Results 34,241-34,260 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

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: There is a slight repeat in my headphones but as long as members can hear me, that is the main thing. I understand we have to finish by 11.30 a.m. I will keep my opening statement relatively short so we can get on to questions and answers as soon as possible but I do need to give an overview of the breadth of the areas that we have been involved in.

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 thank the committee for the invitation to meet. I look forward to us meeting in person in a room in the not-too-distance future so we can have a more detailed interaction on some of these issues. Given the large number of items discussed at the Foreign Affairs Council since we last met in October, and at the Security Council since January, I will only address selected issues in my opening...

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: A lot of issues were raised but I will try to deal with them as quickly as I can. If I miss something, any member who wants to come back can do so, or if they want to give me a call after this meeting, I will happily talk through any of the issues they have that have not been fully addressed. Deputy Leddin raised the issue of Syrian detainees. I had a good conversation with Geir O....

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 will answer the Chair's question on the issue of refugee returns to Syria first. Any returns of refugees or displaced persons must be voluntary, dignified and safe. It is the assessment of reputable experts and, above all, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, that such conditions are not in place right now. EU law and other international legal obligations rightly...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (5 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 336, 345, 346 and 347 together. The Government views the terrible events of 1915 which saw the deaths of a very large number of the Armenian population in the Ottoman Empire as a tragedy and has expressed sympathy for the enormous suffering of the Armenian people during the period in question. There is no international consensus on whether these events amount...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Communications (5 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: My Department has been copied on some of the correspondence between the Embassies of Georgia and Ukraine and DCU. However, the Department is not otherwise involved in this case. Nevertheless, I would like to take this opportunity to restate Ireland's firm and sustained commitment to academic freedom as a cornerstone of an open and democratic society. The promotion of respect for academic...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (5 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: The British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) is an important institution of the Good Friday Agreement, bringing together the British and Irish Governments under Strand Three of the Good Friday Agreement to promote bilateral co-operation on matters of mutual interest within the competence of both Governments. As per the Programme for Government, we have committed to work to enhance...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (5 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Passport Service is well advanced in its preparations for scaling up to more normal operational levels, while complying with the phased easing of restrictions set out in “COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021 – The Plan Ahead”. Passport Online will continue to be the priority given the efficiencies that are in-built into the system for both the applicant and the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (5 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: Discussions regarding travel documents have taken place at a European level, after which the European Commission decided not to recommend a coordinated extension of the validity of Member States' travel documents. Accordingly, there are no plans at present for the validity of passports to be extended beyond their expiry date. The Passport Service is well advanced in its preparations for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Investigations (5 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: No staff of the Department of Foreign Affairs had access to files and or email restricted and or revoked as part of a disciplinary process or preceding or following a disciplinary process from 1 January 2018 to date in 2021.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (5 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am aware of press coverage on the campaign to have the remains of Irishman Mr Charles Byrne (1761-1783) removed from the Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons of England to be buried at sea or in Ireland. I also note that in October 2020, a spokesperson for the Hunterian Museum said that it will not be re-opening for at least another two years and that an update on plans for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Expenditure (5 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: My Department generally seeks advice on domestic legal matters from the Office of the Attorney General and/or the Chief State Solicitor’s Office. Depending on the subject matter, litigation is dealt with on my Department’s behalf by the Attorney General’s Office, the Chief State Solicitor’s Office or the State Claims Agency which engage lawyers to act for the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Investigations (5 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: There was one instance where, as a precautionary measure, a restriction of access to files for an officer was put in place to allow for the completion of a disciplinary process, during the period referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Properties (5 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Department of Defence is currently in dicussions with Dublin City Council about transferring a portion of this land to them in order to facilitate the development of a linear park, whilst retaining access to the remaining land for Defence Forces' operational purposes.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (5 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: The data requested could not be readily ascertained in the timeframe set out for reply and I will revert once the information is available to me.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (5 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: The table below outlines the number of vacancies at the rank of Captain in the Army Reserve and equivalent in the Naval Service Reserve, as at 31 March 2021: Establishment Substantive strength Vacancies Army Reserve (Capt) 107 83 24 Naval Service Reserve (Lt) 20 8 1* * there...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (5 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Military Authorities have advised that as of 31 March 2021, the effective strength of the Army Reserve (AR) and Naval Service Reserve (NSR) combined, is 1,569 and is set out in the table below: LT COL COMDT CAPT LT TOTAL OFFR SM BQMS CS CQMS SGT CPL TOTAL NCO PTE TOTAL ...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (5 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Programme for a Partnership Government of 2016 provided for the award of the 1916 Commemorative medal to all Defence Forces personnel, Permanent and Reserve, who were recorded as being in service in the course of 2016. This was a special acknowledgement from the Government to the members of Óglaigh na hÉireann who served during the centenary year. The Defence Forces have advised...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Expenditure (5 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: The detailed information sought by the Deputy is not readily available, but my Department is retrieving and collating the information requested. I will arrange to have it forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (6 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: Applications are only valid for six months primarily due to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regulations on the requirement for a recent photograph. The ICAO is a UN specialised agency which defines in detail the required format for a passport. Where additional documentation has been requested and has not been received within this timeframe, these applications are...