Results 32,101-32,120 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (12 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: I will ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to revert to the Deputy.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (12 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: The Patient Safety (Notifiable Patient Safety Incidents) Bill 2019 is on the agenda for this afternoon.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (12 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: I understand the Minister, Deputy Harris, has visited Naas hospital in the last couple of days.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (12 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: That is a separate issue. I will ask the Minister to come back to the Deputy on the specifics of the question.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (12 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: We are trying to make progress on the E3 visa process. I am sure the Deputy is familiar with this facility, which is available to Australian nationals. It enables them to get visas to work and live in the United States. There is an allocation each year. We are working with friends in Congress and the Senate to try to allow Irish people to use unused visas, of which there are between 3,000...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Budgets (12 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: The National Development Plan 2018 - 2027 includes, in Annex 1, the capital allocations for Departments up until 2022. My Department will have a capital allocation of €13 million in 2020, across its two Votes: Vote 27 - International Co-operation and Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade, as published on Budget Day in October. The Department's total capital allocations for 2021 and 2022...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Expenditure (12 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: There are currently just three official credit cards in use in the Department's Headquarters. Two are held by designated officials in the Finance Division offices of the Department in Dublin and in Limerick and are generally used only for emergency purchases or purchases that can only be made by credit card. An official credit card was also issued to the Private Office of the Office of the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Negotiations (17 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: Brexit was discussed at the European Council, which met in Article 50 formation on 13 December, but it was not an item for discussion at the Foreign Affairs Council. In its conclusions on Brexit, the European Council reiterated its commitment to an orderly UK withdrawal on the basis of the Withdrawal Agreement and called for its timely ratification and effective implementation. At its...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Issues (17 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: The Taoiseach and I, and our colleagues in Government, look forward to meeting with the new UK Government in the coming weeks.  The Taoiseach spoke with Prime Minister Johnson on Friday last and they will meet in person as soon as is possible.  For my part, I look forward to meeting with the UK Foreign Secretary, early in 2020, to discuss mutual interests and shared global...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (17 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: Ireland’s diplomatic footprint is guided by Global Ireland 2025 which aims to double the scope and impact of our global footprint.  Since the launch of Global Ireland last year my Department has been working closely with the Department of the Taoiseach and a range of other Government partners to ensure effective delivery. On July 8th, the Taoiseach and I hosted a summit in Dublin...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (17 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: My Department did not attend the 2nd International Conference on Christian Persecution convened by the Government of Hungary on 26 to 28 November. The EU was represented at the conference by the Special Envoy for the promotion of freedom of religion or belief outside the EU, Ján Figel, who addressed the conference underlining the EU’s commitment to freedom of religion or belief. ...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Official Engagements (17 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: At present there is no visit to Dublin by my Spanish counterpart scheduled for the early months of 2020. However, I was delighted to attend the Asia Europe Meeting of Foreign Ministers which was hosted by the Spanish Foreign Ministry in Madrid earlier this week. Spain is a greatly valued partner for Ireland. I will continue to engage closely with my Spanish and other EU counterparts both...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (17 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: The current Irish passport fee for persons 18 years of age or over is €75 for applications made through the Passport Online service and €80 for a paper based application made via paper. A decision was taken in the 2005 budget to exempt applicants aged 65 and over from the passport fee. Passport fees for applicants aged 65 and over were reintroduced in the budget of December...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland (18 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 32, 33 and 35 together. It is clear that this is the moment to finally secure an agreement that will restore the Executive, the Assembly and the North-South Ministerial Council to operation. The Taoiseach and Prime Minister Johnson spoke on Friday and agreed that achieving this is the top priority for both Governments. If the Executive is not in place by...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland (18 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: I hope that the Acting Chairman will give me the time to contribute again. I should have three minutes to respond to three Deputies.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland (18 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Acting Chairman. Regarding Deputy Haughey's question, three years without a functioning devolved Government in Northern Ireland has taken its toll. There has been an absence of the capacity to make political decisions, which has had a knock-on consequence in multiple areas. That absence of a united voice in Northern Ireland during the Brexit negotiations has also been...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland (18 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: Any part of the deal will involve financial commitments from the British and Irish Governments. The Prime Minister and the Taoiseach have spoken about the two Governments working together on a number of projects that would benefit communities on both sides of the Border. I, for one, am committed to that principle. In terms of strand one issues, Northern Ireland will primarily look for...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland (18 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: That is all we have got.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland (18 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: Paramilitaries are unfortunately still a part of Northern Ireland. They are a very small minority within communities and we need to be very careful not to label certain communities and areas as supportive of, or dominated by, paramilitarism. The report the Deputy refers to is absolutely right. Whatever about the challenges for devolved government in Northern Ireland, where parties are...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: EU Development (18 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: With the UK now due to leave the EU next month and the new institutions in place, the EU is entering a new phase that will have significant implications for Ireland. In relation to Brexit, the Government has been clear throughout that Ireland's place is firmly at the heart of Europe. We are determined to play our part in shaping the post-Brexit EU. The Taoiseach, I, the Minister of...