Results 31,061-31,080 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (11 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: I am advised by the Passport Service that the application referred to has been reviewed and that the application has now been approved. The applicant's guardian has been contacted and advised regarding the status of the application and of dispatch arrangements for the passport. With regard to your queries in relation to affidavits, the Passport Service requires the submission of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Bodies (11 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: After the European Parliament elections, the Heads of State and Government met on 28 May to discuss the outcome of the elections and procedures for the nominations to the high level appointments to the European institutions that fall to be made in the period ahead. At that meeting, EU leaders mandated President Tusk to start consultations with EU Members States and the Parliament ahead of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (12 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: All passport applications are subject to the provisions of the Passports Act 2008 as amended (“the 2008 Act”). The 2008 Act provides, among other things, that a person must be an Irish citizen before a passport can be issued to him/her. Entitlement to Irish citizenship is in turn determined by the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956 as amended (“the 1956...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (12 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: The absence of vital institutions of the Good Friday Agreement is of grave concern for the Government, as it is for the British Government. On 26 April, the Taoiseach and Prime Minister May announced a new phase of political talks in Northern Ireland, involving the five main parties, together with the British and Irish Governments. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Karen...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Council Meetings (12 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: The most recent meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council took place in Brussels on 13 May. Ministers did not discuss Israel and Palestine. I do however expect that the Middle East Peace Process will be discussed at the forthcoming meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Luxembourg on 18 June, since regional issues would be a natural topic for discussion with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Meetings (12 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: Throughout the Article 50 process I, as well as officials from my Department, have had frequent and ongoing contact with representatives from other EU27 Member States, the Commission and the Article 50 Task Force headed by Michel Barnier, as well as with the UK. I met with Mr Barnier on 8 April during his visit to Dublin in advance of the European Council on 10 April. On that occasion we...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications Administration (12 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: The Passport Service is currently in its peak season for passport demand with the vast majority of applications being received between February and August each year. All renewal applications are currently being processed within target turnaround times. A large proportion of applications submitted through the Online Passport Renewal Service are currently being processed in timeframes shorter...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (12 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 81 to 83, inclusive, together. The peace agreement that was signed between the Government of Colombia and the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia - Ejército del Pueblo (FARC-EP) in November 2016 brought to an end over 50 years of armed conflict in the country, which cost the lives of over 200,000 people and resulted in widespread violence and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (13 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: The Government is aware that, following a judicial review, a decision was taken by the PSNI not to progress the investigation  into the journalists. We welcome this decision. Obviously in any democracy press freedom is essential. My officials met with the two journalists on a number of occasions in the course of this process and kept it under review throughout.    The...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (13 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: I continue to be deeply troubled by the human rights abuses that migrants and refugees suffer in Libya, in particular the persistent abuses that have been reported in detention centres. I am particularly concerned by the ongoing fighting around the Libyan capital, Tripoli, which is endangering thousands of civilians, including putting already vulnerable migrants and refugees in Libya at...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Fisheries Protection (13 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: In April 2017, Marine Scotland (an agency of the Scottish Government) advised the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine that it intended to exclude Irish fishing vessels from waters within a 12-mile zone around Rockall. The proposed Scottish action was based on the UK Government’s stance on sovereignty over Rockall and their interpretation of their prerogatives under UK...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rockall Island Ownership (18 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for raising this question because it is important to clarify it. It has been a high profile issue in the media in the last couple of weeks. I have been very direct in my response to it, as has the Minister, Deputy Michael Creed. I know that Deputy Gallagher has raised concerns about it and that he understands the fishing industry's concerns well. The exclusive economic...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rockall Island Ownership (18 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: I will make sure that the Deputy gets the technical answer in writing. This issue was first raised with Ireland by Scotland in 2017. It was raised with me by my counterpart in the Scottish Government, Fiona Hyslop, last September when she indicated that the Scottish Government had made a decision that it would be enforcing the rules as it understood them in the 12-mile limit around Rockall,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rockall Island Ownership (18 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: It was in the weeks subsequent to the Nicola Sturgeon meeting with the Taoiseach that we got a letter from Fiona Hyslop confirming that they were going to proceed with enforcement within a week, and that is what triggered the quite high profile disagreement on this issue which I am glad to say is now being dealt with through diplomacy rather than anything else.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rockall Island Ownership (18 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: The European Commission is aware of the issue. The most important thing is that we have worked to de-escalate tension on this issue. This should not be dealt with through threats of enforcement. It should be dealt with through two friendly neighbours talking to each other. We have a different interpretation of the law on this issue and the fishing entitlements that go with that around...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Colombian Peace Process (18 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: I thank Deputy Crowe for raising this issue. I know he has an interest in Colombia, as do I. I am aware of the difficult situation that exists for human rights defenders, social leaders and former combatants in Colombia, and of the worrying levels of violence, threats and intimidation carried out against these groups. Our new resident embassy in Bogotá has been engaging with civil...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Colombian Peace Process (18 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: Two and a half years after the signing of the Colombian peace agreement between the government and FARC, substantial progress has been achieved and it is important to recognise that. Colombia has had the most peaceful elections in decades, the demobilisation of FARC and the beginning of its transition to a political party. That is saving many lives. According to a recent independent...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Colombian Peace Process (18 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: Perhaps the Deputy will send me the details relating to Ms Romero. I did not hear her evidence to the committee but if the Deputy shares that evidence and any other information he has with me, we will seek to raise it through our new embassy in Bogotá, which I hope to be able to visit before the end of the year. The Deputy has raised the Cerrejón mine previously. I am aware of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Preparations (18 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: I could give the Deputy a long written answer, which she will receive in any event, but instead I will speak directly on the matter. While in many ways the public debate on Brexit has lessened somewhat since the middle of April and the putting in place of an extension to the end of October, the Government has not taken its focus away from the issue. Everybody is waiting to see who the next...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Preparations (18 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: Let me be crystal clear on this: the Government's position has not changed and it will not change because there is about to be a change of British Prime Minister. This has never been about personalities. It has always been about evidence, facts and trying to deal with the complexity of the decision of a country and economy the size of the UK to leave the European Union, of which it has been...