Results 16,141-16,160 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Missions (14 Jan 2015)
Simon Coveney: To reassure people, this is a mission that is working really well. The kind of questions Deputy Crowe is asking have been asked by many other countries before they would have participated in Operation ATALANTA. There is an efficient system working successfully to patrol off that part of Africa. The decision we must make is whether it is appropriate for Ireland to contribute to those...
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Missions (14 Jan 2015)
Simon Coveney: I thank Deputy Daly for her question. The deployment of Defence Forces personnel to the UN-mandated, NATO-led ISAF mission in Afghanistan between 2002 and 2014 had no implications for Ireland’s traditional policy of military neutrality. The service of Defence Forces personnel with ISAF represented a further example of Ireland’s commitment to participation in UN-mandated...
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Missions (14 Jan 2015)
Simon Coveney: If one were to follow through on the logic of the Deputy's argument, the international community would simply pull out of Afghanistan. In my view, if that were to happen, the country would implode and would be taken over once again by tribal leaders, some of them fundamentalist in their thinking, and that is not what the international community would like to see happen. Therefore, we are...
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Missions (14 Jan 2015)
Simon Coveney: I think, with respect, that is a revision of history on the part of the Deputy. The reason there was a military campaign in Afghanistan was that terrorists were being trained there.
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Missions (14 Jan 2015)
Simon Coveney: That triggered a whole series of events that have taken place since. Rather than just pointing out mistakes, we all have an obligation to make an effort to contribute in a constructive and positive way to helping countries that are in real difficulty to achieve stable government and, as a result, some level of normalisation for their populations. This is the reason I have sanctioned...
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (14 Jan 2015)
Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue again. I would have liked if this issue had been resolved by now. It has not but it will be shortly. I have outlined previously to the House that a claim has been received from PDFORRA on this matter and it is being dealt with under the conciliation and arbitration scheme for members of the Permanent Defence Force. Discussions have been taking...
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (14 Jan 2015)
Simon Coveney: I would expect that. In my time as Minister for Defence I have been hugely impressed by our Defence Force personnel, at home and abroad, in southern Lebanon, Golan, Collins Barracks in Cork and other barracks throughout the country. The fitness levels and benchmarks we have set and achieved for the Defence Forces mean that we have fitter, better-trained stronger Defence Forces personnel than...
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (14 Jan 2015)
Simon Coveney: It is important to understand that since 1994 when this was introduced initially there have been two renegotiations of that policy to reduce the overall age profile of members of the Defence Forces. It was extended from five years to 12 years and to 21 years. Now the 21 years is up. The Defence Forces have shown a willingness to be flexible in the past and I think some flexibility will...
- Other Questions: Defence Forces Reserve (14 Jan 2015)
Simon Coveney: I state categorically that I am very committed to the further development of the Reserve Defence Force. A value for money review of the Reserve Defence Force, published in November 2012, identified a range of issues that were adversely affecting the capacity of the Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve. These included high turnover of personnel, a poor uptake of training and inefficient...
- Other Questions: Defence Forces Reserve (14 Jan 2015)
Simon Coveney: The results of the recruitment process last year were not good. We had 2,146 applicants. Of those, 1,857 were eligible, a large number of whom withdrew from the process. After a fitness test and interview procedure, only 152 new people were inducted into the reserve. Issues and problems need to be overcome in terms of the numbers of suitable people applying. We need to consider other...
- Other Questions: Defence Forces Reserve (14 Jan 2015)
Simon Coveney: Not always.
- Other Questions: Defence Forces Reserve (14 Jan 2015)
Simon Coveney: Of course I will meet people from those bodies. I will meet representatives of the Permanent Defence Forces Other Ranks Representative Association, PDFORRA, and the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers, RACO, tomorrow at the Defence Forces headquarters in Kildare. I am happy to meet them and maybe visit some of the training facilities being used and so on. The point of...
- Other Questions: Defence Forces Properties (14 Jan 2015)
Simon Coveney: A review and update of my Department’s property portfolio is carried out on a regular basis. Where properties have been identified as being surplus to military requirements, procedures are put in place for their disposal. In accordance with Government policy, the normal procedure is that all properties for disposal are in the first instance offered for sale to other State bodies and...
- Other Questions: Defence Forces Properties (14 Jan 2015)
Simon Coveney: There is not always a devil.
- Other Questions: Defence Forces Properties (14 Jan 2015)
Simon Coveney: I can assure the Deputy that we are not going to let anything diminish and die. If she looks at what the Defence Forces have been doing proactively in regard to homelessness in Dublin, for example, she will see that we have made a former military hospital available for shelter for rough sleepers. That has been a very successful initiative and we have had between 20 and 30 people staying in...
- Other Questions: Defence Forces Properties (14 Jan 2015)
Simon Coveney: On a general point, we are reviewing the assets of the Defence Forces and the Department of Defence all the time to try to get value for money for them, if they are not of strategic use to the Defence Forces, and to look to other State bodies to try to make full use of them. There are multiple examples of that in terms of barracks throughout the country. I have visited many of them and I...
- Other Questions: Defence Forces (14 Jan 2015)
Simon Coveney: I would first like to correct the records of the House. As the Deputy will be aware the military authorities previously advised me that 12 officers were retired from the Defence Forces between 1954 and 1985 under the provisions of section 47(2) of the Defence Act 1954 as prescribed by Defence Force Regulation A15 paragraph 18(1). This was communicated to the Deputy in response to Question...
- Other Questions: Defence Forces (14 Jan 2015)
Simon Coveney: Can I just say-----
- Other Questions: Defence Forces (14 Jan 2015)
Simon Coveney: I am trying to be helpful.
- Other Questions: Defence Forces (14 Jan 2015)
Simon Coveney: That is fine.