Results 24,021-24,040 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Hardship Grant Scheme Applications (19 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: An application was received from the herdowner concerned under the TB Hardship Grant Scheme (which applies in the period 1 November to 30 April) following the restriction of his holding on 13 November 2014 as a result of a lesion detected at slaughter plant level. This grant is payable in monthly tranches in arrears where the period of restriction exceeds two months (i.e. the initial...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (19 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: The frequency and ferocity of storm events last winter, compounded by waterlogged soils on many forest sites, led to extensive damage on private and State owned forest lands. In order to establish the most appropriate response for forest owners and the forest industry a taskforce, chaired by Mr Tom Hayes TD, Minister of State, and comprising relevant forestry stakeholders was put in place to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare Bodies (19 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: My Department has provided funding to organisations involved in animal welfare since 1995 in order to enable these organisations provide a valuable service in the area of animal welfare. Applications for funding from animal welfare organisations are assessed by my Department and awards made on the basis of certain criteria, including the level and type of assistance provided by the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Milk Quota (19 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: The named person was an applicant under my Department's recent Animal Disease Scheme. This Scheme involves the allocation of milk quota, from the National Reserve, to milk producers who have incurred milk quota difficulties as a direct result of animal movement restrictions caused by an animal disease outbreak. Quota allocations are granted on the basis of recommendations made by an...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (19 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: I am aware that, on 28 January 2015, two Russian military aircraft were in an area for which the Irish Aviation Authority has air traffic control responsibility. The Air Corps is not tasked or equipped to monitor military aircraft overflying Irish controlled airspace. This position is in accordance with the Air Corps' roles as set out in the White Paper on Defence (2000). Therefore, I am...

Other Questions: UN Missions (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: There are always conversations ongoing between the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Department of Defence on peacekeeping missions and the conditions under which we operate. I visited our troops with UNIFIL and UNDOF before Christmas and it was a fascinating experience. In the build-up to it, I am glad that we had seen a sustained and lengthy peaceful period in southern...

Other Questions: UN Missions (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: The advice I have received is that there has not been a dramatic change of circumstances in southern Lebanon. There was a very significant and serious exchange between Hezbollah and the Israeli defence forces, but there has been no other incident since. My interest is in ensuing Irish troops are safe and that the UNIFIL mission generally is as safe as it can be and performs its role of...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Retirement Scheme (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: I answered a related Priority Question earlier and said we had made significant progress on this issue. Since 12 or 15 February, we have the result of third party arbitration on a final recommendation to the Government on how to proceed. I cannot publish the arbitration report until it has been considered fully by my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in respect...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Retirement Scheme (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy has raised the matter with me a number of times and I am very conscious of the fact that he represents a constituency that has a very strong Defence Forces interest. This has been one of the issues that has been ongoing for some time. We are very close to a conclusion and I hope people will be able to accept the final outcome when we publish it in a few weeks.

Other Questions: Easter Rising Commemorations (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: I discussed this issue with the Taoiseach and the Minister for the Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht as recently as yesterday. Responsibility for the decade of centenaries programme rests with the Minister, Deputy Heather Humphreys, but my Department and the Defence Forces will play a significant role in many of the events planned for 2016. Two existing annual 1916 commemoration events which...

Other Questions: Easter Rising Commemorations (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: I met the representative bodies in recent weeks, and this issue arose in the course of our discussions. Members of the Permanent and Reserve Defence Forces want to participate, and former members of the Defence Forces are also anxious to be involved. I assure the Deputy we will do what we can to ensure this is a year in which everybody in Ireland, including in particular those in the...

Other Questions: Easter Rising Commemorations (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: Many of the plans have already been finalised but there are still things we need to do. The Government is broadly ambitious in terms of what it wants to undertake regarding the commemorations. Some of this involves capital works in Dublin city centre and elsewhere, while others are ceremonial events. I hope everybody in this Hose will work together to ensure this is an appropriate...

Other Questions: UN Missions (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: On 28 January 2015, a member of the Spanish armed forces who was serving in Sector East with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon was killed near Ghajar on the border with Israel. I understand that the precise cause of the peacekeeper’s death remains undetermined. UNIFIL has launched an investigation to determine the facts and circumstances of the incident. One Irish officer...

Other Questions: Naval Service Vessels (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: On the pecking order, Foynes is certainly not close to the bottom.

Other Questions: Naval Service Vessels (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: I refer to the priority list. The Deputy has raised with me many times issues associated with Foynes. He prioritises the port and is right to do so. Partly because of the political prioritisation of Foynes, we are seeing many quite exciting developments there. When making twinning decisions, I must obviously take into account the proximity of cities and ports that do not have a twinned...

Other Questions: Defence Forces (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for asking about this because it is an area in which I am really interested. In July 2011, the Government approved an approach whereby Enterprise Ireland supports the defence organisation by raising awareness of and engaging with Irish-based enterprise and research institutes that are engaged in activities related to the Defence Forces’ capacity potential. The...

Other Questions: Defence Forces (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: Absolutely. I am referring to maritime surveillance, energy conservation, chemical, biological and radiological research, and improvised explosive devices detection. These initiatives have direct relevance to defence but can use the Defence Forces' infrastructure to test products that may well have relevance and an application outside the defence sphere. In Cork Harbour at present, a...

Other Questions: Defence Forces (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: Most of the strategic thinking in this area is now happening in the context of the White Paper. I hope to bring a draft White Paper to the Government before we break up for the summer, if possible. I believe it is possible. One objective of the White Paper is to focus on how the Defence Forces can contribute to the innovation agenda in terms of developing new products and technology that...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Missions (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: I agree with the Deputy that Irish troops could be used very effectively in many missions all over the world. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of conflict zones requiring UN peacekeeping efforts right now. We made a judgment call, which I believe was the right judgment call, to stay as part of the UNDOF mission, although the mission came under strain and had to be reconfigured because of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Missions (18 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy seems to suggest our peacekeeping missions should go into areas that are not militarised or complex because that would be an easy job. We are in the Golan Heights as part of the UNDOF mission because it is highly complex, volatile and militarised, and because the two countries have been at war.