Results 34,221-34,240 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (28 Apr 2021)

Simon Coveney: In line with the National Framework on Living with COVID-19, the Passport Service continues to provide a high-quality essential service in line with Government measures to reduce social contact and combat the spread of COVID-19.  This essential service is available for those who are required to travel due to the death or serious illness of a family member or have compelling reasons for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Contracts (28 Apr 2021)

Simon Coveney: In 2020 and 2021 to date, the Department of Foreign Affairs agreed three contracts for Covid-19 related spending. Details are supplied in the table following. The values provided are inclusive of VAT. Year Payee  Value Reason 2020 Dell €842,160 The Department used the negotiated procurement...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (28 Apr 2021)

Simon Coveney: This person is one of a number of human rights defenders in India currently being detained under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. I have expressed my concern on a number of occasions about this individual, who is elderly and has a health condition.  My concern for his health is heightened by the rapid deterioration in the COVID situation in India. I was disappointed to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Expenditure (28 Apr 2021)

Simon Coveney: My Department has not incurred expenditure on external public relations or media advice. From time to time, consultants or companies with a public relations and communications background are commissioned to provide other professional services such as project management, logistics and event management. Africa Day, which falls on 25 May annually, is the official day of the African Union and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Expenditure (28 Apr 2021)

Simon Coveney: My Department engages in public awareness advertising where there is important information that needs to be brought to the attention of citizens.  In 2020 and to date in 2021 some examples of campaigns included the Passport Online and ‘Getting Ireland Brexit Ready’. With the UK’s departure from the EU at the beginning of 2020 it was important to highlight the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Transport (28 Apr 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Department of Foreign Affairs purchases motor vehicles to facilitate the functioning and operations of its HQ units and its Missions abroad and we are committed to procuring vehicles with a reduced environmental impact throughout their life-cycle. Under the Department’s updated official vehicle management policy, and in line with our Green Foreign Ministry policy, new and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Irish Language (28 Apr 2021)

Simon Coveney: My Department is committed to providing services under its administration through Irish.  In line with  the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030, my Department identified certain objectives as being relevant for the promotion of services through Irish, in particular objective 2. Objective 2 of the Strategy is that the Official Languages Act will be fully...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Irish Language (28 Apr 2021)

Simon Coveney: There are a limited number of forms issued from my Department.  The majority of these forms are in both Irish and English languages. Where a form is not available in Irish it will be made available in Irish upon request.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Search and Rescue Service Provision (28 Apr 2021)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for bringing the relevant material to my attention. I am aware of the over-arching matters outlined in same.   Since 2004 the Irish Coast Guard has had overall responsibility for the provision of Search and Rescue services within the Irish Search and Rescue domain. From within the Defence Organisation, both the Naval Service and the Air Corps...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Covid-19 Pandemic (28 Apr 2021)

Simon Coveney: The detailed information sought by the Deputy is not readily available within the time frame sought. At the request of my Department the military authorities are conducting the search, retrieval and collation of same. I will arrange to have this information forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Expenditure (28 Apr 2021)

Simon Coveney: My Department has not incurred any expenditure on public relations advice and media advice between January 2020 and to date in 2021.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Expenditure (28 Apr 2021)

Simon Coveney: My Department has spent the amounts outlined in the table below on advertising and public messaging in print, broadcast and online since January 2020 to date in 2021in tabular form. Also the companies engaged to assist with placing the advertisements and the companies advertised with. The media company Spark Foundry was engaged to place the radio advertisements with national and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Transport (28 Apr 2021)

Simon Coveney: The detailed information sought by the Deputy is not readily available within the time frame sought. At the request of my Department the military authorities are conducting the search, retrieval and collation of same. I will arrange to have this information forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Data (29 Apr 2021)

Simon Coveney: The approximate number of paper renewal applications received through our Embassies and Consulates General in 2020 and to date in 2021 is set out in the table below. Year Total 2020 3,100 2021 70 The figures for 2021 are accurate to 26 April. All passport applications are processed by the Passport Service in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Covid-19 Pandemic (29 Apr 2021)

Simon Coveney: India is undergoing a vast surge in Covid-19 cases, with about three million recorded new cases in the past two weeks alone. The Indian health system is under severe pressure, with hospitals having to turn patients away as they run out of both beds and oxygen.  Ireland was among the first States to confirm concrete support to India as part of a wider EU response. At a time of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (29 Apr 2021)

Simon Coveney: Ireland, along with our EU partners, is concerned about the adoption by the National People’s Congress of a national security law in Hong Kong, which risks undermining the high degree of autonomy of Hong Kong under the One Country, Two Systems principle.  The decision by the Chinese National People's Congress in March of this year to change the electoral system in Hong Kong is...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (29 Apr 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 53, 55 and 56 together. In line with the National Framework on Living with COVID-19, the Passport Service continues to provide a high-quality essential service in line with Government measures to reduce social contact and combat the spread of COVID-19. This essential service is available for those who are required to travel due to the death or serious illness...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (29 Apr 2021)

Simon Coveney: Staff of the Passport Service continue to produce emergency and urgent applications, to offer customer service through WebChat, to assist with consular assistance for Irish citizens overseas and temporary reassignment. The Passport Office has issued more than 3,500 urgent and emergency passports since the beginning of the year. Our Webchat team have also responded to more than 45,000...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (29 Apr 2021)

Simon Coveney: As I have previously outlined in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 69 of 22 April 2021, the development of the Air Corps Flying Officers Commitment Scheme arose from a recommendation made in the Public Service Pay Commission report on recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces. Following engagement by my officials with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and UN Security Council: Engagement with Minister for Foreign Affairs (4 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I hope members can hear me okay.