Results 23,621-23,640 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Other Questions: Air Corps (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: A country that is neutral or militarily non-aligned has to have the capacity to stand on its own two feet. That is a subject on which we need an honest debate in Ireland.

Other Questions: Defence Forces Operations (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: I am not quite sure what risks the Deputy is talking about. Certainly, when An Garda Síochána seeks assistance from the Defence Forces on security arrangements at Shannon Airport, it gets it. The assistance comes in the form of Permanent Defence Force personnel under the control of the senior officer performing the tasks they are being asked to perform by An Garda...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Operations (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: I am not going to answer the question for An Garda Síochána which is the lead organisation in terms of security within the State. When it needs assistance in performing its role, it asks for it and gets it from the Defence Forces. However, the task the Defence Forces are asked to perform by An Garda Síochána is managed operationally by the senior officer of the Defence...

Other Questions: Air Corps (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: First, I would not like to give the impression that Irish defence capacity is not in line with international standards in the areas where we operate, because it is. Training and fitness levels in the Irish Defence Forces benchmark really well with international standards. Looking at the capacity for Ireland in peacekeeping operations, for example, we are as good as if not better than any...

Other Questions: Air Corps (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy will be glad to hear we already use drones, or unmanned aircraft. The Army uses them in terms of surveillance, target accuracy and so on. The Naval Service is also testing drones and considering their use to push back the horizon and improve surveillance capacity. We have some technology companies that are developing and designing new drone technology. Ireland will be one of the...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Recruitment (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: No, I do not think that is likely. We are anxious to finalise the conciliation process so that we can get on with the new recruitment drive. The Deputy is right in that the numbers have fallen, but there is still a strong capability to do the required job. Nobody is suggesting that the level of service and response is compromised, but we do need a new recruitment drive. We need to get...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Recruitment (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: I have given numerous assurances concerning the number of personnel and units in Athlone. I have had no briefing or suggestion from anybody that there will be a disbanding of the unit in Athlone. From that point of view, therefore, I can give the Deputy an assurance - unless I get some briefing to the contrary in the next couple of days. However, I certainly have nothing to suggest that...

Other Questions: Air Corps (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: I answered a similar question earlier. Under the current strategy which dates back to the 2000 White Paper on Defence, the role of the Air Corps is limited to surveillance and some limited defence capacity. If there is a fast-moving military plane coming into Irish airspace, our Air Corps is not going to have significant defence capacity to deal with that. When the White Paper was put in...

Other Questions: White Paper on Defence (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: Finally, on the Department's consultation day, it will invite experts, be they from countries in Europe or elsewhere, where there is relevance to the Irish White Paper in respect of the work they have been doing. This will take place in approximately one month's time.

Other Questions: White Paper on Defence (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: It is hard to give a "Yes" or "No" answer to that question until the response to the security threat assessment has been finalised and fully costed. However, I envisage that yes, defence spending in Ireland over the next ten years will need to increase. New challenges must be faced, Ireland has a huge marine resource that must be protected, airspace that must be managed and it has natural...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Recruitment (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy has raised this issue with me previously and I will give him an update. On the actual numbers, I am glad to state there was a significant reduction in the number of call-outs last year. There were 215 call-outs in 2013 and this number fell to 141 this year. The number of call-outs for viable improvised explosive devices also fell last year. There was a reduction from 96 in 2012...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Missions (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: Lariam is still used across the Defence Forces, although I am not sure if Defence Forces personnel in Sierra Leone are using that product or other products. The Defence Forces only use drugs that are approved by the Medical Council. As I am not a doctor, I take the advice of doctors as to the appropriate drugs for use as protection against malaria for troops. While the personnel in Sierra...

Other Questions: White Paper on Defence (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: I have been consistent on this issue since assuming the role of Minister for Defence. I indicated I would try to bring the White Paper to Government before the summer recess in July. That is the timetable to which we are operating. If the White Paper is approved by Government, as I hope it will be, we will probably be able to publish it in September or October. We are consulting on the...

Other Questions: White Paper on Defence (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: We have a good group in the Department which has been liaising with many other Departments. The basis of a White Paper must be a comprehensive security assessment to identify that which we must defend against. We must then provide an infrastructure to ensure the State is adequately defended for the next ten years. That is essentially the approach taken in the White Paper. The Department...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Missions (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for his recognition of the significant work which they volunteered to do. I have huge time for the personnel who have volunteered to be part of the mission. This is a new mission on a number of levels. For example, it is very much part of the UK mission in that this is the first time our medical people have slotted into a UK-managed mission. I was anxious for our...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Air Corps Equipment (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: I agree with the Deputy that it is unacceptable for large aircraft to travell at high speed through international airspace that is the responsibility of the Irish Aviation Authority without informing it and with their transponders deliberately turned off. The only reason we knew they were there was the United Kingdom had informed us. The focus must be on our capacity to understand and know...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Missions (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for asking this question as it gives me an opportunity to thank the members of the Permanent Defence Force involved in this important contribution towards the fight against Ebola. To assist in Ireland's response to the Ebola crisis in west Africa, five Defence Forces medical personnel have been deployed to Sierra Leone for a four month period to participate in the wider...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Air Corps Equipment (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: The White Paper on Defence published in 2000 sets out the current defence policy framework. The role of the Air Corps as set out in the White Paper is to provide a range of military and non-military air services. The Air Corps has traditionally discharged a mix of functions based on a need to supply a range of services, such as air ambulance, fishery protection and support to An Garda...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Air Corps Equipment (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: In regard to the incidents involving Russian aircraft, while the aircraft did not enter Irish sovereign airspace, they were flying in an area for which the Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, has responsibility for air traffic control. I understand the IAA co-ordinated closely with its UK counterpart at all stages during the incident to avoid a risk to any civil aircraft. I also understand the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: I do not have the details of the aircraft that landed at the airport in my possession. What I do have in my possession is that which I have already outlined, namely, the dates on which emergency landings were sought and granted. Outside of that, I do not have with me any further details I can supply today.