Results 21,421-21,440 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Properties (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: Kildare County Council can still decide if it wants the land.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Properties (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: Let me make this absolutely clear. If Kildare County Council wants to acquire this land, it still has the opportunity to do so. Deputy Ó Fearghaíl should not start blaming this situation on previous management. Today, if Kildare County Council decided to pick up the telephone and say it wants to acquire the land and develop it for community use, social housing or other purposes,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Properties (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Department of Defence is happy to facilitate the council, but Deputy Ó Fearghaíl should not try to twist-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Properties (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: We are not reneging on anything.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Properties (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: We were happy to do a deal with the Department of Education and Skills, which we have done-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Properties (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: -----and with Kildare County Council, which we offered to do, but it decided against it. Deputy Ó Fearghaíl cannot expect the Department of Defence to do much more than that.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: I thank Deputy Crowe for raising this issue, which has been raised regularly in the House. It has been debated in other parliaments in different parts of the world as well. The truth is that malaria is a very serious disease and is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people every year. When we send our troops into conflict zones that are affected by malaria, we need to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: I understand why the questions are being asked but we would not make any decisions on anti-malarial drugs which would unnecessarily put anyone at risk. The only priority is to make our troops as safe as possible when they are abroad. There is no simple solution here. There is no anti-malarial drug which is free of all side effects. They just do not exist.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: There are alternatives but each alternative has a complication.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: In all seriousness, there are lots of countries which still use Lariam. My Department has recently reconvened, on my instruction, the malaria working group. This group met in August and has engaged once again, because of the issues raised, with experts, both nationally and internationally. The group expects to provide an updated report to me later this year. Roche Products (Ireland)...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Properties (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue, which we have discussed a number of times, and I understand why he might have an interest in it. In July 1998, the Government approved a programme of evacuation and sale of six Army barracks considered surplus to military requirements. Magee Barracks was one of the barracks identified for closure. On 1 July 2003, the Government decided the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Properties (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: That is the result of that conversation.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Military Neutrality (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The White Paper on Defence, which was published this summer, following a broad and extensive consultative process, did not change Ireland's policy of military neutrality. Our policy of military neutrality remains a core element of Irish foreign policy. The Government’s recent review of foreign policy and the Defence White Paper confirmed that Ireland will continue to maintain a policy...

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

Simon Coveney: It is recognised that the Defence Forces has a limited role in relation to the employment support agenda. Notwithstanding this however,in mapping out the future for Defence in the period ahead, the Government and I consider it important that the Defence Forces contribute to the Government’s commitment to a strengthened approach across the economy to social responsibility.Initiatives in...

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

Simon Coveney: The White Paper on Defence, which was published in August 2015, sets out the policy framework for the Defence Organisation for the next ten years and beyond. The White Paper affirms the Government’s commitment to the continued development of Civil Defence. The future of Civil Defence will continue to be developed around its central strategic objective of supporting the Principal...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service 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. When L.É. Eithne completed her deployment in July 2015, she was replaced by L.É. Niamh. L.É. Samuel Beckett, which is currently deployed,...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: European Union Naval Force Operation–Mediterranean (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The EU military mission EUNAVFOR MED is one element of a comprehensive approach to addressing the migration crisis in the South Central Mediterranean. The Council Decision to launch the mission was adopted at the formal Meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on 22 June 2015. The operation will be implemented in sequential phases and the first phase, to support the detection and...

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

Simon Coveney: Italian Authorities with the migrant crisis, in line with the Government Decision on 12 May 2015. L.É. Samuel Beckett is continuing the excellent work undertaken by L.É. Eithne and L.É. Niamh 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 the Mediterranean....

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

Simon Coveney: As I have already outlined, it is proposed to dispose of the remaining c. 50 acres of the Barracks by public auction later this year. An auctioneer has been appointed to manage the disposal on behalf of the Department and the Chief State Solicitors Office is currently finalising the contracts for sale. The Local Development Plan for Kildare Town 2012-2018 has made provision for substantial...

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

Simon Coveney: In July 2011, the Government approved arrangements, whereby Enterprise Ireland (EI) would support the Department of Defence and Defence Forces capability development through engagement with Irish-based enterprise and research institutes on the use and application of innovative civilian technologies in the military sphere. At the time of the decision, the Defence Forces were already engaged...