Results 22,641-22,660 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: National Deer Cull (10 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: As I indicated to the Deputy in my reply to a Question last July 2014 (28157/14), responsibility for wild deer rests with my colleague, the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht under the Wildlife Acts. Officials from my Department provide on-going advice to keepers and their veterinary practitioners on disease control measures and bio-security in relation to wildlife, including deer,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bovine Disease Controls (10 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: The farming community stands to gain approximately €100 million per annum from the eradication of BVD. Notwithstanding these gains which fall exclusively to the farming community, I have introduced a system of supports towards the removal of persistently infected (PI) calves. Earlier this year, in the context of the compulsory phase of the Programme now reaching its critical third...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Safety Scheme (10 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: I am pleased to say that there has been a high level of interest in the Farm Safety Scheme with over 6,200 applications received. To date over 4,200 approvals have issued to applicants to undertake work under the scheme and the local offices of my Department are querying further applications with farmers with a view to ensuring that as many applicants as possible undertake measures to improve...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (10 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted a 2014 Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas’ scheme application on 15thMay 2014. Issues were identified in relation to a number of parcels claimed by the applicant in 2013 and these are under review following an appeal by the applicant. This caused a delay in the processing of the 2014 application, however the 2014 application has recently been finalised...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Industry (10 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry. The Racing Regulatory Body (Irish Turf Club) is a private body charged under the current legislation with responsibility for the integrity and the reputation of Irish racing in Ireland and Internationally. I have responded in detail to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Expenditure (10 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: My Department acquires satellite imagery on an annual basis to facilitate the completion of remote sensing inspections under the Direct Payment and other area-based Schemes. This satellite imagery is provided free of charge by the EU Commission via the Joint Research Centre.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Foreign Naval Incursions (10 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), all vessels, including Naval vessels, have the right to innocent passage in territorial seas. Responsibility for the authorisation of visiting foreign Naval vessels to enter Irish ports rests with my colleague the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. I have been advised that the Defence Forces are not aware of any...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Equipment (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: There is no provision for the acquisition of new aircraft for the Air Corps in 2015. However, a significant level of investment in new equipment for the Air Corps has taken place in recent years. The investment programme included the delivery of training aircraft, the acquisition of two light utility EC135s, six utility AW139 helicopters and a mid-life upgrade of the two CASA maritime...

Other Questions: Naval Service Operations (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: I am glad we agree that being neutral is not the same as doing nothing and we are doing a lot. This is, however, the first time an Irish naval vessel has ever gone overseas on a mission such as this. When the LE Eithnehas gone overseas previously, it has essentially been on diplomatic missions, as opposed to a humanitarian mission like this. It is a new departure for the Naval Service and...

Other Questions: Naval Service Operations (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy has put a lot of questions and made a number of comments. I have dealt with most of them in previous questions. I said that most people would accept it was a mistake to reduce the resource level in terms of search and rescue and in terms of the assistance we give to migrants in the Mediterranean. The tragic drownings which happened in the past six weeks or so shocked many...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Equipment (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: I thank Deputy Durkan for raising this issue. The acquisition of new equipment and equipment upgrades for the Defence Forces remains a focus for me as Minister for Defence and is a matter that is kept under constant review. The development of a new White Paper on defence is under way. The White Paper will provide the future policy framework for defence for the next decade. A key part of...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Equipment (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: There has been. Even under the constraints of recent budgets we have seen a steady upgrading of equipment to ensure our peacekeepers abroad are safe. There has been a fleet replacement programme in the Irish Naval Service, which essentially will see three new ships in three years, namely, the LE Samuel Beckett, the LE James Joyce, which will arrive in the coming weeks, and a third ship,...

Other Questions: Naval Service Operations (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: I do not accept the premise that every conflict in north Africa or every conflict that is contributing to mass migration in that part of the world has been caused by European or Western intervention, which seems to be the basis of Deputy Wallace's case.

Other Questions: Naval Service Operations (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: It was agreed at the Foreign Affairs Council meeting that the European Union would make an effort to disrupt human trafficking on a massive scale, where organised crime is essentially feeding on people's misery and vulnerability. We have an obligation to disrupt that while, at the same time, we have an obligation to assist people who are fleeing persecution. At the moment, Ireland's...

Other Questions: Naval Service Operations (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: It is not true that Ireland and other countries are not discussing the causes of these problems. They are, but the solutions are complex. Deputy Wallace does not want any intervention, yet he wants solutions to the causes of many of these problems, as in Afghanistan, where he does not want any Irish involvement in helping to build capacity.

Other Questions: Naval Service Operations (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: We are in the business of doing multiple things at the same time - namely, trying to save people who are at risk of drowning when trying to cross the Mediterranean because they are in a desperate and vulnerable situation. That is, however, just an emergency response. The deeper issue is how the European Union can use its influence in a peaceful way, primarily to bring stability to countries...

Other Questions: Naval Service Operations (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: I do not think we are talking about a repeat of that. At the formal meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council with Ministers of Defence in Brussels on 18 May, a Council decision to establish a European Union military operation, EUNAVFOR Med, was adopted as part of a comprehensive approach to addressing the migration crisis in the south central Mediterranean. Operational planning for this naval...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: No one is suggesting there are not side effects but there are side effects to some of the other malaria drugs too. I have also used Lariam and I did not have any hallucinations or problems attached to it, I am glad to say, although maybe I was lucky. It is important to say that the Defence Forces policy in regard to the use of antimalarial medication is in line with current HPRA...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: If I was Deputy Ó Fearghaíl, I would be careful in what I say in regard to people taking their own lives. This is a serious issue and we take it seriously. I have an open mind with regard to changing our approach here but I would change that approach on the back of medical advice as opposed to political questions.

Other Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: As I said, I am not making decisions on the basis of legal advice. My only interest is medical advice. We screen people and make choices as to which antimalarial drug we prescribe on the basis of where people are going and how long they are going to be staying. That is a very different profile, by the way, to the US, which does not really have a peacekeeping role, as such, for its defence...