Results 14,881-14,900 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (14 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 140 of Wednesday, 20 April 2011. The position is unchanged since then. The reply was as follows: Arising from the refusal of her asylum application, and in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), the person concerned was notified, by letter dated 23rd November, 2009, that the Minister proposed to...

Written Answers — Naval Service Operations: Naval Service Operations (14 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: The Customs Service of the Revenue Commissioners has primary responsibility for the prevention of drug smuggling into the country and responsibility for the prevention of crime rests primarily with An Garda Síochána. However, the White Paper on Defence, (2000), provides for a security role for the Naval Service to assist and support the civil authorities in this important work. The Joint...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (14 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 713 and 721 together. The amount of money spent on taxis by my Department in each of the past four years is as follows: Year Expenditure 2008 €33,583 2009 €24,236 2010 €20,222 2011 (to end August) €7,473 No specific allocation is made for the provision of taxis in my Department's annual Estimate. In accordance with Department of Finance...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (14 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: The Defence (Amendment Act) 1990 and Defence Force Regulations S.6 provide for the establishment of representative associations for members of the Permanent Defence Force. Under Defence Force Regulations S.6 section 13 (Officers) and section 30 (Enlisted Personnel), the Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, second a member of the Permanent Defence Force to the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Reserve: Defence Forces Reserve (14 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 715 to 720, inclusive, together. During 2005 and following reorganisation, the FCA - An Fórsa Cosanta Áitúil (Local Defence Force) - and the Slua Muirí became the Reserve Defence Forces, Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve with a consequent reduction and amalgamation of units. The establishment of the Naval Service Reserve since 1 October 2005 has...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (14 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: A total of four post holders in my Department have been issued with official credit cards, as set out as follows. Credit Card Holder Credit Limit Private Secretary to Minister for Defence €10,000 Private Secretary for Minister of State at the Department of Defence €10,000 Secretary-General of Department of Defence €10,000 Human Resources Manager €5,000 Details of total annual...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (14 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 723 to 725, inclusive, together. The information requested by the Deputy, is set out in the following tabular statement. Office Staff Numbers31/12/2009 Staff Numbers31/12/2010 StaffNumbers01/01/11 –08/03/11(average) StaffNumbers31/08/2011 Salary Cost 2009(inc ER PRSI) Salary Cost 2010(inc ER PRSI) Salary Cost 01/01/11–08/03/11 Salary Cost 09/03/11 -...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (14 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: The IT budgets for 2010 and 2011, for my Department and for each of the State agencies under the aegis of the Department, are listed in the following tabular form; 2010 2011 Department of Defence 1 €2,230,000 €2,260,000 Defence Forces €2,837,000 €2,368,000 Ombudsman for the Defence Forces IT Budget is built into the Office's overall grant-in-aid allocation (which is

Written Answers — Expenditure Reviews: Expenditure Reviews (14 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: Departmental submissions to the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure (CRE) are a central part of the overall pre-budget deliberations of the Government. As such, release of these documents could not be considered in advance of Government decisions on the forthcoming Budget.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Personnel: Defence Forces Personnel (14 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: The following table outlines the number of personnel in the Department of Defence and the Permanent Defence Force broken down annually from 2008 to 2011. The figures reflect the number of staff (full time equivalents) serving at the end of December each year and on 31 July 2011. Staff Numbers Department of Defence Permanent Defence Force 2008 384.64 10,409 2009 351.06 9,933 2010 328.79...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Personnel: Defence Forces Personnel (14 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: I am advised by the Military Authorities that General Routine Orders are published for the general information and guidance of members of the Defence Forces and consequently are descriptive in nature rather than prescriptive. Accordingly, the details contained in Paragraph 65 of General Routine Order 43/1955 cannot be relied upon to confer an entitlement to spectacles. In relation to the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (14 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: The Cadetship Competition is the entry level for the majority of Officers of the Permanent Defence Force. From the Cadetship Competition, suitable candidates are selected for the award of cadetship positions. 42 Cadets were inducted in 2009 (30 Army and 12 Naval Service) and a further 30 Cadets were inducted in 2010 (21 Army, 6 Naval Service and 3 Air Corps). From the Cadetship...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (14 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: Arising from a recommendation made in 1990 by the Commission on Remuneration and Conditions of Service in the Defence Forces (the Gleeson Commission), Military Service Allowance (MSA) was made pensionable in the case of personnel retiring on or after 1 August 1990. This approach was fully consistent with settled public service pensions policy which provides that the benefit of an allowance...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (14 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: Based on professional fees paid by my Department in 2010, it is estimated that a reduction in the fees of 25% would have yielded savings in the region of €1.2m.

An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Fiche ar an mBunreacht (Tuarastal Breithiúna), 2011 — An Dara Céim / Twenty-Ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Judges' Remuneration) Bill 2011 — Second Stage (14 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: I thank all Members who supported the legislation, in particular my Fine Gael and Labour colleagues. I welcome that there is agreement on all sides of the House that this change is necessary. I will try to explain some matters. Deputies will forgive me if, given the time available, I do not respond to all questions raised. It is important to be clear on where matters currently stand. We...

An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Fiche ar an mBunreacht (Tuarastal Breithiúna), 2011 — An Dara Céim / Twenty-Ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Judges' Remuneration) Bill 2011 — Second Stage (14 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: I will conclude. In regard to the children's referendum, I want to make it absolutely clear this will take place in 2012. It not happening now because, despite all the promises made by the previous Government, no work had commenced on the draft adoption Bill that should have been prepared.

An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Fiche ar an mBunreacht (Tuarastal Breithiúna), 2011 — An Dara Céim / Twenty-Ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Judges' Remuneration) Bill 2011 — Second Stage (14 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: The Joint Committee on Health and Children recommended when that referendum takes place, that because it brings about a fundamental change in the adoption area, we should, as we have done in this case, publish an implementation Bill so people are clear how it will work. Unfortunately, in the short time we have had in Government and in the context of the major issues we have had to address...

An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Fiche ar an mBunreacht (Tuarastal Breithiúna), 2011 — An Dara Céim / Twenty-Ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Judges' Remuneration) Bill 2011 — Second Stage (14 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: That is the mistake the Deputy's colleague made when he tried to run with that issue in Private Members' time. Unfortunately, if the previous Government had done the work in that area correctly we may well have the children's referendum now.

An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Fiche ar an mBunreacht (Tuarastal Breithiúna), 2011 — An Dara Céim / Twenty-Ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Judges' Remuneration) Bill 2011 — Second Stage (14 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: We will have it in 2012.

An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Fiche ar an mBunreacht (Tuarastal Breithiúna), 2011 — An Dara Céim / Twenty-Ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Judges' Remuneration) Bill 2011 — Second Stage (14 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: Tairgim: "Go léifear an Bille an Dara hUair anois." I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I thank colleagues for agreeing to consider this legislation at an early stage. Deputies will recall that when I published the Bill at the beginning of August it was with a view to everyone having adequate opportunity to consider it ahead of our debates in this House. This Bill honours a...