Results 31,581-31,600 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Negotiations (8 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: Under Article 50.3 of the Treaty on European Union, an extension of the article 50 process requires the unanimous decision of the European Council, in agreement with the Member State concerned. We note the terms of the European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 2) Act 2019, which, inter alia, would require an extension to Article 50 until 31 January 2020 be sought, if the House of Commons has not...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Negotiations (8 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: We welcome the fact that the UK has tabled formal proposals on 2 October. As President Juncker has noted, the move towards full regulatory alignment of goods for Northern Ireland is a good step. However, any alternative to the backstop must meet all of its objectives. It must protect the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts, avoiding a hard border, including any physical infrastructure and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Negotiations (8 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: My officials and I remain in close, regular contact with the Commission Taskforce and with Mr Barnier. I last met with Michel Barnier in Brussels on 27 September to exchange views on ongoing developments, including the Task Force's discussions with the UK. He reiterated the EU’s strong commitment to ensuring a fully operational solution in the Withdrawal Agreement that avoids a hard...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Preparations (8 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: As the Government has made clear on a number of occasions, a no deal Brexit would result in far reaching change on the island of Ireland, with a particular impact on North-South trade. I will meet Michel Barnier later today to take stock of developments across a range of Brexit related issues. We are working closely with the European Commission to address our shared twin objectives of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Good Friday Agreement (8 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: The Government is committed to ensuring that the vital citizenship and identity provisions of the Good Friday Agreement are respected and upheld in all relevant policy areas. In the Good Friday Agreement, the Governments “recognise the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British, or both” and “confirm...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (8 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: All passport applications are subject to the provisions of the Passports Act, 2008 (“The Act”). Section 14 of the Act provides, among other things, that for a passport to issue to a child under 18 years of age, the consent of all the child’s guardians must be received by the Passport Service. Passport applications for children have specific witnessing requirements in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Agreements (8 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: The question of a legally binding treaty to regulate the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises has been under consideration by an open-ended inter-governmental working group on transnational corporations and other business enterprises, which was established on foot of a resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council in 2014 and has held four sessions to date....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (8 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: The ongoing crisis in Yemen remains extremely worrying. Ireland and the EU have been clear from the beginning that this situation can only be solved by political means, and that efforts to impose a military solution will be both fruitless and dangerous. We fully support the efforts of the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, to bring about a political resolution, starting with the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (8 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 22 together. I remain concerned by the recent developments in Hong Kong, in particular the escalation of violence which took place on 1 October. The Consulate General of Ireland in Hong Kong, along with the EU Office and representatives of other EU Member States, have been engaging regularly in Brussels and locally in Hong Kong on this matter and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (8 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: The ongoing political, social, economic and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela continues to deteriorate, severely impacting the population and wider region. I am particularly concerned by the humanitarian situation in the country, where an estimated 25% of the population is in need of humanitarian assistance. Health and medical needs are acute with many reported cases of diseases that had...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff Recruitment (8 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: My Department is responsible for the sourcing, management and maintenance of properties to carry out its functions overseas and well as working with the OPW on buildings in Ireland. The Department manages a total of ninetyoverseas missions, plus offices in Armagh and Belfast. The Global Ireland strategy sets out the Government commitment to double the scope and impact of Ireland's footprint...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Visa Agreements (8 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: There has been no change in Government policy with regards to the Ireland-US Working Holiday Agreement. Ireland and the US enjoy strong people-to-people links and this is amply demonstrated by the popularity of educational exchanges, extended working visas, such as under the working holiday scheme, and ever-increasing business transfers and secondments. 466 working holiday visas...

Financial Resolutions 2019 - Financial Resolution No. 9: General (Resumed) (9 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: We are in a critical phase of the Brexit process. The European Council meets next week ahead of the rapidly approaching Brexit deadline of 31 October. Despite media speculation - of which there has been plenty, although much of it is inaccurate - this Government has been always clear we want to be helpful and we are willing to consider proposals that might break the impasse. Ireland wants...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Expenditure (9 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: Administration Subhead (iii) relates to incidental expenses of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. In 2018, incidental expenses totalled €5.2 million on Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs and Trade) and €1.9 million on Vote 27 (International Co-operation). The main expenditure areas in administration Subhead "(iii) Training and Development and Incidental Expenses" in 2018,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: Contributing financially to criminality of any kind should never be condoned in any circumstance. Although it was, in fact, private contractors who paid funds to the individuals concerned, I appreciate that issues were raised in the proceedings in respect of Dublin City Council officials. It is a matter for the council to investigate fully the role of its staff in the matter. The council...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: They are fair questions, but all I can give the Deputy is an honest assessment of what I know. I only learned about the issue yesterday and, to be honest, only focused on it this morning when I asked for the email traffic into and from Ministers' offices and so on. As I said, Deputy Ó Snodaigh raised the issue. The email he sent was cc'd to a series of people. He did not copy it to...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: The matters raised by Deputy Ó Snodaigh were serious and he got a detailed response from the Minister for Justice and Equality of the time, as it was an issue pertaining to justice. I will read the response, which was detailed. It is not true to say she refused to meet people but rather there was an ongoing Garda investigation. The then Minister stated:I am advised by the Commissioner...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: I do not dispute much of what the Deputy is saying. Deputy Ó Snodaigh did good work here and raised issues that were genuine. What I am saying is that I was not aware of it. If I was, I would have raised it with the Minister for Justice and Equality. I am not saying emails were not sent to my office. I am trying to understand what happened in this regard. However, I am also saying...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: But she explained why. If there is an ongoing Garda investigation-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: I read into the record what her official response was and why it was made. The Deputy asked whether there is contagion on an issue like this onto other sites. The Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government will, of course, ensure that is not the case.