Results 12,521-12,540 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Defence Policy (8 Feb 2012)

Alan Shatter: The White Paper on defence has provided the policy framework and development strategy for defence for the past decade. The planning certainty arising from the policy provisions of the White Paper underpinned the modernisation process within the defence organisation. It also afforded the requisite flexibility to develop appropriate capabilities in response to changes in the defence and...

Defence Policy (8 Feb 2012)

Alan Shatter: The idea is that we will ultimately produce a White Paper that will prescribe the policy approach to defence matters for the next decade, as the previous White Paper did for the last decade. The Green Paper will be a consultative document. It will be produced by my Department in consultation with others. I hope that not just Members of the House but also the broader community will engage...

Defence Policy (8 Feb 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Green Paper will be published and any group or individual across civil society, including those in schools and third level colleges, will be free to engage in a process to hold debates, make proposals and feed into the thinking in the finalisation of the White Paper. The intention is to use it to increase public knowledge of the Defence Forces and the role they play. Their participation...

Haulbowline Island (8 Feb 2012)

Alan Shatter: In June 2011 the Government decided that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine would chair a working group to oversee the clean-up of the former Ispat site on Haulbowline Island. My Department is represented on the working group. Cork County Council is acting as an agent of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine on the technical aspects of an application to the...

Haulbowline Island (8 Feb 2012)

Alan Shatter: The lead Department, as mentioned, is the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I do not have the information the Deputy is seeking on the licence. There is a need for a landfill licence, as stipulated by the European Commission. Perhaps the Deputy might consider putting a question to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in order to obtain a more detailed response.

Defence Forces Reserve (8 Feb 2012)

Alan Shatter: A value for money review of the Defence Forces Reserve is ongoing and the recommendations arising from it will inform future plans for the reserve. In addition, I have initiated a major reorganisation of the Defence Forces in response to the outcome of the comprehensive review of expenditure. This will encompass a reduction in the number of Army brigades from three to two which will...

Defence Forces Reserve (8 Feb 2012)

Alan Shatter: The issue of the Reserve Defence Force will have to be addressed within the overall reorganisation and these reorganisation matters will not be delayed by the production of the White Paper. As the Green Paper will be produced towards the end of the year, part of 2013 will be taken up with the public process and the White Paper will come thereafter. I hope there will be a clearer view at an...

Defence Forces Reserve (8 Feb 2012)

Alan Shatter: That matter is being addressed at the moment.

Naval Service Operations (8 Feb 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Naval Service commits a number of its annual patrol days to foreign deployments. In 2011, 54 days out of a total of 1,480 patrol days were committed to visits outside Irish waters. Following discussions between the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, my Department, and the Naval Service, locations are considered on the basis of the optimum yield that can be derived for Ireland. The...

Naval Service Operations (8 Feb 2012)

Alan Shatter: I join with both Deputies in acknowledging the extraordinary work following the dreadful tragedy that occurred in Glandore. I refer not just to the work of the Naval Service but of all those individuals and agencies which have been engaged in dealing with a tragedy which we all wish had not happened. To reply to the Deputy's question, the particular visits or voyages serve a range of...

Overseas Missions (8 Feb 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE, is the world's largest regional security organisation comprised of 56 states from Europe, Central Asia and North America. The OSCE offers a forum for political negotiations and decision-making in the fields of early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation. It puts the political will of...

Overseas Missions (8 Feb 2012)

Alan Shatter: I do not have the figure for the exact budgetary amount but from what I recollect it is extremely modest. I will give the Deputy the exact figure. Clearly some members of the Defence Forces are playing a role that arises because we have the chairmanship. The numbers may change when we get to 2013. The numbers I have supplied to the Deputy relate to operations this year. He may see in one...

EU Presidency (8 Feb 2012)

Alan Shatter: The preparations for the upcoming Irish Presidency of the EU Council in 2013 have been under way since mid-2010. The Departments of the Taoiseach and Foreign Affairs and Trade are the lead Departments in planning for the Presidency. Two interdepartmental committees have been established. The interdepartmental committee for co-ordinating the Presidency, chaired by the Minister of State,...

EU Presidency (8 Feb 2012)

Alan Shatter: The justice side is somewhat different to the defence side because of the role of the EU representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Baroness Catherine Ashton. I do not wish to comment on it in advance of engaging with her on the agenda. We have particular issues on which we do want to focus which we regard as of importance and to which we believe we can make a contribution. I...

Departmental Staff (8 Feb 2012)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 24 together. Since 9 March 2011, a total of six civil servants in my Department have availed of early retirement. To date, a further four civil servants have formally indicated their intention to avail of early retirement before 29 February 2012. The Government's National Recovery Plan 2011-2014 sets out revised ceilings for public service staff...

Departmental Staff (8 Feb 2012)

Alan Shatter: Happily, we are probably one of the few Departments-----

Departmental Staff (8 Feb 2012)

Alan Shatter: -----that are in such circumstances. In the context of the Defence Forces, because of the careful accounting within the Department and the efficiencies within the Defence Forces we will be in a position to proceed with further recruitment also as we go through the year so that we maintain the numbers. I accept the Deputy was asking about the Department rather than the Defence Forces but...

Army Barracks (8 Feb 2012)

Alan Shatter: As the Deputy is aware Custume Barracks, Athlone is the headquarters of the 4th Western Brigade. The barracks continues to function as an operational military installation and will shortly provide accommodation for personnel relocating from O'Neill Barracks, Cavan and Columb Barracks, Mullingar following their closure at the end of March. There are no plans of any nature to close Custume...

Army Barracks (8 Feb 2012)

Alan Shatter: The arrangements in respect of that matter are at an advanced stage of discussion between officials in the Department of Defence and in the Department of Health. I hope we will be able to make an announcement about the matter in the not too distant future.

Defence Forces Ombudsman (8 Feb 2012)

Alan Shatter: I assume the Deputy is referring to the annual report of the Ombudsman in respect of 2010, which was laid before each House of the Oireachtas on 21 June 2011. The annual report showed a welcome drop in the number of complaints lodged with the Ombudsman, down from 229 in 2008 to 116 in 2010. One of the issues raised by the Ombudsman in her report was the delay during 2010 in responding to the...