Results 26,981-27,000 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Northern Ireland Issues and Implications of Brexit for Good Friday Agreement: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (23 Nov 2017)

Simon Coveney: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Northern Ireland Issues and Implications of Brexit for Good Friday Agreement: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (23 Nov 2017)

Simon Coveney: This is the first that I have heard of this case but I will come back to it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Northern Ireland Issues and Implications of Brexit for Good Friday Agreement: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (23 Nov 2017)

Simon Coveney: We have consistently raised the issue of funding. As this is primarily a matter for the British Government, I do not want to overreach here but for the legacy structures under the Stormont House Agreement to be credible, they obviously have to be properly funded. That has been recognised by the British Government and it is my view that funding will not be an obstacle to the setting up and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Negotiations (28 Nov 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Government is determined to ensure that the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts is fully protected and respected in the context of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, including all elements relating to human rights. Human rights protections form a vital part of the institutional underpinning for the peace settlement founded on the Good Friday Agreement and serve to build and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Issues (28 Nov 2017)

Simon Coveney: North South cooperation brings very tangible benefits to the daily lives of people and, in particular, to those living in the border regions where it contributes to improving economic opportunity and development. It is also a very practical outworking of the peace process which allows for the normalisation of relationships between people across the island, to our mutual benefit. North South...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Appointments to State Boards Data (28 Nov 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 223 and 225 together. There are no State Boards under the aegis of my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (28 Nov 2017)

Simon Coveney: The attack on a convoy of busses transporting evacuees from the besieged towns of Foua and Kefraya in North West Syria last April, which left over 100 people dead, many of them children, was utterly abhorrent and I, once again, condemn it unreservedly. Attacks on civilians in Syria, such as the bombing of this convoy of evacuees, further underline the need for full accountability for these...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Banking Authority (28 Nov 2017)

Simon Coveney: The decision on the relocation of the European Banking Authority was made at the General Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on Monday 20 November. Ireland, along with 7 other Member States presented bids to host the EBA on its relocation from the UK, in the context of Brexit. After three rounds round of voting, Dublin and Paris were tied with 13 votes each. The selection of Paris was made...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Meetings (28 Nov 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 227 and 238 together. I welcomed UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Boris Johnson last week for his first visit to Ireland since being appointed to the position in July 2016. I also routinely meet the Foreign Secretary at meetings of Foreign Ministers in an EU context and internationally. Although the Foreign Secretary does not...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Communications (28 Nov 2017)

Simon Coveney: My Department’s ICT Unit provides a secure Departmental email service. I also use a private email account. In the past, for operational reasons, that private account has also been used for communication on certain matters, such as diary issues, speeches and information updates. However, for some time now the policy has been that I use my Departmental secure account only for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (28 Nov 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy will be aware that I have on many occasions expressed my grave concern at the large-scale arrests of public servants and academics, as well as many others, in the aftermath of the attempted coup in Turkey in July 2016. I am aware of the specific case to which Deputy Crowe refers, and our Embassy in Ankara has been keeping us informed of developments in the case, which is also being...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Bodies Data (28 Nov 2017)

Simon Coveney: There are no bodies under the aegis of my Department so the questions raised by the Deputy do not arise.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Staff (28 Nov 2017)

Simon Coveney: There are currently two Special Advisers employed by my Department; the Special Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ms. Caitríona Fitzpatrick, and the Special Adviser to the Minister of State for European Affairs, Mr. Paul Fox. The Special Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade is on the Principal Officer salary scale. The Special Adviser to the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Citizenship Status (28 Nov 2017)

Simon Coveney: An application for Irish citizenship through Foreign Births Registration (FBR) can be submitted by any person with a grandparent born in any part of Ireland or by any person whose parent received Irish citizenship prior to the birth of the applicant. The number of new entries made in the Foreign Births Register for the years 2014 to 2016, and to date in 2017 are: 2014: 5,743 2015: 5,588 2016:...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications Data (28 Nov 2017)

Simon Coveney: Irish citizens living outside the State may apply for an Irish passport through a number of channels, namely via the network of Irish Embassies, Consulates and Honorary Consuls worldwide, in person at the London Passport Office, through the online renewal system, or in the case of Northern Ireland through the Northern Ireland Passport Express service. The Passport Service does not compile...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications Data (28 Nov 2017)

Simon Coveney: Irish citizens living in Northern Ireland may apply for an Irish passport through the Northern Ireland Passport Express system, the online renewal system or in-person at the Passport Office in the State. Tracking of application numbers is in general carried out against method of application, rather than address of the applicant. The number of passports issued to Irish citizens on foot of an...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Citizenship Status (28 Nov 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Citizens’ Registration facility is administered by the Consular Directorate of my Department in concert with our network of Embassies and Consulates around the world. No registration facility is available within the Common Travel Area (Ireland/Great Britain). There are currently a total of 29,176 citizens registered on the system and this number is made up of a combination of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (28 Nov 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Passport Office offers applicants a number of options for paying passport application fees, depending on which application method is used. For applications made in person at the Dublin or Cork Passport Offices, card payments may be taken only where both the card and the card-holder are present, with payments taken through secure chip & PIN terminals. Other means of payment such as...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Undocumented Irish in the USA (28 Nov 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Government continues to avail of all opportunities to raise immigration reform and the status of the undocumented Irish in the US issue with the US administration and with contacts on Capitol Hill. We do not, however, underestimate the size of the challenge. This policy area has been a deeply divisive issue within the US political system for decades, with pronounced disagreement, even...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Issues (28 Nov 2017)

Simon Coveney: The European Union is a community of shared values, committed to defending democracy, human rights and the rule of law. At both the May and September General Affairs Councils, Ireland along with a large number of other Member States, stressed the importance of the Rule of Law and urged renewed dialogue between Poland and the Commission. I hope that progress can be made through further...