Results 33,421-33,440 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (26 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: The opening of the fenced-off area in Varosha, and the recent statements of President Erdogan advocating a two-state solution to the Cyprus problem, are backward steps that simply add to tensions in the region. Such actions and statements are particularly regrettable given the ongoing attempts to create the space for dialogue and to resume negotiations for a comprehensive settlement....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (26 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: I am very concerned by developments in Belarus, which continue to deteriorate. We have seen mass and indiscriminate detentions, including of children, violence against peaceful protesters, evidence of torture and ill-treatment of detainees, including reports of sexual abuse, internet shutdowns and curbs on media freedoms. UN Special Rapporteurs have highlighted continued violations of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Issues (26 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: The EU is committed to agreeing a renewed, comprehensive partnership with Africa at the EU-African Union Summit in 2021. A more effective EU-Africa partnership is an objective of the Government’s Africa Strategy and Ireland has actively engaged in the work undertaken to prepare a new EU-Africa partnership. Minister Coveney called for an ambitious EU approach to the partnership...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (26 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: The Passport Service has paused the processing of Foreign Births Registration applications as Ireland is at Level 5 of the National Framework for Living with COVID-19. Applications that have been sent to the FBR team are being held securely and will be processed, in date order of receipt, when normal services resume at Level 3. Foreign Births Registration, by its nature, can be a...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (26 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: All passport applications are subject to the terms of the Passports Act, 2008, as amended (“the Act“). The Act provides a legal basis for the various policies and procedures that are applied by the Passport Service in the issue of passports. Section 10 of the Act provides that a passport will issue in the name of a citizen as it appears on his/her birth certificate or...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Peace Process (26 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: Ireland and the EU stand by the internationally agreed parameters for a negotiated peace agreement and continue to urge the Israeli Government to uphold its international legal obligations, including under the Fourth Geneva Convention, on the treatment of civilian populations. Jerusalem is one of the permanent status issues to be settled in a final peace agreement. Ireland provides...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (26 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: The Passport Service has paused the processing of Foreign Births Registration applications as Ireland is at Level 5 of the National Framework for Living with COVID-19. Applications that have been sent to the FBR team are being held securely and will be processed, in date order of receipt, when normal services resume at Level 3. Foreign Births Registration, by its nature, can be a...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (26 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: The human rights situation in Iran is very worrying, and has long formed an important part of Ireland's engagement and dialogue with Iran. The inability of members of the Bahá’í faith to access higher education is deeply concerning. It is unacceptable to discriminate against individuals on the basis of their religion. Ireland has consistently raised the discriminatory...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services (26 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has been providing ongoing consular assistance to this citizen through our Consular Assistance Unit in Dublin, our Embassy in Beijing and our Consulate General in Shanghai. Our Consul General has been meeting and engaging regularly with the citizen since we were first informed of this complex case last year, and continues to provide all...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (26 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: I know there are only two amendments for us to consider but I will say a few things before we formally move through Committee Stage. I thank the Chairman and members of the committee for the opportunity to make a brief statement. Although this is a relatively short Bill, it addresses some important matters. The principal issues dealt with by this legislation relate to overseas operations...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (26 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: What we planned to do here, when this legislation was originally drafted, was effectively done because we fastforwarded it and it was done in the Covid emergency legislation. I went through that in some detail at Second Stage and I can do it again if people like. Effectively, what is in this section is catered for in law already and, therefore, we do not need to repeat it for obvious reasons.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (26 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: Yes, it is about the re-enlistment of former enlisted members of the Permanent Defence Force and, this is because, in the context of Covid, we wanted to bring back skillsets. It was part of the recruitment and retention issues, basically, and it still is. We are re-enlisting people now. We have not achieved the numbers we would like but there is a steady stream of people seeking to come...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (26 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: I thank Deputies. We had quite a good debate on this on Second Stage. The Bill is quite technical. It does not change fundamental policy on defence, but I was anxious to use this opportunity to put in place legislation as a foundation, from a legal perspective, to allow the commission to make recommendations to the Government on the future of the Reserve in terms of its function. Nobody...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services (1 Dec 2020)

Simon Coveney: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has been providing ongoing consular assistance to this citizen through our Consular Assistance Unit in Dublin, our Embassy in Beijing and our Consulate General in Shanghai. Our Consul General has been meeting and engaging regularly with the citizen since we were first informed of this complex case last year, and continues to provide all...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (1 Dec 2020)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 318, 319 and 329 together. I am aware of the specific cases to which the Deputies refer. My officials have raised the matter with the Egyptian Ambassador in Dublin, and we have also expressed our concern directly with the Egyptian authorities through our Ambassador in Cairo, along with EU and other States. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Terrorism (1 Dec 2020)

Simon Coveney: In relation to the case raised by the Deputy, I am aware of reports about it. I condemn in the strongest terms any attempts to commit violence or acts of terrorism. However, as the situation is subject to an ongoing criminal investigation in another jurisdiction, it would be inappropriate for me to comment any further on the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Issues (1 Dec 2020)

Simon Coveney: Given the nature of the European Peace Facility and the fact that it brings together existing instruments that are both under the remit of the Department of Foreign Affairs (African Peace Facility) and under the Department of Defence (Athena Mechanism), both Departments have policy responsibility for the European Peace Facility and have worked closely throughout the negotiations on...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services (1 Dec 2020)

Simon Coveney: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department provides all possible consular advice and support to Irish citizens in distress overseas, where requested. As the Deputy will be aware, our Embassies and Consulates abroad are precluded from directly intervening in judicial processes of another jurisdiction, including on matters relating to visa and immigration processes. However, officials...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Contracts (1 Dec 2020)

Simon Coveney: The Department of Foreign Affairs is responsible for two Votes - Vote 27 (International Cooperation) and Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs). Overall expenditure under both Votes for consultancy firms, accountancy firms, legal firms, project management firms and IT firms which have been engaged by my Department in 2018, 2019 and to date in 2020 are set out in the attached schedules. No disputes over...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Military Aircraft (1 Dec 2020)

Simon Coveney: Permission for foreign military aircraft to land in or overfly the State is subject to strict conditions. These routinely include stipulations that the aircraft must be unarmed, carry no arms, ammunition or explosives and must not engage in intelligence gathering, and that the flights in question must not form part of military exercises or operations. Overflights by US military aircraft are...