Results 38,461-38,480 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: We are talking about the Defence Forces here. They are military.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: They are not humanitarians; they are military personnel.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: These are very fair questions. I will clarify what we are talking about here in terms of cybersecurity. It is cybersecurity threats to Defence Forces infrastructure. This is therefore not the National Cyber Security Centre that we are talking about. PESCO is about co-operation on projects that are of a military capacity. This is about ensuring that our Defence Forces are upskilled to the...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: That is separate, although it is complementary to the National Cyber Security Centre, which deals with everyday cyberthreats to our health system, to the private sector, to data breaches, etc.-----

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: Regardless of what we do on the report, the case is being made. We have already been observers on these projects, in some cases for a number of years. The recommendation has come back to me. These things take a while. I got these recommendations ages ago. Now it is going through the process of political accountability. However, the recommendations have come to me to say we would now...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: I do not think so, because-----

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: Sorry-----

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: Can I say-----

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: Well, can I answer that? We have Defence Forces personnel in the field right now-----

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: Yes.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: Sorry, our Defence Forces are operating every day, commission or no commission. We need to make sure they are trained to the standards that we expect of them and that they also demand in terms of international best practice. That is what this is about. We may well be coming back in a number of months’ time to look to join more. We will have this discussion and I will have to...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: No, let me answer the other questions, if I can.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: Can I come in?

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: Sorry-----

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: We have to improve skill sets in order to increase capability.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: With respect, the Deputy is attaching significance to these four projects-----

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: -----as if they are going to fundamentally change the Defence Forces.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: This is about upskilling in obvious areas where our Defence Forces would benefit. We should be doing this regardless of whether a commission report is coming through.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: Linked to what?

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: What point is the Deputy making?