Results 281-300 of 1,415 for speaker:Tom Kitt

Written Answers — Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention (8 Nov 2007)

Tom Kitt: The Primary responsibility for the maintenance of law and order rests with the Garda Síochána. The Defence Forces, pursuant to their role of rendering aid to the civil power, assist the Gardaí as required. Requests for aid to the civil power are normally made by a member of the Garda Síochána not below the rank of Inspector. At present, the Defence Forces assist the Gardaí as required...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (8 Nov 2007)

Tom Kitt: The Government decided in December 2003 that my Department's Dublin-based staff are to be decentralised to Newbridge, Co. Kildare. Kildare County Council has approved the sale of a site at Station Road in Newbridge to the Office of Public Works for the construction of the Department's new headquarters. The planning process has also been completed and a decision in that regard has issued by...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (8 Nov 2007)

Tom Kitt: On 10 October 2007, the Minister for Defence, addressed the Annual Delegate Conference of the Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association (PDFORRA). The Minister's address was relevant, positive and informative and discussed topics of interest to the military delegates, their colleagues and to the wider community. Those topics included the Government's commitment to the...

Written Answers — Army Equitation School: Army Equitation School (8 Nov 2007)

Tom Kitt: The mission of the Army Equitation School, as assigned to it on its establishment in 1926, is to promote the Irish horse abroad through participation in international competitions. The school has discharged this task with considerable distinction down through the years and, through its participation and numerous successes in equitation events at home and abroad, it has successfully promoted...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (8 Nov 2007)

Tom Kitt: A request to provide crèche facilities for members of the Defence Forces has been made by the Defence Forces Representative Associations. The Defence Forces Partnership Steering Group, which was established following on from Partnership 2000, has tasked a Partnership Sub-Committee with examining the issue of the provision of childcare facilities under a number of headings, including demand...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Reserve: Defence Forces Reserve (8 Nov 2007)

Tom Kitt: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 46 together. Currently, there are eight non-Irish nationals serving in the Reserve Defence Force, equating to approximately point one percent ( .1%) of strength. The number of non-Irish nationals who have applied for enlistment in the Reserve Defence Force during the past three years is fifty-four (54). There has been a significant broadening of...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (8 Nov 2007)

Tom Kitt: Currently, a total of 460 members of the Permanent Defence Force are serving overseas, details of which are set out in the following tabular statement, which I propose to circulate with the Official Report. Of the 460 currently serving overseas, 447 are Army personnel, 8 are Air Corps personnel and 5 are members of the Naval Service. The 8 Air Corps personnel serve with the following...

Written Answers — Naval Service Personnel: Naval Service Personnel (8 Nov 2007)

Tom Kitt: I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 31 together. The main day-to-day role 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. The Service is tasked with patrolling all Irish waters from the shoreline to the outer limits of the Exclusive Fishery Limits. In 2006 the Naval Service achieved an output of...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Allowances: Defence Forces Allowances (8 Nov 2007)

Tom Kitt: A claim for an increase in Overseas Allowance was received from the Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association and the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers under the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme (C&A scheme) for members of the Permanent Defence Force. The claim has been the subject of correspondence between the Department and the Representative...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (8 Nov 2007)

Tom Kitt: I propose to take Questions Nos. 23, 163 and 164 together. The strength of the Permanent Defence Force on 30 September 2007, the latest date for which detailed figures are available, as advised by the military authorities was 10,361. This comprises 8,444 in the Army, 849 in the Air Corps and 1,068 in the Naval Service. A detailed breakdown of the numbers in the Army, Naval Service and Air...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (8 Nov 2007)

Tom Kitt: Rockhill House, Donegal is a permanently occupied military post and there are no plans to change its status at this time.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Reserve: Defence Forces Reserve (8 Nov 2007)

Tom Kitt: The White Paper on Defence 2000 and the Reserve Defence Force Review Implementation Plan (2002) set out the blueprint for the Reserve Defence Force (RDF) together with an Implementation Plan extending to 2009. The Implementation Plan is being rolled-out on a phased basis up to 2009. There has been significant progress to date in implementing the detailed recommendations of the Plan e.g. a...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Medical Services: Defence Forces Medical Services (8 Nov 2007)

Tom Kitt: As part of the Modernisation Agenda agreed under Sustaining Progress a review of the provision of Medical Services in the Defence Forces has been ongoing. This review, involving the Representative Associations, has dealt with, among other things, the level of service to be provided to members of the Defence Forces and the resources required for the delivery of that service. The review which...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Review: Defence Forces Review (8 Nov 2007)

Tom Kitt: The Review of the Implementation of the White Paper on Defence 2000 was published in April 2007. The report is available on my Department's website.

Written Answers — Commemorative Events: Commemorative Events (8 Nov 2007)

Tom Kitt: I propose to take Questions Nos. 29, 42 and 51 together. In relation to the commemoration of the 1916 Easter Rising in 2008, a meeting of the relevant Inter-Departmental Committee will be held later this month to consider the appropriate arrangements that should be put in place for this commemoration. It is expected that the arrangements will be broadly similar to those put in place in 2007...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (8 Nov 2007)

Tom Kitt: The strength of the Army Ranger Wing (ARW) as a percentage of it's establishment is in the region of 90%. The strength is sufficient to meet anticipated operational requirements. The ARW actively pursues a policy of recruitment to maintain strength levels and the delivery of required military capabilities. The unit recruits from all services with a continuous advertising campaign by means...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Reserve: Defence Forces Reserve (8 Nov 2007)

Tom Kitt: The publicity and awareness campaign is likely to include advertising in print and broadcast media and via the Internet. The extent of the campaign, the precise nature of the advertising and the selection of media to be used, will be determined at a later date.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (8 Nov 2007)

Tom Kitt: In the Minister's reply to the Deputy's Question on 4 October, 2007, he outlined the background to the tender competition, which resulted in an order for two (2) man portable mini Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for the Defence Forces being placed with Aeronautics Defense Systems Limited based in Israel. The principle of competitive tendering for Government contracts is used for the acquisition of...

Written Answers — Civil Defence: Civil Defence (8 Nov 2007)

Tom Kitt: While the recruitment of Civil Defence members is a local authority function, the Civil Defence Board both encourages and supports local authorities (through their Civil Defence Officers) to undertake recruitment campaigns. These local recruitment campaigns are targeted towards the Autumn, to coincide with the commencement of the training year. The Board supports these recruitment...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (8 Nov 2007)

Tom Kitt: I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 52 together. The question of the recruitment of foreign-nationals to the Defence Forces is not a new one. Defence Force Regulations have always allowed for the recruitment of foreign-nationals to the Defence Forces. As the Defence Forces do not categorise personnel by nationality there are no figures available of the numbers of foreign-nationals...