Results 61-80 of 610 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Tom Kitt

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: In the article in question the Minister was extrapolating on the basis of the various exchanges on defence spending etc. which took place during Question Time on 3 November 2005, specifically arising from his replies to Questions Nos. 4; 7, 23, 30, 56 and 65; and 11 and 27. If the Minister was mistaken and Deputy Timmins is satisfied with the current level of defence spending, the Minister...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Representation: Defence Forces Representation (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: This issue was raised at the RACO biennial delegate conference last week and the Minister has also received correspondence from PDFORRA on the matter in the last few days. PDFORRA has also written to a number of public representatives outlining its concerns. It should be emphasised that issues relating to the Portuguese armed forces are an internal matter for the Portuguese Government. I...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Deployment: Defence Forces Deployment (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: The Government is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for men and women in the Defence Forces and to the full participation by women in all aspects of Defence Forces activities. The military authorities have advised that detailed records of the number of applicants for the Army Ranger Wing are not maintained. However, since 2000 approximately 240 personnel, including one female,...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: The Government decided on 1 July 2003 that lands at Gormanston, County Meath would be among the State lands released for inclusion in the Sustaining Progress affordable housing initiative. The modalities in this regard are under consideration in consultation with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, which is the lead Department for the development of the...

Written Answers — Hearing Impairment Claims: Hearing Impairment Claims (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: Up to 31 October last, 18 hearing loss claims were received in the calendar year 2005. In the same period 109 cases were finalised. Of these, 63 were disposed of by way of out of court settlements and one was a court award. The amount of the award and settlements totalled €346,996. In the remainder of the cases, the plaintiffs either withdrew or did not proceed with the case or the claims...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: Excluding the subhead T provision of €14 million for compensation, the non-pay element of Defence Forces expenditure under the defence Vote for 2005 is €189.8 million, of which €100.3 million — 53% — has been devolved to the military authorities.

Written Answers — White Paper on Defence: White Paper on Defence (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: The White Paper on Defence 2000 deals comprehensively with all aspects of defence provision and sets out the Government's policy on defence for the period to 2010, with a view to ensuring an appropriate level of defence capability having regard to the changing defence and security situation at home and abroad. The Department of Defence strategy statement 2005-2007 provides for a review of...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel is the principal base of the Air Corps. With the withdrawal of aircraft from Gormanston and the relocation of Air Corps headquarters to Baldonnel as outlined in the White Paper on defence, the Air Corps has the basis for better management of its resources. Baldonnel will continue to be the centre of military aviation in Ireland.

Written Answers — Army Barracks: Army Barracks (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: There are no plans to dispose of either Cathal Brugha Barracks or McKee Barracks. It is the practice for the Department to seek the advice of the Commissioner of Valuation on up-to-date open market valuations of individual properties where the disposal of such properties is under consideration. No such valuations have been obtained in respect of the properties in question.

Written Answers — Humanitarian Volunteer Corps: Humanitarian Volunteer Corps (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: In the course of a speech on 18 November 2005 at the Royal Irish Academy at an event to mark 50 years of UN participation, my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, outlined his plans to set up a volunteer corps unit within his Department to harness the strong volunteer spirit which exists across the country. The Department of Defence and the Defence Forces will provide advice, as...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Operations: Defence Forces Operations (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: To aid the civil power — meaning in practice to assist, when requested, the Garda Siochána who have the primary responsibility for law and order, including the protection of the internal security of the State — is among the roles assigned to the Defence Forces. In this regard, the Defence Forces assist the Garda as required in duties, which include cash escorts, prison escorts and...

Written Answers — Council of Defence: Council of Defence (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: The Council of Defence is provided for in section 11 of the Defence Act 1954. The council consists of the Minister of State, the Secretary General of the Department, the chief of staff and the two deputy chiefs of staff. The purpose of the council under the Act is to aid and counsel the Minister on all matters in relation to the Department of Defence on which the Minister may consult the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Operations: Defence Forces Operations (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: In his address to the RACO biennial delegate conference on 29 November last, the Minister did not specifically mention domestic commitments. What he did speak about was our peacekeeping commitments in the context of the number of officers serving overseas and the need to ensure that we balance our obligations to Ireland's foreign policy with our obligations to the other roles of a well...

Written Answers — European Security and Defence Policy: European Security and Defence Policy (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: The European Union conducted its first military exercise — MILEX 05 — which was a command post exercise from 22 November to 1 December 2005 in the framework of the European Security and Defence Policy, ESDP. A command post exercise is an exercise involving EU institutions and EU member states, including military commanders and their staffs. As it is a desktop exercise and does not involve...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: The Minister for Defence visited the Defence Forces Training Centre at the Curragh on 16 November 2005 to attend a display by the Army Ranger Wing, ARW, to mark their 25th anniversary and to open a new stores facility at the ARW headquarters. The display consisted of a number of training exercises and simulated rescues including two practical demonstrations of static room assaults and fast...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Recruitment: Defence Forces Recruitment (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: I propose to take Questions Nos. 97 and 111 together. The Government is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for men and women in the Defence Forces — Army, Air Corps, Naval Service — including the Reserve Defence Force, and to the full participation by women in all aspects of Defence Forces activities. In effect this means that women are eligible on the same basis as men for...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: The Minister for Defence attended a meeting of the European Defence Agency Steering Board on 21 November 2005. The steering board is the principal decision-making body of the agency on which the 24 participating member states are represented — Denmark does not participate under its general opt-out on decisions with defence or military implications. The overall aim of the agency is to...

Written Answers — Military Investigations: Military Investigations (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: The Military Police investigation into this matter is still ongoing and is expected to be completed shortly. Pending completion of the investigation, I do not consider it appropriate to comment any further on the matter.

Written Answers — Departmental Estimates: Departmental Estimates (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: I propose to take Questions Nos. 100 and 115 together. The combined Defence Forces and Army pensions Estimates for 2006 provide for gross expenditure of €957.5 million, comprising €783 million for defence and €174.5 million for Army pensions. During 2006 the policy of continuous recruitment to the Defence Forces to maintain strengths at the approved levels will be continued, as will the...

Written Answers — Military Installations: Military Installations (7 Dec 2005)

Tom Kitt: There are three occupied military posts located in County Donegal at Rockhill House, Letterkenny, Lifford and Finner Camp, Bundoran. It is not the policy to disclose the number of military personnel at any particular military post or barracks. There are no plans to dispose of any of these military posts.