Results 17,181-17,200 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Other Questions: Proposed Legislation (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: Clearly, all is not well. That needs to be corrected. We are prioritising the legislation. The Deputy will see proof of that shortly when we finalise the heads of the legislation and I bring them to the Government.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: Currently Ireland is contributing a total of 430 Defence Forces personnel to 11 different missions throughout the world. The details of the Defence Forces average end of month overseas strengths are as follows. In 2012 there were 122 Officers and 310 Enlisted Personnel; in 2013 there were 127 Officers and 310 Enlisted Personnel; in 2014 there were 131 Officers and 288 Enlisted Personnel;...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: International Agreements (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: As part of the continuing improvement in east-west relations, the Department of Defence has identified opportunities for greater engagement between Ireland and the UK on those areas of defence where we have mutual interests. Against this background, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) provides a framework for developing and furthering bilateral co-operation and relations between the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Funding (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: As part of the 2015-2017 Comprehensive Review of Expenditure (CRE) process, the Department of Defence submitted a detailed proposal to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in May, 2014. Following on from this CRE submission and subsequent bilateral discussions, an overall financial envelope for the 2015-2017 period was outlined, and the 2015 Revised Estimates Volume (REV) provided...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ministerial Transport (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: On the 27th of July last, the Gulfstream IV aircraft, which had been in service for 23 years, travelled to the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation facility in Georgia, USA, for its annual maintenance inspection. During this inspection, it became apparent that the servicing and repair of the aircraft would have involved a significantly higher level of investment than was anticipated. Given the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Equipment (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: As stated in Parliamentary Question No. 10 on the 14th January this year, there is an ongoing requirement to examine new and innovative means of improving capabilities in the security and the defence domain, so that the Defence Forces are in a position to undertake the roles assigned by Government. The capabilities being researched and developed by the Defence Forces in cooperation with...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy will be aware, I, along with my colleague Mr Brendan Howlin, T.D., Minister for Public Expenditure & Reform, have accepted the findings of the Adjudicator's Report in respect of the Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association (PDFORRA) claim under the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme in relation to the service limits for Privates and Corporals who...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: On 9 December 2014, the Government approved the participation of seven members of the Defence Forces in the new NATO-led Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, which commenced on 1 January 2015, following the withdrawal of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission from Afghanistan. Resolute Support Mission is a non-combat training and advisory mission. It is designed to...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Operations (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: An Garda Síochána has the 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 to the Civil Power (ATCP) which, in practice, means to assist An Garda Síochána when requested to do so. The number of occasions and types of operations in which the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service Operations (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Irish Maritime and Energy Research Cluster (IMERC) was created in 2008 as a result of a group of maritime stakeholders examining the possibility of pooling elements of Ireland's maritime industrial research in a single geographical location, adjacent to the National Maritime College of Ireland. This research and commercial cluster aims to realise Ireland's economic potential in the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: On 9 December 2014, the Government approved the participation of seven members of the Defence Forces in the new NATO-led Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, which commenced on 1 January 2015, following the withdrawal of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission from Afghanistan. Resolute Support Mission is a non-combat training and advisory mission. It is designed to...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: The White Paper on Defence (2000) sets out the current defence policy framework. The role of the Air Corps as set out in the White Paper is to provide a range of military and non-military air services. The Air Corps has traditionally discharged a mix of functions based on a need to supply a range of services such as air ambulance, fishery protection, and support to An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: I am aware that on 7th March 2015, a Sahara-based Islamist group claimed responsibility for a rare attack in Mali's capital that killed five people, including two foreigners. This highlighted continued volatility in the African nation two years after France helped retake territory from al Qaeda-linked militants. No Irish personnel were involved in the incident. Ireland is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps Strength (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: In June 2012 a Memorandum of Understanding was agreed between my Department and the Department of Health in relation to Air Corps' participation in a pilot Emergency Aeromedical Support (EAS) service operating out of Custume Barracks, Athlone. The purpose of the pilot service was to assess the level and type, if any, of dedicated aeromedical support needed to assist the National Ambulance...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: My colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr. Dara Murphy, T.D., attended the recent Foreign Affairs Council on Monday 16 March 2015, when the crisis in Libya was discussed. During the meeting, EU Foreign Ministers reiterated their support for the ongoing UN-facilitated talks on Libya, and the efforts of United Nations Special Representative...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Development Plan (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: Under the new Rural Development Plan 2015-2020, it is proposed that under the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme 2015, holdings of eligible applicants will be required to maintain a minimum stocking density of 0.15 livestock units for a minimum retention period of seven consecutive months, in addition to maintaining an annual average of 0.15 livestock units calculated over the twelve months...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Administration (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: My Department compiles a Terms and Conditions booklet each year covering the various Direct Payment Schemes and Rural Development measures. This document provides a summary of the requirements and is prepared as an aid to applicants. However, it should be recognised that the governing EU regulations form the definitive basis for the administration of the various schemes, including those...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: All AEOS applicants, including those who were unsuccessful, may now apply for GLAS and the system has been amended to accept all such applications.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Milk Quota (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: The named person was an applicant under my Department’s recent Animal Disease Scheme. This Scheme involves the allocation of milk quota, from the National Reserve, to milk producers who have incurred milk quota difficulties as a direct result of animal movement restrictions caused by an animal disease outbreak. Quota allocations are granted on the basis of recommendations made...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Administration (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted a 2014 Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas’ scheme application on 7 May 2014. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases Remote Sensing (i.e. satellite) inspections, be completed before any payments issue. The application of the person named was...