Results 14,581-14,600 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (21 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: On 15 July 1998 the then Government approved a programme of the closure and sale of six barracks considered surplus to military requirements. The barracks in question were located at Ballincollig, Fermoy, Naas, Castleblayney, Kildare, and Islandbridge, Dublin. The sale of 97 acres approximately at Murphy Barracks, Ballincollig was completed in 2003 for a total of €42 million. The bulk of...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Personnel: Defence Forces Personnel (21 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: I am advised by the Military Authorities that the average age of all personnel in the Permanent Defence Force is 36.8 years with 60.3% of all personnel aged under 40 years. The 2000 White Paper on Defence and the earlier Defence Force Review Implementation Plan both identified the requirement to address the high age profile in the Defence Forces. The key element in military life is the need...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Training: Defence Forces Training (21 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: The Defence Forces conducts training and education under three (3) broad categories - skills training; career training and education; and collective training. Skills training is the medium through which the Defence Forces ensures that its personnel have the requisite individual, specialist, and crew skills to permit the development of organisational capabilities. Career training provides the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (21 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: I am advised by the Military Authorities that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force as at 31 August 2011, the latest date for which figures are available, was 9,513 comprising 7,722 Army, 786 Air Corps and 1,005 Naval Service Personnel. In the five year period from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2010 the overall strength of the Permanent Defence Force reduced from 10,446 to 9,550. This...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (21 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: Official confirmation and details relating to the Employment Control Framework (ECF) were received on 18 October 2010 from the Department of Finance. The ECF is based on a figure of 10,000 all ranks Permanent Defence Force personnel, appropriately configured across the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps to enable them meet the roles assigned by Government. The number of positions by rank in...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (21 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 114 and 116 together. Investment in new equipment for the Defence Forces is provided for under various Subheads of the Defence Vote relating to defensive equipment, mechanical transport, aircraft, Naval Service ships and stores, communications and Information Technology equipment. The provision for defensive equipment for 2011 allows, inter alia, for the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (21 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: In relation to the number of promotions by rank throughout the Defence Forces in each of the past five years and to date in 2011, it has not been possible at this time to source all the necessary information in order to fully answer this question. I will revert with a complete answer at the earliest possible opportunity.

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (21 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: The only mission in which the Defence Forces is currently participating and for which Ireland is due reimbursement by the UN is the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). An Irish Battalion was deployed to UNIFIL as recently as last June. The Department of Defence is in the process of concluding a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UN for Ireland's contribution of Defence...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (21 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 118 and 119 together. As the Deputy will be aware the Irish Coast Guard has overall responsibility for the provision of Search and Rescue, (SAR) services within the Irish Search and Rescue region. In accordance with the roles assigned to them by Government in the White Paper on Defence, the Defence Forces are committed to providing support to the civil...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (21 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: The primary day-to-day tasking of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with the State's obligations as a member of the European Union. However, as the need arises, Naval Service vessels are deployed to other duties such as aid to the civil power, search and rescue or recovery and drug interdiction operations. The current Exclusive Fishery Limits, or the...

Seanad: Twenty-Ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Judges' Remuneration) Bill 2011: Second Stage (21 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: I thank Senators for their contributions. In response to Senator O'Brien when he said he does not think anyone will oppose the amendment, I have no doubt The Irish Times will find a couple of people to write articles in opposition, whether those articles are well-informed or ill-informed.

Seanad: Twenty-Ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Judges' Remuneration) Bill 2011: Second Stage (21 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: I will deal with the specific issues raised by Senators and I hope they will forgive me if I do not necessarily deal with them in the order in which they arose but there is a conjunction of some issues. I thank Senators for their general support for the measure and I appreciate this support. Senator Mullen has an issue with the wording which perhaps we can deal with on Committee Stage....

Seanad: SCHEDULE (21 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: We are discussing amendments Nos. 1 and 2 together. In amendment No. 2 we will effectively delete "into law", as I referred to in my opening speech. Those words are being deleted in the context of what will be Article 35.5.3o. If that amendment is accepted, it will read, "Where, before or after the enactment of this section, reductions ...", and the words "into law" are therefore...

Seanad: Twenty-Ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Judges' Remuneration) Bill 2011: Second Stage (21 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: I thank the Members for agreeing to consider this legislation at an early stage. The terms of the 1994 Referendum Act require that a referendum Bill pass both Houses of the Oireachtas no later than 30 days prior to polling. I am grateful to the Senators for their co-operation. I published the Bill at the beginning of August with a view to everyone having adequate opportunity to consider...

Overseas Missions (21 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: I agree with the Deputy. We should be proud of what our forces do in Lebanon, as well as of the small contingents of members of the Defence Forces located in other parts of the world that are engaged in peacekeeping and peace support activities. It would be a good idea that there would be greater knowledge within the wider community of what is happening in Lebanon. The welcome visit by...

Overseas Missions (21 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: Ireland has offered, through the United Nations standby arrangements system, UNSAS, to provide up to 850 military personnel for overseas service at any one time. This figure equates to approximately 10% of Ireland's standing Army, excluding reserves, and demonstrates Ireland's commitment to the cause of international peace. This is the maximum sustainable commitment that Ireland can make to...

Overseas Missions (21 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy asks me that question whenever Question Time is on defence matters.

Overseas Missions (21 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: The position has not changed from the first time I answered the question on the first occasion on which I took defence questions.

National Emergency Plan (21 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: The Government task force on emergency planning, which I chair, meets regularly, most recently on 30 June 2011. The next meeting is scheduled for 29 September 2011, which is next week. The task force was established following the 11 September attacks in 2001 and 70 meetings have been held to date. The role of the task force is to support co-ordination of emergency planning across...

National Emergency Plan (21 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: A number of recommendations were made to the task force arising from the weather events that took place last year and early this year and these are being taken on board. They are cross-departmental recommendations in the sense that they do not specifically apply to the Defence Forces. They require different Departments and local authorities to approach matters in a particular way. I do not...