Results 35,661-35,680 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: I do not disagree with the Deputy that this is a port in which there should be capital investment. It is a port that has shown extraordinary capacity since Brexit took effect. We saw a dramatic increase in the amount of freight traffic through Rosslare in terms of direct ferry links with mainland Europe. I have spoken to many of those ferry operators about the latter.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: With respect, as is the case with any port, we need to plan for investment and drive and fund most of that investment through revenues that come through the port. It is not a case of simply looking for capital grant aid from the Government for this. The Government will, of course, work with the port authorities in Rosslare to do what we can.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: As is the case in every other port, these are commercial decisions that need to be planned for and are made in that context.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: I understand the anger and frustration felt by many families in respect of watching their homes literally crumble after having spent their life savings building them. The Government is going to respond to this issue. We do not have a final report from the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage yet, but we will have it in the coming weeks. It is a matter for the Minister for...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: I hear Deputy Pringle on that. At the last meeting of the working group, which was held on 29 September, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, thanked the working group for its engagement and involvement in the process in recent months. In particular, he acknowledged the stress and hardship which affected homeowners and assured them that...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: I often disagree with my colleague across the way but, on this one, I do not. I think we need to be careful with the language we use here-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: -----because, otherwise, we start undermining what are words that describe issues that we need to be taking a very strong stand against. There is not something deeper going on here. We have been debating in this House, both live and remotely, measures that the Government needs to put in place to protect people in the context of Covid for 18 months now, and that continues as we remove...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: I respectfully suggest that Deputy Mattie McGrath tries to work with us on that-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: -----so we can safely move away from restrictions towards personal responsibility and, indeed, continue to take medical and scientific advice on how we do that. In regard to the Official Languages (Amendment) Bill, I hear what colleagues are saying. My understanding is that 25 hours were given on Committee Stage to this legislation. My understanding also is that the Irish language...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: First, the west of Ireland is not forgotten by this national development plan. It is quite the opposite. The whole point of this national development plan is to try to rebalance the country in the context of the over-reliance on the capital city and the east coast as an economic driver. As a result of that situation, we have people working in Dublin who live as far away as Portlaoise and...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: This is clearly a very sensitive and serious case. The note that I have on it says that the case is subject to legal proceedings and in that context, I must keep my comments on it very short. I will follow up on it on the Deputy's behalf with the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health, Deputy Butler. I know that the new national forensic mental health service facility at...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: Unfortunately, fuel prices are on the way up and this is being driven by external factors, predominantly the price of gas on international markets. We are a price-taker in that regard, despite the fact that we have competition in Ireland. Fuel poverty will be a focus of the Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform in the budget next week but obviously I cannot give the Deputy...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am not sure I will have time to answer all of those questions now but what I will say is that prior to his appointment in June 2020, the Attorney General disclosed to the Taoiseach that he had a few existing litigation commitments to complete, which he considered he had a professional obligation to discharge. The Taoiseach informed the other Government leaders prior to Mr. Gallagher's...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy stated, an oral hearing commenced on 18 February 2020 and concluded on 4 November 2020, including a seven-month gap in proceedings due to Covid-19 restrictions. Galway County Council is awaiting a decision from An Bord Pleanála, which has recently been pushed back to a new target date of 19 November. An Bord Pleanála makes decisions independently of the Government,...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am not sure that there is anywhere in the country where there is an ambulance that is two or three hours away.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: If it happens, it should not be happening. If the Deputy has specific instances of significant delay times like that, I would certainly like to get the detail and I will pass it on directly to the Minister for Health.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: I can read the Deputy a long note on essential services but I think that will irritate her more than anything else. If the Deputy could send me the details of the actual centres I will try and get her a direct answer from the Minister for Health, if that would be helpful.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: This sounds like a very difficult case, particularly when there are time considerations in respect of the application of the drug. I can understand why parents would be at their wits' end trying to get access to a drug they believe can make a life-changing difference to their child. It is the first that I have heard of this case but I will follow up on it. If the Deputy sends me the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: I do not think there is any chance of this being dropped for many of the reasons the Deputy outlined but also because many in the Government, myself included, have given strong commitment to delivering on a motorway between Ireland's second and third cities. There was a strong commitment in the last development plan to deliver the M20 and there is a strong commitment in this development plan...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: An increased price of living will be factored into our considerations when the Government announces a budget next week. The carbon tax measure, as the Deputy should know, is a climate action measure that is a medium-term measure, which is about giving a price signal over a ten-year period, not a one-year period or a six-month period-----