Results 2,621-2,640 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (28 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney:  I am fully committed to ensuring that every member of the Defence Forces has the right to undertake their duties in a safe environment underpinned by dignity and equality.  As the Deputy is aware, there was extensive engagement with the Women of Honour Group and other stakeholders, on the establishment of an Independent Review to examine issues relating to...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service (28 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Government has previously acknowledged the recruitment and retention difficulties in the Naval Service which are presenting ongoing challenges.  In response to these challenges, I approved a comprehensive Naval Service Regeneration Plan in 2021 which is being progressed and monitored by a high-level civil/military team.  The aim of the Plan is to address the issues facing the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: European Union (28 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 86 and 92 together. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the most recent Foreign Affairs Council in Defence Ministers' format in Brussels on 17th May of this year. Ireland was, on this occasion, represented by Ireland's PSC Ambassador along with Department of Defence officials. There were two items on the agenda; the implementation of the Strategic...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Policies (28 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: Ireland’s engagement with European defence policy takes place within the framework of the European Union's Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), which sets the EU’s policy in the field of defence and crisis management, including defence cooperation and coordination between Member States.  The Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) provides the EU with the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Common Security and Defence Policy (28 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: PESCO is a mechanism provided for in the Treaty of the European Union to enable participating Member States to come together and, on a project-by-project basis, jointly develop military crisis management capabilities for use in support of the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) operations and missions in support of international peace and security. A total of 60 projects has...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (28 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: I have previously acknowledged the staffing challenges in the Defence Forces, both in specialist and general roles, and a range of measures are being implemented to tackle these. In this regard, I recently launched the new Defence Forces recruitment rebrand ‘Be More with the Irish Defence Forces’. The new marketing strategy aligns the desire to continuously improve and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (28 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Military Authorities have advised that data on the number of transfers to alternative barracks that have been refused is not retained. I have been further advised by the Military Authorities that in general, transfer requests are considered on a case by case basis. An individual member submits an application for transfer from one service corps to another or a posting (within...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (28 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Government’s priority is to ensure that the operational capability of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service is maintained to the greatest extent possible. This is primarily to enable the Defence Forces to carry out their roles assigned by Government, as set out in the White Paper on Defence. In this context, the principal aim over the period of the White Paper is to replace and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (28 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: The report of the Commission on the Defence Forces has made it clear that the level of ambition (LOA) for the Defence Forces must be elevated beyond that at which it is operating at the moment. The report outlines three levels of ambition. LOA 1 is essentially proceeding as we are at present and seeking to move back to a full establishment figure of 9,500. The Commission has...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (28 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: The recent exercise referred to was an Operational Capabilities Concept Self Evaluation undertaken by a Battery from the 1st Brigade Artillery Regiment in Kilworth Camp, Cork. Operational Capability Concept (OCC) is an evaluation and feedback process that provides for external evaluation by trained evaluators of declared military capabilities in accordance with NATO standards. The Defence...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: European Union (28 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Strategic Compass is an exercise intended to provide enhanced political and strategic direction for EU security and defence policy for the next five to ten years. It sets out an analysis of the strategic environment and, in particular, the security and defence challenges faced by the EU, including emerging threats, the increasingly contested multi-polar world and the strategic...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (28 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: I can confirm that the Government remains committed to the advancement of the Reserve Defence Force (RDF). The White Paper on Defence is quite clear that there is a continued requirement to retain, develop and strengthen the Reserve and that requirement will be addressed. I am very cognisant of the fact that the RDF strength level remains lower than the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service (28 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service, is maintained to the greatest extent possible to enable the Defence Forces to carry out their roles as assigned by Government, including overseas deployments. The Department of Defence has received a capital allocation under the national...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (28 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Government remains fully committed to addressing pay and conditions in the Defence Forces in the context of national Public Service Pay Agreements, and where specific issues arise.   It is worth noting in this regard that the recent report of the Commission on the Defence Forces observed that much of the commentary surrounding issues of pay in the Defence Forces...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (28 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces contains many detailed recommendations.  A  process to consider these recommendations in consultation with Ministerial colleagues and other stakeholders has been completed. I intend to return to Government with a response and a high-level action plan in advance of the summer recess.   It would therefore, be...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (28 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 101 and 104 together. I can confirm to the Deputy that the work of the Judge-led Independent Review Group (IRG), established on 25 January last, to examine issues relating to bullying, harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct, as well as workplace culture, in the Defence Forces, is well underway.  In accordance with the Terms of Reference...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (28 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 102 and 113 together. The following table details the number of members of the Permanent Defence Force who have left, by year and Branch, since 2018.  Discharges include personnel who left for a variety of reasons including retirement on age grounds, at end of contract and voluntary discharges. More than 50% who leave the Defence Force do so with...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (28 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 and 105 together. The Commission on the Defence Forces was established on foot of a commitment in the Programme for Government, and I, as Minister for Defence, welcomed the publication of the report of the Commission on 9th February last.  The Commission has undertaken a significant body of work, encompassing wide-ranging terms of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Maritime Jurisdiction (28 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Naval Service is the State's principal sea-going agency tasked with a variety of defence and other roles. The main day-to-day tasking of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with the State's obligations as a member of the European Union, the Naval Service also carries out a number of other non-fishery related tasks. From a Defence Organisation...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Policies (28 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: To date, no formal proposal has been made in relation to the establishment of a European defence force. I should emphasise that defence and security remain a national competence and any decision to deepen EU defence cooperation requires unanimity. There is no provision in EU treaties for the creation of an EU army and no proposal has been set out to change this. Therefore, any such proposal...