Results 28,221-28,240 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (2 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: Dealing with long-outstanding issues relating to the legacy of the Troubles are of the utmost importance to the Government. The Programme for a Partnership Government highlights this priority, including a specific reference to implementation of the institutional framework on the past, as provided for under the Stormont House Agreement 2014. In the discussions at Stormont Castle on...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (2 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: The OPCW was requested by the UK to independently verify the toxic chemical used in the Salisbury attack. The OPCW was not investigating the circumstances of the poisoning or responsibility for it. Following on from extensive briefings by the United Kingdom at senior official level and to EU Foreign Ministers, UK Prime Minister Theresa May addressed the European Council on 22 March 2018....

Leaders' Questions (3 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy has asked a lot of questions and I will try to answer as many of them as I can. First, there is a real sense of anger and frustration within Government this week in regard to what has happened and how it happened. Irish women have been badly let down. Many feel very vulnerable and very angry about this. I had the opportunity this morning of speaking to the husband of one of the...

Leaders' Questions (3 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: Having spoken with the Minister for Health, and it is also breaking in the media now, Tony O'Brien has confirmed to the Minister that he will take a leave of absence from any involvement outside the HSE between now and when he steps down from the HSE so he can focus on contributing in a positive manner to the work that needs to be done to put this right. This is the appropriate course of...

Leaders' Questions (3 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: This is about accountability and providing full information. It is about responding comprehensively to the fact that there was a disgraceful breach of trust and that women were denied information they should have had. Yesterday, Tony O'Brien apologised for that happening. Some days ago the clinical director of CervicalCheck stepped down. We have also seen the senior official in charge of...

Leaders' Questions (3 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: Nobody in this House is in any doubt as to how serious this situation is. I do not think any one party is any more outraged than any other. This is a disgraceful situation that should not have happened. We are now setting about and working with all of the other parties to put a comprehensive process in place that is transparent, open and will be reassuring to women who need that...

Leaders' Questions (3 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: Can I answer?

Leaders' Questions (3 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I have said that it is the Government's judgment that Tony O'Brien can be the most use to the women of Ireland in establishing facts here if he focuses fully on trying to assist in the process that the-----

Leaders' Questions (3 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: -----Government puts together between now and when he leaves the HSE in a few weeks.

Leaders' Questions (3 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: We all have to work together to get to the bottom of this-----

Leaders' Questions (3 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: -----and reassure women across the country.

Leaders' Questions (3 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I welcome the first thing the Deputy said about encouraging people to continue to believe in and to use the screening systems. We are reaching out to Opposition spokespeople, as the Minister did yesterday. My understanding is that Deputy Bríd Smith is the only person who did not agree with the way forward that has been charted from yesterday and that is her right. We are listening to...

Leaders' Questions (3 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: Those in charge of CervicalCheck have been moved aside. It now has a new management team on the instruction of the Minister. The management team-----

Leaders' Questions (3 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I ask the Deputy to listen to the answer. The management team reports on a daily basis to the director of the HSE, who now reports daily to the Minister in regard to progress on this issue. The Minister is taking a hands-on approach to progressing the issue properly. As regards a lack of information, much of the information given to the House by the Minister as matters unfolded over the...

Leaders' Questions (3 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: That is why if what the Deputy stated is correct------

Leaders' Questions (3 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: ------that will be confirmed by an independent statutory inquiry and we will be able to make informed choices and learn lessons on that basis to put new systems in place to ensure there is no repeat of the events of the past seven days.

Leaders' Questions (3 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I suspect we will debate the CAP budget issue on many occasions in the House between now and the decisions being finalised. The Commission has set out its opening position, which recognises that in the absence of member states being willing to increase their contributions, there will be a €12 billion reduction in the EU budget because of Brexit. In that context, the priority is the...

Leaders' Questions (3 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy who has referred to a number of threats to Irish farmers, but there is also a good news story for Irish agriculture. We are seeing Irish beef entering the Chinese market after years of laying the foundations. We have seen a series of new trade deals signed up to by the European Union that are very positive for Irish agriculture. For example, the opportunities for the...

Questions on Promised Legislation (3 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I am told that the Bill was brought forward during the term of the previous Government. It was not reinstated on the list of legislation to be brought forward by the Government, but I can get back to the Deputy with more details. My understanding is it is not on any list for consideration.

Questions on Promised Legislation (3 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: Yes.