Results 14,561-14,580 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Deployment (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: The White Paper on Defence, published in February 2000, commits the Government to sustaining the overall level of Ireland's contribution to peacekeeping, while developing a more selective approach to future requests from the United Nations having regard to the number, size, nature and complexity of its current peacekeeping operations. Requests from the UN for Irish participation in new...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service Vessels (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: The discovery of Asbestos Containing Materials, commonly referred to as ACMs, on Naval Service ships is a matter that is being treated by the Department of Defence and the Naval Service with the upmost seriousness. In that regard, the safety and well-being of all individuals involved, both military and civilian, in the Naval Base is of primary concern. Over the period March 2014 to August...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ministerial Transport (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: The Ministerial Air Transport Service is provided primarily by the Gulfstream IV and Learjet 45 aircraft, which were specifically acquired for that purpose. On the 27thJuly 2014, the Gulfstream aircraft, which is 23 years in service, travelled to the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation facility in Georgia, USA, for its annual maintenance inspection. During the inspection, issues were...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Properties (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: As has been said previously military personnel are obliged, under Defence Forces Regulations to vacate military quarters within 21 days of retiring or being discharged from military service. The term overholder is used to describe former members of the Defence Forces and their families who refused to leave married quarters, when obliged to do so. Presently, there are twenty four...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Seaweed Harvesting Licences (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: My Department has responsibility for the licensing of seaweed cultivation which at present operates on a very small scale. Most seaweed processing comes from the harvesting of wild seaweed, the licensing of which is the responsibility of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. I am advised by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), that the most recent survey of the Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Green Low-carbon Agri-environment Scheme (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I announced details of the new GLAS (Green Low-carbon Agri-environment Scheme) on the 14 th of January 2014 as part of a suite of proposed measures under the new Rural Development Programme. GLAS will provide significant funding to farmers who undertake environmental actions in line with national and EU environmental objectives. It will contribute to the overall public good and will build...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: The ownership of each beef processing plant is a commercial matter for individuals or companies who wish to invest in the industry. Currently there are 32 beef slaughtering plants approved to export from Ireland to local, EU and third country markets and over 195 local authority approved plants that may export locally or to the EU. The details (names/addresses etc) of all the approved...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Green Low-carbon Agri-environment Scheme (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I have listened very carefully to the concerns of commonage farmers and I recognise that these concerns are real. Over the course of the consultation process on the new Rural Development Programme, which extended for a year and half, we have adapted and rebalanced our proposals for commonages quite significantly in the light of those concerns. A Commonage farmer shall apply individually for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: The person in question submitted applications to my Department for afforestation which were refused approval. Subsequent reviews by the Forest Service upheld those decisions. However it is now open to the applicant, if he so wishes, to submit an appeal to the Agriculture Appeals Office.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Milk Prices (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: Milk prices are a function of market forces operating at national, EU and indeed global level, More than 85% of Irish dairy production is exported and Ireland has access for dairy products to over ninety countries worldwide, with one third of the value of dairy exports going outside the EU. In 2013, the value of dairy exports increased by 1 5% to some €3 billion for the first time....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Coillte Teoranta Lands (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: Coillte Teoranta was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act, 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as the management of their forest estate, are the responsibility of the company. The company has, however, advised that Coillte operate an open forestry policy across its estate. The company also advised, in relation to potential development of the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Coillte Teoranta Harvesting Rights Sale (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: It was announced in February 2012 that the Government had decided that consideration would be given to the sale of some assets of Coillte, but excluding the land. The outcome of that initial consideration was that the Government agreed in principle, in June 2012, to the sale of the harvesting rights to Coillte forests as the best means of extracting value from Coillte in the short to medium...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Records (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: The National Archives Act 1986 sets down the provisions for the preservation of records of Departments of State. My Department works closely with the Office of the National Archives of Ireland in relation to the archiving of Departmental records which warrant preservation as archives. That office provides on-going advice in relation to the identification of records for archiving, preparation,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Records (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: The cost of the storage of Records and Archives held by my Department is paid by the Office of Public Works at an annual cost of €255,000. The storage facility costs are not identified separately as between those intended for transfer to the National Archives or those referred for the purpose of on-going Departmental business. It is estimated that the archival material requires...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Deployment (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: A contingent of the Permanent Defence Force was deployed to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in September 2013 at the request of the United Nations. The current deployment, the 44th Irish Infantry Group UNDOF, comprises 130 troops and consists of a Force Reserve Company and support elements. Their role includes the provision of a Quick Reaction Force which is on...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: NATO Membership (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I have not had direct talks with NATO Members in relation to the developing situation in Ukraine. However, during the recent Informal Defence Ministerial in Milan, Ministers for Defence were briefed on the developing situation in Ukraine. During that meeting Ministers, which included Ministers from NATO member countries, exchanged views on the crisis in Ukraine. It should be noted that...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Pension Provisions (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: The person concerned, a former civilian employee of this Department, retired on grounds of ill-health from his position in April 1986. He was awarded a gratuity and an annual pension on retirement, under the terms of the non-contributory pension scheme for non-established State employees. The person in question received on his retirement all of his entitlements under that pension scheme. Over...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Equipment (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 116, 117 and 120 together. The White Paper on Defence, published in February 2000, commits the Government to sustaining the overall level of Ireland's contribution to peacekeeping, while developing a more selective approach to future requests from the United Nations having regard to the number, size, nature and complexity of its current peacekeeping...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Properties (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: My Department has been engaged on an ongoing programme of barrack consolidation since 1998. This programme has brought to fourteen the number of barracks closed during that time. To date ten of these barracks - Clancy (Dublin), Castleblaney, Ballincollig, Fermoy, Naas, Monaghan, Cavan, Castlebar, Clonmel and a large portion of Longford - have been sold. In relation to the remaining...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Properties (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: Presently, there are forty three overholders occupying military accommodation at various locations around the country. Of these, twenty three of the properties are occupied by former Defence Forces personnel. Eighteen of the overall number of properties being overheld are located outside barracks and these have been offered for sale to the present occupiers. The bulk of the remainder...