Results 19,401-19,420 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Missions (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: In the most recent report on the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, the UN Secretary General stated that the continued presence of UNDOF in the area remains essential. Moreover, Israel and the Syrian Arab Republic have stated their continued commitment to the disengagement of forces agreement and to the presence of UNDOF. UNDOF is implementing its mandate and continues to engage...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Missions (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: We are there to try to bring some calm and international observation to a region that has an extraordinarily difficult conflict to overcome. The idea that removing the UNDOF mission from the stabilising role it is playing in the Golan Heights does not make sense. The area is no longer a flashpoint between Israel and Syria, for the moment anyway. The idea that we would reduce or remove that...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Missions (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: That was not it. Its intention was to ensure that hostilities did not begin again between Syria and Israel, and it has been successful.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Missions (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: This was about recognising and enforcing a disengagement agreement and treaty.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Missions (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: No, it was about enforcing a disengagement agreement. It was a relatively stable mission until some years ago. The success of the mission has been to keep two warring parties apart, and it has worked. What has made it a far more complex mission in recent years has been the civil war in Syria. I am sorry but Deputy Daly's accusations about human shields simply do not stand up given what...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Missions (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: It will not surprise the Deputy to hear that I do not agree with her view. I have been to occupied Golan twice to meet our troops, who have been involved in a highly complex and important mission in recent years. The United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, UNDOF, was a very stable mission until a few years ago. I take my lead from what the United Nations is seeking collectively in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Missions (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: They play a supervisory role.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Naval Service Operations (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: I spoke to my counterpart in Italy at the last Council of Ministers meeting, which was before Christmas - in December, I believe, although I stand to be corrected. I asked her very directly about this. We made a decision after the rotation of LE Samuel Beckettthat we would take a break, assess the effectiveness of the mission and determine how we could improve. That was the prudent...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Naval Service Operations (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: It is important to put this into context. Various Deputies have raised these issues, and they are right to raise them. There are much bigger political decisions that need to be made in order to find medium- and long-term solutions to mass migration from north Africa and the Middle East towards what migrants perceive to be the safety of the European Union. That is understandable considering...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Army Barracks Closures (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: It is necessary to read the facts into the record again. On 1 July 2003, the then Government decided that the former Magee Barracks in Kildare town would be among the State lands released to Kildare County Council for inclusion in the Sustaining Progress affordable housing initiative. On foot of this Government decision, Kildare County Council prepared a local area plan for the site that...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Army Barracks Closures (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The council decided, for understandable reasons, that it could not afford to take on that project.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Army Barracks Closures (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: Kildare County Council has agreed a local area plan for the site. We will put it out to tender and invite developers to develop the plan for the 50 acres.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Army Barracks Closures (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: No one has come to me looking for ten acres.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Naval Service Operations (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The answer is "Yes." If I am the Minister for Defence in a few weeks' time after the election, I intend to put it to the Government that we should send a vessel to the Mediterranean for another rotation. The vessels were on eight or nine-week rotations last year. To be honest, when we decided last May to send a ship, it raised many eyebrows. People wondered whether we had the capacity to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Army Barracks Closures (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: With respect, the Deputy is rewriting history. We went way beyond the offer of ten acres. We offered the entire site to Kildare County Council free of charge to do with it whatever it wished for the community as well as a housing project. I would ask the Deputy who is looking for ten acres in terms of taking ownership, paying for the running of it and ensuring the development of a proper...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Army Barracks Closures (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: I also welcome our guests from Enniskillen. We are delighted to have them here. Hopefully, they will be part of the Irish political system in the not too distant future, and certainly in their lifetimes. I am aware of the Deputy's interest in this issue. Given the times we are living in, I understand why he is seeking an update, so I will outline my understanding of what is happening....

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Flood Relief Schemes Funding (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Government approved the allocation of €5m to be distributed as emergency humanitarian support to small businesses and community, sporting and voluntary bodies which through no fault of their own have been unable to secure flood insurance and have been flooded recently. The scheme, which is being administered by the Irish Red Cross Society, provides a once-off ex gratiacontribution...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: As I have already indicated to the House, the choice of medication for overseas deployment, including the use of Lariam, is a medical decision made by Medical Officers in the Irish Defence Forces, having regard to the specific circumstances of the mission and the individual member of the Irish Defence Forces. Significant precautions are taken by Irish Defence Forces Medical Officers in...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Equipment (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: I have recently been informed that a Horizon 2020 bid which involves the Defence Forces as a consortium member has recently been successful. The scope of the project is to develop mobile, remotely-controlled technologies to enable an improved identification and detection of Chemical Biological Radioactive Nuclear (CBRN) materials and collection of forensic evidence in a variety of situation...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Strength (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Government is committed to maintaining the stabilised strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel, comprising of 7,520 Army, 886 Air Corps and 1,094 Naval Service as stated in the 2015 White Paper on Defence. I am advised by the Military Authorities that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force, at 31 December 2015, the latest date for which details are available, was...