall convey that to the appropriate people. On the question of Ministers being...