Results 36,481-36,500 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: We are working hard to make sure that as this document gets finalised, is protected in terms of its content. As I said, I have not seen any final draft. I had a meeting with the chair, as one would expect, to get an update report in terms of where things are and the direction of travel and so on. I understand various different amendments were still being considered this week in terms of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: On Tuesday last, following Cabinet approval, I announced the establishment of a judge-led independent review group to examine the effectiveness of systems, policies and procedures dealing with workplace issues relating to bullying, discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct in the Defence Forces. The independent review will be undertaken by former High Court...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: That is not the case. If the Deputy looks at the terms of reference, we are asking this review group to advise us on the changes that are necessary in the Defence Forces in terms of structures, legal underpinning, procedures and end-to-end complaints procedures. There is, therefore, much work in that regard. This is a difficult area in which efforts have been made to respond to and change...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: We want to continue to work with the Women of Honour and, indeed, other groups through this review group. If recommendations come from the review group for new structures in dealing with historical cases - for example, a commission of inquiry - of course I will bring that to the Government.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: I believe we need a group that can report back in the next six to nine months, and that is what this review group can do.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: I give a commitment to this House, the Women of Honour and other groups that I have met in this regard. I remain open to talking to all groups, by the way, while this review is undertaken but I also encourage everybody to engage with the review group. Ms Justice O'Hanlon is absolutely committed to this process, as is Jane Williams and the senior counsel who is working with both of them....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for the question, but I am afraid that he might not be happy with this answer. The brief I have is that for operational security reasons, the details of the numbers of Defence Forces personnel that are currently stationed at Custume Barracks in Athlone, as well as those over the past five years, cannot, and should not, be disclosed. It should be noted, however, that the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: With respect, giving the numbers of personnel linked to Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is very different from giving the numbers for our Defence Force personnel and where they are. I assure the Deputy that there is no downgrading of Custume Barracks at all; in fact, the opposite is the case. We continue to invest there, and we will continue to invest there. However, the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: I take that point. We are about to have a debate on everything from overall Defence Forces numbers, the numbers within the Army, the Air Corps, the Naval Service, resources for cybersecurity, military intelligence, capacity issues to structures within the Defence Forces and how they interact with each other and so on. It is my hope that this will allow us to have a broad, forward-looking...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Pension Provisions (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy. The Army Pensions Acts provide for the grant of pensions and gratuities to former members of the primary Defence Forces 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. Section 13(2) of the Army Pensions...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Pension Provisions (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: I will come back in again. This is clearly quite a complex legal area-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Pension Provisions (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: -----but I will do what I can to get as much clarity as possible.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Pension Provisions (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: The response I have here states that it is clear that the reduction of these pensions is not arbitrary. It is provided for under legislation and is done on foot of a bona fide decision by the Minister after careful consideration of the specific circumstances of the individual case. The person or his or her solicitor is advised of the statutory provisions and of the potential implications of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Pension Provisions (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: I will again outline the purpose of the legislation as it was put together. The underlying objective of section 13(2) is to prevent double compensation in respect of the same disablement. That is what it is specifically trying to do. Compensation of the kind in question would usually result from a civil action for damages against the Department of Defence but compensation received from any...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 97, 99, 103, 111 and 120 together. There are several Deputies here so I hope the Acting Chairman will give me some latitude when answering these questions. As of 31 December 2021, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force was 8,468 personnel, or 89% of the agreed establishment of 9,500. While the Government remains committed to returning to, and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy highlighted an important area. The way in which we solve the recruitment and retention issues in the Defence Forces will not simply be through a large intake in a very short space of time, because that has consequences from the perspective of training, command and control, experience and so on. That is why we have an ongoing discussion with the Defence Forces and the Chief of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: All I can say to the Deputy on that is we will not have to wait for much longer to get recommendations from a very experience group of people, led by a very able former Secretary General of the Departments of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Justice and Equality. I would be very surprised if they recommended a reduction in numbers in any of the services within the Defence Forces. In...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: I absolutely understand those arguments. As someone who regularly visits the naval base and other military barracks, I am very familiar with the fact that talented people in the Defence Forces are being enticed all the time out of the Defence Forces and into other jobs. If one looks at where the economy going and the prediction to create another 167,000 jobs, which I think was the estimate...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: On the image of Deputy Durkan being in the Defence Forces, while the retirement age issues are something we have been considering and, as Deputy Brady and others will be aware, we managed to get agreement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in terms of the post-1997 contracts issue for the vast majority of people who have been impacted by that, and I hope to be able to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 98, 102, 113, 122, 124 and 146 together. As I outlined earlier to the House, on Tuesday last, following Cabinet approval, I announced the establishment of a judge-led independent review group to examine issues relating to sexual misconduct, bullying, harassment and discrimination in the Defence Forces. The overall aims of the review are to advise on...