Written Replies Nos. 437 to 450
437. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Defence if he will convene a medal and awards review board comprising of a wide cross-section of the Defence Forces to examine the reinstatement of the good conduct medal under new conditions and criteria; and if all officers and enlisted personnel with ten years exemplary service as recorded on the electronic personal management system will be awarded this medal. [46652/15]
View answerCurrently, the Defence Forces Service Medal is awarded to personnel who meet the qualifying service for its award. Moreover, it recognises the service of not only NCOs and Privates but all members of the Defence Forces. It is considered that the current range of medals awardable to the Defence Forces is appropriate and adequate, and accordingly, I have no plans for the re-instatement of the Good Conduct Medal.
438. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Defence if he will direct a review board to consider a maritime deployment medal in recognition of the deployment of sailors on board Irish naval vessels who complete a two-year rotation at sea. [46653/15]
View answerI have no plans for the awarding of a medal to Naval Service personnel deployed on board a naval vessel completing a two-year rotation at sea.
An Bonn Seirbhíse (The Service Medal) is awarded to Officers, non-commissioned officer or Private of the Defence Forces or a member of the Army Nursing or Chaplaincy Service who possess the qualifying service for the award. I do not consider the awarding of a further medal to Naval Service personnel necessary as such service is already covered by the Service medal.
439. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Defence the names of the persons he has nominated to serve in positions carrying remuneration, other than out-of-pocket expenses, on commissions, industrial, assurance, semi-State or other similar concerns; the amounts received annually in respect of each appointment; the name of the concern to which the appointment was made during the years 2011 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46661/15]
View answerI have not nominated anyone to serve in positions carrying remuneration, other than out of pocket expenses, on commissions, industrial, assurance, semi-State or other similar concerns in my role as Minister for Defence.
440. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Defence the number of annual subscriptions to external membership bodies and groups his Department has, including the cost and details. [46735/15]
View answerThe number of subscriptions paid by my Department in 2015 to external membership bodies and groups, including the cost and details, is set out in the tables following.
Payments made in respect of Corporate Membership
|
Corporate Membership |
External Membership Body/Group |
Cost € |
|
Corporate Membership |
Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) |
7,000.00 |
|
Corporate Membership |
Critical Incident Stress Management Network Ireland |
3,000.00 |
|
Corporate Membership |
Licence fee to Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council |
1,000 .00 |
|
Corporate Membership |
Legal Island Limited |
395.00 |
|
Corporate Membership |
Retirement Planning Council of Ireland |
297.00 |
|
Total |
€11,692 .00 |
Payments made in respect of Professional Fees for individual employees
|
Number of individual employees |
Cost € |
|
1 |
380.00 |
|
1 |
364.00 |
|
1 |
445.00 |
|
1 |
411.00 |
|
1 |
210.00 |
|
5 |
500.00 |
|
1 |
565.00 |
|
1 |
140.00 |
|
1 |
309.93 |
|
2 |
411.80 |
|
1 |
195.00 |
|
1 |
295.00 |
|
2 |
130.00 |
|
19 |
€4,356.73 |
441. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Defence the number of annual subscriptions to newspapers or magazines his Department has, including the cost and details. [46736/15]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of annual subscriptions to newspapers or magazines in my Department including the cost and details is set out in the table following.
|
Magazine |
Cost |
Company |
Received by |
|
Industrial Relations News |
€436.00 p.a., inclusive of VAT €436.00 |
IRN Publishing |
Dept of Defence , Newbridge, Co Kildare |
|
Health & Safety Review |
€337.90 p.a., inclusive of VAT €436 |
IRN Publishing |
Dept of Defence , Newbridge, Co Kildare |
|
Health & Safety Review |
€234.35 p.a., inclusive of VAT €436 |
IRN Publishing |
Dept of Defence , Renmore, Co Galway |
|
Stubbs Gazette |
€312.83 p.a., inclusive of VAT €436 |
Stubbs Gazette |
Dept of Defence , Newbridge, Co Kildare |
442. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Defence the annual cost to his Department of advertisements placed on its behalf in newspapers, magazines, television and radio, and social media. [46737/15]
View answerThe cost to my Department of advertisements placed on its behalf in newspapers, magazines, television and radio and social media in 2015 was €86,505.67. The details are set out in the table following.
|
Company |
Advertising Platform |
Purpose of Advertisement |
Cost € |
Total for each Advertising Platform |
|
Mediavest Advertising |
Radio |
Be Winter Ready Information Campaign |
34,406.99 |
€34,406.99 |
|
Mediavest Advertising |
Internet & Social Media - Twitter |
Be Winter Ready Information Campaign |
7,255.78 |
|
|
Mediavest Advertising |
Internet & Social Media |
Warning notices in respect of military training exercises |
738.00 |
€7,993.78 |
|
Mediavest Advertising |
Newspapers Magazines |
Recruitment of Civilian Staff: (i) Senior Physiotherapist (1) (ii) Clinical Psychologist (1) (i) |
8,194.00 |
|
|
Mediavest Advertising |
Newspapers Magazines |
Advertising of Easter Sunday Commemoration in three National Newspapers |
4,435.66 |
|
|
Mediavest Advertising |
Newspapers Magazines |
Warning notices in respect of military training exercises |
27,522.64 |
|
|
Direct advertising |
Newspapers Magazines |
Warning notices in respect of military training exercises |
2,853.60 |
|
|
The Roscrea People |
Magazine |
General Promotions for the Civil Defence Organisation among third level students nationally (potential recruits as volunteers) and the local population in the Roscrea area. |
300.00 |
|
|
Education Magazine |
Magazine |
799.00 |
€44,104.90 |
|
|
TOTAL |
€86,505.67 |
€86,505.67 |
443. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Defence how many businesses in County Mayo have applied for assistance; how many have received assistance; the total value of payments made under the Irish Red Cross scheme for businesses affected by flooding since 11 December 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1040/16]
View answerThe Government approved the allocation of €5m for an emergency humanitarian support scheme to small businesses and community, sporting and voluntary bodies which through no fault of their own have been unable to secure flood insurance and have been flooded recently. The Irish Red Cross has agreed to administer the scheme.
The Irish Red Cross Society is an independent charitable organisation with full power to manage its own affairs. I, as Minister for Defence have no function in the administration of the Irish Red Cross Society and do not get involved in the day to day running of its affairs.
The Irish Red Cross are continuing to receive applications and payments are being made on a daily basis. The closing date for receipt of applications is 31 January 2016. The Irish Red Cross will complete a summary report following an assessment of all applications received. I will arrange for a copy of the report to be sent to the Deputy.
444. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Defence the assistance given to those whose homes and other properties were flooded in past number of weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1100/16]
View answerIn accordance with the Framework for Major Emergency Management, primary responsibility for responding to severe weather events, such as the recent storms, rests with the three designated principal response agencies, namely the relevant Local Authority, An Garda Siochána, and the Health Service Executive. In accordance with agreed arrangements, all of the available resources of the Defence Forces and Civil Defence, are made available, upon request, to support these principal response agencies.
During the recent period of severe weather from the 4 December to date, the Defence Forces have responded positively to all requests for support received from all three principal response agencies. Most requests are from the Local Authorities, given their central role in the flood response. The extent of support provided has been considerable with the Defence Forces being deployed to multiple locations in counties Donegal, Sligo, Mayo, Galway, Kerry, Clare, Kilkenny, Wexford, Westmeath, Limerick, Tipperary and Cork.
The main ways the Defence Forces have provided support include:
- assisting with the evacuation of people from flooded areas;
- assisting nurses and patients to get to hospital from flooded areas;
- maintaining flood defences, including the delivery;
- making and placing of sandbags;
- provision of pumps and maintaining pumping infrastructure including general oversight, clearing blockages in pipes and pipe intakes, and general cleaning and housekeeping in vicinity of pumping operations;
- delivery of fodder for livestock; and assisting OPW with air reconnaissance of rivers and coastal areas.
The Defence Forces remain on standby at multiple locations to provide assistance as requests are received from the principal response agencies.
Civil Defence volunteers have been very involved in recent weeks assisting home owners and members of the public in almost every county. Civil Defence volunteers have engaged in a wide variety of tasks including sand bagging, pumping out houses, evacuating people from their homes, rescuing car drivers from flood waters, checking on vulnerable people, assisting nurses and home helps in getting through flood waters, bringing children to school, monitoring river levels and keeping people away from flood waters.
The Government approved the allocation of €5m to be distributed as emergency humanitarian support to small businesses, which through no fault of their own have been unable to secure flood insurance and have been flooded recently. The scheme, which is being administered by the Irish Red Cross, has now been extended to cover the flooding caused by the continued adverse weather into early January 2016 and will now also cover community, sports and voluntary bodies that could not secure flood insurance for their premises.
The scheme is aimed at providing a contribution to the costs of returning premises to their pre-flood condition including the replacement of flooring, fixtures and fittings and damaged stock. It only applies to premises that have been flooded and it is intended as an emergency humanitarian assistance contribution rather than compensation for loss or a replacement for the cover provided by insurance.
Applications under the €5,000 threshold are being paid following a quick verification process between the Irish Red Cross and the local authority responsible for the area in which the business was flooded. The Red Cross has appointed loss assessors to undertake damage assessments for applicants that have sought assistance above the €5,000 threshold. To date, the Red Cross has made more than 100 payments under the scheme totalling around €500,000. The Red Cross are continuing to receive and process applications on a daily basis. The Red Cross is due to commence the assessments for applications for amounts between €5,000 and €20,000 this week.
445. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Defence the Revised Estimate for Army pensions and the details of any Supplementary Estimate for same for each of the years 2011 to 2015 in tabular form. [1186/16]
View answerThe Army Pensions Vote makes provision for Defence Forces pension benefits (i.e. retired pay, pensions, allowances and gratuities payable to or in respect of members of the Defence Forces in a variety of categories) under the military superannuation code and military occupational injuries code. There are currently over 12,100 military pensioners, including spouses and children of deceased personnel and some 90 widows of deceased veterans of the War of Independence. The revised estimate for 2016 is €223.69 million.
Details of the supplementary estimates required for the Army Pensions Vote in each of the years in question are set out in tabular form as follows:
|
Year |
€ m |
|
2011 |
15.6 |
|
2012 |
30.0 |
|
2013 |
9.4 |
|
2014 |
4.8 |
|
2015 |
6.5 |
446. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Defence the discussions his Department has had with suppliers or service contractors to his Department or to agencies of his Department to ensure that employees of such suppliers and contractors are paid the living wage of €11.50 per hour; the cost of implementing this wage for these employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1369/16]
View answerMy Department has had no such discussions with suppliers or service contractors to the Department with regard to compliance with payment of the Living Wage to the employees of suppliers or service contracts.
It is important that Ireland’s National Minimum Wage and the Living Wage concept are not conflated. The Living Wage is a voluntary societal initiative centred on the social, business and economic case to ensure that, wherever it can be afforded, employers pay a rate of pay that provides an income that is sufficient to meet an individual’s basic needs, such as housing, food, clothing, transport and healthcare. The Living Wage is voluntary and has no legislative basis and is, therefore, not a statutory entitlement and cannot be imposed on suppliers or contractors.
However, compliance with employment law obligations, such as the National Minimum Wage, in respect of contracts for the provision of goods or services awarded by my Department and the Defence Forces is set down in standard tender documentation. It provides that successful tenderers shall be solely responsible in law for the employment, remuneration, taxes, immigration and work permits of all personnel retained under any such contract.
Minimum rates of pay may also be supplemented by social transfers such as Child Benefit, Family Income Supplement or health, education or housing assistance payments where the need arises and to reflect family circumstances. These have served to provide an important safety net for families that by virtue of their circumstances require such financial support.
447. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Defence the cost of increasing the number of personnel in the Army Reserve from 2,188 to 3,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1443/16]
View answer448. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Defence the cost of increasing the number of personnel in the Naval Service Reserve from 141 to 1,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1444/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 447 and 448 together.
The recently published White Paper on Defence sets out a developmental path for the Reserve Defence Force (RDF). It provides that the overall establishment of the Army Reserve (AR) and the Naval Service Reserve (NSR) be set at 4,169 personnel, consisting of 3,869 Army Reservists and the expansion of the establishment of the four Naval Service Reserve Units from 200 to 300 personnel.
The current total strength for the Reserve Defence Force (as of 30 November, 2015, the latest date for which figures are available) was 2,323. Subhead A5 provides for a budget of €2.15 million in 2016, of which €2.068 million encompasses Paid Training. The budget is sufficient having regard to the existing strength of the AR and NSR. A key challenge is to attract, recruit and train sufficient personnel to meet the establishment provided in the White Paper. Budget is not a constraint on achieving this establishment.
Indicative costs of meeting the Paid Training requirements for the numbers outlined in the questions are outlined in the table following:
|
Increase |
Additional Cost (approx) |
|
Army Reserve from 2,188 to 3,000 |
€ 0. 847 m |
|
Naval Service Reserve from 141 to 1,000. |
€ 0. 896 m |
It should be noted that numbers beyond the establishment would require a reappraisal of organisational structures, levels and of the costs of PDF support required. There are no plans to increase the establishment strengths of the Reserve Defence Force beyond the targets set out in the White Paper on Defence.
449. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Defence if he will investigate the age of each aircraft within the Air Corps; when each aircraft is next due to be replaced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1505/16]
View answerThere are 26 aircraft in the Air Corps fleet, 16 of which are fixed wing and 10 of which are helicopters. The age of each aircraft in the fleet is as follows:
|
Aircraft Type – Fixed Wing |
Number in Service |
Age |
Year Delivered |
|
Cessna |
5 |
43 years |
1972 |
|
Casa |
2 |
21 years |
1994 |
|
Defender ** |
1 |
18 years |
1997 |
|
Learjet |
1 |
12 years |
2003 |
|
Pilatus |
7 |
11 years |
2004 |
|
Total |
16 |
|
Aircraft Type - Helicopters |
Number in Service |
Age |
Year Delivered |
|
EC 135** |
2 |
8 and 13 years |
2002 &2007 |
|
EC 135 |
2 |
10 years |
2005 |
|
AW 139 |
6 |
Between 8 and 10 years |
2 in 2006, 2 in 2007, 2 in 2008 |
|
Total |
10 |
**Aircraft owned by Department of Justice and Equality but operated by the Air Corps.
The equipment priorities for the Air Corps will be considered in the context of the lifetime of the recently published White Paper. The White Paper recognises that there are several new and or enhanced platforms to be procured. In the context of the Air Corps fleet, this includes the replacement of the Cessna fleet with three larger aircraft suitably equipped for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance tasks. The two CASA 235s Maritime Patrol Aircraft are due for replacement in 2019. The CASAs will be replaced with consideration of their replacement with larger more capable aircraft to enhance maritime surveillance and to provide a greater degree of utility for transport and cargo carrying tasks. The existing Pilatus PC9 aircraft are not due for replacement until 2025.
The current EC 135 and AW 139 helicopter fleet in the Air Corps will continue to deliver the required Defence Forces support and other support capabilities over the lifetime of the White Paper.
450. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Defence his plans to formally meet the Secretary of Defence of the United States of America, Mr. Ash Carter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1506/16]
View answerI currently have no plans to meet the Secretary of Defence of the United States of America, Mr. Ash Carter.
