Results 39,141-39,160 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: I am more than aware of that but before starting to build numbers, you have to stop the losses. We are at that moment of changing momentum, I hope. We have an enormous financial commitment from Government and a policy framework to do that. We also have a plan of action linked to an independent report put together over a 12-month period. Since I have come into politics, there has never...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: I live a few miles from the naval base and know it well. I go walking and running there fairly regularly. Nobody is more focused than I am on getting our Naval Service back up to the strength it should be at. We are about 275 people below where we should be, which is impacting on our ability to crew vessels. We have just decommissioned three ships, not because we could not crew them...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 9, 18 and 33 together. We have already touched on some of these numbers, but I will go through them again. I note that tables of details of inductions, discharges and vacancies in the Defence Forces were requested and I will arrange for the Deputies who requested them to get them in writing so that there is no misunderstanding on where we stand on...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: We do set targets at the monthly meetings, not only for the remainder of this year, but also for next year. We are also planning investment programmes for the year ahead. For example, we are finalising a concept brief for the transformation of Gormanstown as a specialist training centre dealing with significantly greater numbers than we can currently deal with. We are planning for the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: In truth, to provide the number of houses required to make a significant impact on recruitment and retention would need a huge capital investment programme. That is not the direction of policy we have taken in recent years. I am not ruling anything out, but I refer to the idea that providing housing for personnel, to keep them in the Defence Forces, will be a mainstay of our recruitment and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: I will finish on this point. Quite a number of Members asked a question in this grouping. It is not true to say the Defence Forces are unique in terms of vacancies across the public sector. There are recruitment and retention issues across the public sector, be it in healthcare, An Garda Síochána, or the Defence Forces, as well as in many other specialist areas.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: Our challenge within defence is to be dynamic enough to be able to respond to that and turn those numbers around, and that is what we intend to do.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 27 together. I am always happy to answer questions on the Reserve because it is an area of the defence family I want to prioritise and, in the past, perhaps it may not have had the priority it needs. The Government remains committed to the advancement of the Reserve Defence Force, RDF. Indeed, the White Paper on Defence has fully acknowledged that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: This 88 will not be the final number from the 1,000 who applied. Assessment is ongoing. As people who have been in the Defence Forces will know, in order to progress applications, medicals and security checks need to happen. A series of tests is required before a person can be inducted into the Defence Forces, including the Reserve. That process is under way for many more applicants. In...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: Diversity is an issue for the permanent Defence Forces and for the Reserve. My understanding is that, as of 31 October, the effective female strength of the Reserve Defence Force is 199 members. We need a lot more than that. All recruitment campaigns will be focused on trying to ensure the Defence Forces reflect Irish society, which is as diverse and gender-balanced as it possibly can be....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 11, 25, 26, 53, 190 and 197 together. 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. The commission has undertaken a significant body of work encompassing wide-ranging terms of reference. It...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: The high-level action plan is the document the Deputy will need to have a look at. The plan itemises 38 early actions and there is a range of other actions that go beyond this as well. Deputy Bruton raised some specifics, the first being applying the working time directive to the Defence Forces. We have made a lot of progress on that this year. We are, effectively, finalising the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: One of the big attractions of the Defence Forces is that a person can continue his or her education, and in many cases it is paid for by the Defence Forces. A big part of the Defence Forces is the opportunity to upskill and to get promoted. One of the changes we are looking to make is to provide more certainty and transparency around those promotion opportunities for career advancement and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Meetings (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: It is not a breach of neutrality, just like us providing funds through the European peace facility to help Ukrainian defence forces protect their people is not a breach of neutrality either.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Meetings (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: We are not aligned militarily but we are absolutely entitled to take sides. In my view, if we had not taken sides in this war we would effectively be taking the side of the oppressor. I do not believe the Irish people would support that course of action. The most recent Foreign Affairs Council in defence ministers' format took place in Brussels on 15 November. There were three items...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Meetings (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: Will I have time to come back or are we closed off? It is important to get this on the record.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Meetings (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: I will not be allowed.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Meetings (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: I spoke about this at some length last night in the Seanad. I have given a clear commitment to the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence that I would discuss with the committee the way in which I believe the triple lock mechanism should evolve. I do not believe that it is okay to continue on the basis of relying on a UN Security Council mandate to send Irish troops abroad if that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Meetings (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: -----was 70% in the dark last night because of the deliberate targeting of civilians-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Meetings (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: -----by a country that Deputy Murphy does not seem willing to criticise.