Results 6,421-6,440 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

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

Simon Coveney: I hope Members will accept the sincerity of my motivation here. We have set up a review process involving people who are taking it extraordinarily seriously. I have been assured that this process will be very robust. It will take into account an extraordinary volume of archival and historical material and will make recommendations on the back of all of that, in consultation with the...

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

Simon Coveney: The Deputy has made some very fair points. That is why I am anxious to conclude this issue, to have the report finalised and published and to stay in close contact with the representative bodies throughout that process. However, the Deputy will also know that I do not make all the calls on pensions. In fact, I do not make very many of them at all, even for the Defence Forces in my capacity...

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

Simon Coveney: I can understand why the Deputy wants to put his points on the record. If one speaks to officers who have joined after a certain time, it is a big issue for them in terms of planning their careers, particularly the latter parts of their careers as leaders and officers within the Defence forces. That is one of the reasons we are having a review in this area. As I have said, however, we are...

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

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 16 together. The issue of awarding of military medals for gallantry and distinguished service medals to personnel who served at Jadotville in September 1961 has been considered on a number of occasions over the years and a number of actions have taken place to give due recognition to the courage and bravery of all the members of "A" Company, 35th...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: European Defence Capabilities (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy continues to raise these issues and I hope I continue to provide reassurance. As somebody who is very much involved in foreign policy and defence policy, let me reassure him that Ireland is not in the space of being part of a more militarised EU. We are in the space of co-operating with other EU countries when we can be a force for good in different parts of the world. That is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: European Defence Capabilities (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I ask the Deputy to read a little bit about what is happening in Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique, where there have been terrorist attacks and people have been killed. It is important that the EU supports Mozambique to ensure that terrorist forces do not destabilise parts of the country and that we can protect civilians and a democratic system. There are no plans for Ireland to be...

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

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy will be aware, the report to the Public Service Pay Commission on recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces was published on 4 July 2019. The report was accepted in full by the Government at the time. To facilitate implementation, a high-level plan entitled Strengthening our Defence Forces – Phase One was also agreed and published on the same date. The...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: European Defence Capabilities (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for the question. The strategic dialogue phase of what is called the strategic compass is ongoing, with thematic discussions taking place in different fora focusing on specific topics within the four clusters of the compass, which is essentially the debate on the future of defence matters in the European Union. These clusters are crisis management, resilience, capability...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: European Defence Capabilities (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy stated "given the current state of our military" and mentioned numbers and morale. If he asked people in the military forces if they want to be involved in collective crisis management with other EU countries, the vast majority of them would say "Yes". People join the Defence Forces because they want to act. They want to use their skill sets to save lives as peacekeepers and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: European Defence Capabilities (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I take that point but the Irish Defence Forces are really good at what they do. I am very proud of them. It is why we are constantly exploring how the Defence Forces can contribute more to international affairs through peace building, peacemaking, peace interventions and so on. I reassure the House that we are not part of a creeping militarisation policy in the European Union. We have...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: European Defence Capabilities (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I want to be very clear that no discussions have taken place regarding the further militarisation of the EU or the creation of an European army. Defence and security remains a national competence, with any decision to deepen EU defence co-operation requiring 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. Any...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I do not accept the assertion in the question that the reviews of service limits for enlisted personnel, which have taken place since 1994, have impacted negatively on retention in the Defence Forces. In fact, the outcome from the reviews has enabled such personnel to stay in service longer than originally envisaged. Military life places unique demands on individuals and it is necessary that...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: There is a very detailed written response to this and I do not have time to read all of it. I believe it answers many of the questions the Deputy has raised. In 2019, for example, a further agreement was reached with PDFORRA whereby all privates and corporals recruited after 1994 would be allowed to continue in service until 31 December 2022, or until they reached the age of 50, provided...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: We must also make sure that people in the Defence Forces are capable of doing the job we ask them to do in the context of fitness and physical health.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy is linking a number of issues that are not necessarily connected, with respect. There is an ongoing review on retirement age in the Defence Forces for officers and enlisted personnel. It is under way. We continue to discuss with representative bodies what is appropriate in trying to ensure we maintain and protect capability within the Defence Forces while at the same time trying...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (13 May 2021)

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. 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. Equipment priorities for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service are being considered in...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 17 together. The military authorities have advised that, as at 31st March 2021, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force, was 8,524 personnel. The Government remains committed to returning to, and maintaining the agreed strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel as set out in the White Paper on Defence (2015). There are a number...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Naval Service is the State's principal sea-going agency tasked with a variety of defence and other roles. While the main day to day role 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, it also carries out a number of other non-fishery related tasks such as search and rescue, diving operations,...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: A review of technical pay in the Defence Forces was provided for in the Public Service Agreement 2010 - 2014 (Croke Park Agreement). The purpose of the review, in the context of the agreement, was to rationalise existing technical pay arrangements and consider if the requirements could be met in a more cost effective manner. A review of Technical Pay Group 1 was conducted in 2014 and came...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (13 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: The military authorities have advised that the whole time equivalent strength of the Permanent Defence Force, across all services and ranks, as at 31st March 202, was 8,524 personnel comprised of 6,885 - Army; 739 - Air Corps; 900 - Naval Service. I am aware that there continues to be a shortfall between the overall current strength figures and that of the establishment. I remain committed to...