Results 37,761-37,780 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

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

Simon Coveney: Therefore we will still be an outlier but at least we will be in a more credible position.

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

Simon Coveney: Do I not get longer when I have three people asking me questions?

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

Simon Coveney: Yes but it is a bit strange when I am replying to, I think, four questions here.

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

Simon Coveney: It is five questions that I am answering.

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

Simon Coveney: The commission went into quite a lot of detail about what moving to level of ambition No. 2 means. It also goes into a lot of detail about what it would cost. That gives us a good basis for putting an action plan in place. But this is not a question about me being aggressive at the Cabinet table but about working with colleagues. I have already spoken to the three party leaders about this...

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

Simon Coveney: We had the unusual situation today where a lot of the questions revolved around the one issue. We probably could have grouped 20 questions on the commission report and had a discussion on nothing else. That is because of the scale of the recommendations in it and how relevant they are at the moment. By the time we have the next round of questions, I suspect that questions will be put on...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: My understanding is that the ESB will not be sourcing coal from that particular mine but I can provide more detail on that to the Deputy.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy. I can understand the concern with regard to this issue. Secretary of State Truss and Vice President Šefčovič had a telephone call this morning. We will get a detailed read-out from that telephone call later today. Clearly, what the British Government has now said is that it intends to move ahead with domestic legislation of its own if it does not see...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I see I am being designated again. We need to work on the relationship between Britain and Ireland on these issues. The British and Irish Governments understand better than anybody else the complexities of politics in Northern Ireland in the context of what we have just seen in an election that was quite polarising on certain issues. We have a partner in the European Commission, and many...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: The White Paper on Defence is clear that there is a continued requirement to retain and develop the Reserve Defence Force (RDF). The RDF has an establishment of 4,069, with a current strength of 1,494 for the Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve, and 271 for the First Line reserve, which accounts for 43% of the establishment figure. The ability to conduct RDF inductions in recent...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I wish to reiterate that the Government remains absolutely committed to the advancement of the RDF. The White Paper on Defence is quite clear that there is a continued requirement to retain and develop the Reserve and that requirement will be addressed. The Reserve Defence Force (RDF) is comprised of the First Line Reserve, the Army Reserve (AR) and the Naval Service Reserve (NSR). The...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Expenditure (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: Expenditure on the Defence Forces is managed through Vote 36 - Defence, with all operational outputs delivered from a single set of forces encompassing the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service. Vote 36 - Defence provides funding for the pay and allowances of members of the Defence Forces, civilian employees and Departmental staff, ongoing Defence Forces operational and standing costs, the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ukraine War (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: Ireland is continuing to provide strong political and practical support for Ukraine and we continue to assert Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. My Department, Civil Defence, and the Defence Forces have been providing a number of supports for Ukraine. While Ireland has constructively abstained on the lethal equipment package to support Ukraine, we are paying our full...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: The health and welfare of the men and women of the Defence Forces is a high priority for my Department. A wide range of medical services are provided to members of the Permanent Defence Force including an annual medical examination, sick parades, GP services, prescription services, laboratory services, physiotherapy, chiropody, radiology, ophthalmic examinations, in-patient and outpatient...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy will be aware that a range of actions have been taken to address recruitment issues in the Defence Forces. These include a number of projects undertaken to bolster the attractiveness of a career in the Defence Forces. The recent Report of the Commission on Defence Forces makes a range of recommendations in this area, which will all be considered. The Report proposes...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Foreign Conflicts (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 38 together. Ireland currently has Defence Forces personnel deployed in two (2) separate missions in Mali, which is part of the Sahel region. In addition to Mali, the Sahel region also comprises Burkina Faso, Chad, Mauritania and Niger. The Government has approved the continued deployment of up to 14 Defence Forces personnel to participate in...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 30 together. The Government remains fully committed to addressing pay and conditions in the Defence Forces. As the Deputy is aware, the current public service pay agreement, ‘Building Momentum – A New Public Service Agreement 2021 – 2022’, provides for increases in pay and allowances to all public servants, including...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22, 23 and 25 together. I have previously acknowledged the ongoing staffing challenges in the Defence Forces and to tackle these a range of recruitment and retention measures continue to be taken. The Defence Forces continue to target General Service Recruits, Cadets, Air Corps Apprentice Aircraft Technicians, and specialists for the Army, Air Corps,...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 24 and 58 together. Ireland's defence policy is set out in the White Paper on Defence (2015) and the White Paper Update (2019). Both the White Paper and the White Paper Update were based on security environment assessments carried out by interdepartmental groups. These threat assessments indicated a low probability of a conventional military attack on...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Conciliation and Arbitration (C&A) Scheme for members of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) provides a formal mechanism for the PDF Representative Associations (RACO and PDFORRA), to engage with the Official side. Under the Scheme, and having regard to commitments under national public service pay agreements, the Representative Associations can make representations in relation to the...