Results 27,341-27,360 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Contracts Data (23 Jan 2018)

Simon Coveney: No contracts have been awarded by my Department to the company referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (23 Jan 2018)

Simon Coveney: While this would be for the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade to confirm, it appears to be the case that no member of the Joint Committee in October 2013 travelled to Azerbaijan to observe the elections there. I do understand that an Oireachtas member representing Ireland on the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) was part of a monitoring mission organized by...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Bodies Data (23 Jan 2018)

Simon Coveney: There are no State agencies, boards or other similar types of bodies under the aegis of my Department and none have been established, disbanded, amalgamated nor have had their functions subsumed back into my Department since 2011.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Personal Injury Claims (23 Jan 2018)

Simon Coveney: There are no agencies under the aegis of my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (23 Jan 2018)

Simon Coveney: I am aware of the situation of the Mapuche community in Argentina, and the historic and continued challenges faced by indigenous populations in parts of Latin America. I condemn unreservedly, as I have done on previous occasions, any intimidation, violence, or discrimination perpetrated against indigenous peoples and those seeking to defend their rights, whether in Argentina or elsewhere. I...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Negotiations (24 Jan 2018)

Simon Coveney: Based on the additional Guidelines on the Article 50 negotiations adopted by the European Council on 15 December 2017, work during phase 2 of the negotiations will focus on three distinct areas: completing work on the withdrawal issues and on drafting the Withdrawal Agreement; transitional arrangements and; preparatory work for discussions on the future EU-UK relationship.Ireland has clear...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Staff (24 Jan 2018)

Simon Coveney: Managing our response to Brexit has impacted on the work of many staff at Headquarters and a significant number of those overseas. It is important to emphasise that our approach has not been merely to recruit or assign additional staff, but rather also to prioritise Brexit in the work of the entire Department. There is no State Agency under the aegis of my Department.Additional staff have...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Cases (24 Jan 2018)

Simon Coveney: This case is a cause for concern, in particular as the individual appears to have been sentenced on the basis of his religious beliefs.Ireland strongly condemns all forms of persecution on the basis of religion or belief, and attaches great importance to combating all forms of discrimination based on religion or belief and incitement to religious hatred. Ireland consistently raises the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Negotiations (24 Jan 2018)

Simon Coveney: The situation with regard to the Brexit negotiations has evolved significantly since the publication of the Government’s comprehensive approach last May and the Government’s preparations have adjusted accordingly. Contingency planning at both a domestic and an EU level is focused on three areas: preparing for a no-deal scenario or so-called “disorderly Brexit”;...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (24 Jan 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Government does not support a policy of “Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions”, or BDS, in relation to Israel. I firmly believe that such an approach is counter-productive, and that it will not help to increase ordinary Israelis' understanding of the sound basis for international concern about the impact of occupation.In relation to the decision taken by Israel to exclude members...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Council Meetings (24 Jan 2018)

Simon Coveney: I attended the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting on Monday 22 January. At this meeting EU Foreign Ministers discussed the post-Cotonou framework for relations between the EU and the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries from 2020; developments in Libya; and the Middle East Peace Process. Ministers also held an informal lunch meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. I...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (24 Jan 2018)

Simon Coveney: Israel was admitted as a Member State of the UN in 1949, and the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) recognized Israel as part of the Oslo Accords in 1993, which also set out a path towards a two-state solution. There has understandably been a strong reaction among Palestinians and across the region to the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The EU and its...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Syrian Conflict (24 Jan 2018)

Simon Coveney: The situation in Syria continues to be one of utmost concern. The conflict, which is now in its seventh year, has cost an estimated half a million lives. Over 13 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance inside Syria, and over 5.5 million have fled to neighboring countries and the wider region. An end to the violence is urgently needed in order to relieve the suffering of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Emigrant Support Services (25 Jan 2018)

Simon Coveney: I thank Deputy Darragh O'Brien for his question. This is essentially responding to a good news story to make sure that when people come home, they make the transition in as positive a way as possible. The Government is committed to working to facilitate Irish people living abroad who wish to return to live and work in Ireland. We are working to ensure that moving or returning to Ireland is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Emigrant Support Services (25 Jan 2018)

Simon Coveney: I do not disagree. There is a whole series of examples of areas where we need to provide a more seamless transition than is currently available for people who are coming home. That is why we have commissioned an economic report on which we are spending approximately €75,000. It will be ready in the coming weeks. The report will itemise the kind of things on which Deputy Darragh...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Emigrant Support Services (25 Jan 2018)

Simon Coveney: I have no problem with doing that. It is just a question of scheduling the time to do it. On emigration, I think there is pretty much cross-party support for trying to encourage people to come home. There are job opportunities for them here across multiple sectors, which is a really good thing. The population in Ireland is growing by about 50,000 a year. Probably close to half of that is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Emigrant Support Services (25 Jan 2018)

Simon Coveney: -----but we will end up having statements. If we discussed it in committee we could have a proper back-and-forth and get into the detail of some of the recommendations. I think that would be useful.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Good Friday Agreement (25 Jan 2018)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for giving me an opportunity to give an update in this area. 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. As co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, the Government has a responsibility to protect the agreement and the gains of the peace...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Good Friday Agreement (25 Jan 2018)

Simon Coveney: First, I personally cannot guarantee anything in these negotiations. My job is to make sure that the agreements in writing between the EU task force and the UK negotiating team take account of Irish issues and Irish concerns. That is what we have been doing to date. However, we have only played the first half of the match. We ensured that everything possible in that first half was...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Good Friday Agreement (25 Jan 2018)

Simon Coveney: This is a challenging process. The EU generally negotiates on the basis of precedent, laws and regulations and treaties because it is a collection of countries. That is the sensible way to proceed. We have made the case that Ireland is uniquely exposed in a whole series of ways to Brexit. I refer to the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement, and also a protection, trading and...