Results 30,241-30,260 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (27 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: I will take the last question first. The response for vulnerable sectors in terms of support, aid and flexibility for Ireland in how we use state aid is already under way. Consider the package that has been put in place between Enterprise Ireland and the Carbery Group. A significant financial package that supports the Carbery Group in diversifying away from an over-reliance on the UK...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (27 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: On the Port of Dover, while we discuss these issues with the UK and the EU, we do not control all of the levers. That is the truth. Similarly, the British Government does not control what we do at Dublin Port or Rosslare. We continue to advocate to try to ensure that the landbridge remains a viable option for bringing goods to and from our market. There were some unfortunate headlines...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Human Rights Cases (27 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: Recent reforms in the socio-economic sphere in Saudi Arabia have been overshadowed by reports from the UN and a number of human rights agencies of an intensive crackdown on domestic dissent and a near total restriction of the civil society space. Reports of torture, abuse and dire detention conditions for the prisoners in question are worrying. It is unacceptable that women should be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Human Rights Cases (27 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: We are already doing things. I am not quite sure what the Deputy is suggesting we do. This week, the Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, and I were at the Human Rights Council in Geneva and in a contribution I made I referred specifically to the need to protect human rights defenders. I have met the Saudi ambassador in Dublin on two occasions to talk about Yemen and the Khashoggi case with...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Human Rights Cases (27 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: What are the Deputy's?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Human Rights Cases (27 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: The straight answer to that question is that I do not think Saudi Arabia is going to act on the basis of threats from Ireland.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Human Rights Cases (27 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy just said that if they do not do it, we should threaten sanctions. We need to be realistic about what we can do here. That does not mean we should not ask the hard questions. In fact, we are asking them. My understanding is that the request by a British parliamentary delegation to visit the prisons concerned has not been granted. If access is not granted to a UK delegation, it...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Human Rights Cases (27 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: We should be honest about what actions are likely to achieve a result.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Humanitarian Access (27 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for the question. Venezuela is experiencing the worst social, humanitarian, political and economic crisis in its history. This crisis is having a dire impact on the population and has resulted in mass migration affecting countries in the region and overall regional stability. The UN estimates that more than 3 million Venezuelan migrants and refugees have left Venezuela...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Humanitarian Access (27 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: I do not agree with the Deputy when she seems to suggest that there were free and fair presidential elections last time out in Venezuela.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Humanitarian Access (27 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: I do not think that stands up to scrutiny. On 3 February last, in the absence of an announcement by President Maduro to call fresh elections in Venezuela, a number of EU member states began issuing statements recognising Juan Guaidó as interim President of Venezuela. On 6 February, I joined the vast majority of my counterparts in other EU member states in acknowledging and supporting...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Humanitarian Access (27 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: There is a far broader coalition of countries involved.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Humanitarian Access (27 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: We did not make any decisions lightly. This is a collective EU effort to try to bring about democratic change in Venezuela responding to an extraordinary humanitarian crisis. People seem to totally ignore that. There are 3 million refugees.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Humanitarian Access (27 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy seems to be making the case for no change.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Humanitarian Access (27 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: Ireland was one of the last EU countries to recognise Juan Guaidó as interim President to facilitate free and fair presidential elections. We are not alone in this. That is the only objective here. We reject any approach that may involve military intervention, absolutely. We are looking for peaceful democratic decisions to allow Venezuelan people decide on who is their President.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (27 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: I have semi-answered this question already.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (27 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 7, 26 and 27 together. That givesme a bit of time to read a full response.As stated in reply to the previous question, Venezuela is currently experiencing the worst social, humanitarian, political and economic crisis in its history. This crisis is having a dire impact on the population, and has resulted in mass migration, affecting countries in the region...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (27 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: First, the EU is co-ordinating with Uruguay. The EU has set up a contact group to focus on peaceful democratic solutions. That is the contribution it is making. The Deputies appear to be focused solely on the US approach to this, but it is important to point out that the EU has made its own statements and decisions regarding Venezuela and how we should respond to a totally unacceptable...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (27 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: We do not accept that the election was run in a free and fair way, without intimidation. What we are trying to do now is ensure there is an interim mechanism that will facilitate free and fair presidential elections. Members referred to Yemen, Iraq, the DRC, Libya and so forth. We talk about those issues all the time. I was speaking specifically about some of them in the United Nations...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (27 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: We have not. The Deputy should not mislead the House.