Results 28,501-28,520 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Questions on Promised Legislation (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: Following on from some of the questions that Deputy Donnelly raised earlier on the support packages promised by the Government, I received a note from the Department of Health. Up to 105 new medical cards have already been issued in this area. All supports in terms of home care packages and 14 counselling and physio appointments have started. The packages are under way in terms of the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Meetings (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 55 together. Ireland, like other countries, uses secondary accreditations to carry on diplomatic relations with states where it does not have a resident mission. The Government has begun a programme to expand Ireland’s diplomatic footprint around the world, but it will always be the case that many countries are covered through secondary...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services Data (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Irish Embassy in Iran closed on the 31 March 2012. Please see below the number of staff based in the Irish Embassy in Tehran, on that date. Date Mission Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Officers posted from HQ Locally engaged (including agency) administrative, clerical and other support staff 31/03/2012 Tehran 1 Third Secretary 4 local staff

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services Data (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Irish Embassy in Iran closed on the 31March 2012. Below are the number of staff based in the Irish Embassy in Ankara on that date, and also the number of staff currently based in the Embassy. Date Mission Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Officers posted from HQ Locally engaged (including agency) administrative, clerical and other support staff 31/03/2012 Ankara Head of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Relations (31 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which had been suspended under the nuclear agreement with Iran (known as the JCPOA), from which the US has regrettably withdrawn.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...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications Administration (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: Applications for the persons named were registered with the Passport Service on 06/04/2018. I am advised by my colleagues in the Passport Service that these applications have been processed and the passports should be received in the post shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications Administration (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: Applications for the persons named were registered with the Passport Service on 25/04/2018. I am advised by my colleagues in the Passport Service that these applications have been processed and the passports should be received in the post shortly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Chairman and committee members for the opportunity to be here. I look forward to the questions and discussion that will follow when I outline the Government's position on a range of issues. I also welcome the ambassadors and the other members of the diplomatic corps who have taken the time to be here today. I thank the joint committee for the invitation to address it on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I will start with the final question. It is no secret that I think Ireland needs to put a convincing roadmap in place to get us to where we promised we would be, which is to commit 0.7% of our gross national income to development aid funding. To put that into context, we are currently spending €700 million a year on development aid. If we were to get to 0.7% by 2030, which is a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: What was reckless?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy. I missed what he said.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: What did the Deputy say?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I could get it out of the way quickly at the start. I have met the families as the Deputy probably knows. We need to make a decision before 20 June and we will as a Government but we are still waiting on a final piece of advice from the Attorney General's office because this is not a standard or normal appeals process. Anyone who follows this case will know it is a referral process as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: The South Sudan crisis is one of the most severe large scale humanitarian crises in the world today. The Senator is right to say it is largely an invisible crisis because it does not get anything like the same coverage as many of other humanitarian crises. Widespread violence from the bitter civil war which broke out in December 2013 has forced more than 4 million people to flee their...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I thank Senator Daly for his comments on the Middle East peace process. I will continue to ask for support, in particular from the Fianna Fáil Party, to ensure we continue to have a consistent and credible approach to the Middle East and do not do something in the short term which makes Ireland's position less relevant in terms of trying to be part of compromise solutions. I thank...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I would be happy to come in and spend a few hours talking about this issue, in terms of what we are trying to do. Although I spoke a lot about it today we have not had the time to get into some of the specific measures we have been trying to promote and do. I do not agree with those who are saying a two-state solution is no longer tenable. If that becomes the consensus, we have to ask...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Issues (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 149, 150 and 155 together. In view of the violent events in Gaza leading up to and culminating on 14 May, I requested that these tragic and destabilising events should be added to the agenda of the Foreign Affairs Council on 28 May. Accordingly, it was discussed by Ministers in informal format over lunch. Many Ministers expressed their deep concern at...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Issues (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: Brexit has been prioritised across the entire range of work of my Department. Additional staff have been assigned to the key Divisions with responsibility for Brexit matters, namely the European Union Division and the Ireland, UK and Americas Division (IUKA), to cover the issues arising from the UK exit process. The work of those staff is primarily targeted at the management of the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: Up to €2 million was allocated in Budget 2018 to cover initial expenditure by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on the Doubling of the Global Footprint Initiative. Work has begun on the initial phase of the expansion of Ireland’s Diplomatic Network which includes the Government decision to open new Embassies in Santiago, Chile; Bogotá, Colombia; Amman, Jordan;...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: The expenditure of the additional allocation to the Passport Service is in line with profile and is expected to be fully expended by the year end. There has been a strong increase in demand for passports due to a variety of factors including a general increase in the number of Irish residents travelling abroad, a growing population, as well as a significant rise in application numbers...