Results 17,161-17,180 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Other Questions: White Paper on Defence (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: I have been consistent on this issue since assuming the role of Minister for Defence. I indicated I would try to bring the White Paper to Government before the summer recess in July. That is the timetable to which we are operating. If the White Paper is approved by Government, as I hope it will be, we will probably be able to publish it in September or October. We are consulting on the...

Other Questions: White Paper on Defence (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: We have a good group in the Department which has been liaising with many other Departments. The basis of a White Paper must be a comprehensive security assessment to identify that which we must defend against. We must then provide an infrastructure to ensure the State is adequately defended for the next ten years. That is essentially the approach taken in the White Paper. The Department...

Other Questions: White Paper on Defence (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: Finally, on the Department's consultation day, it will invite experts, be they from countries in Europe or elsewhere, where there is relevance to the Irish White Paper in respect of the work they have been doing. This will take place in approximately one month's time.

Other Questions: White Paper on Defence (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: It is hard to give a "Yes" or "No" answer to that question until the response to the security threat assessment has been finalised and fully costed. However, I envisage that yes, defence spending in Ireland over the next ten years will need to increase. New challenges must be faced, Ireland has a huge marine resource that must be protected, airspace that must be managed and it has natural...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Recruitment (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy has raised this issue with me previously and I will give him an update. On the actual numbers, I am glad to state there was a significant reduction in the number of call-outs last year. There were 215 call-outs in 2013 and this number fell to 141 this year. The number of call-outs for viable improvised explosive devices also fell last year. There was a reduction from 96 in 2012...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Recruitment (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: No, I do not think that is likely. We are anxious to finalise the conciliation process so that we can get on with the new recruitment drive. The Deputy is right in that the numbers have fallen, but there is still a strong capability to do the required job. Nobody is suggesting that the level of service and response is compromised, but we do need a new recruitment drive. We need to get...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Recruitment (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: I have given numerous assurances concerning the number of personnel and units in Athlone. I have had no briefing or suggestion from anybody that there will be a disbanding of the unit in Athlone. From that point of view, therefore, I can give the Deputy an assurance - unless I get some briefing to the contrary in the next couple of days. However, I certainly have nothing to suggest that...

Other Questions: Air Corps (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: I answered a similar question earlier. Under the current strategy which dates back to the 2000 White Paper on Defence, the role of the Air Corps is limited to surveillance and some limited defence capacity. If there is a fast-moving military plane coming into Irish airspace, our Air Corps is not going to have significant defence capacity to deal with that. When the White Paper was put in...

Other Questions: Air Corps (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: First, I would not like to give the impression that Irish defence capacity is not in line with international standards in the areas where we operate, because it is. Training and fitness levels in the Irish Defence Forces benchmark really well with international standards. Looking at the capacity for Ireland in peacekeeping operations, for example, we are as good as if not better than any...

Other Questions: Air Corps (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy will be glad to hear we already use drones, or unmanned aircraft. The Army uses them in terms of surveillance, target accuracy and so on. The Naval Service is also testing drones and considering their use to push back the horizon and improve surveillance capacity. We have some technology companies that are developing and designing new drone technology. Ireland will be one of the...

Other Questions: Air Corps (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: A country that is neutral or militarily non-aligned has to have the capacity to stand on its own two feet. That is a subject on which we need an honest debate in Ireland.

Other Questions: Defence Forces Operations (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: I am not quite sure what risks the Deputy is talking about. Certainly, when An Garda Síochána seeks assistance from the Defence Forces on security arrangements at Shannon Airport, it gets it. The assistance comes in the form of Permanent Defence Force personnel under the control of the senior officer performing the tasks they are being asked to perform by An Garda...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Operations (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: I am not going to answer the question for An Garda Síochána which is the lead organisation in terms of security within the State. When it needs assistance in performing its role, it asks for it and gets it from the Defence Forces. However, the task the Defence Forces are asked to perform by An Garda Síochána is managed operationally by the senior officer of the Defence...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Operations (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: I am not sure the US will invade us either, with all due respect.

Other Questions: Defence Forces Operations (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: We need to try to have a calm response to these things. I will not answer on behalf of An Garda Síochána, which is under the political responsibility of a different Minister. Our role, in the Defence Forces, is to respond to specific tasks when asked for assistance by An Garda Síochána. We then manage and operationally take control of these tasks through a senior...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Operations (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: My understanding is that An Garda Síochána asks for assistance with a particular task and it is this task which the Defence Forces personnel operate. It does not, on its own initiative, then decide to do a whole series of other things like inspect planes.

Other Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: The straight answer is that Ireland has not received any request. The honest answer is that I do not know if we will receive a request in the future. That would be two or three steps away from where we are now. We need to achieve political stability in Libya first and the European Union is very engaged through a special representative there in trying to achieve this. If agreement can be...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: It is far too early to say that. We would have to go through a detailed threat and risk assessment before I would recommend sending troops anywhere to the Government. We are not even close to being at that stage. If the request were to come, we would take it seriously. Libya’s situation is complex.

Other Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: It is a tragic story. We would like to do anything we can to assist in stabilising the unstable environment in Libya, but sending troops is a major decision and we will not take it before conducting a thorough risk assessment and reverting to the Government and the House. We are thinking ahead a little too far, though. No request Has come through.

Other Questions: Proposed Legislation (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: The figure is a little less than that, but it is substantial. In accordance with a programme for Government commitment, my Department is continuing to progress a legal review of the basis, structures and governance of the Irish Red Cross. It is proposed that the existing primary legislation, which dates back to 1938, is to be repealed in new primary legislation that will redefine the...