Wednesday, 8 Jun 2016

Written Answers Nos. 689-697

Cross-Border Co-operation

Questions (689)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

689. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the State bodies under his remit that have developed memorandums of understanding with his counterpart in Northern Ireland on the efficient delivery of services on the island of Ireland; if he has carried out a cost-benefit analysis of the development of further memorandums of understanding; the details of the cost-benefit analysis; and the new memorandums of understanding he will create between State bodies under their remits through the lifetime of the Government. [14279/16]

Written answers

Taoiseach and Minister for Defence

The only State body under the aegis of the Department of Defence is the Army Pensions Board. The Army Pensions Board is an independent statutory body established under the Army Pensions Act 1927. Under the various Army Pensions Acts the Army Pensions Board has a specific role in relation to the grant of pensions and gratuities to former members of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) in respect of permanent disablement due to a wound or injury attributable to military service (whether at home or abroad) or due to disease attributable to or aggravated by overseas service with the United Nations. Given the narrow focus of the role of the Army Pensions Board the question of entering into a Memorandum of Understanding with any body in Northern Ireland does not arise.

Departmental Data

Questions (690)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

690. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he is satisfied with the level of data collected on the issues that come under his Department's remit; the steps he will take to work with the Administration in Northern Ireland to collect data under his aegis on a North-South basis; the budgets he will put in place to undertake this work (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14438/16]

Written answers

Taoiseach and Minister for Defence

I can confirm that I am satisfied that data required in the context of the operation of the Department of Defence are collected to the required level. As the Department of Defence is not involved in North/South engagement there are no plans to work with the administration in Northern Ireland to develop the collection of such data on a North/South basis.

Defence Forces Personnel

Questions (691)

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

691. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if any member of the Defence Forces has been disciplined for working for private security firms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14604/16]

Written answers

Taoiseach and Minister for Defence

Enquiries are being made into the matter raised by the Deputy. Unfortunately it has not been possible to complete these enquiries in the time available. I will provide further clarification directly to the Deputy as soon as the requested information becomes available.

Army Barracks

Questions (692)

Robert Troy

Question:

692. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 632 of 24 May 2016, if his plans to sell the property at Columb Barracks can be put on hold while a local group carries out feasibility studies on this site and present the findings of this study to him. [14640/16]

Written answers

Taoiseach and Minister for Defence

Following the closure of Columb Barracks in 2012, my Department has explored a number of avenues to try and secure the long term future of the former barracks for the benefit of the local community. Government Departments and other Public Bodies, including Westmeath County Council, have been invited to declare any interest in acquiring the property. To date no interest has been identified.  As the Barracks is no longer required for military purposes the current financial and administrative burden resulting from the retention of the Barracks cannot be sustained. The disposal of the property by public auction will be actively progressed in keeping with the Government’s policy and recent practice to dispose of surplus property no longer required for military purposes.

Having regard to progressing disposal of the property and in this context its potential future use contributing to the positive development of Mullingar, my Department remains open to viable proposals to these ends. However, having regard to the local community and development interest, I would suggest that any local groups should engage with Westmeath County Council to explore such opportunities.

Defence Forces Medical Services

Questions (693)

Thomas Byrne

Question:

693. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will provide resources to cover the costs for physiotherapy sessions incurred by a serving member of the Defence Forces (details supplied). [14711/16]

Written answers

Taoiseach and Minister for Defence

The function of the Medical Corps of the Defence Forces is to provide medical services to serving members of the Defence Forces. It is not the function of the Medical Corps of the Defence Forces, nor has it the capacity, to provide medical services, including physiotherapy services, to former members of the Defence Forces. The person referred to by the Deputy was discharged from the Defence Forces on 10th October 2015.

Defence Forces Reserve

Questions (694, 695)

Shane Cassells

Question:

694. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence to list the recruitment figures for the Reserve Defence Force, RDF, for each of the years 2011 to 2015, inclusive, in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14974/16]

Shane Cassells

Question:

695. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence to list the recruitment figures for the Reserve Defence Force, RDF, for each of the years 2011 to 2015, inclusive, in County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14975/16]

Written answers

Taoiseach and Minister for Defence

I propose to take Questions Nos. 694 and 695 together.

The following table outlines the numbers of RDF personnel who enlisted in the years 2011 to 2015, whose current addresses are recorded on the Defence Forces Personnel Management System (PMS) as being in counties Meath and Westmeath.

YEAR ENLISTED	MEATH	WESTMEATH	TOTAL
2011	5	13	18
2012	11	6	17
2014	6	4	10
2015	10	10	20
	32	33	65

Defence Forces Reserve Training

Questions (696)

Shane Cassells

Question:

696. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his views on the scarcity of Reserve Defence Force, RDF, training units in rural areas, resulting in a lack of opportunity for persons in rural Ireland who wish to participate in Reserve Defence Force activities; his views on whether this is negatively affecting recruitment in the Reserve Defence Force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14976/16]

Written answers

Taoiseach and Minister for Defence

The White Paper on Defence 2015 confirmed that the primary role of the Reserve Defence Force (RDF) is to augment the PDF in crisis situations. It is also to contribute to State ceremonial events.

In terms of RDF training units in rural areas, as the Deputy may be aware, the re-organisation of the RDF was a key element of the response to the findings of the Value for Money Review of the RDF published in late 2012. The central recommendation provided for retention of the RDF with 4,000 personnel spread countrywide to be based in barracks and in 16 other locations. As part of the subsequent re-organisation, all RDF units were disestablished and amalgamated with PDF units. The retention of all previous locations was not a viable or sustainable option. The re-organisation offered significant advantages in terms of training and development of RDF personnel with PDF units having Reserve components rather than the previous parallel Reserve organisation structure. Reserve units are supported by their parent PDF unit and the 16 units outside of PDF installations are supported by dedicated full time PDF personnel. At the time of the re-organisation, every effort was made to minimise the requirement for personnel to relocate and to facilitate members in their preferred or local areas.

The RDF remains significantly under-strength and the ongoing challenge is to recruit and train sufficient personnel to meet the establishment figure. This challenge affects all elements of the RDF and is not confined to rural areas. Recruitment to the RDF is ongoing. While recruitment remains a key challenge, the retention of members is also a key requirement in order to maintain strength levels. The implementation of measures set out in the White Paper 2015 will provide opportunities for certain members of the RDF to undertake duties. I am of the view that this, and other initiatives outlined in the White Paper will be a key motivating factor in encouraging more people to join the RDF as well as making it more attractive for current members to stay.

Parliamentary Questions Data

Questions (697)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

697. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of representations he has received from Members of the Oireachtas and the number of these to which he had not issued a substantive reply by 31 May 2016, by month of initial receipt from 1 January 2015 to 30 April 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15034/16]

Written answers

Taoiseach and Minister for Defence

The following table shows the number of representations received by the Minster for Defence during the period 1 January 2015 to 30 April 2016 , the number of full and final replies issued and the number where a substantive reply had not issued by 31 May 2016.

Date Received	Number of representations received from members of Oireachtas	Full and Final Reply issued	Final Reply Outstanding
2015 January	13	13
2015 February	9	9
2015 March	11	11
2015 April	15	15
2015 May	8	7	1
2015 June	19	19
2015 July	16	11	5
2015 August	8	6	2
2015 September	24	20	4
2015 October	13	6	7
2015 November	15	12	3
2015 December	8	6	2
2016 January	18	13	5
2016 February	21	17	4
2016 March	15	10	5
2016 April	12	4	8
Total	225	179	46

I am aware of the necessity to expedite replies to representations and I have brought this to the attention of my officials.