Results 101-120 of 610 for speaker:Tom Kitt in 'Written Answers'

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...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (8 Nov 2007)

Tom Kitt: The Department of Defence has not received a specific request in relation to a proposed film on the life of James Connolly. A proposal for a film on Connolly was received by the 1916 All-Party Oireachtas Group. Minister O'Dea met with some of the proposers of the project, in his capacity as Chairman of the 1916 All-Party Oireachtas Group when they made a presentation on the film to him in...

Written Answers — Common Foreign and Security Policy: Common Foreign and Security Policy (8 Nov 2007)

Tom Kitt: I propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 158 together. Ireland is committed to participate in the Nordic Battlegroup which will be on standby from the 1st January-30th June 2008. On the 26th April 2007, I issued a letter of Accession to all participating members of the Battlegroup to join the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The Nordic Battlegroup Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is an...

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

Tom Kitt: The White Paper on Defence of February 2000 provided for a strength of 10,500 for the Permanent Defence Force, comprising some 8425 personnel in the Army, 930 in the Air Corps and 1,140 in the Naval Service, these figures being commensurate with the defined roles of the three branches. The acquisition of new equipment for the Defence Forces, which has been a key focus for me since my...

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

Tom Kitt: As a result of the broad nature of the question I have focused on the process of handling applications for entry into the Permanent Defence Forces as I imagine this is the main area of concern to the Deputy. I would be happy to supply material on other specific application material if requested. Entry to the Permanent Defence Force is either through the Cadetship Competition, Apprenticeship...

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

Tom Kitt: ONET (Óglaigh Náisúinta Na hÉireann Teoranta) is a limited company with charitable status that is dedicated to looking after the welfare of ex-service personnel of the Irish Defence Services. ONET is recognised by the Minister of Defence and the Military Authorities in Ireland as the official representative of such personnel. As an organization, ONET is wholly independent of the...

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

Tom Kitt: Discussions between the Department of Defence and the Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association (PDFORRA) commenced in April 2006, on revised promotion arrangements for Non-Commissioned Officers. The Action Plan agreed under the Pay Agreement and Modernisation Agenda for the Defence Forces, commits to a target date of December 2007, by which revised promotion...

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

Tom Kitt: I would like to assure the House that any allegations of victimisation in the Defence Forces are treated with the utmost seriousness and there are extensive and robust complaints and grievance procedures processes in place to protect the rights of all Defence Forces personnel, including PDFORRA officials. In addition, on interpersonal relationships, the Defence Forces and the Department have...

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

Tom Kitt: There are currently no outstanding posts identified for civilianisation in the Defence Forces. Civilianisation was addressed in the "Review of Implementation of the White Paper on Defence", published by the Minister in April 2007. The Review noted some areas where civilianisation of military posts had been successfully implemented in the past and recommended that further work be done in this...