Results 161-180 of 19,765 for speaker:Micheál Martin in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Staff (9 Apr 2024)

Micheál Martin: Civilian employees may, subject to the business needs of the respective military installation, be transferred to particular duties by military management in line with public service guidelines. In certain circumstances, a case may be made for an employee to carry out duties of a higher grade for a specific period of time. Should a business case be made by military management, and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (9 Apr 2024)

Micheál Martin: I would like to thank the Deputy for his question. I am not at liberty to discuss or comment on any protected disclosure; however, I am assured by Military Management that no member of the Defence Forces is denied anything on foot of having made a protected disclosure. The Defence Forces is on record for encouraging members to speak out against abuse of any kind either through official...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Policies (9 Apr 2024)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 168 to 170, inclusive, together. My Department is aware of recent media reports regarding the training of members of the Libyan National Army by an Irish-based company and the possibility that such activity is in breach of UN sanctions or EU restrictive measures. The alleged breaches of UN and EU sanctions in the manner outlined in the media reports...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Sector Pensions (9 Apr 2024)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 590, 629, 815 and 872 together. As of 29 March 2024, all Permanent Defence Forces personnel who currently have a mandatory retirement age of less than 60, may remain in service until 60 subject to fulfilling certain existing criteria, for example physical and medical fitness. As announced on 5 March 2024, in tandem with the changes made to the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: I have been advised by Military Management that four Israeli Defence Forces personnel attended training courses conducted at the UN Training School in the Curragh during 2018 and 2019 as follows: In 2018 two Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) Personnel attended the International Civil Military Relations Course. In the same year one other IDF member attended the International Protection of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: Between the 1st of January 2024 and the 14th of March 2024, my Department received twenty (20) new litigation cases. While the volume of cases received can fluctuate throughout the year, and from one year to another, this figure is broadly in line with figures from previous years for the same period. At the same point in 2023, my Department had received fourteen (14) new cases. The figure...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: The report of the Independent Review Group (IRG) established to examine dignity and equality issues in the Defence Forces was published following Government approval on 28 March 2023. The Government agreed to progress the 13 recommendations contained in the Report. Some actions have already been completed while others will take further time due to the requirement for legislative change. ...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: The recruitment and retention challenges experienced by the Defence Forces are well documented. The numbers leaving the Defence Forces exceed the numbers recruited year on year, resulting in a continued decline in the overall strength level. While significant measures have been undertaken to improve the overall package in the Defence Forces, the decline in numbers has continued. The...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: I would like to thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to outline the recent and planned future improvements to Defence Infrastructure throughout the State which is unparalleled in our history. There are currently over €147m worth of IDP projects underway at different stages of development, many of which are specific to addressing operational and living-in accommodation...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ukraine War (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has led to the unprecedented mobilisation of EU efforts to provide both civil and military assistance to Ukraine to defend itself in line with Article 51 of the UN Charter. While Ireland's policy of military neutrality is characterised by non-membership of military alliances and non-participation in common or mutual defence...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 42 together. The ongoing staffing challenges in the Defence Forces with regard to recruitment and retention are fully acknowledged and well documented. In this, we are no different to other international militaries who, in a competitive labour market, are also experiencing similar difficulties. The immediate focus for me as Minister for Defence is...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: The European Union Military Committee (EUMC) is the highest military body within the EU. It is composed of the Chiefs of Defence (CHODs) of the EU's Member States who, on a day to day basis, are represented in Brussels by the Military Representatives from the Permanent Representations of the Member States to the EU. The Government has agreed to nominate Lt. Gen. Clancy as a candidate for...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: The White Paper on Defence published in 2015 set out the Government intention to put in place a new fixed cycle of defence reviews. Such reviews are common practice internationally and give reassurance that policy remains up to date and relevant to changing future circumstances. The White Paper set out that every three years there will be a White Paper update that would consider...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 23, 40 and 44 together. In 2022, the Government approved the recommendations of the Commission on the Defence Forces (CODF). One of these recommendations was to move, over a six-year period, to a level of Defence Forces’ capability that would require an additional 2,000 personnel, including a civilian component, beyond the 9,500 Permanent Defence...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: heading (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: The former Naval Service flagship vessel LÉ Eithne was decommissioned in 2022. In July 2022, the then Minister for Defence accepted the recommendation of the joint civil-military Working Group on Decommissioning that the decommissioning and disposal of three (3) Naval Service ships, namely LÉ Eithne P31, LÉ Orla P41, and LÉ Ciara P42, should be progressed as soon as...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)/drones are deployed across several branches of the Defence Forces and are primarily used for reconnaissance and target spotting. These assets have no lethal offensive capabilities. Drones are also used by the Civil Defence in search, rescue and recovery of missing persons and have proven very capable in the field by enabling inaccessible areas to be searched...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: heading (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: In January 2022, the Government announced a COVID-19 Pandemic Recognition Payment (PRP) for front-line public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. At Government level, the Department of Health has primary policy responsibility for this initiative, with the consent of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, as it was then. The payment is...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: The conditions for entry to and service in the Permanent Defence Force are subject to review, having regard to the needs of the organisation, the development of best practices and the maximisation of potential avenues to increasing recruitment. Since the introduction of psychometric testing for general service recruits, the military authorities have revised the approach to such testing a...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 39 together. As Minister, I am deeply committed to the transformation of the Defence Forces into a modern fit for purpose organisation to defend the State and meet the challenges of today and the future. The Commission on the Defence Forces was established on foot of a commitment in the Programme for Government, and its report was published on the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Defence Forces, including the Naval Service, is maintained and developed. This is to enable the Defence Forces to carry out the roles assigned by Government. Equipment priorities for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service are considered in the context of the established capability development and Equipment...