Results 6,621-6,640 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: A career in the Defence Forces offers a range of benefits, which includes pay and significant training and education and career developpment opportunities. As the Deputy will be aware Public Service pay policy is determined by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform having regard to Public Sector Pay Agreements. The Department of Defence does not have discretion to award separate pay...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Staff (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: My Department employs both civil servants and civilian employees. Civilian employees are employed to directly support the operational capability of the Defence Forces and work in military installations. As of 31 December 2020, there were 374 civil servants employed in my Department, or 360.18 Whole Time Equivalents (WTE), taking account of those availing of family friendly policies and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Contracts (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: My Department does not employ persons or firms to deal with public relations and therefore does not incur any related or associated costs.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: The attached table shows the strength of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) as at 31st March 2021, the latest date for which such information is available, broken down by rank, service and gender. As at 30th April 2021, 149 personnel have been inducted into the Defence Forces, comprised of: - Male Female Total Army 123 5 ...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Reserve Defence Force (RDF) is comprised of the First Line Reserve (FLR), the Army Reserve (AR) and the Naval Service Reserve (NSR). End of month strength returns are collated at the mid-month point of the following month. The most up to date figures available therefore for the effective strength of the Army Reserve (AR) and Naval Service Reserve (NSR) are, as of 31 March 2021, and the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: Whilst the Defence Forces are not a primary response agency for non-security related emergencies, as defined in the Framework for Major Emergency Management, they provide the fullest possible assistance to the appropriate Lead Department in the event of a natural disaster or emergency situation in its Aid to Civil Authority (ATCA) role. In this regard, the full spectrum of Defence Forces...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 427 and 428 together. I take it that the Deputy is referring to the absence of the concept of “supplementary pensions” from the provisions of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme. The occupational pension scheme terms of post-1 January 2013 new entrants to the public service, including the Permanent Defence Force (PDF), are governed...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Government’s high level plan “Strengthening Our Defence Forces – Phase 1” sets out a range of actions to be undertaken in the short, medium and longer term. The plan is complemented by a range of other HR actions which were already underway. The immediate pay measures set out in the plan i.e. an increase in Military Service Allowance, the reversal of 10% cuts...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: The EU Working Time Directive has been transposed into national legislation by way of the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997. The Defence Forces are currently excluded from the provisions of the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997. The Government, however, has committed to amending this Act and bringing both the Defence Forces and An Garda Síochana within the scope of its...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Expenditure (11 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 as 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...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: As at 30thApril 2021, a total of 149 personnel were inducted into the Permanent Defence Force comprised of 132 General Service recruits, 2 Direct Entry personnel, 14 re-enlisted personnel and 1 re-commissioned officer. The following table contains the requested breakdown of the 132 General Service Recruits: Branch Male Female Total Army ...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: As of 7 April 2021, Ireland is contributing 551 personnel to 10 different missions throughout the world. The main overseas missions in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with 341 personnel and the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in Syria with 128 personnel.Ireland also contributes observers and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: European Defence Agency (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: The European Defence Agency (EDA) was established by a joint action of the Council of the European Union in 2004 (revised on 12thJuly 2011 Council Decision 2011/411/CFSP), "to support the Member States and the Council in their effort to improve the Union’s defence capabilities in the field of crisis management and to sustain the European Security and Defence Policy as it stands now and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (6 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: Applications are only valid for six months primarily due to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regulations on the requirement for a recent photograph. The ICAO is a UN specialised agency which defines in detail the required format for a passport. Where additional documentation has been requested and has not been received within this timeframe, these applications are...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (6 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Passport Service began scaling up to more normal operational levels on 4 May 2021, in line with the phased easing of restrictions set out in “COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021 – The Plan Ahead”. Passport Online will continue to be the priority given the efficiencies that are in-built into the system for both the applicant and the Passport Service. The...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (6 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Government regularly discusses human rights concerns with the Chinese authorities in bilateral meetings and in the appropriate multilateral fora, including rights related to freedom of expression and freedom of religion or belief. In that regard, my Department closely follows reports of the treatment faced by Falun Dafa practitioners by Chinese authorities. These issues are also...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (6 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 87 and 89 together. The Passport Service began scaling up to more normal operational levels on 4 May 2021, in line with the phased easing of restrictions set out in “COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021 – The Plan Ahead”. Passport Online will continue to be the priority given the efficiencies that are in-built into the system for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (6 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Passport Service began scaling up to more normal operational levels on 4 May 2021, in line with the phased easing of restrictions set out in “COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021 – The Plan Ahead”. Passport Online will continue to be the priority given the efficiencies that are in-built into the system for both the applicant and the Passport Service. The...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (5 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 336, 345, 346 and 347 together. The Government views the terrible events of 1915 which saw the deaths of a very large number of the Armenian population in the Ottoman Empire as a tragedy and has expressed sympathy for the enormous suffering of the Armenian people during the period in question. There is no international consensus on whether these events amount...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Communications (5 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: My Department has been copied on some of the correspondence between the Embassies of Georgia and Ukraine and DCU. However, the Department is not otherwise involved in this case. Nevertheless, I would like to take this opportunity to restate Ireland's firm and sustained commitment to academic freedom as a cornerstone of an open and democratic society. The promotion of respect for academic...