Results 26,381-26,400 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Defence: NATO Membership (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I have not had direct talks with NATO Members in relation to the developing situation in Ukraine. However, during the recent Informal Defence Ministerial in Milan, Ministers for Defence were briefed on the developing situation in Ukraine. During that meeting Ministers, which included Ministers from NATO member countries, exchanged views on the crisis in Ukraine. It should be noted that...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Pension Provisions (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: The person concerned, a former civilian employee of this Department, retired on grounds of ill-health from his position in April 1986. He was awarded a gratuity and an annual pension on retirement, under the terms of the non-contributory pension scheme for non-established State employees. The person in question received on his retirement all of his entitlements under that pension scheme. Over...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Equipment (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 116, 117 and 120 together. The White Paper on Defence, published in February 2000, commits the Government to sustaining the overall level of Ireland's contribution to peacekeeping, while developing a more selective approach to future requests from the United Nations having regard to the number, size, nature and complexity of its current peacekeeping...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Properties (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: My Department has been engaged on an ongoing programme of barrack consolidation since 1998. This programme has brought to fourteen the number of barracks closed during that time. To date ten of these barracks - Clancy (Dublin), Castleblaney, Ballincollig, Fermoy, Naas, Monaghan, Cavan, Castlebar, Clonmel and a large portion of Longford - have been sold. In relation to the remaining...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Properties (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: Presently, there are forty three overholders occupying military accommodation at various locations around the country. Of these, twenty three of the properties are occupied by former Defence Forces personnel. Eighteen of the overall number of properties being overheld are located outside barracks and these have been offered for sale to the present occupiers. The bulk of the remainder...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Equipment (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I am satisfied that the level of resources available to the Defence Forces, including training resources and equipment enables them to carry out their roles, both at home and overseas. The main overseas missions in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in Syria....

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: The unsatisfactory age and fitness profile of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) was an issue of serious concern during the 1990’s and was the subject of severe criticism by a series of external reports, mainly Price Waterhouse Consultants and the Efficiency Audit Group (EAG). One of the key areas identified for urgent action by the EAG was the development of a manpower policy with an...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Recruitment (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: The Government is committed to maintaining the stabilised strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel, comprising of 7,520 Army, 886 Air Corps and 1,094 Naval Service. I am advised by the Military Authorities that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force, at 31 July 2014, the latest date for which details are available, was 9,019, comprising, 7,270 Army, 755 Air Corps and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: The strength of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) at 31 July 2014, the latest date for which figures are available, was 9,019, broken down into 7,270 Army, 755 Air Corps and 994 Naval Service. 554 (or 6.14%) are women. The following tables contain the above mentioned strength, broken down into Army, Naval Service and Air Corps by gender and rank groupings. The Government is committed to a...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Equipment (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: The Irish Coast Guard has primary responsibility for the provision of search and rescue services within the Irish search and rescue region. A Service Level Agreement is in place with the Irish Coast Guard which sets out, inter alia, the search and rescue support that the Air Corps and Naval Service can provide to the Coast Guard. The provision of onshore assistance by Air Corps helicopters...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Records (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: Military archivists are assigned to Military Archives which has the role of acquiring, preserving and making available to the public, the documentary heritage of the Defence Forces and the Department of Defence. The Military Archives also provides advice and other services to the Defence Organisation, assisting in the administration and management of its records. From as early as 1924, the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Records (18 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: The Military Archives is the place of deposit for the archives of the Department of Defence, the Defence Forces and the Army Pensions Board under the terms of the National Archives Act 1986. The total cost for the storage of Departmental records and archives that are ultimately intended to be forwarded to the Military Archives is set out in the following table:- Costs 2012 2013...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Trade Relations (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 434, 482, 486, 511 and 515 together. The value in € million of Ireland’s trade in agricultural products with Russia since 2008 is set out in the following table. Year 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Exports 70 42 120 154 176 235 Imports 8.7 4.1 4.3 1.7 7.0 12.6 The main products exported to Russia in 2013 were tea...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Properties (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: The extent of my Department’s legal authority in respect of the property in question is not clear from the records currently available. My Department is investigating all aspects of this matter including, but not limited to, current usage of all parts of the property. This investigation involves consultation with other Government Departments and the Local Authority. My Department is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Agencies Funding (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: Teagasc is funded from annual exchequer grant in aid allocations and own generated income. Grant in aid is utilised for pay and pension costs, non-pay current expenditure, provision of training and education programmes and capital investment in buildings and equipment. The following table profiles grant aid allocations over the past 4 budgets. Year €m 2011 132.156 2012...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: The data requested by the deputy are set out in the following table for 2013. - No of Cases Paid Average Payment Waterford 2,377 €16,090.57 Nationally 123,165 €9,712.83

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: The person named was approved for participation in the Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS 3) with effect from 1 stMay 2013. Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue. These checks have been...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agricultural Colleges Courses (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 439 and 454 together. Under the Agricultural (Research, Training and Advice) Act, 1988, Teagasc has statutory responsibility for the delivery of education and training programmes to the agriculture sector. The configuration of the new Single Farm Payment Scheme to prioritise support for young farmers has resulted in a temporary additional demand for Teagasc...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: Under the Control of Horses , Act 1996 the Oireachtas has given Local Authorities extensive powers, including powers for the enactment of bye-laws for the control and welfare of horses in the local authorities’ functional area and, by extension, protection of persons and property. My Department provides financial support to local authorities to assist their work in implementing the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: TB Eradication Scheme (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: Ireland’s TB Eradication Programme has for many years incorporated the results of broad-based scientific research on all aspects of the disease including, but not limited to, the role of badgers. In particular, my Department has and continues to sponsor relevant research by the Centre for Veterinary Epidemiology and Risk Analysis (CVERA) based within the University College Dublin...