Results 7,641-7,660 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 46, 50, 73, 78 and 83 together. As outlined already in my earlier response on the commission, the position is that establishment of an independent commission on the Defence Forces is an important commitment made in the programme for Government. The programme for Government states that the commission will be tasked with undertaking a comprehensive...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Funding (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: I am aware the Irish Red Cross has been particularly active in west Cork, especially in response to flooding incidents and supporting businesses in the aftermath. The Irish Red Cross is an independent charitable body with full power to manage and administer its affairs. It has approximately 3,200 members based in 86 branches spread throughout the country. My Department makes an annual...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Funding (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: Regarding the securing of land locally, I am not familiar with the individual case, but I suggest that a conversation with Cork County Council might be helpful. An extra €10 million was allocated in the budget for this community stability fund, if one can call it that. The fund provided €200,000 to the Irish Red Cross so far this year, so I would be hopeful that the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Funding (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: Yes.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Funding (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: If I were to decide where almost €1 million goes on the basis of branches in individual parts of the country, I have no doubt that I would try to prioritise parts of Cork, but that would not be appropriate. We provide a funding package to the Irish Red Cross. Some of that funds its affiliation to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which is €130,000 each year. The...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Search and Rescue Service Provision (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: I just do not get what the obsession with the UK is here, as if we cannot have a bidder from the UK. The current search and rescue contract is primarily with a UK company and it has done an extraordinary job. Yes, it is very expensive for the State, but we have saved many lives as a result of it. This is primarily the responsibility of the Department of Transport. The steering committee to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Strength (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: Like the Deputy, I recognise the role the Defence Forces have played at very difficult moments in our history when tension in Border counties was much more significant than it is today. It is important to state that the operational structures of the Defence Forces are predominantly a military matter for the Chief of Staff. As I stated in response to the previous question, Deputies will see...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: Question Time would not be the same without a question from Deputy Durkan. I propose to take Questions Nos. 43, 67 and 445 together. I am not sure who tabled the last of those questions. Similar to the situation in other sectors of the public service, the pay of Permanent Defence Force personnel was reduced as one of the measures to assist in stabilising national finances during the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: If the Deputy sends me the details in that regard, I will liaise with the Department of Finance and see if we can get a decent answer on the matter. If we are missing something, we will certainly try to address it. On the issue of allowances and tax, we managed quietly to get an agreement that Defence Forces personnel who were due to go on a rotation overseas and would have to quarantine...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Strength (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 42, 47, 48 and 71 together. The establishment of the Permanent Defence Force, as set out in the White Paper for defence, is 9,500 personnel, comprising 7,520 Army personnel, 886 Air Corps personnel and 1,094 Naval Service personnel. The military authorities have advised that at 30 September 2020, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force was 8,529...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Strength (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: The history of this is that when the private sector grows rapidly, it often puts pressure on certain elements of public sector employment, particularly in areas where the training and the quality of the personnel are as high as they are in the Defence Forces. The truth is that a lot of people in the Defence Forces were head-hunted by the private sector. For example, in Cork, many members of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: I want to do what is right for the Defence Forces. At the moment I am most convinced by the argument for setting up a specific body concerned with Defence Forces pay and conditions. Serving in the Defence Forces is a unique type of national service. In my view a specific body is needed to look at that unique service and how it is rewarded. As I say, I do not have a closed mind on any of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: European Defence Capabilities (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for asking this question. I am glad to have the opportunity to put a statement on the record on this matter. The European peace facility, EPF, which was first proposed in 2018 by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, is designed to provide the EU with an off-budget financing mechanism of up to €5...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: European Defence Capabilities (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: I am very familiar with the concerns the Deputy has just outlined. That is why this deal has not yet been done. It is still under negotiation. I want to reassure the Deputy that in working to finalise an initiative that we can support, Ireland aims to ensure that countries like ours, which do not want to fund the provision of weapons or arms, are not asked to do so. I wish to reassure the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: European Defence Capabilities (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: The security of countries is not free. In response to a previous question, we talked about what it costs to fund efficient Defence Forces. It is expensive. I would contend that we need to increase funding in many areas and that is what we are doing under the White Paper. The EPF is about creating a more efficient mechanism to fund EU activities in other parts of the world where we are...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Search and Rescue Service Provision (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: With respect Deputy, we are not going to be the ones assessing those who tender for this contract. A group of experts will do that. They will ensure that the service provision we need from this contract is as comprehensively met as possible. That will be the tender that wins this. I would like to see some form of carve-out with the overall provision of this service that can allow the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: Under the Defence Acts 1954-2015, the Permanent Defence Force representative associations are prohibited from being associated with or affiliated with any trade unions or any other body without the consent of the Minister. To compensate for these limitations, there are a range of statutory redress mechanisms available to serving members of the Permanent Defence Force, including redress...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: It is important when we take questions in Parliament to deal with facts. If one looks at what has happened over the past 12 months with the Air Corps, we have seen significant increases in the numbers of pilots. We did have a significant shortage. A scheme was introduced to retain pilots and it has worked. We have seen people rejoining the Air Corps which has been a huge assistance in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: Is Deputy Bríd Smith advocating for increased defence spending? Is that what she is calling for? I think Tom Clonan would certainly like to see us do that.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: Any increases in pay have to be in the context of public sector pay negotiations. The Deputy knows that.