Written Answers Nos. 258 - 270
259. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Defence the number of overseas missions in which the Defence Forces are involved and the number of personnel involved in each mission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7108/16]
View answerAs of 08 April 2016, Ireland is contributing 416 Defence Forces personnel to 10 different missions throughout the world, along with deployments to two standby Battlegroup Headquarters and a range of international organisations and National Representations.
The main overseas missions in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with 196 personnel and the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in Syria with 138 personnel.
Full details of all personnel currently serving overseas are as follows:
Members of the Permanent Defence Force Serving Overseas
As of 8th April 2016
1. UN MISSIONS
(i) UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) HQ - 9
UNIFIL 51st Infantry Group - 183
UNIFIL Sector West HQ - 4
(ii) UNTSO (United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation) Israel & Syria -13
(iii) MINURSO (United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara) - 3
(iv) MONUSCO (United Nations Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo) - 4
(v) UNOCI (United Nations Mission in Ivory Coast) - 2
(vi) UNDOF (United Nations Disengagement Observer Force) HQ, 8 Golan Heights, Syria UNDOF 52nd Infantry Group - 130
TOTAL - 356
UN MANDATED MISSIONS
(vii) EUFOR (EU-led Operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina) - 7
(viii) EUTM Mali (EU-Led Training Mission) - 10
(ix) KFOR (International Security Presence in Kosovo ) HQ - 12
TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONNEL SERVING WITH UN MISSIONS - 385
2. ORGANISATION FOR SECURITY AND CO-OPERATION IN EUROPE (OSCE)
(i) OSCE Mission to Bosnia & Herzegovina - 1
(ii) Staff Officer, High Level Planning Group, Vienna -1
TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONNEL SERVING WITH OSCE - 2
3. EU MILITARY STAFF
Brussels - 4
4. EU BATTLE GROUP
German-led Battle Group 2016 - HQ, STRASBOURG - 10
UK-led Battle Group 2016, UK - 5
5. MILITARY REPRESENTATIVES/ADVISERS/STAFF
(i) Military Adviser, Permanent Mission to UN, New York - 1
(ii) Military Adviser, Irish Delegation to OSCE, Vienna - 1
(iii) Military Representative to EU (Brussels) - 4
(iv) Liaison Officer of Ireland, NATO/PfP (Brussels) - 2
(v) EU OHQ Operation Althea, Mons, Belgium - 1
vi) Irish Liaison Officer to SHAPE & Military Co-Op Division, Mons, Belgium - 1
TOTAL NUMBER OF DEFENCE FORCES PERSONNEL SERVING OVERSEAS - 416
260. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Defence the number of additional recruits the Permanent Defence Forces have taken on in 2016 to date by the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7109/16]
View answerThe Government is committed to maintaining the stabilised strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel, comprising of 7,520 Army, 886 Air Corps and 1,094 Naval Service as stated in the 2015 White Paper on Defence. I am advised by the Military Authorities that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force, at 29 February 2016 (provisional figures), the latest date for which details are available, was 9146 comprising 7329 Army, 744 Air Corps and 1073 Naval Service.
The manpower requirement of the Defence Forces is monitored on an ongoing basis in accordance with the operational requirements of each of the three services. As there is significant turnover of personnel in the Permanent Defence Force, targeted recruitment has been and is currently taking place so as to maintain the agreed strength levels.
I am advised by the Military Authorities that there a total of 145 recruits have been inducted to date in 2016 into the Permanent Defence Force, comprising 144 Army and 1 Naval Service. It should be noted that 40 General Service recruits were inducted into the Naval Service in December 2015. Air Corps General Service Recruits are drawn, as required, from the Army General Service Recruit panels.
A General Service recruitment campaign for the Army was launched on 4 August 2015 and is ongoing and will be utilised until the panels are exhausted. A new General Service recruitment campaign for the Army was launched yesterday, 13 April 2016. The Defence Forces plan to induct just over 600 general service personnel to the Permanent Defence Force in 2016 and a further 850 personnel in 2017.
The intake of Cadets into the Permanent Defence Force is normally carried out on an annual basis taking into consideration the operational requirements of the Defence Forces and the resource envelope allocated to Defence. The 2016 Cadetship campaign is currently underway with a closing date of 17 April 2016.
Direct Entry Competitions are also held as required from which specialist appointments are filled. It is intended to conduct a recruitment competition for 25 Trainee Military Aircraft Technicians in early 2016.
With the support of the Chief of Staff and within the resources available, it is intended to retain the capacity of the Defence Forces to operate effectively across all roles and to undertake the tasks laid down by Government both at home and overseas.
261. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Defence when he will dispatch the L E Róisín to the Mediterranean to undertake search and rescue activities in respect of the refugee and humanitarian crises. [7167/16]
View answerFollowing a Government Decision on 12 May 2015, the Irish Naval Vessel, L.É. Eithne, was deployed to the Mediterranean on 16 May, 2015, to assist the Italian Authorities with the migrant crisis. Two further vessels were deployed, L.É. Niamh and L.É. Samuel Beckett, and the deployment was completed on 29 November 2015, with L.É. Samuel Beckett arriving back in Ireland on 17 December 2015. During that period 8,592 people were rescued in the Mediterranean by Irish Naval Vessels.
The humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean continues to be of great concern to Ireland and to our EU partners. The Government, on 6 April 2016, approved the return of an Irish Naval vessel to undertake humanitarian search and rescue tasks in the Mediterranean, subject to finalisation of operational arrangements. It is anticipated that L.É Róisin will be despatched within the next month. Subject to the operational demands and requirements of the mission, it is intended that there will be two further rotations with each deployment lasting approximately 12 weeks (i.e. up to a maximum of 3 Naval Service vessels deployed over the course of 2016 during the main migrant season).
The role of the Irish Naval vessel will be to provide a search and rescue capability and to undertake humanitarian search and rescue operations at sea in the Mediterranean. Assistance to persons in distress at sea will be provided in accordance with the applicable provisions of international conventions governing search and rescue situations. Co-ordination of search and rescue efforts and the provision of humanitarian assistance will be achieved through close co-operation with the relevant Italian authorities.
The despatch of an Irish naval vessel represents a tangible and valuable Irish national contribution to assisting with the continuing migration crisis in the Mediterranean.
262. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Defence the grants available to voluntary organisations for acquiring new equipment in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7238/16]
View answerCivil Defence is the principal statutory volunteer based organisation in Ireland with almost 4,000 active volunteers who are based in each local authority area. The Department of Defence has responsibility for the management and development of Civil Defence at national level.
The Department of Defence provides grants to support the delivery of Civil Defence services at local level through the local authorities. An annual grant is provided towards administration and running costs and grants are also issued to the local authorities from time to time towards the purchase of vehicles and equipment. These discretionary grants are based on a justifiable case and are subsequently paid on the basis of vouched expenditure.
263. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice and Equality to examine the maps (details supplied) and outline why Ordnance Survey Ireland adjusted the shoreline and foreshore in 2014 from its original state in 1912, moving it several hundred feet into the lake and effectively giving a private company property that should belong to Waterways Ireland; and when, why and by whom this was done and sanctioned. [6329/16]
View answerOrdnance Survey Ireland (OSI) is the national mapping agency of Ireland. It is the State body responsible for the official, definitive surveying and topographic mapping of the Republic of Ireland. As this mapping is topographic, it only represents the physical features on the ground at the time of the survey. The mapping details supplied refer to the physical features of a section of Killinure Lough, County Westmeath. These particular features were captured by Ordnance Survey Ireland in 2004 and accordingly updated.
In 1985, the then Chief Boundary Surveyor delegated authority for minor boundary changes to the Ordnance Survey. It was within this delegation of authority that the townland modifications at Killinure Lough took place. However, I am advised by Ordnance Survey Ireland that acting on legal advice received from the Office of the Attorney General, the original cartographic representation of the townlands affected by the lake line change is being re-established as per the original Boundary Register and Sketch Maps archived in the National Archives.
I should clarify that Ordnance Survey Ireland maps never indicate legal property boundaries, nor do they show ownership of physical features. Although some property boundaries may be coincident with surveyed map features, no assumptions should be made in these instances and consequently it is not possible to identify a legal property boundary from an OSI map.
264. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Justice and Equality to examine the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who is unable to receive visits from family members, who live outside the European Union, due to a refusal to grant a visa. [6345/16]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person referred to by the Deputy made a visa application in September 2014. This application was refused and an appeal of this refusal resulted in the original refusal being upheld in December, 2014.
It is of course open to the applicant to make a fresh visa application at any time. It would be advisable however that any fresh application should address the original refusal issues.
The Deputy may wish to note that queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
In addition, applicants may themselves e-mail queries directly to INIS (visamail@justice.ie).
265. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she intends to sell the site purchased in a village (details supplied) for a Garda Síochána station; the proposed method of sale; when this will proceed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6497/16]
View answerI am informed that the site in question will not be utilised on behalf of An Garda Síochána. In these circumstances, it will be a matter for the Office of Public Works, which is the body responsible for the management of properties in State ownership, to determine the most appropriate use for the site.
266. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry who has to register uncontested rights of way; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6683/16]
View answerI am advised by the Property Registration Authority (PRA) that based on the information supplied, the case in question would appear to relate to a potential registration of an easement [right of way] acquired by prescription under Section 49A of the Registration of Title Act 1964 as inserted by Section 41 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011.
Rule 46 of the Land Registration Rules 2012, as amended by the Land Registration Rules 2013, provides that an application under Section 49A may be made in Form 68 of the said Rules. Alternatively an application can be made to court under Section 35 of the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2016.
The PRA’s practice in relation to such an application and in relation to the mapping of same is set out in its practice directions “Easements and Profits à Prendre Acquired by Prescription under Section 49A” and “Mapping Practice” available on the PRA website www.prai.ie.
The PRA fee for an application to register such an easement is prescribed by the Land Registration (Fees) Order 2012 as €130 and is not dependent on the number of folios that comprise the servient tenement (i.e. the land over which the easement exists).
267. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Justice and Equality to expedite a land transfer for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6839/16]
View answerI can inform the Deputy that under the Registration of Deeds and Title Act 2006, the Property Registration Authority (PRA) was established as and from 4 November 2006. The PRA replaces the Registrar of Deeds and Titles as the registering authority in relation to property registration in Ireland and, subject to the above Act, is independent in the performance of its functions.
The Deputy will be aware of the service to T.D.s and Senators which provides information on the current status of applications, such as the subject of this question, which was introduced in May 2006. The service provides a speedier, more efficient and more cost effective alternative to submitting Parliamentary Questions. It is operated by the PRA and is available all year round.
I can further inform the Deputy that his query has been forwarded to the PRA for attention and direct reply via the above mentioned service.
268. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her efforts to co-operate and share intelligence, given the recent terrorist attacks in Belgium; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6855/16]
View answer269. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her discussions with European and international colleagues about the protection of Irish citizens from terrorism attacks. [7007/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 268 and 269 together.
The attacks in Brussels last month were wanton acts of terror that can never by justified and our thoughts are with all the victims. Following on last year's attacks in Paris in particular, they have highlighted once again the threat faced by open and democratic states from international terrorism.
The threat assessment is that while an international terror attack on Ireland is possible, it is not considered likely. However, there is no complacency where this threat is concerned. The level of threat is kept under constant review by An Garda Síochána and all appropriate measures will continue to be taken by the authorities here, in cooperation with their international partners, in responding to any identified threats and in seeking to prevent attacks. There is, unfortunately, a small number of people in Ireland whose activities are a cause for concern and the Garda Authorities will continue to monitor them and, where evidence is available of criminality, they will face the full rigours of the law.
Developing and enhancing intelligence-sharing internationally is essential in countering terrorism and An Garda Síochána has specialist units dedicated to this. The Garda Authorities will continue to work very closely with their EU and other international counterparts, including Europol and Interpol, in the exchange of intelligence in identifying and responding to this threat.
An Garda Síochána has developed considerable operational capacities in countering terrorism and in responding to critical incidents. In addition, the resources and skills of the Defence Forces are available in support where needed. I am committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the necessary resources to operate effectively in this environment. In this regard, as part of the major programme of investment in An Garda Síochána, there will be considerable investment in Garda information and communications technology, including connecting to the European Schengen Information System.
Increasing the effectiveness of information and intelligence-sharing and enhancing border security have been priority themes at recent meetings of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council and they will remain at the top of the agenda for the foreseeable future. A series of measures is being rolled out to build on and improve current operational co-operation and to develop the EU's legal framework for information-sharing, combating terrorism and controlling illegal firearms. Ireland is fully engaged in pursuing these developments.
270. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of clerical officer posts that have been filled by transfers in County Roscommon; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6619/16]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that no Clerical Officer posts in County Roscommon have been filled by my Department by way of transfer in recent years.
