Results 19,501-19,520 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: As of 01 October 2015, Ireland is contributing 494 Defence Forces personnel to 12 different missions throughout the world. Full details of all personnel currently serving overseas are listed in the following tabular statement. The main overseas missions, in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed, are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with 195 personnel, the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Operations (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capacity of the Defence Forces is maintained to the greatest extent possible. The Department of Justice and Equality and An Garda Síochána have primary responsibility for the internal security of the State. However, one of the roles assigned to the Defence Forces in the White Paper on Defence (2015) is to provide...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Operations (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The resources available to the Defence Forces to carry out their operational commitments are kept under constant review. I am satisfied that the Defence Forces, including the Air Corps and Naval Service, have the necessary resources to meet these commitments. With regard to surveillance, the Air Corps Maritime Patrol Squadron carries out aerial surveillance of the Irish Exclusive...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Operations (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: Following a Government Decision on 12 May 2015, an Irish Naval Vessel, L.É. Eithne, was deployed to the Mediterranean on 16 May, 2015, to assist the Italian Authorities with the collective effort to save lives in the Mediterranean. L.É. Niamh replaced L.É. Eithne in July 2015 on completion of her deployment. L.É. Niamh has since been replaced by L.É. Samuel Beckett...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Strength (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 116 to 118, inclusive, together. I am advised by the Military Authorities that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force, at 31 August 2015, the latest date for which figures are available was 9,082, comprising 7,337 Army, 726 Air Corps and 1,019 Naval Service personnel. The following table outlines the establishment, strength and vacancies of the Permanent...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel (8 Oct 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...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Recruitment (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Government is committed to maintaining the stabilised strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel, comprising of 7,520 Army, 886 Air Corps and 1,094 Naval Service as stated in the 2015 White Paper on Defence. I am advised by the Military Authorities that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force, at 31 August 2015, the latest date for which details are available, was...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel Data (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The following table sets out the strength of females in the Permanent Defence Force, broken down into Army, Air Corps and Naval Service for the years 2011 to 2015 (31st August, 2015). - 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Army 467 482 450 464 459 Naval Service 68 70 65 64 60 Air Corps 30 30 31 35 31 Total 565 582 546 563 550 The Deputy should note that the strength...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Remuneration (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The UN reimburses some personnel and Contingent Owned Equipment costs in respect of contributions of personnel to UN led operations. Rates of reimbursement, fixed in accordance with UN categories of equipment and personnel, are agreed in a Memorandum of Understanding between Ireland and the UN for each mission. The missions for which Ireland is currently entitled to reimbursement of some...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Applications (13 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: I can confirm that an application for Tranche 1 of GLAS for the person named has been received by my Department. All applications received are currently being ranked and selected according to the predetermined selection criteria. This process is nearing completion and letters will shortly issue to all applicants informing them of the outcome of the selection process. An application...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Applications (13 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2015 Basic Payments Scheme was received from the person named on 12 May 2015. Application for the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) Scheme is integrated into the Basic Payments Scheme application form. In order to apply for the ANC Scheme, applicants are requested to tick a box on the Basic Payments Scheme application form. The person named has declared land parcels...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Improvement Scheme Eligibility (13 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: There are no grant-aid schemes in place in my Department for either land reclamation or drainage works and I have no plans to introduce any such schemes at the present time.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Payments (13 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted a 2015 Basic Payment /Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme application on 7 May 2015. 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 selected for a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff Data (13 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: One member of the SIU invoked the Civil Service Grievance Procedure in March 2012. The complaint was withdrawn in April 2015. From the details provided it would appear that the Deputy may be referring to the Cattle Movement and Monitoring System (CMMS) unit rather than the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the Department. Following the introduction of a new identification system for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff Data (13 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The salary scales of the different grades assigned to the Department’s Investigations Division (and in the former Special Investigations Unit) for the last ten years in respect of each grade will be provided under separate cover in tabular form. The travel and subsistence for each individual will be provided for the period 2004 – 2015 inclusive. The data prior to 2004 is not...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Eligibility (13 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: There is no change to the list of rare breeds eligible for support under GLAS, and this list includes Dexter cattle. In the case of Dexters, priority entry to GLAS is available to those who were registered with the relevant breed society and had stock in 2012 and/or 2013.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Hazardous Waste Sites (13 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: My Department’s records do not indicate receipt of the correspondence referred to by the Deputy. If the Deputy can provide more detailed information, including the precise addressee for the correspondence I will be glad to arrange for a further examination of my Department’s records.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments (13 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: My Department is currently examining approximately 400 cases that submitted invoices from one particular company to verify and support claims under the non-productive capital investment action of AEOS. It is known that in some cases the invoices submitted were for greater amounts than actually paid by the participants. Funding provided under the scheme comes partly from the EU and partly...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (13 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The person referred to in the question has commenced legal proceedings against the State in relation to this matter. It would be inappropriate for me to deal with the detail of the case other than through the appropriate legal channels at this point. The general position in relation to mackerel management policy is as follows. After extensive and lengthy consultations in 2009 and 2010,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Applications (13 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: An application under Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme was received from the person named on 29 May 2015. Processing of the application has recently been finalised. Payment is now issuing directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.