Results 1,841-1,860 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: Deputy Clarke asked about reskilling promotions and so on in the Defence Forces. So far this year, there have been 419 promotions across all ranks in the Defence Forces. That is a higher number than for all of last year, for example, when it was 376. However, having said that the figure was 660 across all ranks in 2020. I just want to provide a sense that there are promotions and people...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: Let me give the Deputy the official position on the working time directive. We are making progress on this and it will be concluded pretty soon. The EU working time directive was transposed into national legislation by way of the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997. The Defence Forces are excluded from the provisions of that Act. The Government is committed to amending this Act and...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: It is new money coming from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform; it is not from the defence Vote.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: On the last question, we have somebody who has agreed to do it. She is really good. We trust her. I believe she will be independent and very competent. I have not yet informed the Cabinet of her name, so I need to do it on Tuesday. I reassure the members of the committee and anybody listening who is interested in defence issues that the reason it has taken some time to get an independent...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: I do not necessarily want to predict an outcome to any discussions, but we need to have an ongoing conversation with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on the appropriate age up to which people should be allowed to continue to serve in the Defence Forces. The way that training works now, fitness levels can be held for longer. I am open to exploring whether we can look at age...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: At the moment?

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: I apologise. Is the Acting Chair asking about post 1994 or more generally?

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: The only category that we are left effectively with unresolved issues is the sergeants. The other post-1994 contracts were effectively resolved about a year ago.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: However, there was this sergeants issue that was unresolved that impacted on a relatively small but hugely influential number of people within the Defence Forces and important, as I said, linchpins in terms of the system. It has taken us longer than I had hoped to get those issues resolved, but they are resolved now.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: I apologise. We are just swapping out some experts from Department of Defence and bringing in those from the Department of Foreign Affairs. This is a substantial Estimate change, but it is all for the right reasons, as I hope the committee will agree. I will just outline the position and we can then go through whatever questions or comments members may have. With the committee's...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: It is shocking. I felt that because there is a surplus this year, I should make a case to try to use some of that money to keep people who find themselves in pretty horrific circumstances alive. It was subsequently announced on budget day that additional funding of €30 million, which was agreed over a relatively short period, would be allocated to Vote 27 for this purpose. This will...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: As I said earlier, the international contributions to the Horn of Africa are not enough. It is anticipated they could be up to 50% short of what is needed. The €30 million, however, is effectively an extra contribution on top of the €70 million we have already committed this year and another €50 million in new money to which we have committed over the next three years,...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: Looking at passport services in other countries, in other parts of the world, the idea that one applies for a passport renewal and gets it back within 48 hours, which is the case in about 75% of all applications here, is something many other countries could only dream of delivering. Yes, we have issues every now and again, and sometimes there are complex cases that need to be resolved and...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: The expanding diplomatic footprint is part of the Global Ireland strategy. Not a lot of people realise it but since the launch of Global Ireland, 17 new missions have been opened, including embassies in Wellington; Bogotá; Oman; Monrovia; Santiago; Kyiv; Rabat; and Manila, and consulates general in: Cardiff; Frankfurt; Los Angeles; Lyon; Manchester; Miami; Mumbai; Toronto; and...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: On Iran, if the Deputy wants me to-----

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: I will come to the other question.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: Yes. As far as I know, we have. If the Deputy has any information on any areas where we have not done, I would like to hear about it. Not only have we fulfilled our pledges but we have pledged another €80 million in the last couple of months. There is some €30 million to be spent before the end of this year, effectively before Christmas, and then there is another €50...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: We can only speak for ourselves. Every country needs to make its own decisions but the facts on the ground speak for themselves in the Horn of Africa. Funds are desperately needed and I hope they will come.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: Perhaps I did not explain it well. I ask Mr. Conlon to correct me if I am wrong, but the UN system works on three-year budgetary cycles and there is not an even allocation for each year. The UN chooses when to draw down certain amounts of money from different countries and it spikes up and down over that three-year period. We just happen to be in a year when a high payment is required....

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: That is the case. That is why we rely on Supplementary Estimates. We find it difficult to predict what the UN will ask for. We are told to come back when we know the amount we need and that will be dealt with through a Supplementary Estimate. We agreed that last year. There is follow-through this year on what was agreed in the budget before the most recent one.