Results 21,441-21,460 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

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

Simon Coveney: As I have said on a number of occasions Custume Barracks is and will continue to be an important operational military barracks. There are no plans to change this. There is an ongoing capital building programme designed to modernise and enhance the training, operational and accommodation facilities available to members of the Defence Forces. Under this programme there has been considerable...

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

Simon Coveney: As I have previously stated to the House, there is an ongoing requirement to examine new and innovative means of improving capabilities in the security and the defence domain, so that the Defence Forces are in a position to undertake the roles assigned by Government. The capabilities being researched and developed by the Defence Forces in cooperation with research companies and institutions...

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

Simon Coveney: As of 1st October 2015, Ireland is contributing 494 Defence Forces personnel to 12 different missions throughout the world. 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 United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) with 153 personnel, the Naval Service Humanitarian...

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

Simon Coveney: Whilst responsibility for the Decade of Centenaries Programme rests with my colleague the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, both my Department and the Defence Forces will nevertheless play a significant role in many of the events planned for 2016. My Department is currently working very closely with the Ireland 2016 Project Office in the Department of Arts, Heritage and the...

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

Simon Coveney: In the case of the events referred to, the position is that on the afternoon of Tuesday, 15 September last the Naval Service received an Aid to the Civil Power request from An Garda Síochána for assistance in the search for the missing person in question. The Naval Service was unable to respond immediately due to the unavailability of divers at the time of the request. However, An...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Strength (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...

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

Simon Coveney: The Naval Service Reserve (NSR) trains its members to supplement and aid the work of the Naval Service in carrying out its wide variety of roles. As part of their training, Naval reservists receive instruction in motorboat handling, sail training, navigation, marine communications, weapons training, fire fighting and sea survival. Subject to the availability of seagoing berths, Naval...

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

Simon Coveney: The Department of Justice and Equality and An Garda Síochána have primary responsibility for the internal security of the State. Among the roles assigned to the Defence Forces is the provision of Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP) which, in practice, means to assist An Garda Síochána when requested to do so. This role was affirmed by the Government in the recently published new...

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

Simon Coveney: The number of US military aircraft that were given permission to land at Casement Aerodrome in each year from 2001 to 2015 (to date) is contained in the following table: Year Landings 2015 (to date) 2 2014 4 2013 17 2012 31 2011 17 2010 7 2009 14 2008 5 2007 1 2006 4 2005 14 2004 21 2003 3 2002 12 2001 10 Permission was granted for the purpose...

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

Simon Coveney: The re-organisation of the Permanent Defence Force in 2012 consolidated under-strength Units into a smaller number of full strength Units, within a revised two Brigade Structure. This has ensured that the Permanent Defence Force can continue to deliver the required operational outputs, within the available resources . The White Paper on Defence has confirmed the Government’s...

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

Simon Coveney: The maintenance of Ireland's policy of military neutrality while deepening Ireland’s relationships with the European Union on Common Security and Defence Policy, and with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is not in any way contradictory. As the White Paper notes, the threats to international peace and national security are complex, multi-dimensional, interrelated and...

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

Simon Coveney: Following the closure of Columb Barracks, my Department invited Government Departments and other Public Bodies to express any interest in the property, with a view to its disposal by the Department. No such interest was expressed at that time. As the Deputy is aware, my Department was approached by the Westmeath GAA County Board for the use of the Barracks as a training centre. The barracks...

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

Simon Coveney: On the afternoon of Tuesday, 15 September last the Naval Service received an Aid to the Civil Power request from An Garda Síochána for assistance in the search for the missing person in question. The Naval Service was unable to respond immediately due to the unavailability of divers at the time of the request. However, An Garda Síochána was advised that the Naval Service...

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

Simon Coveney: European Union on Common Security and Defence Policy, and with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, which is not in any way contradictory with Ireland's traditional position of neutrality. As the White Paper notes, the threats to international peace and national security are complex, multi-dimensional, interrelated and transnational in nature. A feature of Ireland’s policy...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Payments (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2015 Basic Payments/Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) Scheme was received from the person named on 7 May 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 earliest...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Payments (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2015 Basic Payments/Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) Scheme was received from the person named on 29 May 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: Basic Payment Scheme Payments (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted a 2015 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme application on 13 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. Advance payments under the Basic Payment Scheme will...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Payments (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2015 Basic Payments/Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) Schemes was received from the person named on 25 May 2015. Processing of the ANC application is currently in progress. On completion of this process, the application will be further reviewed with a view to payment issuing directly to the nominated bank account of the person named at the earliest possible date. ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Payments (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2015 Basic Payments/Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) Scheme was received from the person named on 10 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...