Written Answers Nos. 102-110
102. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Defence the reason there is no continuance in service for a person in the Defence Forces if they rank lower than sergeant level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48501/14]
View answerAs I have outlined previously to the House, a claim has been received from the Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association (PDFORRA) in relation to this matter and it is being dealt with under the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme for members of the Permanent Defence Force. Discussions have been taking place with the Representative Association, with regards to their claim, under a special Subcommittee of Conciliation Council. As discussions under the Scheme are confidential to the parties involved, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on the matter at this time, other than to emphasise that in dealing with this issue the manpower and operational needs of the Defence Forces must be the primary consideration.
As Military life places unique physical and psychological demands on individuals it is necessary that its members be physically and mentally prepared to meet the challenges of all military operations and to undertake their duties on deployment overseas. It is vital the age and health profile of personnel be such as to ensure that operational capability and effectiveness are not compromised. As such, in order to maintain the age profile of the Permanent Defence Force to carry out the operational tasks required by Government, it is necessary to have a constant input of recruits into the PDF. The maximum age for personnel who have enlisted in the PDF post 1 January 1994 provides the mechanism through which a satisfactory age profile can be achieved.
While there was significant progress made in recent discussions between PDFORRA and Civil and Military Management on this issue, it was not possible to reach full agreement. As a result, the issue is being referred to third party adjudication for a ruling. It is expected that the adjudication hearing will take place as soon as possible following the exchange of submissions between the parties. In the meantime work is continuing on exit support measures to support those due to be discharged. A number of military courses and other skills courses are already accredited with various Third Level Institutions and Professional Bodies. In addition, a comprehensive training course to aid Transition to Civilian Life for these personnel, which involves a skills appraisal and review of a person’s service history and training already provided, is currently being piloted.
103. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Defence the actions his Department has taken to allow for the implementation of the Istanbul Convention; if his Department has any engagement with the Department of Justice and Equality on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48570/14]
View answerAs I am sure that the Deputy is aware, the Istanbul Convention refers to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combatting violence against women and domestic violence. My colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality announced, on 25th November 2014, her intention to publish draft heads of a consolidated and reformed Domestic Violence Bill in the New Year to address all aspects of domestic violence, threatened violence and intimidation. She explained that this new Bill, coupled with a new National Strategy on domestic violence, will pave the way for Ireland to ratify the Istanbul Convention. There has been no specific engagement between my Department and the Department of Justice and Equality in relation to the implementation of the Istanbul Convention.
104. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the number of suspect devices that the Army disposal unit has had to deal with to date in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48683/14]
View answerPrimary responsibility for the maintenance of law and order rests with An Garda Síochána. The Defence Forces, pursuant to their role of rendering Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP), assist An Garda Síochána when requested to do so. The Defence Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Teams respond when a request is made by An Garda Síochána for assistance.
Up to the 15th December 2014, EOD teams were deployed on 136 occasions and viable devices accounted for 34 of these callouts.
Other types of callouts would include hoaxes, false alarms, post-blast analysis, and the removal of unstable chemicals in laboratories.
105. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the number of cash-in-transit escorts carried out by the Defence Forces to date in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48684/14]
View answerPrimary responsibility for the maintenance of law and order rests with An Garda Síochána. The Defence Forces, pursuant to their role of rendering Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP), assist An Garda Síochána when requested to do so. At the request of An Garda Síochána, to date in 2014 the Defence Forces have carried out 1,299 armed escorts for certain cash movements within the State.
106. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence when the next meeting of the national emergency co-ordination committee will take place; the number of meetings that have taken place thus far in 2014; the number he or his predecessor has chaired; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48685/14]
View answerI chair the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning, which includes senior officials of Government Departments, senior officers of An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces and officials of other key public authorities, which have a lead or support role in Government emergency planning. The Government Task Force on Emergency Planning meets on a regular basis. The next meeting will take place tomorrow Thursday, 18 December 2014 which I will chair. So far this year there have been six meetings of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning. The first meeting on 10 February was chaired by my predecessor Mr. Alan Shatter, T.D. I chaired the meetings on 2 October and 13 November. The meeting on 5 June was chaired by Mr. Paul Kehoe, T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Defence while the meetings on 11 April and 23 July were chaired by Mr. Maurice Quinn, Secretary General of the Department of Defence. While the details of matters discussed at meetings of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning are confidential, I can confirm that the Task Force examines current risks and supports coordination arrangements for emergency planning across Government.
The Task Force is regularly briefed on such matters as the current security threat, which is provided by An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces, as well as receiving regular updates on cyber security and Ebola and on other matters from the relevant lead Government Departments. This includes the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, which chairs the National Steering Group under the Framework for Major Emergency Management, along with having the lead Government Department role and responsibilities in eleven of the forty two emergency scenarios.
The Task Force regularly addresses other emergency planning issues ranging from risk assessment to training and exercises as well as receiving regular briefings on current issues from the various lead Government Departments on their specific roles and responsibilities and their associated work programmes. The Task Force establishes Subgroups from time to time to specifically look at particular areas of emergency planning that may need to be addressed.
107. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the up to date figures for the strength of the Permanent Defence Force with regard to all three services and all ranks; the gender breakdown of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48686/14]
View answerThe following tables set out the strength of the Permanent Defence Force as of 31 October, 2014, the latest date for which figures are available, across all three services and ranks, broken down by gender. The figures provided are for whole time equivalent posts.
Army
|
Rank |
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
Lieutenant General |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Major General |
2 |
0 |
2 |
|
Brigadier General |
6 |
0 |
6 |
|
Colonel |
32 |
0 |
32 |
|
Lieutenant Colonel |
100 |
3 |
103 |
|
Commandant |
217 |
25 |
242 |
|
Captain |
246 |
42 |
288 |
|
Lieutenant |
189 |
36 |
225 |
|
Sergeant Major |
26 |
0 |
26 |
|
Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant |
31 |
0 |
31 |
|
Company Sergeant |
105 |
1 |
106 |
|
Company Quartermaster Sergeant |
158 |
1 |
159 |
|
Sergeant |
822 |
54 |
876 |
|
Corporal |
1236 |
115 |
1,351 |
|
Private |
3829 |
187 |
4,016 |
|
Cadets |
32 |
8 |
40 |
|
Totals |
7,032 |
472 |
7,504 |
Air Corps
|
Rank |
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
Brigadier General |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Colonel |
2 |
0 |
2 |
|
Lieutenant Colonel |
12 |
0 |
12 |
|
Commandant |
32 |
0 |
32 |
|
Captain |
44 |
6 |
50 |
|
Lieutenant |
29 |
1 |
30 |
|
Sergeant Major |
7 |
1 |
8 |
|
Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant |
4 |
0 |
4 |
|
Company Sergeant |
47 |
0 |
47 |
|
Company Quartermaster Sergeant |
14 |
0 |
14 |
|
Sergeant |
119 |
6 |
125 |
|
Corporal |
150 |
12 |
162 |
|
Private |
249 |
9 |
258 |
|
Cadets |
23 |
0 |
23 |
|
Total |
733 |
35 |
768 |
Naval Service
|
Rank |
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
Brigadier General |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Colonel |
2 |
0 |
2 |
|
Lieutenant Colonel |
12 |
0 |
12 |
|
Commandant |
39 |
5 |
44 |
|
Captain |
36 |
11 |
47 |
|
Lieutenant |
39 |
11 |
50 |
|
Sergeant Major |
6 |
0 |
6 |
|
Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant |
7 |
0 |
7 |
|
Company Sergeant |
64 |
0 |
64 |
|
Company Quartermaster Sergeant |
15 |
0 |
15 |
|
Sergeant |
168 |
3 |
171 |
|
Corporal |
163 |
11 |
174 |
|
Private |
438 |
19 |
457 |
|
Cadets |
11 |
2 |
13 |
|
Total |
1,001 |
62 |
1,063 |
108. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the up to date figures for the strength of the Reserve Defence Force; the gender breakdown of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48687/14]
View answerThe following tables set out the effective strength of the Reserve Defence Force as of 31 October, 2014, the latest date for which figures are available, in both the Army Reserve and the Naval Service Reserve broken down by rank and gender.
Army Reserve
|
Rank |
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
Lieutenant Colonel |
5 |
0 |
5 |
|
Commandant |
34 |
0 |
34 |
|
Captain |
97 |
4 |
101 |
|
Lieutenant |
182 |
31 |
213 |
|
Sergeant Major |
8 |
0 |
8 |
|
Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant |
8 |
0 |
8 |
|
Company Sergeant |
57 |
0 |
57 |
|
Company Quartermaster Sergeant |
71 |
2 |
73 |
|
Sergeant |
313 |
20 |
333 |
|
Corporal |
329 |
76 |
405 |
|
Private |
802 |
188 |
990 |
|
Total |
1,906 |
321 |
2,227 |
Naval Service Reserve
|
Rank |
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
Commandant |
4 |
0 |
4 |
|
Captain |
7 |
0 |
7 |
|
Lieutenant |
6 |
1 |
7 |
|
Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant |
2 |
0 |
2 |
|
Company Sergeant |
9 |
0 |
9 |
|
Sergeant |
12 |
1 |
13 |
|
Corporal |
20 |
4 |
24 |
|
Private |
57 |
25 |
82 |
|
Total |
117 |
31 |
148 |
109. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence when the next meeting of EU Defence Ministers will take place; the agenda for same if decided; his priorities for it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48688/14]
View answerThe next informal meeting of Defence Ministers will be hosted by Latvia as part of their Presidency of the EU Council and will take place in Riga on the 18th and 19th February 2015. The agenda has not yet issued. However, as with previous meetings, it is assumed that Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) Missions and Operations will be on the Agenda. Current EU Military operations are Operation ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina; Operation EUNAVFOR ATALANTA , the EU’s anti-piracy maritime mission off the coast of Somalia; EUFOR RCA, the EU mission in the Central African Republic; and the EU Training Missions in Mali and Somalia (EUTM Mali and EUTM Somalia). The meeting will also probably discuss progress to date on the conclusions agreed by the Heads of State and Government at the European Council in December 2013 that focused on Defence and look forward to the further discussions on Defence issues to take place at the European Council in June 2015.
110. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the number of overseas missions in which the Defence Forces are currently involved; the number of personnel involved in each mission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48689/14]
View answerAs of 1 December 2014, Ireland is contributing approximately 427 Defence Forces personnel to 11 missions throughout the world. Full details of all personnel currently serving overseas including the lead organisation for each mission are listed in the tabular statement. The main overseas missions in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with 199 personnel, and the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in Syria with 138 Defence Forces personnel.
The current contribution of some 427 personnel to overseas missions reflects the Government’s continued commitment to our responsibilities in the area of international peace and security.
AS OF 01 DECEMBER 2014
|
1. |
UN MISSIONS |
Personnel |
|
UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) HQ |
9 |
|
|
UNIFIL 47th Infantry Group |
186 |
|
|
UNIFIL Sector West HQ |
4 |
|
|
UNTSO (United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation) Israel and Syria |
13 |
|
|
MINURSO (United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara) |
3 |
|
|
MONUSCO (United Nations Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo) |
4 |
|
|
UNOCI (United Nations Mission in Ivory Coast) |
2 |
|
|
UNDOF (United Nations Disengagement Observer Force) HQ, Golan Heights Syria |
8 |
|
|
UNDOF 46 th Infantry Group |
130 |
|
|
TOTAL |
359 |
|
|
UN MANDATED MISSIONS |
||
|
EUFOR (EU led Operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina) |
7 |
|
|
EUTM Mali (EU led Training Mission) |
10 |
|
|
KFOR (International Security Presence in Kosovo) HQ |
12 |
|
|
ISAF (International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan) |
7 |
|
|
TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONNEL SERVING WITH UN MISSIONS |
395 |
|
2. |
ORGANISATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE (OSCE) |
Personnel |
|
OSCE Mission to Bosnia & Herzegovina |
2 |
|
|
Staff Officer, High Level Planning Group Vienna |
1 |
|
|
TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONNEL SERVING OSCE |
3 |
|
|
3. |
EU MILITARY STAFF |
|
|
Brussels |
5 |
|
|
4. |
NORDIC BATTLE GROUP 2015 |
|
|
FHQ Sweden |
14 |
|
|
5. |
MILITARY REPRESENTATIVES/ADVISERS/STAFF |
|
|
Military Adviser, Permanent Mission to UN, New York |
1 |
|
|
Military Adviser Irish delegation to OSCE, Vienna |
1 |
|
|
Military Representative to EU (Brussels) |
4 |
|
|
Liaison Office of Ireland, NATO/PfP (Brussels) |
2 |
|
|
EU OHQ Operation Althea, Mons, Belgium |
1 |
|
|
Irish Liaison Officer to SHAPE & Military Co-Op Division, Mons, Belgium |
1 |
|
|
TOTAL NUMBER OF DEFENCE FORCES PERSONNEL SERVING OVERSEAS |
427 |
