Results 14,501-14,520 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Training (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: The Defence Forces were involved in a number of joint military training exercises in the past 12 months. For operational and security reasons the Defence Forces has advised they are not at liberty to divulge the nature of these training exercises.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Appointments (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: The Defence Organisation includes civil servants, military personnel and civilian employees. The tables below show the total number of new appointments made from March 2011 to date in 2014. The new appointments listed below include the filling of vacancies through open external competitions. Civil Service Staff of the Department Grade 01/03/2011 – 31/12/2011 2012 2013...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Public Sector Staff Increment Payments (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: The number of public sector employees in my Department who are subject to a freeze on their increment payment in 2014 is set out in the table below. The table shows both the number of personnel in the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) and the number of civilian employees who are affected by the increment freeze. Numbers on Incremental Pay Freeze: 2014 - Number of employees Permanent Defence...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Haddington Road Agreement Implementation (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: There were no civil servants attached to this Department, members of the Defence Forces or civilian employees of this Department on career break at the time of the Haddington Road Agreement who lost the right to return to their former positions.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Redundancy Payments (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: Following the receipt of sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER), the Department introduced a voluntary redundancy scheme in 2013 targeted towards civilian employees (State industrial grades) attached to military installations arising from the rationalisation of the brigade structure in the Defence Forces and the reduced requirement for particular grades/skills in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: UN Missions (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I seek guidance from the Ceann Comhairle. The second priority question is also about the same issue and simply I do not want to repeat myself. Does the Ceann Comhairle want me to answer both questions at the same time?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: UN Missions (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I will answer detailed questions from both Deputies, but-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: UN Missions (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I thank Deputy Séan Ó Fearghaíl for his good wishes and look forward to working with Opposition colleagues on this brief. As Deputies know, there has been a lot of media coverage of the changing circumstances on the Golan Heights in recent weeks. We decided, at the invitation of the United Nations, just over a year ago to participate in this mission when the Austrians decided...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: UN Missions (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: To respond generally to the Deputy, I have questioned the mandate, as has the Taoiseach. It is intended to maintain this mission as a Chapter VI mission. We will not move into the territory of peace enforcement and I will not, under any circumstances, send Irish troops on a peacekeeping mission to become involved in a civil war or trying to enforce peace in a civil war. That is not what we...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: UN Missions (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: We have asked for a review of weaponry.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: UN Missions (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: To respond first to the Deputy's final question, I believe it can continue to be regarded as a Chapter VI mission. The medium to long-term goal will be for the troops to return to what was previously a demilitarised zone and observe the armistice, as was done in the past. There has been a temporary and significant setback arising from events in Syria. Ireland has not yet made a definitive...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: UN Missions (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy asks a fair question. My role is to ensure we get the structures right and the change that is appropriate to reflect the highly complex realities on the ground. Even though our troops are highly trained, really professional and are able to manage very difficult circumstances, which they have proved over the past number of weeks, it is not responsible to send a new rotation of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: UN Missions (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I do not think it is appropriate for me to go into the detail of decisions taken by the force commander and the reasons behind those decisions. General Singha, the force commander, who is an Indian officer, has had to make very difficult judgments over the past number of weeks. His primary focus has been the safety of UN troops in the face of some very difficult situations which he has had...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Contracts (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I thank Deputy Daly for her good wishes, which I appreciate. The primary purpose of the procurement of defensive equipment by the Department of Defence is to maintain the capability of the Irish Defence Forces on overseas support operations and to afford the greatest possible force protection to Irish troops when on such missions. The need for such equipment is self-evident given recent...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Contracts (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: It would be helpful for the information of the House to give some details about the kind of equipment we have purchased through the tendering process from Israeli companies. The vast majority of it is not offensive weaponry. We are talking about X-ray equipment for explosive ordnance disposal duties, which is required to ensure we can dispose of landmines, bombs and so on, helmets for...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Contracts (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I believe I have answered that question. The manner in which the Department of Defence procures both services and products is consistent with international practice and European Union and United Nations decisions on trade embargoes and so on. That is the appropriate way in which to continue, rather than Ireland taking a unilateral decision to target individual companies or countries on...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: Custume Barracks is and will continue to be an important operational military barracks. The military authorities have confirmed that the current strength of personnel in Custume Barracks, Athlone is 1,038. Incidentally, that is significantly greater than when the Government took office. It includes personnel attending training courses in Custume Barracks. I am advised that the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: We must agree to differ on this point. The advice I have from the Defence Forces is that the restructured brigade structure in Ireland is working very well and that there have not been more than 1,400 troops in this barracks since the 1990s. Therefore, the numbers there currently are stronger than has been the case in the recent past. I accept, of course, that the restructuring of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I also speak to people on the ground. That is what one does as a public representative, as well as Minister for Defence. The change the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces have implemented in the past 15 years or so has been fundamental in respect of modernisation, performance and fitness improvement, changing the age profile, restructuring and reorganisation within barracks. It...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Contracts (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: It is important to qualify my answer by saying that I am the Minister for Defence, and much of what Deputy Mac Lochlainn is asking about, and what Deputy Clare Daly asked about earlier, is to do with foreign policy issues: whether we want to make decisions that will target Israeli companies and Israel in order to make a foreign policy statement. In my view, given my experience as a foreign...