Results 16,761-16,780 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Defence: National Postcode System Expenditure (17 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: Currently my Department envisages that it will not incur any significant material costs during implementation of Eircode.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. On the last occasion we dealt with the issue at Question Time I said I hoped to be able to provide a good deal of clarity the next time we met to discuss it. I will bring the Deputy up to date on where the process is at. While significant progress has been made in recent discussions between the Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: Yes, it has.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for showing some understanding of the process needed in this respect. As he did not have to take that line, it is appreciated. Unfortunately, the arbitration process did not come up with a compromise or final agreement between PDFORRA and my Department, which is why we went to a third party for adjudication, to examine all of the issues involved and make a ruling and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: The adjudicator's ruling will form the basis of agreement, but I do not want to go into the detail of that matter. PDFORRA will make its own judgment on it and I will not speak for it. We have been through an exhaustive process of many months. The system has been working, we have gone through the various arbitration and, subsequently, adjudication processes and we have the report that will...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Fatalities (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: I thank Deputy Crowe for raising this issue, which is one that we have taken seriously. It relates to the case of the deaths of Privates Thomas Barrett and Derek Smallhorne, who were murdered, and the serious injuring of Private John O’Mahony while serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, on 18 April 1980. In July 2014, the alleged perpetrator, Mr. Mahmoud...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Fatalities (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: I also pay tribute to the families concerned. Anyone who has met the Smallhorne and Barrett families and Mr. O'Mahony knows that they are incredibly decent people who are trying to move on with their lives and seek justice. They have been campaigning on that basis for many years. For this reason we all owe it to them, the Defence Forces and the former colleagues of the two murdered...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Fatalities (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: Judging by my discussions in Beirut, the authorities are doing what they can to establish the facts in this case. My understanding is that, with a view to assisting authorities in the review of the case that was then under way, Mr. Bazzi was detained when he arrived back in Beirut and that this is still the situation.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Shannon Airport Facilities (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: We have debated this issue before. An Garda Síochána has primary responsibility for law and order, including the protection of the internal security of the State. Among the roles assigned to the Defence Forces is the provision of aid for the civil power, ATCP, which, in practice, means to assist An Garda Síochána when requested. The Garda has requested ATCP support from...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Shannon Airport Facilities (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: I will update the Deputy on the facts as I understand them. I understand from my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, that arrangements under which permission is granted for foreign military aircraft to land at Irish airports are governed by strict conditions. They include stipulations that the aircraft must be unarmed and carry no arms, ammunition or explosives and must...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Shannon Airport Facilities (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: How do we know that?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Shannon Airport Facilities (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: There is what is called trust.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Shannon Airport Facilities (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: I will give the Deputy an example of trust in the other direction. As of last week, we are exporting Irish beef to the United States. We approve beef factories that meet the standards required to sell meat to the United States. This is the result of an arrangement between two friendly sovereign countries. We have an agreement, too, on the matter raised by the Deputy and we expect the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Shannon Airport Facilities (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: In this regard, we are speaking about a government, one with which the Irish Government has a good relationship.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Shannon Airport Facilities (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: We are facilitating the landing of aircraft under the conditions I have outlined which are the responsibility of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The relationship is one that should be maintained.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Army Barracks Closures (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: I am not quite sure what information the Deputy is seeking. However, I provide the details I have before me. The 4 Cavalry Squadron, PDF, and 54 Cavalry Squadron, RDF, relocated from Connolly Barracks in County Longford to Custume Barracks in Athlone on 30 January 2009. On 29 March 2012 A Company 6Infantry Battalion, PDF, relocated from O’Neill Barracks in Cavan to Custume Barracks...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Army Barracks Closures (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy is incorrect. There was and still is a Minister with responsibility for defence. It was previously Deputy Alan Shatter and now it is me. I do not know what the Deputy is talking about. Second, effectively the Deputy was asking about the effect of the Defence Forces reorganisation on the number of Permanent Defence Force personnel based in Custume Barracks. The Defence Force...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Army Barracks Closures (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy should check the numbers for the performance of his party when it was in Government in respect of this barracks.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Army Barracks Closures (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: When we took office in 2011 some 900 Permanent Defence Force personnel were based in Custume Barracks. The Deputy can discuss whatever figures he wishes, but that was the fact.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Army Barracks Closures (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: I am talking about the number of people that were in Custume Barracks. On the announcement of the reorganisation in 2012, the projected Permanent Defence Force strength for Custume Barracks was 971 personnel. There was no reduction to this number following the reorganisation and there continues to be 1,000 Permanent Defence Force personnel in the barracks. Obviously, the figure can vary...