Results 27,741-27,760 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Prohibition of Bogus Self-Employment Bill 2018: First Stage (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: No.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: The issuing of passports is solely a matter for the issuing country and it would not be appropriate for me to comment. I am, however, glad of this opportunity to reiterate my deep concern at the situation in Venezuela, including the growing humanitarian crisis. The matter was discussed at the meeting of EU Foreign Ministers which I attended in Brussels last week. It was agreed at that meeting...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Application Refusals (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: All passport applications are subject to the provisions of the Passports Act 2008 (“the Act”). The Act provides, among other things, that a person must be an Irish citizen before a passport can be issued to him/her. In order to meet this legal requirement, each person must demonstrate an entitlement to Irish citizenship in his/her passport application. The applicant referred to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Meetings (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I attended the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council on 26 February. The Council discussed developments in Moldova, the situation in Venezuela and the Middle East Peace Process.EU Foreign Ministers had a comprehensive discussion on Moldova and adopted Council Conclusions taking stock of the reform process and setting out expectations for the period ahead. Ministers also discussed...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid Provision (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: In the months since military security operations began in Rakhine State, Myanmar in August 2017, more than 680,000 refugees, mostly Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh. Most of these people have settled in refugee camps that have existed in the region since the early 1990s where conditions are precarious and ongoing international efforts will be required to sustain those living in the camps....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Undocumented Irish in the USA (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Government continues to seek a solution to the plight of thousands of undocumented Irish citizens living in the US and avails of all opportunities to raise US immigration reform and the status of the undocumented Irish with the US administration and with contacts on Capitol Hill. The appointment by the Taoiseach of Deputy John Deasy as the Government’s Special Envoy to Congress on...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I am glad to report that Ireland-New Zealand bilateral relations have never been closer, and that 2017 saw an unprecedented amount of high-level contact between our two countries, culminating in the very successful State Visit there by President Higgins last October. I am pleased to confirm that Ireland will open a resident diplomatic mission in Wellington, New Zealand in the coming months,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Negotiations (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I and my officials are in ongoing contact with Michel Barnier and his team on the Irish-specific issues and on the draft Withdrawal Agreement. I met with Mr Barnier on a number of occasions since taking office, most recently in Brussels on 26 February, in advance of the General Affairs Council (Article 50) on 27 February. Mr Barnier gave me an overview of the draft Withdrawal Agreement,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: United Nations (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 20 together. The United Nations plays a critical role in the resolution of conflicts and the maintenance of international peace and security. It does this primarily through the UN Security Council. The Council has a variety of tools at its disposal to address threats to international peace and to contribute towards the settlement of disputes and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Terrorism (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: Ireland is fully engaged in the approaches being developed by the European Union and the United Nations to combat terrorism, in particular, the need for greater international cooperation to address the underlying factors that contribute to terrorist related threats and violence. In the case of the European Union, Foreign Ministers remain focused on implementation of the June 2017 Council...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Issues (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: Euroscepticism is not new but in recent years it has become more vocal. In the Rome Declaration of March last year, EU Heads of State and Government pledged ‘to listen and respond to the concerns expressed by our citizens’ and to “address the challenges of a rapidly changing world. ”Having gone through a series of crises in recent years, including the Eurozone...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Negotiations (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: Since the launch of the Article 50 negotiations last year, Ireland has received continued support from our EU partners on addressing the unique challenges for the island of Ireland posed by Brexit. This steadfast support and solidarity has been demonstrated through the adoption of the various EU negotiating positions which have consistently identified the need to address these unique...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid Provision (8 Mar 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, including close to 3 million people trapped in besieged and hard-to-reach areas. Over 6 million people are displaced internally, and a further 5.5 million have...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Issues (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Eastern Partnership Initiative provides a framework for cooperation between the EU and six countries in the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood, including Ukraine, Georgia and Armenia. The aims of the Eastern Partnership are to promote peace and stability in the region and to enhance economic and political integration between the participating countries and the EU. The model of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Issues (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: The EU’s position on Israel’s occupation of Palestine is clear and known to the Israeli government. In December EU Foreign Ministers had the opportunity to reiterate this during an informal breakfast meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel before the Foreign Affairs Council.The EU side used the meeting to underline to PM Netanyahu our key concerns about the Middle East...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Agreements (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: The recent discovery of gas deposits in the eastern Mediterranean may make a contribution to efforts to enhance Europe’s gas security of supply through diversification of routes and sources. The proposed EastMed pipeline project, which would connect East Mediterranean resources to Greece via Cyprus and Crete, could contribute to the aim of creating a single European market for gas and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Cases (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I am aware of the case to which the Deputy refers and my officials in the Belfast Secretariat monitor this and other cases as part of their ongoing work on prison issues generally in Northern Ireland. The person concerned was detained in March 2016 when the release licence granted to him under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement was revoked by the then Secretary of State for Northern...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff Data (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 30 and 31 together. A Communications Unit was established within my Department in February 2015 on the initiative of the Secretary General of my Department and with the approval of the Department’s Management Board and of my predecessor as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. The purpose of the Unit is to: Provide support to me in my capacity as...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Negotiations (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Government has always been clear that our preference is to resolve the Irish-specific issues through the wider future relationship agreement between the EU and the UK, a view we share with the UK government. We also stand ready to consider proposals from the UK on specific solutions. At the same time, it is necessary to have legal certainty on the backstop as part of the Withdrawal...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: As co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, the Government, working with the British Government, has spared no effort in supporting and facilitating talks on the formation of an Executive, over many months. Recent developments in Stormont are of serious concern to all of us who want to see the establishment of a functioning, power-sharing Executive in Northern Ireland, and the other...