Results 28,401-28,420 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Leaders' Questions (17 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: In relation to Government interest and vibrancy in west Cork, we saw 200 jobs created in Skibbereen across three companies last week and the Minister of State at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Pat Breen, was there for that. That reinforces what I am saying, that west Cork is a vibrant community. West Cork has challenges that we need to address through policy and...

Leaders' Questions (17 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: If one looks at the new digital assist pilot scheme, two out of the 20 pilots are in west Cork. I take to a certain extent Deputy Michael Collins's point that there are challenges that we need to face to ensure that living in rural Ireland is a vibrant proposition for people and we need to ensure that basic services and infrastructure are there to allow for that, but that is exactly what the...

Questions on Promised Legislation (17 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I might, if there is a detailed follow-up, ask the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Damien English, to contribute. We discussed the report in Cabinet this week. Effectively, the report endorses what the Government has been doing, particularly with regard to Ireland 2040 and medium-term planning to make sure we see the next phases of...

Questions on Promised Legislation (17 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I share the Deputy's frustration and concern but my job is to get things moving, which is what I am trying to do. In the past week, there have been some positive developments in Northern Ireland with regard to the launch of a public consultation process around legacy which is something we have been waiting for quite some time. It is hugely important to many families in Northern Ireland....

Questions on Promised Legislation (17 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I am very conscious that as we moved through Leaders' Questions today, the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, and many families of the Dublin-Monaghan bombing victims were commemorating 44 years since it happened. I have met the families and they are decent people looking for the truth. We want to help them get it. I have raised the issue with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in recent...

Questions on Promised Legislation (17 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: It is not all bad news, by a long shot. The EPA report on bathing water in Ireland in 2017-----

Questions on Promised Legislation (17 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: It is not just about Dublin. This is a national-----

Questions on Promised Legislation (17 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: The overall quality of Ireland's bathing water remains good and 132 out of 142 beaches meet strict EU standards. Seven bathing waters are at poor status, which compares well with other northern European states. Having said that, it is still not good enough and we need to continue to improve. We need a plan for each of the areas where the water quality is not as good as it needs to be and...

Questions on Promised Legislation (17 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I will raise this issue with the Minister concerned and make sure he comes back to the Deputy.

Questions on Promised Legislation (17 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I do not have that information but I will see if it is available. If it is, we can try to send it on to the Deputy.

Questions on Promised Legislation (17 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: It is on the priority list and the drafters are working on it. The Deputy can expect progress on it this year.

European Communities (Brexit) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I welcome the opportunity to set out the Government’s views on the Bill. First, I assure the Deputy of the Government’s support for what I interpret as the underlying spirit of this Bill, which is the need for frequent and fruitful engagement between the Government and the Oireachtas on all issues relating to Brexit. The Government recognises this in principle and, more...

European Communities (Brexit) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I shall respond to what has been said and I will also speak about the current state of play in the negotiations. We all have an obligation to be cautious. What we are seeing is a permanent new reality in the relationships between Ireland and the UK and between the UK and the EU. Given the interwoven nature of the relationship between Ireland and Britain, from an economic perspective in...

European Communities (Brexit) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: There has been some progress on those issues, actually.

European Communities (Brexit) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: It is a negotiation.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Citizenship Applications (17 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department takes very seriously its responsibilities in relation to determining entitlement to Irish citizenship. The volume of applications for citizenship through Foreign Birth Registration is particularly high and applications generally take 5-6 months to process, with more complex applications sometimes taking longer. Following receipt of an...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Meetings (17 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: On Sunday, 13 May I hosted Jean-Yves Le Drian, France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, for a working dinner in Dublin. We discussed the current state of play in the Brexit negotiations and I reiterated our appreciation for the solidarity shown by France on the Irish-specific issues. We took stock of recent developments in the Middle East Peace Process and explored the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Issues (17 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: In my statement of 6 December I set out the Government’s view of the US decision to move its Embassy to Jerusalem. This was that the announcement was premature and ill-advised, and would be unhelpful to efforts to reach a resolution of the Middle East Peace Process, something which is very urgently needed. I conveyed to the US Government ahead of its announcement my concern about...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (17 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: The United States has begun the process of reimposing those US sanctions on Iran which had been suspended under the nuclear agreement with Iran, the JCPOA, from which the US has regrettably withdrawn. They will come back into force over a period of three to six months. The US Government has also stated an intention to impose additional sanctions. It is difficult to estimate the impact...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (17 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 49 together. Dealing with long-outstanding issues relating to the legacy of the Troubles is 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...