Results 6,401-6,420 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Funding (18 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: An annual grant payment is made each year from the Defence Vote (Vote 36) to the Irish Red Cross Society towards the administrative running costs of its headquarters. In 2021, the grant due to be paid to the Irish Red Cross Society is €975,000. In December 2018, a Government decision provided for an allocation of €85,000 from the Defence Vote to Sail Training...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Funding (18 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: An annual grant payment is made each year from the Defence Vote (Vote36) to the Irish Red Cross Society (IRCS) towards the administrative running costs of its headquarters. Following a Government decision in 2015,  additional once-off funding was provided to the IRCS through the  Defence Vote for an Emergency Humanitarian Support Scheme for...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Funding (18 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: An annual grant payment is made each year from the Defence Vote (Vote 36) to the Irish Red Cross Society (IRCS) towards the administrative running costs of its headquarters. Following a Government decision in 2015,  additional once-off funding was also provided to the IRCS through the  Defence Vote for  the Emergency Humanitarian Support Scheme for...

Seanad: Situation in Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel: Statements (17 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am here this evening to address the current cycle of violence between Israelis and Palestinians. It is the latest tragic chapter in a long, brutal and inhumane conflict that has taken an unspeakable human toll. Let me start by expressing my deep concern at the shocking levels of violence over the past week in Gaza, the West Bank and across Israel. Now is the time for de-escalation,...

Seanad: Situation in Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel: Statements (17 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I thank all Senators for their remarks. I share their condemnation of the civilian deaths over the past week and, in particular, the child casualties. Senators have raised several points that I would like to address but first I must say that it is clear that the more than 2 million people living in the Gaza Strip cannot endure another war. They have suffered far too much for too long...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I will come back to the Deputy in writing. I take her point. I talk to the representative bodies all the time and I will happily talk to them on this issue. Additional information not given on the floor of the House. The scheme of Conciliation and Arbitration, C&A, for members of the Permanent Defence Force provides a formal mechanism for the determination of claims and proposals...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Question Nos. 13, 50 and 276 together. There are many reasons individuals may leave the Defence Forces, ranging from individual personal circumstances to career opportunities, having fulfilled their contract or retirement on age grounds. The Defence Forces offer significant career opportunities and while pay has been highlighted as an issue, there has been significant...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: There is a commission on the future of the Defence Forces which, as part of its remit and terms of reference, will look at pay structures and allowances for the Defence Forces. What we have committed to in the programme for Government is that on the back of what the commission reports to me before the end of the year, I will consult the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: On the ICTU affiliation issue, I must be careful in what I say because there is a legal action potentially under way in relation to that. What we are trying to do is reflect the fact that people who serve in the Defence Forces are, in many ways, part of a unique service. They take an oath to the State and commit to not getting involved in industrial action, so they are in a different...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Properties (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: First, the defence budgets are increasing and have increased again this year on last year. Second, we are investing in the Curragh. I am sure many people would like me to accelerate that further and to spend more but we have invested and are continuing to invest in multiple projects in the Curragh. I will continue to advocate for increased budgets in defence. I think that is justified....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Air Corps (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: No decision has yet been taken to change any aspect of the current delivery model for search and rescue aviation services in Ireland's search and rescue, SAR, domain. There is, as I am sure the Deputy is aware, currently a project ongoing under the remit of the Department of Transport to consider, develop and bring to fruition a new marine search and rescue aviation contract for future...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Air Corps (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am somewhat limited in what I can say because there is a process under way that I do not want to legally undermine. If I made an inappropriate contribution, I could be accused of undermining the process. This contract involves an enormous amount of public money. It is a process that must be fair to everybody, whether the existing operator or others who wish to bid for the service. It is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Air Corps (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I get the Deputy's rationale. My approach as Minister for Defence is always to look at what the Defence Forces can do, whether they can do more and whether I can resource them to do more so that we can use the assets of the State and the skill sets of the Defence Forces in new areas. It is important to note on the record the quality of the SAR service we currently have in place. I have...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: In the first instance, members of the Defence Forces benefit, as does every other public sector worker, from the most recent pay agreement. Everybody’s take-home pay is increasing this year across the public sector. We must first wait for the commission to report at the end of the year. The Government has to then consider these recommendations and no doubt we also will have a debate...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Properties (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy and I am aware that he knows this space very well. The Deputy will be aware that it has been a long-standing policy to discontinue the historic provision of tied housing to Defence Forces' personnel. This policy, introduced in the late 1990s, has been implemented on a gradual basis, sympathetic to the needs of those occupying these former married quarters and, in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Properties (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: That is a very interesting question. The answer is basically "Yes". I have already had a conversation on this with the Minister, Deputy Harris, in the context of the plans that we have around the concept of an international peace and leadership institute as part of the broader Curragh campus, which would be an investment and an expansion in many ways of the Military College and the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 10, 12, 15, 30, 41 and 43 together. The programme for Government committed to establishing an independent commission to undertake a comprehensive review of the Defence Forces and include the following matters: arrangements for the effective defence of the country on land, in the air and at sea; the structure and size of the Defence Forces, encompassing...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: It is important that the commission does not become about pay only. In its terms of reference, it has been asked to examine pay structures and allowances, how they developed and are structured, and whether they are appropriate in terms of international best practice and so on. It will certainly consider pay structures and allowances, how they work within the Defence Forces and whether those...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Military Honours (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I have been involved in a number of debates on this issue and I know the strength of feeling on it in this House and in Seanad Éireann. The Quinlan family have been very strong advocates for full recognition of the contribution that Irish Defence Forces serving personnel made in what were extraordinarily testing and difficult circumstances during the Battle of Jadotville. It is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Military Honours (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I know the strength of feeling here. We have seen a whole series of local authorities around the country pass motions on Jadotville and we have seen schools getting involved in advocacy and doing projects on Jadotville. This is something that has caught the interest of many people across the country. It is a story of heroism, professionalism and extraordinary human endeavour. There are...