Results 41-60 of 5,323 for speaker:Willie O'Dea in 'Written Answers'

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

Willie O'Dea: The number of enlisted personnel in receipt of additional pay in respect of filling a technical appointment within the Defence Forces as at 1 November 2004 is 4,629. In total, 73 Air Corps apprentices have been enlisted in the Permanent Defence Force over the last three years. At present, a competition is underway from which it is intended to enlist a further 15 Air Corps apprentices. Prior...

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

Willie O'Dea: The White Paper on Defence of February 2000 sets out a figure of 10,500 personnel for the Permanent Defence Force, comprising 930 for the Air Corps, 1,144 for the Naval Service and 8,426 for the Army. On 30 September 2004, the most recent date for which figures are available, the actual total strength of the Permanent Defence Force was 10,419. The number of general service recruits enlisted...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (16 Nov 2004)

Willie O'Dea: My Department has been approached by a developer who wishes to access his property through a portion of the premises concerned. Officials of my Department, both civil and military, have had discussions with the developer, arising from which plans have been submitted and these are currently under consideration in my Department.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Review: Defence Forces Review (16 Nov 2004)

Willie O'Dea: It is presumed that the Deputy is referring to the recent report of the independent monitoring group which was presented to my predecessor on 24 September 2004 entitled Response to the Challenge of a Workplace, rather than the original report entitled The Challenge of a Workplace, which was published in March 2002, commonly referred to as the Doyle report. The following action has been taken...

Written Answers — Communications Masts: Communications Masts (16 Nov 2004)

Willie O'Dea: No survey of the type described by the Deputy has been carried out at the location in question. The mast was erected in 1988 and, apart from normal maintenance and upgrades, the existing equipment has been in situ for several years.

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (23 Nov 2004)

Willie O'Dea: An area comprising more than 27 acres of the property in question is being handed over to Cork County Council for community use, including the provision of playing pitches. I understand that at meetings held in the County Hall, Cork, in January 2002, between my predecessor and representatives of local GAA and soccer clubs, it was agreed that the soccer club be allocated one pitch on the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Reserve: Defence Forces Reserve (23 Nov 2004)

Willie O'Dea: On 26 July 2004, my predecessor Deputy Michael Smith officially launched the Reserve Defence Force review implementation plan which is the start of a process that will radically change the structure and configuration of the reserve, while preserving its traditional strengths. These include such things as the spirit of voluntary commitment, the maintaining of strong links with local...

Written Answers — Communications Masts: Communications Masts (23 Nov 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I am advised that while there is no statutory requirement for owners or users of communications masts to have electromagnetic field strength tests carried out, the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg, which is the licensing authority for the use of the radio frequency spectrum in Ireland, has recently completed a large survey of communications facilities on behalf of the Minister...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (23 Nov 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The development of EU rapid response elements to carry out crisis management operations was a key aspect of the Helsinki headline goal agreed by the Heads of State and Government in 1999. Following on from the realisation of the Helsinki headline goal, albeit with some shortfalls, earlier this year member states adopted a new headline goal with a horizon of 2010. Under the new headline goal,...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 99, 115, 118, 137, 1272, 1273, 1275 and 1282 together. I refer Deputies to my reply to this House on this very subject on 17 November last. The position remains as I outlined at that time. The background to the rapid response elements concept, commonly referred to as the "battlegroups", is that at the European Council in Helsinki in 1999, member states set...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: There are two types of UN missions on which members of the Permanent Defence Forces have been deployed. The first is the traditional "UN Blue-Hat" mission, established by the Security Council of the United Nations or the UN General Assembly. UNIFIL in Lebanon and UNMIL in Liberia are examples of such missions. The second type are missions authorised to be established by the Security Council...

Written Answers — Hearing Impairment Claims: Hearing Impairment Claims (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: By 31 December 2004 a total of 16,731 claims had been received in my Department from current and former members of the Defence Forces in respect of loss of hearing allegedly caused during their military service. A total of 332 claims have been determined in court and 15,099 have been disposed of out of court, mainly through settlement, leaving a total of 1,300 claims outstanding at that date....

Written Answers — Defence Forces Reserve: Defence Forces Reserve (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 131 together. On 26 July 2004 my predecessor, Deputy Michael Smith, officially launched the Reserve Defence Force review implementation plan which is the start of a process that will radically change the structure and configuration of the reserve while preserving its traditional strengths. These include such things as the spirit of voluntary...

Written Answers — Departmental Estimates: Departmental Estimates (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 105 and 130 together. National sovereignty and voluntarism are the fundamental underlying principles of participation in the European Security and Defence Policy, ESDP. For example, participation in any specific EU operation by member states is decided on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with respective national decision making procedures. Defence...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Investigation: Defence Forces Investigation (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 135 together. The case to which the Deputies refer relates to the killing of Private Thomas Barrett and Private Derek Smallhorne while serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, in 1980. The question of the measures open to the Irish authorities to bring the alleged perpetrator of this crime to justice is currently being examined...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 107 and 120 together. Following a tender competition, two contracts have been signed for the provision of new helicopters for the Air Corps, at a total cost of over €61 million. Four utility AB139 helicopters are being acquired from the Bell Agusta Aerospace Company at a cost of €48.4 million, inclusive of VAT. The four helicopters will be built at the...

Written Answers — Military Police Investigation: Military Police Investigation (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The military authorities advise that as a result of a number of alleged incidents on board a Naval Service vessel in November-December 2004, two Military Police investigations were initiated. One of these investigations concluded on 20 December 2004 and a report was submitted to the Flag Officer Commanding Naval Service on 22 December 2004 for consideration. The appropriate disciplinary...

Written Answers — Emergency Planning: Emergency Planning (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Government Task Force on Emergency Planning, which I chair, was established in October 2001. The membership of the task force includes Ministers, senior officials of Government Departments, senior officers of the Defence Forces and the Garda Síochána and officials of other key public authorities that have a lead or support role in Government emergency planning. The work of the task...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The White Paper on Defence of February 2000 sets out a figure of 10,500 personnel for the Permanent Defence Force, comprising 930 for the Air Corps, 1,144 for the Naval Service and 8,426 for the Army. It is my intention to maintain the established Government policy of ongoing recruitment to the Defence Forces. Recruitment into the Permanent Defence Force will continue to maintain the strength...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The acquisition of new equipment for the Defence Forces will be a key focus for me as Minister for Defence in 2005. I am aware that significant investment has taken place in recent years and I will continue the good work in that regard. The unprecedented level of expenditure on equipment for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service was made possible by the Government's decision that pay savings...