Results 14,361-14,380 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ministerial Appointments (16 Jul 2014)

Simon Coveney: Since May 2011, a notification has been placed on my Department’s website inviting expressions of interest from persons interested in being appointed to the boards of State Bodies under the aegis of my Department. The list of board vacancies is updated on a regular basis. In making any board appointments, I am not necessarily confined to those who make such expressions of interest but...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments (16 Jul 2014)

Simon Coveney: Area-based schemes under the Rural Development Programme, 2007-13, are subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications, including cross checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, to be completed before payments can issue. These rigorous procedures, together with on-farm inspections, apply to a number of scheme payments including the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Commencement of Legislation (16 Jul 2014)

Simon Coveney: Since this Government took office my Department has published three Bills, all of which have been enacted: - Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill (28 July 2011) - Animal Health and Welfare Bill (25 April 2012) and - Johnstown Castle Agricultural College (Amendment) Bill (15 May 2014) Parts 5, 11 and 12 of the Animal Health & Welfare Act are not core to the operation of the Act and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: State Bodies (17 Jul 2014)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 514, 515, 517 and 518 together. The State Boards under the aegis of the Department of Defence when the Government took office were the Civil Defence Board, the Board of Coiste an Asgard and the Army Pensions Board. The Civil Defence Board was identified in the Public Service Reform Plan as a body to be abolished. The then Minister for Defence appointed a...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Staff Remuneration (17 Jul 2014)

Simon Coveney: No staff of my Department or organisation under the aegis of my Department received bonus payments in 2013 or to date in 2014.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Staff Rehiring (17 Jul 2014)

Simon Coveney: Since the Government took office in March 2011, my Department has engaged two retired public servants to act as civilian drivers to the Minister of State. These appointments are temporary unestablished positions in the Civil Service on a fixed term contract basis. The post of Civilian Driver attracts an annual salary of €32,965. In 2012 a retired public servant was appointed by the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Army Bomb Disposals (17 Jul 2014)

Simon Coveney: Primary responsibility for the maintenance of law and order rests with An Garda Síochána. The Defence Forces, pursuant to their role of rendering Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP), assist An Garda Síochána when requested to do so. The Defence Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Teams respond when a request is made by An Garda Síochána for assistance. Up to 15...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Deployment (17 Jul 2014)

Simon Coveney: Pursuant to their Aid to Civil Power role, the Defence Forces provide armed escorts for certain cash movements within the State on request by An Garda Síochána. The number of such escorts provided up to the end of June 2014 is 799.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: National Emergency Plan Implementation (17 Jul 2014)

Simon Coveney: I chair the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning, which includes senior officials of Government Departments, senior officers of An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces and officials of other key public authorities, which have a lead or support role in Government emergency planning. The Government Task Force on Emergency Planning meets on a regular basis. The next meeting...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Strength (17 Jul 2014)

Simon Coveney: The strength of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) at 30 June 2014, the latest date for which figures are available, was 9,058, broken down into 7,300 Army, 759 Air Corps and 999 Naval Service. 556 (or 6.14%) are women. The attached tables contain the above mentioned strength, broken down into Army, Naval Service and Air Corps by gender and rank groupings. It is the intention to recruit up to...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Reserve Strength (17 Jul 2014)

Simon Coveney: The effective strength of the Reserve Defence Force (RDF) at 30 June 2014, the latest date for which figures are available, was 2,326, broken down into 2,188 Army Reserve and 138 Naval Reserve. 368 (or 15.82%) are women. The attached tables contain the above mentioned strength, broken down into Army Reserve and Naval Service by gender and rank groupings. Army Reserve Rank Male Female Total...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: EU Meetings (17 Jul 2014)

Simon Coveney: The next informal meeting of Defence Ministers will be hosted by Italy as part of their Presidency of the EU Council and will take place in Milan on 9 and 10 September. The agenda has not yet issued but it has been suggested that Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) Missions and Operations and progress following the European Council meeting on defence in December 2013 will be discussed....

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (17 Jul 2014)

Simon Coveney: As of 01 July 2014, Ireland is contributing approximately 416 Defence Forces personnel to 13 different missions throughout the world. Full details of all personnel currently serving overseas are listed in the tabular statement attached. The main overseas missions in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with 199...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Recruitment (17 Jul 2014)

Simon Coveney: The military authorities advise that the Defence Forces have not inducted any new recruits to date in 2014. However, it is the intention of the Permanent Defence Force to recruit 400 personnel in 2014. This recruitment is planned for the latter half of 2014. In relation to the Reserve Defence Force, the military authorities had intended to recruit up to 500 personnel to the Reserve in 2014....

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Programme for Government Implementation (17 Jul 2014)

Simon Coveney: The commitments in the Programme for Government relating to Defence and the progress that has been made are set out in the table below: Commitment Status The implementation of the Defence Forces Medical Services Review as resources allow. In line with the recommendations of the Defence Forces Medical Service Review, the Central Medical Unit was formally established in 2012. Options for...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Strength (17 Jul 2014)

Simon Coveney: In his reply to the Parliamentary Question 408 on 10 June 2014, the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence indicated that the Department was seeking to compile the data requested and that Deputy Ó Fearghaíl would be provided with the information when it came to hand. I am advised that a reply is currently being finalised and will be issuing to the Deputy shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Strength (17 Jul 2014)

Simon Coveney: The military authorities advise that the total establishment all ranks, based at Custume Barracks is 995 personnel. (A tabular breakdown of this figure is included below). The establishment for 6 Infantry Battalion, Athlone is 474 personnel, the establishment for 2 Brigade Artillery Regiment is 257 personnel and the establishment for 2 Field Engineer Company is 103 personnel. There are no...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ministerial Adviser Appointments (17 Jul 2014)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 531 and 535 together. I have not appointed any special advisors in my role as Minister for Defence. Similarly no special advisors were appointed by my predecessor, Mr. Alan Shatter, T.D.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Appointments to State Boards (17 Jul 2014)

Simon Coveney: The Programme for Government 2011-2016 includes a commitment to take steps to ensure that all State Boards have at least 40 per cent of each gender. My Department reviews the gender balance of State boards under its aegis and returns are made annually to the Department of Justice and Equality which has a coordinating role in this regard. The only State body under the aegis of my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ministerial Responsibilities (17 Jul 2014)

Simon Coveney: My main priority will be to ensure that the Defence Forces retain the capabilities to fulfil all roles assigned by Government, both at home and overseas. In this context, and within the available resource envelope, decisions to replace equipment and ongoing recruitment to the Permanent Defence Force will prioritise the maintenance of required operational outputs. The defence and security...