Results 25,081-25,100 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments (4 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: The person named was approved for participation in the 2012 Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS 3) with effect from 1stMay 2013 and has received 75% payment in respect of the 2013 Scheme year. The person named was selected for a ground inspection which took place on 29thApril 2014. During this inspection, areas of non-compliance with the Terms and Condition of the Scheme were noted in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Applications (4 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted a 2014 Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas’ scheme application on 7 April 2014. 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. The EU Regulations also require that where it...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports (4 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: Under the rules governing the free movement of goods and services within the EU, all Irish beef producers have ready, unimpeded and equal access to all EU Member State markets without restriction.  Articles 34 to 36 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union prohibit Member States from maintaining or imposing barriers on intra-EU trade in goods. These provisions give rise to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports (4 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: There are currently two applications for dedicated vessels (received in June and July respectively, of this year) being processed by my Department for the carriage of livestock from Irish ports. Both vessels have been inspected by an Independent Marine Surveyor and a Department Veterinary Inspector and detailed reports have issued to the owner/applicants detailing certain modifications...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (4 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: Ireland has participated in the NATO–led UN mandated International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission in Afghanistan since 5 July 2002. Seven members of the Permanent Defence Force are currently serving in the mission headquarters in Kabul. The ISAF mission is due to conclude and withdraw from Afghanistan on 31 December 2014, whereupon the Afghan National Security Forces will...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Reorganisation (4 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: The preparation of a new White Paper on Defence is one of my key priorities and I am determined to ensure that the new White Paper fully addresses the defence response to future security challenges in a comprehensive way. I anticipate receipt of an initial draft of the White Paper by the end of this year. The final draft of the White Paper will be fully considered by Government in due course....

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Review (4 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: In its recently published third report, the Independent Monitoring Group (IMG) has recommended that the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces review the opportunities available to Enlisted Personnel to become Officers. Progressing this recommendation will necessarily involve a review of the terms and conditions that have applied when providing opportunities to Enlisted Personnel to...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Retirement Scheme (4 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos .108 and 109 together. As I have outlined previously to the House, a claim has been received from the Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association (PDFORRA) in relation to this matter and it is being dealt with under the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme for members of the Permanent Defence Force. Discussions have been taking place with...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Operations (4 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: Primary responsibility for the maintenance of law and order , including the protection of the internal security of the State , rests with An Garda Síochána. However, one of the roles assigned to the Defence Forces in the White Paper on Defence (2000) is to provide Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP) which, in practice , means to assist An Garda Síochána when requested to do...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel (4 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: The issue of promotion of Special Services Officershas been raised by the Representative Association for Commissioned Officers (RACO) at Conciliation Council. In accordance with normal procedures the Association’s claim is being dealt with under the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme for members of the Permanent Defence Force. As discussions under the Scheme are confidential to the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel (4 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: The issue of the promotion of certain Officers of the 9th Potential Officers Course, in the rank of Captain, has been raised by the Representative Association for Commissioned Officers (RACO) at Conciliation Council. In accordance with normal procedures the Association’s claim is being dealt with under the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme for members of the Permanent Defence Force....

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Supplementary)
Vote 36 - Defence (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: There are a number of matters. First, I am glad to hear I am not the only one who is a big fan of the Army Equitation School. I have visited it, walked through it and spent some time there talking to the riders. I consider it to be a valuable addition to the Irish Defence Forces that will not be undermined and hopefully will be enhanced significantly during my time in office. Clearly,...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Supplementary)
Vote 36 - Defence (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: As new ships come in old ships go out. We have a policy around an eight ship Naval Service and that is the policy for the foreseeable future. When the next Naval Service ship,LE James Joyce, arrives in a couple of months time, the LE Aoifewill be decommissioned and sold. Some 12 months after that, the next ship will arrive so that we will have the LE Samuel Beckett, LE James Joyceand the...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Supplementary)
Vote 36 - Defence (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: The LE Aoifewill be decommissioned next and theLE Aisling will follow.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Supplementary)
Vote 36 - Defence (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: The main specifications of the new offshore patrol vessels as they are know, is that they can accommodate a crew of 54 personnel, 44 ships company and ten trainees. It is capable of operations for 21 days or three weeks. It will provide strong operational capability for up to 40 years service. The current fleet has a recommendation of about 30 years. TheLE Aoifewas commissioned in 1979...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Supplementary)
Vote 36 - Defence (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: Let me say it might put a bit of manners on members and they might start to appreciate what the Naval Service does for this country. The new vessels have a longer deck area which would accommodate remotely operated submersibles and decompression chambers for divers. This is to facilitate more effective search and rescue missions, black box retrieval and a close review of the ocean...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Supplementary)
Vote 36 - Defence (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: I do not have an exact cost but two ships have had historical issues in terms of asbestos usage on the ships. That needs to be addressed and is being addressed. A third ship is undergoing survey work. My understanding is that by the end of the first quarter of next year, that issue will be fully resolved. This will be met within existing maintenance budgets. This is unfortunately time...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Supplementary)
Vote 36 - Defence (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: On the direct question on why we are making the savings, we are making them because there are fewer people employed here. The number has deceased from 536 in 2013 to 511 in 2014. That is the straight answer. In terms of why we are contracting GP practices, that is mainly for medical assessment. A good deal of medical assessment takes place in the Defence Forces in terms of new recruits,...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Supplementary)
Vote 36 - Defence (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: Such as?

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Supplementary)
Vote 36 - Defence (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: I understand there is an ongoing review in terms of health provision. GPs would be in for about an hour in the morning to do medical assessments. It is not a full-time contract. They come in and out as they are needed. The other doctors or medical personnel who are permanently employed as Defence Forces doctors are there to do some of the work I outlined. I have a reasonable...