Results 2,001-2,020 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: My Department is responsible for processing Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) applications for people who are born abroad and claim Irish Citizenship through a grandparent born in Ireland or through a parent who has claimed citizenship also through FBR, Naturalisation or Post Nuptial Citizenship. Demand for this service increased significantly as a result of the Brexit vote in the UK. In...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Military Neutrality (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 382 and 383 together. Visits from foreign naval vessels are a long-standing and common practice in Ireland and worldwide. It is therefore normal and welcome for foreign naval vessels to visit Irish ports, whether that be to carry out joint training with the Irish Naval Service or simply to take crew rest. Port visits like those of recent months are also...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Cybersecurity Policy (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: My Department implements a programme of continuous review in relation to ICT security in order to keep up to date with current threat levels given that cyber security is a multi-faceted challenge that is constantly evolving. In line with best practice, the Department of Defence fully cooperates and collaborates with and takes guidance from Ireland’s National Cyber Security Centre...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Cybersecurity Policy (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: In 2020, my Department migrated its core IT infrastructure to the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) under the 'Build to Share Managed Desktop' shared service. OGCIO produced a Cloud Computing Advice Note in October 2019. My department follows this advice and is making use of cloud services. From an operational and security perspective, it would not be appropriate...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Staff (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: Since my appointment as Minister for Defence in June 2020, Mr. Chris Donoghue and Ms. Laura McGonigle have been appointed as Special Advisers to me, as both Minister for Defence and Minister for Foreign Affairs. They are employed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and their salary and expenses are administered by that Department.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 387 and 388 together. The following table details the current strength and establishment of the Permanent Defence Force, as of the 31 August 2022. - Current Strength (WTE) Establishment Permanent Defence Force 8,146 9,500 Army 6,621 7,520 Air Corps ...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: I am advised by the military authorities that the strength of the Air Corps, as at 30 September 2022, is 756 wholetime equivalent personnel. The table below shows the strength by requested stream: - Personnel Stream Strength as at 30/09/2022 Qualified pilots 93 Cadets currently completing military training* 6 ...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Naval Service is the State's principal sea-going agency and is tasked with a variety of defence and other roles. The primary day-to-day tasking of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with the State's obligations as a member of the European Union. In terms of fishery protection the Naval Service is tasked with patrolling all Irish waters from the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 391, 392 and 393 together. As at 31 August 2022, the latest date for which figures are available, the strength of female personnel in the Permanent Defence Force stood at 579, of whom 28 were serving overseas. The requested breakdown, by rank, of the 579 female PDF personnel is as follows: OFFICER LT GEN MAJ GEN BRIG...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Reserve Defence Force (RDF) is comprised of the First Line Reserve, the Army Reserve (AR) and the Naval Service Reserve (NSR). The Government remains absolutely committed to the advancement of the RDF. The White Paper on Defence is quite clear that there is a continued requirement to retain and develop the Reserve and the Government remains fully committed to this. The strength of the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: It is Government policy to increase female participation rates at all levels of the Defence Forces, including the Reserve Defence Force (RDF), in order to increase capability and to better reflect the society from which the Defence Forces are drawn and serve. As of 31 July 2022, the effective female strength of the RDF is 194 members. In line with current policies and commitments, a...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Reserve Defence Force (RDF) is comprised of the First Line Reserve (FLR), the Army Reserve (AR) and the Naval Service Reserve (NSR). The combined effective strength of the AR and NSR, at year end, for the past five years is set out below: Year AR & NSR Effective Personnel (at year end) 2021 1,489 2020 1,588 ...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: Last July the Government approved a move to ‘Level of Ambition 2’ (LOA2), as set out in the capability framework devised by the Commission on the Defence Forces. The move to LOA2 will require an additional 2,000 personnel (civil and military) over and above the current establishment figures, with related, ongoing recruitment work now being facilitated through the Defence Forces...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: The White Paper on Defence 2015, reinforced by the White Paper Update 2019, sets out the Government’s medium term policy for Defence. It is recognised that the principal demand drivers of Defence capital requirements are the ongoing renewal, retention and acquisition of military equipment along with the development and upgrade of Defence Forces built infrastructure. The acquisition of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: Defence capital expenditure over the period from 2017 to 2022 is outlined in the table below: Vote 36 (Defence) Capital Expenditure 2017 to 2022: 2017 €m 2018 €m 2019 €m 2020 €m 2021 €m 2022 €m (YTD) Vote 36 (Defence) Capital Expenditure 95.3 94.7 ...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ukraine War (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: Following Russia’s unprovoked, illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine, a conference was organised by the United States to discuss the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany on 26 April. This was the first meeting of what became known as the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, which Ireland, along with a number of other countries, was subsequently invited to join....

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Staff (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: The following are details of the advisors who were employed by my Department since 2015: Name Date of Employment Minister John Coughlan 6 May 2016 to 27 June 2020 Minister Paul Kehoe Clare Mungovan 18 May 2016 to 7 January 2018 Minister Paul Kehoe Niall O'Connor 29 January 2018 to 27...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: Following a review of the Daily Ration rate by the Military Authorities, my Department has recently considered and approved the proposal to increase the Daily Ration rate from €4.20 to €6.40 per person. This increase, which will be considered within ongoing Revised Estimate discussions, will be made to Subhead A.14 (Defence Forces Uniforms, Clothing, Equipment and Catering) of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: Vacancies are filled in line with promotional arrangements, as appropriate, and by recruitment. A direct entry competition for Engine Room Artificers is ongoing and, as at 30th September 2022, has attracted 21 applications. Engine Room Artificers Vacancies in the Naval Service as of 14 October 2022 Establishment 85 Strength ...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: The operation to evacuate Irish citizens from Kabul in August 2021 was carried out by an Emergency Civil Assistance Team (ECAT) led by the Department of Foreign Affairs and supported by Defence Forces personnel. The goal of the ECAT Mission was to provide consular advice and assistance, including by assisting in the safe evacuation of the Irish citizens and dependants that had been...