Results 29,721-29,740 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Issues (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Coveney: Brexit is a priority issue for this Government, and the Taoiseach, my cabinet colleagues and I have taken every opportunity to engage with EU partners and the UK to advance Ireland’s priorities. On 10 December, I met with Jeremy Hunt, in Brussels, in the margins of the Foreign Affairs Council, prior to Prime Minister May’s decision to postpone the meaningful vote on the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Data (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Coveney: Between January 1 and November 29 this year the Passport Service issued 745,345 passports. Of these, 171,377 were issued to first time applicants and 573,968 were issued to renewal applicants. 458,908 passports were issued to adults and 286,437 passports were issued to children. The Online Passport Renewal Service was launched on 30 March 2017. From January 1 to November 29 this year 193,724...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Coveney: Comprehensive progress on legacy issues from the Troubles is crucial in order to meet the legitimate needs and expectations of victims and survivors, and to contribute to broader societal reconciliation as an integral part of the Peace Process. The Government will continue to engage in support of that, consistent with our role and responsibilities as a co-guarantor of the Good Friday...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Negotiations (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Coveney: On 10 December, the UK Government decided to defer the meaningful vote in the House of Commons on the Withdrawal Agreement. The European Council will discuss Brexit developments at its meeting on 13 December, taking account of an update from Prime Minister May. The Government’s position on the backstop remains unchanged. Throughout the negotiations it has been a priority to protect...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Council Meetings (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Coveney: I attended the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on Monday 10 December. EU Foreign Ministers discussed Western Balkans, EU-African Union cooperation, Iran, Ukraine and Venezuela. Ministers exchanged views on the Western Balkans and took stock of progress in the past year and expectations for the region in 2019.We discussed EU-African Union cooperation, ahead of the inaugural AU-EU...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Citizenship Status (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Coveney: The case referred to by the Deputy is a matter under the responsibility of the Minister for Justice and Equality. I am able to comment only in relation to the broader question of how eligibility to hold an Irish passport is established. All passport applications are subject to the provisions of the Passports Act, 2008 (“the Act”), as amended. Under the Act, before a passport...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Update on Brexit and Matters Considered at Meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Chair for the opportunity to have a discussion with the committee members. I look forward to their questions and comments. My initial statement will be reasonably lengthy but it will give a good overview of some of the issues with which we have been dealing at the Foreign Affairs Council at the European level as I was asked to do. Obviously, I am in the committee's hands, but...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Update on Brexit and Matters Considered at Meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Coveney: I will respond to the Deputy's questions in reverse order. On the issue of aid, I refer to the new paper. I am slow to call it "aid" because it is really about development and partnership. I speak a lot about the relationship between the EU and Africa, which in my view, in terms of political infrastructure, is totally inadequate. We need a partnership between Africa and Europe in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Update on Brexit and Matters Considered at Meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Coveney: There are many questions but they are all valid. On the Middle East peace process, which we have spoken a lot about and which I have spoken with Deputy Crowe about, I refer to the positive contributions that Ireland is making. Last week in the UN, Ambassador Byrne Nason did what can only be described as a phenomenal job in ensuring that Ireland was not only relevant but actually pivotal in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Update on Brexit and Matters Considered at Meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Coveney: Many questions were asked. I have concerns about Bahrain, as I outlined earlier. The truth is there are many things happening in many parts of the world and we cannot focus on all of them at the same time. I gave members a sense of some of the priority areas, countries and challenges we have been trying to deal with at the Foreign Affairs Council at EU level. On the matter of Iran and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Update on Brexit and Matters Considered at Meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Coveney: I can come back if the committee wants. That is no problem.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Update on Brexit and Matters Considered at Meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Coveney: I would like to respond to some of Deputy Crowe's questions on Brexit also.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Update on Brexit and Matters Considered at Meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Coveney: Yes, but I wish to make a point on the global compact before we move on to Brexit. I spoke to Deputy Crowe briefly as we walked over to the House for the vote. Many people seem to have the wrong impression about the global compact. It is somehow seen as countries wanting an open door policy on migration. It is nothing of the sort. This is about trying to balance rights and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Update on Brexit and Matters Considered at Meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Coveney: If we look at what our EU colleagues have done, in the withdrawal agreement we are now talking about protecting peace funding, protecting the common travel area, which essentially gives Ireland special treatment, protecting the peace process in full, no diminution of rights and guarantees against future Border infrastructure. All these matters require facilitation from other EU countries of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Update on Brexit and Matters Considered at Meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Coveney: I will take that on board and members should know they can call me on these issues any time. We are constantly looking for ways to build bridges between North and South and building strong and resilient economic development along that mid-Border region should be a big part of that because that was obviously a big focal point for the Troubles in the past.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Expenditure (18 Dec 2018)

Simon Coveney: Since my appointment as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in June 2017, I have overseen and co-ordinated a sustained intensification of Brexit preparedness. As part of these efforts, the Government has organised “Getting Ireland Brexit Ready” public information events around Ireland to inform and advise about Brexit preparedness, and the range of support measures and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Issues (18 Dec 2018)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 122 and 124 to 128, inclusive, together. A no-deal Brexit would mean that on 30 March the UK’s status under EU law would change from that of an EU Member State to that of a third country with no trade or co-operation agreements in place with the EU. The UK would no longer be subject to the corpus of EU law, known as the EU acquis. This would have...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Registration of Births (18 Dec 2018)

Simon Coveney: Foreign Birth Registration, by its nature, can be a detailed and complex process often involving certificates covering three generations and several jurisdictions. Applications requiring clarification or further documents can take longer to process. The volume of applications for citizenship through Foreign Birth Registration is particularly high at present. Along with an increase in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Communications (18 Dec 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Government engages frequently with the US Administration and US elected representatives, both Republican and Democrat, on all aspects of the Ireland-US relationship and on other issues of mutual concern. I have had significant engagements in the US this year. In February, I met with then US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson; Secretary of Homeland Security, Kirstjen Nielsen; Special...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (18 Dec 2018)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 131 together. The cases referred to by the Deputy are the subject of ongoing judicial proceedings. As such it would not be appropriate for me to make an intervention or statement on the matter. There are no plans for Irish officials to attend these legal proceedings or to provide funding to NGOs to attend. I am kept informed of developments in...