Results 37,721-37,740 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (11 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: My Department is responsible for citizenship by descent through the Foreign Births Register under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. The processing of Foreign Birth Registration has resumed and will be gradually scaling up in line with the recruitment of additional resources. Due to the complex nature of the Foreign Birth Registration process, the large increase...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Wildlife Conservation (11 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Department of Foreign Affairs is committed to climate action, sustainability and measures to support biodiversity across all our policy areas and in relation to property matters. Biodiversity is mainstreamed across the Irish Aid programme and key measures include our advocacy for sustainable food systems. Ireland played a leading role in the run-up to the September 2021 UN Sustainable...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ukraine War (11 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: At present, the Defence Forces and my Department are providing accommodation supports at Gormanston, Co Meath which is ready for occupation as required and are facilitating access by Kerry County Council to aspects of Ballymullen barracks in Tralee, Co. Kerry. Similarly lands at Knockliasheen, Co. Limerick have been made available for consideration if required by the Department of Children...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Historical Conflicts (11 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: As you are aware, an Independent Review Group (IRG) was established to examine and report on matters relating to recommendations for military medals relating to events at Jadotville. The IRG completed its research in July 2021 and has submitted its report. The IRG made a number of recommendations in its report, which was published in full last July, including a recommendation that...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: European Union (11 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: To date, there have been no proposals made in relation to the formation of a European Union army and no discussions have taken place regarding the creation of an EU army. Defence and security remains a national competence,. Any decision to deepen EU defence cooperation requires unanimity. There is no provision in EU treaties for the creation of an EU army and no proposal has been set out...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (11 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: Defence Forces personnel may avail of daily meals in certain circumstances. This includes personnel engaged in security duties, approved training courses, on operational exercises and single personnel living in barracks. I am advised that a daily ration rate is set by the military authorities and that this rate is used as a budgeting figure by military cooks when supplying meals to...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (11 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I wish to reiterate that the Government remains committed to the RDF. Indeed, the White Paper on Defence is clear that there is a continued requirement to retain and develop the Reserve Defence Force. As the Deputy will be aware, the Defence (Amendment) Act 2021 has now been signed into law, which serves to update the Defence Legislation on the use of the RDF on a voluntary basis,...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Wildlife Conservation (11 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I am advised that there are currently no policies in place in my Department to install artificial structures that provide shelter and habitat space for the various species referenced by the Deputy. However, the Deputy may wish to note that in June 2020, my Department and Kildare County Council jointly procured the service of a multidisciplinary team that includes an ecologist; led by...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 3 together. As the Deputy will be aware, the Permanent Defence Force is currently under strength by just over 1,000 personnel. The report of the Commission on the Defence Forces made it clear that the level of ambition for the Defence Forces must be elevated beyond that at which it is operating at the moment. The report outlines three levels of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: There were a number of questions. First, with regard to strength, as colleagues will know, in the Army, the establishment is 7,520 and the current strength is 6,778. In the Air Corps, the establishment is 886 and the current strength is 733. In the Naval Service, the establishment is 1,094 and the strength stands at 855. We have a challenge here. While it is about recruitment, it is...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: On pay, I am being asked to ensure the representative bodies within the Defence Forces can have associate membership with ICTU, that is, to ensure that pay within the Defence Forces will be consistent with public sector pay policy. At the same time, I am being asked by the very same people to increase pay in the Defence Forces as though it was not a public sector pay policy issue at all....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I might just respond to the working time directive question. There were questions from two Deputies; surely I should have double the time for my responses.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: Should I not have double the time for the follow-up responses?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I appreciate that. Briefly, on the working time directive, which is an important issue we have discussed at length as we have moved through the barracks, we are making really good progress. The Government is fully committed to ensuring the working time directive will apply to the Defence Forces, but there will have to be exemptions in certain areas to facilitate military service and the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: It is my job to make a decision, having considered all the issues and the legal advice. As I said, we will do that next week.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: That is a fair question. I will come to the specifics of the issue after I have outlined my prepared contribution for the record. The Commission on the Defence Forces was established on foot of a commitment in the programme for Government. As Minister for Defence, I welcomed the publication of the report of the commission on 9 February. There is an ongoing requirement to consider whether...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I have spoken to the commission in some detail about this and, for what it is worth, while pay and conditions are a factor, they are by a long shot not the only factor with regard to people leaving the Defence Forces. Let us be clear on that. Let us also be clear that Deputy Barry and others want to ensure that the Defence Forces are part of the ICTU negotiations on public sector pay...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: They have not been locked out.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: With all due respect, none of the representative bodies representing Defence Forces personnel are looking for the right to strike. What they have asked me to consider and what they have taken legal action on is the right to allow ICTU to negotiate on their behalf through their having associate membership of ICTU, which is a very different thing. We are looking at the legalities. I hope we...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: That commitment to level of ambition 2 has not yet been confirmed by the Government. It is certainly my view, as Minister for Defence, that we have to be at least where the Commission on Defence Forces recommends that we need to be, rather than where we would like to be, to have at least a basic defence capacity. Let us not forget that the commission carried out its work and finalised its...