Results 3,081-3,100 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: My understanding is that the ESB will not be sourcing coal from that particular mine but I can provide more detail on that to the Deputy.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: We had the unusual situation today where a lot of the questions revolved around the one issue. We probably could have grouped 20 questions on the commission report and had a discussion on nothing else. That is because of the scale of the recommendations in it and how relevant they are at the moment. By the time we have the next round of questions, I suspect that questions will be put on...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputies for their very informed comments on this. One reason why I wanted to be back in the Defence brief was because we had committed to a commission that I expected would make some very telling interventions on the considerations around defence that are necessary and can not be avoided any longer. We have fantastic Defence Forces. They do a brilliant job as peacekeepers and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: Therefore we will still be an outlier but at least we will be in a more credible position.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: Do I not get longer when I have three people asking me questions?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: Yes but it is a bit strange when I am replying to, I think, four questions here.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: It is five questions that I am answering.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: The commission went into quite a lot of detail about what moving to level of ambition No. 2 means. It also goes into a lot of detail about what it would cost. That gives us a good basis for putting an action plan in place. But this is not a question about me being aggressive at the Cabinet table but about working with colleagues. I have already spoken to the three party leaders about this...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I am very careful not to get involved in the work of this independent body. It is led by a judge. She is a very able person who has the support of two other very able people. I simply wanted to get an update on how its work was going to make sure it remained on schedule and whether it needed any further resources for the work it is doing. That is the update I got. I will certainly not be...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: The updates I have got to date have been largely procedural relating to how the group is going about its work, including who it is reaching out to, resourcing, accommodation and things like that, to make sure a proper support structure is in place around the work this independent group of people is doing. I committed to, and wanted to have, an interim report because I wanted there to be an...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 12, 27, 41 and 48 together. The answer to that is next month. The initial commitment was to do so before the summer recess. I then said we would like to do it in June so there will be an opportunity to debate it before we break up for the summer recess. This is arguably the most important reform and change to the Defence Forces since the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: We must first get up to the existing establishment number, which is 9,500. We are approximately 1,100 below that figure. I gave the figures earlier that we are short of in the navy, the Air Corps, which it is hoped will become the air force in a few months’ time, and the Army. We need to get back up to the establishment figure of 9,500. It is pretty self-evident where we are short...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: There are increases in the Air Corps and in the Army also. There will be increased civilization within the Defence Forces, as there has been quite successfully in An Garda Síochána, for example,.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: We have had much discussion with the Defence Forces around civilianisation, because we can recruit more quickly if people do not have to go through military training procedures and so on. We need to be careful with that because the Defence Forces operate on the basis of structure, discipline, common standards and so on. We need to ensure that if we introduce civilians into the Defence...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9, 11 and 32 together. I thank the Deputy for asking this question and I know she has spoken regularly about this topic. As the Deputies are aware, following the Government decision on 25 January last, I announced the establishment of a judge-led independent review to examine issues relating to bullying, harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: Vote 36, defence, was allocated a gross funding provision of some €836 million for 2022. This allocation provides for the pay and allowances of more than 10,400 public service employees, the upgrade and replacement of essential military equipment and infrastructure, ongoing Defence Forces operational and standing costs, as well as funding in respect of Civil Defence and the Irish Red...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: To be clear, we have no intention of giving money back at the end of this year. That is the reason we have an arrangement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. We have a budget and Estimate for 9,500 personnel and when currently have money than we need to cover pay and conditions because we are just over 1,100 people short of where we should be. However, the Department of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: We have a whole suite of proposals coming down the track on that. Three chapters in the commission's report relate to how we treat people in the Defence Forces; how we manage them; transparency around promotions; complaints procedures and how they function; the cultural change that is needed; and the fact that many women in the Defence Forces do not feel safe and welcome, which must and will...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 20 together. As I have just outlined to Deputies Brady and Berry, the Permanent Defence Force is currently under strength by just over 1,000 personnel. 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. ...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: This is one of many issues on which we will have to work with the representative bodies. The scale of the reform, change, growth, expansion and investment that will have to be delivered in partnership between the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces will involve a great deal of disruption and change, all of it for the better. This is not about change that is downsizing for cost...