Results 18,141-18,160 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service Operations (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: Following Government approval and agreement with the Italian authorities, L.É. Eithne arrived in the South Central Mediterranean on 23 May 2015, to assist the Italian authorities in humanitarian search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean. The role of the Irish Naval vessel is to provide a search and rescue capability and to undertake humanitarian rescue operations at sea in...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: White Paper on Defence (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: The symposium on the White Paper on Defence at Farmleigh House on 15 May provided a wide stakeholder group with the opportunity to hear alternative views, to learn from the experience of others and to debate the merits of differing courses of action. The approach of utilising open policy debates as a means to inform policy formulation is a key strategy within the Government's Civil Service...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: To assist in Ireland's response to the Ebola Crisis in West Africa, five (5) Defence Forces medical personnel deployed to Sierra Leone in January 2015 to participate in the wider international response to the crisis. Prior to their deployment, I met with the team in Collins Barracks, Cork. Irish personnel are part of a UK-led Joint Inter-Agency Task Force tackling Ebola in West...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Equipment (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: The acquisition of new equipment and technology for the Defence Forces remains a focus for me as Minister for Defence and is a matter that is kept under constant review. The budgetary situation, in the context of the current economic situation, continues to dictate the level of funding available for defensive equipment including radar equipment and equipment upgrades for the Defence...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Expenditure (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: Arising from the 2015-2017 Comprehensive Review of Expenditure (CRE) process, the Defence Vote was provided with an allocation of €677m in 2015. Some €496m (73%) of this allocation provides for the pay and allowances of up to 9,500 Permanent Defence Force (PDF) personnel, 625 civilian employees and 350 civil servants. The remaining €181m (27%) provides mainly for...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Reorganisation (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: A range of savings measures that were introduced in the years immediately following the onset of the economic downturn in 2008 led to a reduction in the strength of the Permanent Defence Force. Following a comprehensive review of expenditure in 2011, the Government decided to stabilise the strength ceiling of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) at 9,500 personnel. The three Brigade...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: At a special meeting of the European Council on 23 April 2015, the Taoiseach announced that Ireland would deploy an Irish Naval Service vessel to assist in the humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean. Following Government approval and agreement with the Italian authorities, L.É. Eithne arrived in the South Central Mediterranean on 23 May 2015, to assist the Italian authorities in...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Irish Red Cross Governance (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Irish Red Cross Society is an independent charitable body corporate with full power to manage and administer its own affairs. In recent years the Society has introduced a number of welcome changes to its governance structures which were substantially facilitated by legislative amendments made by this Government in 2012. These changes were the most wide ranging and fundamental to have...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Commemorative Events (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: While responsibility for the Decade of Centenaries Programme rests with my colleague the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, both my Department and the Defence Forces will play a significant role in many of the events planned for 2016. There are two existing 1916 commemoration events which have significant Department of Defence and Defence Forces involvement annually. These are...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Reorganisation (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: Arising from the comprehensive review of expenditure in 2011, the Government decided to stabilise the strength ceiling of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) at 9,500 personnel. The three Brigade structure then in place had originally been designed in the 1990s, when the strength ceiling of the PDF was 11,500 personnel. Clearly, at a strength ceiling of 9,500 personnel, this structure was no...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: The individual that the Deputy is referring to was retired by the President, on the advice of the Government, with effect from a date in June, 1969. His retirement was effected pursuant to Section 47(2) of the Defence Act, 1954 and Paragraph 18(1)(f) of Defence Force Regulations A.15, which provide that an officer may be retired “in the interests of the service”. This case...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Equipment (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: As I outlined to the Deputy in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 80 of 22 April 2015, the primary purpose for the procurement of defensive equipment by the Department of Defence is to maintain the capability of the Irish Defence Forces on overseas Peace Support Operations and to afford the greatest possible force protection to Irish troops whilst on such missions. I am advised by the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: At the request of the United Nations, following Government and Dáil Éireann approval, a contingent of the Permanent Defence Force has been deployed to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) on the Golan Heights since 2013. The safety of all Irish Defence Forces personnel serving on all overseas missions is always a concern to me, my Government colleagues and to...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy will be aware, Malaria is a very serious disease. It kills approximately 1 million people per year in sub-Saharan Africa alone. It is a grave threat to any military force operating in that area. My Department is aware of recent media articles in relation to the Freedom of Information request, released by the British Ministry of Defence to which the Deputy refers. While I...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Investigations (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: In December 2014, I appointed former High Court Judge, Mr. Roderick Murphy to conduct an independent review of the investigations into the death of Private Hugh Doherty and the disappearance of Private Kevin Joyce (Caomhán Seoighe) on 27 April 1981 while serving as members of the Irish Battalion with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Privates Doherty and Joyce...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy will be aware, the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) formerly the Irish Medicines Board is the statutory authority with responsibility for the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines in Ireland. The Defence Forces policy in regard to the prescribing of Lariam is in line with current HPRA guidelines. While there is no mandatory legal requirement on an individual...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Equipment (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: I refer the Deputy to my reply earlier today on this matter, where I stated that I have been advised by the military authorities that they are not aware of any member of the Defence Forces raising concerns regarding the procurement of such equipment from Israel, nor have I been made aware directly of any such concerns. The matter of barring Israeli companies from entering tender...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Deployment (9 Jun 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. Since 2003 Gardaí have requested security support from...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord na gCon (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: The 2013 Annual Report and Accounts for Bord na gCon were laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas and will be published by Bord na gCon shortly. Bord na gCon have informed me that the 2014 annual report and accounts are currently subject to audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: The person named was approved for participation in the 2011 Agri Environment Options Scheme (AEOS 2) with effect from 1 September 2011. Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue. Officials are...