Results 2,061-2,080 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Budgets (6 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 73 and 88 together. For 2023, the total allocation for the Defence group is €1.174 billion, comprising €893 million for Vote 36, Defence, and €281 million for Vote 35, Army pensions. This is an overall increase of €67 million on 2022 and double the increase last year. The allocation reflects the commitment of the Government to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Budgets (6 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: I will answer Deputy Richmond's second question first. Work being undertaken includes the provision of a new cadet school in the Curragh Camp, the development of the university students administrative complement, USAC, student facility in Galway, the development of a new military medical facility and other facilities to improve Casement Aerodrome, accommodation upgrades in multiple locations...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (6 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: They have not been agreed yet, so the representative bodies cannot be fully supportive of something that has not been agreed yet.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (6 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: That is why we have a sub-committee in place. We have asked the senior management - the Chief of Staff and his team - to make recommendations on what they see as necessary in terms of exemptions and derogations from the working time directive to allow the military to function in certain circumstances. We have an ongoing process of consulting the representatives associations, which I suspect...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Maritime Jurisdiction (6 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Naval Service, as the State's principal sea-going agency, is tasked with a variety of defence and other roles. While the main daily task of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with our obligations as an EU member state, it also carries out a number of other non-fishery related tasks in tandem with maritime surveillance. The Air Corps maritime...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Maritime Jurisdiction (6 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: I did not suggest anything was handed over to the private sector; I just gave the Deputy a statement of fact on what EirGrid is doing. One of the reasons we established the Commission on the Defence Forces in the first place was that I and others in Government felt there were capacity issues that needed to be addressed. That is why we have committed to spending significantly increased...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (6 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: There are just a couple left if the Acting Chairman could allow me to continue.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (6 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: Other projects include the development of a primary radar capability, the continuation of the mid-life extension programme works on LÉ Niamh, the acquisition of two inshore patrol vessels from the New Zealand Government to replace LÉ Orlaand LÉ Ciaraand the acquisition of two Airbus C295 maritime patrol aircraft. I will perhaps come back on that but that is the initial list.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (6 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy will know having served as Minister in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, there are often a number of stage payments over a number of years for large military equipment like ships and aircraft and so on. These projects take years to come to full fruition in terms of the-----

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (6 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: Those of us who knows the pressures on the Air Corps at the moment know that we need new CASA aircraft. They are on the way, but they take time to build and deliver. They also take time to equip in terms of the technology we put on them now, which is just pretty impressive. We also, of course, have a building works programme across our barracks, some which I mentioned regarding...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (6 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: I am sorry; what was the Deputy's first question again?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (6 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: If we can add 400 net next year, that will bring the numbers back over 8,500, which is still 1,000 behind where we need to be. However, let us not throw our hands in the air here. We have got to start turning the tide.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (6 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: We have seen losses each year now year after year. This year will be particularly challenging. As I said, we must turn the tide on this issue. We are doing a huge amount on pay, conditions, investment, certainty for the future, improving the culture within the Defence Forces and safety of the work environment so that we can, I hope, also attract many more women into the Defence Forces. We...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (6 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: -----and we will. In terms of the budget, if the pay agreement is agreed and signed off, that effectively means an extra €27 million in pay and approximately €20 million in pensions. That is, therefore, an extra €47 million to add to the €67 million, which gives a figure of approximately €114 million extra in the defence budget next year.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (6 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy will be aware, the Defence Forces are currently excluded from the provisions of the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, which transposed the EU working time directive into Irish law. However, the Government has committed to amending this Act to bring both the Defence Forces and An Garda Síochána within the scope of its provisions, where appropriate. Significant...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (6 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: We are now, I hope, at the closing stages of finalising how we will implement the working time directive within the Defence Forces and the amending changes we have to make to the Act to reflect that. A subcommittee of the defence conciliation and arbitration council, comprised of the representative associations and military and civil management, was established to discuss matters relating to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Naval Service (6 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: We all have a role in that. We will spend €114 million more on defence next year than we will spend this year, with the combination of the pay agreement, assuming it is supported, and the €67 million on top of that, €35 million of which comprises additional capital. Not every party in the House proposed that kind of increase in expenditure. Sinn Féin, for example,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (6 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: "Yes" is the straight answer to that question. In fact, we will have more money than we need for pay because we have a pay estimate on the basis of an establishment of 9,500, and we have negotiated in recent years that what we do not use on pay we can reallocate for other expenditure in defence. We have more than enough for pay. As we increase our numbers, we will have to see other...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Diplomatic Representation (6 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: I do not see where the benefit is, apart from perhaps getting some satisfaction out of it. Expelling the Russian ambassador would mean the Russian Embassy in Dublin would close, the Irish Embassy in Moscow would close and we would cut off all diplomatic channels between Ireland and Russia. Despite our frustration and the communication of protest that would give in the short term, while I...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Naval Service (6 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 68 and 71 together. I am pleased to have an opportunity to put a number of points on the record. I assure the Deputies that I have ongoing engagement with civil and military management on all matters affecting the Defence Forces, including staffing matters. I attended the PDFORRA conference yesterday discussing some of these issues. The Government has...