Results 35,961-35,980 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Defence: United Nations (16 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: The conditions under which the Defence Forces may participate on overseas peace support operations are set out in the Defence Acts. Where the Defence Forces contingent comprises part of an International United Nations Force, the conditions, known as the “triple lock”, must be satisfied. These are that the operation must be authorised/mandated by the United Nations; it must be...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (16 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: The military authorities have advised that all applicants to the Defence Forces are required to pass the security vetting stage of the recruitment process. If a concern is highlighted, such as a previous offence, a disclosure is produced by An Gárda Síochána and issued by the Defence Forces to the applicant. The applicant is required to acknowledge that the disclosure pertains...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (16 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am advised by the military authorities that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force, as at 31 October 2021 is 8,572 whole-time equivalent personnel. The attached table shows the requested breakdown by rank, service, and gender. The current staffing issues within the Defence Forces have been acknowledged and the Government remains committed to returning to and maintaining the agreed...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (16 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Reserve Defence Force (RDF) is comprised of the First Line Reserve (FLR), the Army Reserve (AR) and the Naval Service Reserve (NSR). The effective strength of the Army Reserve (AR) and Naval Service Reserve (NSR), as of 31 October 2021, are set out below: ">Details of Army and Naval Reserves

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (16 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: As of 1 November 2021, Ireland is contributing 566 personnel to 9 different missions throughout the world. The main overseas missions in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with 335 personnel and the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in Syria with 136 personnel.Ireland also contributes observers and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (16 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am advised by the military authorities that it has not been possible to gather the information requested within the time allotted. I will revert to the Deputy when the information has been gathered.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (16 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am advised by the military authorities that it has not been possible to provide the information requested within the time allotted. I will revert to the Deputy when the information has been received.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: EU Funding (18 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: As part of its climate and transition agenda, the EU is engaged in improving resilience and energy security across the EU, including in Ireland, through investment in interconnection. Cyprus currently has no interconnection for energy and, as such, it is entirely reliant on precarious domestic supply. Interconnection is, therefore, vital to energy security in Cyprus. There are two...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: EU Funding (18 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: I do not accept that. What we are doing here is trying to ensure that a member state, that is, Cyprus, is not isolated in terms of electricity interconnection. This project has been assessed by the Commission. The Commission, as Ireland does, makes a distinction in policy between the EU and Israel between occupied Palestinian territory and Israel proper. This is about an...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: EU Funding (18 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: I make statements all the time on Israel's responsibility in occupied Palestinian territory. I have been fairly consistent on that, both at home and internationally. This project has been assessed by the European Commission. It is about interconnection of an EU member state with Greece, and Israel. I am aware that the Palestinian Authority has laid legal claim to natural resources off the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Humanitarian Access (18 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: Ireland condemns the regime of Alexander Lukashenko for its exploitation of migrants for political purposes. At the Foreign Affairs Council on Monday, EU foreign ministers discussed the escalation in the crisis along the EU's borders with Belarus. We agreed to broaden the listings criteria for sanctions on the Belarusian regime. This broader listing will target individuals and entities...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Humanitarian Access (18 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: We should not describe what is happening now as a situation where migrants are being pushed between Belarus and European borders. The EU is not pushing anybody nor are member states. They are trying to protect their borders from uncontrolled migration. There were 18,000 migrants on the border with Poland at the start of the week. It looks as though some may have been shipped elsewhere...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Humanitarian Access (18 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: The European Union is not saying that.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Humanitarian Access (18 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: No, the Deputy said that they were being treated like a football, kicked back and forth.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Humanitarian Access (18 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: It is very difficult to get a handle on the numbers as they change all the time. The Belarusian side is effectively trying to weaponise incredibly vulnerable people, promising them entry to the EU, bringing them from countries such as Syria and Iraq and bussing them to the border. Then those unfortunate migrants find that they are trapped. That is what is happening. We need to first, try...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Humanitarian Access (18 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: The EU's responsibility is to try to balance the solidarity that we have with member states that are under huge pressure with its international obligations to the welfare of migrants. What that means is trying to get access for international organisations, which can assist and support migrants. That is why we have supported the Lithuanian Red Cross financially to try to provide welfare...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Birth Registration (18 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for giving me an opportunity to outline that foreign birth registration is open again. It has always been open for emergency cases but it has reopened again for mainstream applications. I am pleased to inform him that as of Monday, 15 November, the processing of foreign birth registration, FBR, has resumed and will be gradually scaled up in line with the recruitment of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Birth Registration (18 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: I apologise to the Deputy, but I do not think I have given the two-year figure. It is new to me. Foreign birth registration applications are citizenship applications and, as in all jurisdictions, involve a complex and lengthy process. The passport service has a statutory responsibility to protect the integrity of this special citizenship process. Accordingly, it must assure very careful...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Birth Registration (18 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: Last Monday.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Birth Registration (18 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: To clarify, the essential service was never stopped. Foreign birth registration for essential cases was always maintained. Of course there is frustration for the 32,000 cases on hand and parents, primarily, will want Irish passports for their children who are entitled to them. However, we had to make a judgment to prioritise how we used staff for essential services during the pandemic and...