Results 21,381-21,400 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments (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 will issue shortly directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.

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

Simon Coveney: The payments issued in Longford and Westmeath under the Disadvantaged Areas / Less Favoured Areas Scheme are set out in the table below for the years 2008 to 2014: Year Longford Westmeath 2014 €4,655,987.46 €4,664,392.10 2013 €4,684,711.44 €4,690,681.09 2012 €5,046,568.27 €5,118,905.56 2011 €5,161,816.91 €5,417,831.65...

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

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2015 Basic Payments / Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) Scheme was received from the person named on 19 May 2015. Processing of the ANC application has recently been finalised. Payment will issue shortly, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named. In relation to the Basic Payment Scheme and Greening Payment, I am pleased to confirm that advance...

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

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2015 Basic Payments/Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) Scheme was received from the person named on 27 April 2015. Processing of the application under the ANC Scheme is currently in progress. On completion of this process, the ANC application will be further reviewed with a view to payment issuing directly to the nominated bank account of the person named at the...

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

Simon Coveney: A new Bio- Energy Scheme was introduced by my Department for 2015, which focused exclusively on the growing of willow and provided establishment grants to farmers of up to 40% of the crop establishment costs subject to a maximum grant of €1,040 per hectare. The maximum area for planting was increased under the new scheme from 30 hectares to 50 hectares in response to submissions from...

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

Simon Coveney: The intention behind the BDGP is to bring about fundamental and strategic improvements to the beef breeding sector by substantially improving the overall genetic quality of the Irish beef herd. An essential element required to achieve this overall goal is a robust and reliable replacement index built to suit Irish animals and production systems on which farmers can make informed breeding...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel (13 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Army Pensions Board is an independent statutory body established to investigate applications for disability pensions, allowances and gratuities under the Army Pensions Acts and report their findings to the Minister. In this case the Board’s finding was that the applicant had a degree of disablement which did not reach the minimum required for the grant of a disability pension under...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Operations (13 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 145 to 148, inclusive, together. In accordance with the legislative requirements of the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order 1952, all foreign military aircraft wishing to overfly or land in the State require the permission of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. The Air Corps is not tasked or equipped to monitor and communicate with...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: First, I would ask other parties to reflect when they call for a reduction in defence spending on the situation in which many of our troops find themselves in parts of the world and their requirement for the equipment and resources they need to ensure their safety. When I am making decisions to increase defence spending, people try to twist that into some kind of hawkish attitude towards...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: That reflects the view of us all. Every time I speak to troops before they leave and speak to their families, I am conscious of that. I wish to reassure families who have sons and daughters and husbands and wives serving in the Golan Heights that we continue to focus on ensuring we are managing risk in an acceptable way. This is a very important mission for the United Nations and it relies...

Other Questions: Cyber Security Policy (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The core role of the Defence Forces is to contribute to the security of the State. Military intelligence contributes assessments in respect of State security and the safety and security of the Defence Forces’ personnel deployed overseas on peace support operations and liaises with An Garda Síochána as appropriate on matters of common concern. In relation to cyber-security,...

Other Questions: Cyber Security Policy (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: I am sure I could tell Deputy Daly more, but there are some things I do not tell her in respect of intelligence. Anybody who understands how intelligence works would understand that. We have not done business with this company. Despite what Deputy Daly is trying to portray, we are not doing business with this company. This company is, by the way, doing business all over the world, with...

Other Questions: Cyber Security Policy (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: No, we were not.

Other Questions: Cyber Security Policy (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: It is not irrelevant. Deputy Daly keeps saying we are doing business with this company, but we are not.

Other Questions: Cyber Security Policy (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: There is an obligation on the Defence Forces to make sure they are aware of all the equipment that is out there and how it works and to ensure that we have the best technology available to do a job we need to do. They have an obligation to ensure we have an appropriate intelligence infrastructure in Ireland to give me and others the information that is needed to make informed decisions on...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: A contingent of the Permanent Defence Forces has been deployed to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, UNDOF, on the Golan Heights since 2013. The current Irish contingent, the 50th Infantry Group, comprising 130 personnel, is based in UNDOF headquarters in Camp Ziouani. It operates in the role of a quick reaction force, which is on standby to assist with ongoing operations...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Recruitment (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: Direct entry competitions are also being held as required from which specialist appointments are being filled. To date, this year 19 instrumentalists have been appointed and five engine room personnel have also been inducted. The Defence Forces school of music and Naval Service accommodated those respectively. It is expected that 25 Air Corps apprentice trainee technicians, a conductor for...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Reserve (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to raise this issue because it is a matter on which we agree. There was a perception among some in the reserve that it would be phased out. I certainly hope the White Paper has put that fear to bed. There is a strong role for reservists in Ireland. The policy now is that they train as one entity with the Defence Forces and we want to build...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Reserve (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The immediate challenge for both the Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve is to recruit and train sufficient personnel to meet the respective establishments. A major recruitment campaign last year did not achieve the desired effect with the process yielding only 152 inductees. Following a review of last year's campaign, a number of changes have been introduced. The most recent returns...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Reserve (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: I am not sure about that. What I do know is that it is predicted there will be another 100 inductees by the end of the year, amounting to 400 this year which would be a significant improvement in terms of where we were but we have a long way to go. We approved the White Paper only a couple of months ago. That involves much positive change. In many ways we have a new chapter for the...