Results 21-40 of 5,323 for speaker:Willie O'Dea in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Defence Forces Review: Defence Forces Review (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: Deputy Ó Snodaigh has raised similar questions on a number of previous occasions. I can confirm that there has been no significant change in the position since my predecessor's response to Question No. 62 of 11 May last. In this regard, the Government's White Paper on defence, published in February 2000, set out a medium term strategy for defence covering the period up to 2010. A major...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 43 together. The Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1960 provides that an officer appointed or a man enlisted after the date of its passing is liable to serve outside the State with a contingent of the Permanent Defence Force despatched for service with international forces established by the United Nations. With the passage of time since 1960 all...

Written Answers — Medical Services: Medical Services (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The medication administered to the person concerned at the time referred to was human gamma globulin. This was administered on 10 October 1990, 18 January 1991 and 1 April 1991. There is no record in his service medical records of his being administered any other medication at this time. Gamma globulin was administered routinely to all troops serving in south Lebanon prior to the availability...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The Chief of Staff received a report from the board of officers in mid June and subsequently sought clarification on a number of matters arising. This clarification, which involved research of archival material, has been received by the Chief of Staff and the report is still under examination. Pending the outcome of the examination, it would not be appropriate for me to comment. I will...

Written Answers — Partnership for Peace: Partnership for Peace (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I have not had discussions with my EU colleagues in the context of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council or Partnership for Peace in the short time since my appointment.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: Personnel, on being discharged from the Permanent Defence Force, are obliged to vacate married quarters within a short period of the dates of their discharge. The provision of housing is primarily a matter for the local authorities and married military personnel have an equal claim on such housing as other members of the community in the same income category. The individuals overholding 54...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Training: Defence Forces Training (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The Garda Síochána has primary responsibility for law and order, including the protection of the internal security of the State. It continuously monitors the potential threats to the State arising from international terrorism in co-operation with the Defence Forces. The advice available to me at this time is that, while the Garda authorities recognise that the terrorist threat to Europe may...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The White Paper provides an overall strength figure of 10,500 for the Permanent Defence Force all ranks. This figure comprehends provision for the allocation of up to 850 members of the Permanent Defence Force to overseas peacekeeping missions at any given time. At present, there are only 740 members of the Permanent Defence Force serving overseas on such missions.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I am satisfied that military training techniques and equipment, including military vehicles, are up to date in all respects. Defence Forces training plans are structured to provide the capabilities needed to execute the roles assigned to them under the White Paper on Defence of February 2000. Priority is given to meeting operational tasks in Ireland. The challenges of preparing military units...

Written Answers — Search and Rescue Service: Search and Rescue Service (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 74 and 75 together. The White Paper on Defence of February 2000 sets out a figure of 930 personnel for the Air Corps. There are no proposals to increase the strength of the Air Corps above the White Paper figure. It is my intention to maintain the established Government policy of ongoing recruitment to the Defence Forces and to continue to maintain the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Representation: Defence Forces Representation (19 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: Under the provision of the Defence (Amendment) Act 1990, representative associations have been set up for serving personnel of the Permanent Defence Forces, RACO and PDFORRA, and the Reserve Defence Forces, RDFRA. The Organisation of National Ex-Servicemen and Women, ONE, is the recognised organisation for former members of the Defence Forces. The Irish United Nations Veterans Association,...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (19 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: Contracts for environmental maintenance works on the Curragh are awarded by my Department on a periodic basis following a tender competition which is advertised in local County Kildare based newspapers, Leinster Leader, Kildare Nationalist and Kildare Times. A contract for weed-cutting on the Curragh is awarded every year following a restricted tender competition. My Department holds details...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (19 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The introduction of less lethal weapons for use by the Defence Forces in the course of aid to the civil power duties is the subject of ongoing consideration in my Department. Such consideration follows the proposal of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, noted by Government in November 2002, to authorise the introduction of a limited range of less-lethal weapons for use by the...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (2 Nov 2004)

Willie O'Dea: My Department has a dedicated internal audit unit which carries out a range of audits each year in order to provide assurance on the adequacy of controls in operation in the various areas of activity of the Department. The internal audit unit works to an annual plan which is approved by the secretary general and which comprises a range of audits of military stores and systems audits of...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (2 Nov 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 487 and 488 together. To date, a total of 14 schools have been granted permission to use the Curragh swimming pool. At present, the pool is open each weekday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is intended to further expand the use of the facility as soon as possible and arrangements will then be made to permit local swimming clubs and other groups to use the pool.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (2 Nov 2004)

Willie O'Dea: In line with normal practice, Kildare County Council has been requested to take in charge the roads and services at Orchard Park. In the interim, the Department will continue to be responsible for the maintenance of the roads and footpaths and in that regard a contractor will shortly be engaged to carry out the necessary repairs.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (2 Nov 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The refurbishment of living quarters is an integral part of my Department's building plans. Major contracts to improve the standard of accommodation in the Curragh were placed in recent years as part of the barracks reinvestment plan for the Defence Forces. These included contracts to the value of €5 million approximately in Connolly Barracks, students, and Clarke Barracks, other ranks. In...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (2 Nov 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The total amount of pension withheld by my Department under the Defence Forces pensions schemes from persons in unauthorised occupation of married quarters is approximately €330,000, net of income tax, PRSI, overholding and electricity charges.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (2 Nov 2004)

Willie O'Dea: Personnel on being discharged from the Permanent Defence Force are obliged to vacate married quarters within a short period of the dates of their discharge. The provision of housing is primarily a matter for the local authorities and married military personnel have an equal claim on such housing as other members of the community in the same income category. The individuals overholding 54...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Training: Defence Forces Training (2 Nov 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The number of Defence Force personnel who underwent training with FÁS over the past three years is as follows: Year Army Naval Service Air Corps 2002 95 Figures not readily available Nil 2003 140 57 Nil 2004 139 39 Nil