Results 27,701-27,720 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Seanad: Foreign Affairs: Statements (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I will certainly take more than eight minutes to answer some of the questions that were raised today. First, I take this opportunity to address the Seanad on matters relating to foreign affairs to wrap up on the debate that took place on 6 February. Unfortunately, I was not able to be here, but the Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, was here in my place. I would like to make some remarks on...

Seanad: Foreign Affairs: Statements (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: We will have to pick and choose the areas if there is joint procurement in terms of trying to get value for money. We have, for example, a memorandum of understanding with the United Kingdom on defence, and procurement is one of the areas on which we work with it, but that does not mean we do not procure inappropriately or with respect to weaponry that is inappropriate in terms of what...

Seanad: Foreign Affairs: Statements (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I am in the hands of the Seanad. I will happily answer any questions I can.

Seanad: Foreign Affairs: Statements (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I will have to come back to the Senator on the national implementation plan because I do not know the answer to the question. I can check with the Department of Defence, which is a former Department of mine, and we can revert to him.

Seanad: Foreign Affairs: Statements (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I will have to come back to Senator Higgins on the detail of that question.

Seanad: Foreign Affairs: Statements (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I will take note of the two questions and come back to the Senator directly.

Seanad: Foreign Affairs: Statements (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I think I answered a pretty broad-ranging group of questions. I dealt with about a dozen different issues. If the Senator has specific questions on the two matters she raised, I said I would come back to her specifically. I cannot be expected to give her an answer when I do not have the details in front of me. On Senator Mullen's question on an African agrifood fund, we have such a fund....

Seanad: Foreign Affairs: Statements (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: On the point raised by Senator Mullen regarding the target of 0.7% of GDP, I will provide a much more detailed statement when I have something approved by Government, hopefully in the coming weeks. I will be pleased to debate the issue in both Houses because it will be part of a broader White Paper process for expanding our overseas development aid programme.

Leaders' Questions (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I acknowledge also that today is International Women's Day, which is significant in the context of the Government's commitment to gender equality and accelerating gender parity in a series of areas. That is one of the priorities of Government. On the issues raised by Deputy Michael McGrath, I join the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Charles Flanagan, in noting my extreme...

Leaders' Questions (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: The evidence that was given to the Oireachtas committee yesterday, while very concerning, was very welcome in that the witnesses felt they could come forward and give it. Of course, the Department of Justice and Equality now needs to follow up on that. The point I was making in my initial answer is that we do not have any protected disclosures or correspondence in regard to the concerns....

Leaders' Questions (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for her question. I welcome the opportunity to outline some of the things the Government is doing and prioritising on International Women's Day. Women's empowerment is a key theme running through A Programme for a Partnership Government and it is being advanced within the framework of the national strategy for women and girls, published last May. Women's groups, civil...

Leaders' Questions (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I think I answered Deputy Michael McGrath regarding how seriously the Government will take the evidence given yesterday by two brave women at the Joint Committee on Justice and Equality. On one of the Deputy's previous questions, it is worth nothing today, on International Women's Day, that the Government has made a clear decision, with unanimous support across Government, to bring forward...

Leaders' Questions (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: Clearly, the Government does not think it is okay to lie, bully and intimidate people in any walk of life in Ireland, but particularly in An Garda Síochána. That is why the Government and the Minister are obviously concerned about the evidence that was given yesterday. We will act on that but we also need to recognise that the Minister for Justice and Equality only heard that...

Leaders' Questions (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: No one is offering anyone a pat on the head. We are in the process of fundamental reform of An Garda Síochána. There are multiple examples of how this is happening, not least in the method by which a new Garda Commissioner will be chosen and appointed. The evidence given yesterday to the joint committee needs significant follow-up. I do not think that it is helpful for the...

Leaders' Questions (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: There are a lot of detailed questions there. Following consultations with the Opposition parties by the former Minister for Finance, the commission of investigation into IBRC was established in June 2015. Mr. Justice Brian Cregan, a judge of the High Court, is the commission's sole member. In November 2015 the commission made a determination that banker-client confidentiality and legal...

Leaders' Questions (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: The commission is entirely independent. It is not going to be influenced by the Dáil regarding the content of its inquiry or its conclusions. It will make its own decisions on the basis of the evidence heard. I assume that once it has actually been finalised. the report will be laid before the Houses. I presume there will be a debate on the back of that, as has been the case with...

Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: What is happening here is a good thing given the extent of the use of PCPs in the selling of cars and the need for consumer protection considerations. I will come back to the Deputy about the commitment to legislation. I can provide the Deputy with that information from the Department concerned.

Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: The plan, as I understand it, is to publish the Bill this evening and to bring it to the Houses tomorrow. This plan will be discussed with the Business Committee later today. We ask for the support of the other parties in order to ensure that we can introduce the Bill and get the Second Stage debate under way tomorrow. We are committed to facilitating this but we will also seek the support...

Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Government intends to make enough time available to allow everyone to speak on this issue. That will start tomorrow. The debate on the legislation will then recommence on 20 March, when the Dáil is due to come back. My understanding was that the Dáil was not to come back until 21 March, but I hope we will be able to get the Business Committee's agreement to come back on the...

Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: Is this not linked to-----