Results 81-100 of 5,323 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Willie O'Dea

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

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1266, 1289 and 1290 together. 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. The strength of the Permanent Defence Force (comprising the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service) as of 31 December 2004 was as...

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

Willie O'Dea: I am glad to say that the Defence Forces have always responded to humanitarian crises by offering their skills and services to those in need. Defence Forces regulations provide that volunteer members of the Permanent Defence Force can be seconded by the Minister for Defence, with their agreement and with the consent of the Minister for Finance, for periods of up to one year. In the case of...

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

Willie O'Dea: The military authorities advise that the information requested by the Deputy is not readily available in either electronic or paper format. Such information could only be obtained from the existing medical records of individual personnel by examining all sick reports on their files for 2003 and 2004 in order to identify those recorded as suffering from stress or stress related illnesses. It...

Written Answers — Service Medals: Service Medals (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Members of the second line reserve, which consists of An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil and An Slua Muirí, (now being re-named as the Army Reserve and the Naval Service Reserve, respectively) are awarded An Bonn Seirbhíse on completing seven years satisfactory service. A bar is added to the medal on completing 12 years satisfactory service and a second bar on completing 21 years satisfactory...

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

Willie O'Dea: No request was received by me for helicopter support nor was this ever a matter actively considered by me or the senior management in my Department or in the Defence Forces. It is not within our capacity to deploy and support the current fleet overseas. As Deputies will be aware, I have recently signed contracts for new helicopters for the Air Corps on the basis that the current fleet is...

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

Willie O'Dea: As the Deputy will appreciate, the release of the addresses of the next-of-kin would represent personal information and, as such, it would not be appropriate for the Department to release it to the organisation. In the absence of a written submission from the organisation setting out what is proposed it is not possible for my Department to consider this matter further. However, the Department...

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

Willie O'Dea: Two contracts have been signed for the provision of six new helicopters for the Air Corps, at a total cost of over €61 million — four new AB 139 helicopters and two EC 135 helicopters. Their primary role will be that of general purpose military operations and training. Primary taskings will include training and operations with the Army, security and aid to the civil power, military...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The State, semi-State, State-sponsored and statutory bodies under the aegis of my Department that are not subject to the Freedom of Information Acts are the Civil Defence Board, Coiste an Asgard and the Irish Red Cross Society. Proposals for extending FOI are being developed at present in the Department of Finance with a view to extending FOI to other appropriate bodies by the end of 2005....

Written Answers — Army Training Programme: Army Training Programme (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I am advised by the military authorities that the practice of informing local residents when a night training exercise is planned remains in force at the Curragh. The military authorities have undertaken to regularise the process to ensure that the individual concerned is informed of such activities in the future.

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

Willie O'Dea: The reorganisation of the Medical Corps, which was effected as part of the Defence Forces review implementation plan in November 1998, redirected the focus of military medical care in the Defence Forces from a predominantly hospital based service to one in which primary, occupational and field support would continue to be further developed. The Medical Corps facilities currently consist of...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Retirement Scheme: Defence Forces Retirement Scheme (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Retirement benefits by way of pension or gratuity are granted to retiring members of the Permanent Defence Force under the Defence Forces pensions schemes. Under those schemes, the minimum service required to qualify for a pension in the case of NCOs and privates is 21 years and maximum pension accrues over a period of 31 years. Pensions are not pay-related as such but are flat rates which...

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

Willie O'Dea: Currently, a total of 772 Defence Forces personnel are serving overseas, full details of which are listed in the following table. Ireland has offered, through the UN Standby Arrangements System (UNSAS), to provide up to 850 military personnel, configured as a light infantry mounted battalion, for overseas service at any one time. This figure equates to 10% of Ireland's standing Army and...

Written Answers — Search and Rescue Service: Search and Rescue Service (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Irish Coast Guard has overall responsibility for the provision of maritime search and rescue services within the Irish search and rescue region. The Air Corps had been providing search and rescue services but withdrew in October 2004 following a hand-over of this role to CHCI, a private operator, which also provides the service at the country's other SAR bases at Dublin, Shannon and...

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

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1286 to 1288, inclusive, together. The strength of females in the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps by rank within these services, is provided in the following table. The figures provided are as at 31 December 2000 to 31 December 2004. In the five year period 2000-04 inclusive, the strength of female personnel in the Permanent Defence Force grew from 429 to...

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

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1291 to 1293, inclusive, together. A total of 28 non-commissioned officers have been commissioned as officers in the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service since 1999. The numbers and categories commissioned in each year are detailed in the following tabular statement. Year No. Category 1999 2 2 — Electrical Engineer Officers, Naval Service ...

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

Willie O'Dea: The military authorities advise that the information sought is not immediately available due to archival work being carried out at present on the relevant records. I will write to the Deputy with the information as soon as it becomes available.

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (26 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Since my appointment as Minister for Defence the only appointments I have made were to the Civil Defence Board, which is a body under the aegis of my Department. Chief Supt. John T. Farrelly was appointed to the board in October 2004, on the nomination of the Commissioner of the Garda Síochána. Commandant Kevin Houston was appointed in November 2004 on the nomination of the Chief of Staff...

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

Willie O'Dea: The safety and health of Irish personnel serving overseas is always of paramount concern to me and it is my policy and practice to ensure that Defence Forces personnel are appropriately equipped to carry out their mission. The ongoing equipment modernisation programme ensures that the Defence Forces are fully equipped with the most modern of equipment for their day-to-day roles on overseas...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (27 Jan 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Minister, Secretary General, private secretary to the Minister and the human resources manager have credit cards issued to them. The guidelines for the use of such credit cards provide that they should be used for official business only. The number of occasions the cards have been used since 6 June 2002 to 29 September 2004 is as follows: Name No. of Transactions Minister 32 ...

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (1 Feb 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Since August 2004, the only appointments I have made were to the civil defence board, a body under the aegis of my Department. Chief Superintendent John T. Farrelly was appointed to the board in October 2004, on the nomination of the Commissioner of the Garda Síochána. Commandant Kevin Houston was appointed in November 2004 on the nomination of the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces.