Results 34,741-34,760 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Middle East (24 Jun 2021)

Simon Coveney: It is clear that I am not shy to call out Israeli policy when it is not consistent with international law. I have repeatedly referred to the illegality of settlements, settlement expansion, demolitions and forced evictions. I have been highly critical, both nationally and internationally, of those policies because I believe they are counterproductive to achieving the outcome of a peaceful...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Middle East (24 Jun 2021)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for his question. As he knows, I have strong views on this matter, as do many others in the House. I am deeply concerned by the impact of the recent escalation of the conflict on children in the occupied Palestinian territories and in Israel. I have been clear about the need to respect international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians, particularly...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Middle East (24 Jun 2021)

Simon Coveney: As I said earlier, the only way sanctions are effective is if they are agreed collectively. Ireland, on its own, does not have the capacity to impose sanctions on Israel and should not do so. We would end up isolating ourselves, not Israel, if we tried to do that. The way to do this is to focus on the relationship between Israel and the EU because that is where there is real leverage. We...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Middle East (24 Jun 2021)

Simon Coveney: We will, of course, focus on supporting communities there. We are putting our money where our mouth is in that regard.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Middle East (24 Jun 2021)

Simon Coveney: Using terms like "coming to heel" probably is not appropriate in relation to-----

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Middle East (24 Jun 2021)

Simon Coveney: I know it is.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Middle East (24 Jun 2021)

Simon Coveney: Often the language used in this Parliament about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not helpful to what I am trying to achieve internationally on behalf of Ireland and the Government. I am trying to ensure we are a relevant partner internationally, influencing decisions that impact on the lives of young Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank and indeed young Israelis as well, who have also...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: International Relations (24 Jun 2021)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for his question. I am really glad he asked it. I know there is huge interest in the Israel-Palestine question and that is always going to be a big feature of foreign affairs questions but there are so many other really significant issues and conflicts that Ireland is involved in also, particularly in the context of the UN Security Council, and this is one of them. I...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: International Relations (24 Jun 2021)

Simon Coveney: It is helpful to put some facts on the record, or certainly as they are understood. Food insecurity continues to be of serious concern. Over 5.2 million people are in need of emergency food aid right now. Alarmingly, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, UNOCHA, has confirmed that 350,000 people are in imminent danger of famine. There are grave concerns...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: International Relations (24 Jun 2021)

Simon Coveney: I would like to think we have been one of the most if not the most active country on this matter at the UN Security Council and within the EU. What we understand happened yesterday will increase even more the need for international intervention here. A crowded market seems to have been targeted with an air strike, and where we think up to 60 people have been killed, with hundreds of people...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: International Relations (24 Jun 2021)

Simon Coveney: The repression carried out by the Lukashenko regime in Belarus has intensified over recent months with widespread crackdowns against political dissidents, human rights defenders, journalists and media outlets, civil society organisations and minority groups. At our meeting on 21 June, EU foreign ministers adopted a fourth package of targeted sanctions against 78 individuals and eight...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: International Relations (24 Jun 2021)

Simon Coveney: I do not have a date for when the report will be finalised but I expect it to be public. This incident has, in many ways, galvanised the EU in its response to the Lukashenko regime. A Ryanair plane, registered in Poland but flying from Athens to Vilnius, was effectively hijacked in the sky - that is what happened - and the pilot was told there was potentially a bomb on the plane and it had...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: International Relations (24 Jun 2021)

Simon Coveney: We had the opportunity, as foreign ministers, to meet Ms Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who is one of the key opposition leaders in the democratic movement for, and in, Belarus. Of course, she is living in Lithuania now for her own protection. She is planning to come to Ireland and we have extended an open invitation to her. We expect she will be here next month and I look forward to welcoming...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Shannon Airport Facilities (24 Jun 2021)

Simon Coveney: If the Deputy allows me to give the regulations around this, then I will answer the direct question. The Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order 1973 prohibits the carriage of munitions of war through Irish airspace or through Irish airports on civilian aircraft unless an exemption has been granted by the Minister for Transport. Statistics on such...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Shannon Airport Facilities (24 Jun 2021)

Simon Coveney: It is important that we deal with facts here rather than what people believe. In order for a civilian aircraft that is carrying US military personnel to travel through Shannon Airport, if any of them are carrying arms on their person there needs to be an exemption for that. There is no exemption to carry large munitions or arms for military operations or war. There is not. The only...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Shannon Airport Facilities (24 Jun 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy has asked two very different questions. I have answered the first question: there are no large-scale stocks of weapons travelling through Shannon Airport. There are not. The US sometimes uses Shannon Airport for refuelling to bring personnel from one part of the world to another, and not with their weapons. When the US seeks exemptions, we are talking about light weapons that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Human Rights (24 Jun 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 96, 112, 141, 155 and 160 together. I hope the Acting Chairman will give a me a bit longer to answer this group of questions. I wish to address the five questions and I have quite a detailed answer, which I would like to put on the record, if that is okay.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Human Rights (24 Jun 2021)

Simon Coveney: Thank you. The rights of LGBTQI+ people are essential human rights and Ireland strongly advocates for their promotion and protection throughout the world, including in our relations with Hungary and Poland. On 15 June, the Hungarian National Assembly passed a bill with the official title "Stricter measures against paedophile criminals and on amending legislation related to the protection of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Human Rights (24 Jun 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am really pleased to hear a united front in the Parliament on this issue but this is not about left and right. It is not about conservative views versus liberal views. It is about human rights. That is what this is about. This is why I agree with Deputy Griffin that UEFA showed cowardice on this issue. It has done great work in terms of trying to stamp out racism in football, as indeed...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Human Rights (24 Jun 2021)

Simon Coveney: We have a shared view on this issue. It is strong. Over the past decade, in particular, Ireland has in many ways opened up a debate and discussion that has been inclusive, generous and progressive. We have an obligation to try to ensure that kind of inclusive discussion also happens in other parts of the world and, if necessary, other parts of the European Union so that people's concerns,...