Results 341-360 of 40,856 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Kyoto Protocol: Motion (Resumed) (4 Apr 2007)

Simon Coveney: I wish to share time with Deputy Neville, if he turns up. If he does not, I will speak for 20 minutes. I am happy to have an opportunity to speak in this debate and I am sorry that there are not more people and journalists watching it, although hopefully some of them are watching on their monitors. The previous speaker was passionate about this issue which is central to his party. The rise...

Written Answers — Recycling Policy: Recycling Policy (5 Apr 2007)

Simon Coveney: Question 46: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the action he will take to increase recycling in the construction industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13417/07]

Written Answers — Recycling Policy: Recycling Policy (5 Apr 2007)

Simon Coveney: Question 64: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the action he will take to increase recycling amongst businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13416/07]

Co-location of Hospitals: Motion (Resumed). (27 Jun 2007)

Simon Coveney: I am pleased to have the opportunity to express concern at the Government's plans to build private hospitals on public hospital lands. I thank Deputy Hayes, our new spokesperson on health, for bringing this motion forward so quickly. It is appropriate that we are debating two of the key issues concerning the electorate in the first week of the new Dáil. Earlier today we discussed stamp...

Co-location of Hospitals: Motion (Resumed). (27 Jun 2007)

Simon Coveney: How can we maximise the potential of public landbanks on public hospital sites? Fine Gael has no problem with the principle of private hospitals being built on private sites and it is ridiculous for Government spokespersons to suggest otherwise. We have not been inconsistent at any stage in what we have said on this issue. However, we are strongly opposed to the sale of precious landbanks...

Order of Business (28 Jun 2007)

Simon Coveney: What is the updated position of the Criminal Law (Trafficking in Persons and Sexual Offences) Bill? This time last year the Taoiseach assured the House we would see anti-human trafficking legislation before the end of the year. We were later assured that the Bill would be a priority for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform at the start of 2007 and a number of months ago the...

Requests to move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 32 (3 Jul 2007)

Simon Coveney: Under Standing Order 32, I wish to raise a matter of national concern, namely, the attempted landing of significant quantities of cocaine off the west Cork coast, with an estimated street value of up to €300 million, more than the entire value of all drugs seized in 2006, its interception by authorities purely by chance and good fortune and, therefore, the need to assess Ireland's state of...

Order of Business (3 Jul 2007)

Simon Coveney: Last week, in the absence of the Taoiseach, I asked the Tánaiste about an update on legislation against human trafficking. He told me it was a matter for the Minister to prioritise it in the autumn. The Taoiseach has given me commitments on this issue on a number of occasions. The Government has also signed a Council of Europe convention on human trafficking. We have also made...

Drug Seizures. (3 Jul 2007)

Simon Coveney: I wish to share time with Deputy P.J. Sheehan. It is important to let Deputy Sheehan have his say on this incident as it took place a couple of hundred yards from his home. Last night and today people have being following the extraordinary story of attempted drug smuggling off the west Cork coast, near Goleen. Garda sources now say that up to 1.5 tonnes of baled cocaine have been recovered...

Written Answers — UN Reform: UN Reform (3 Jul 2007)

Simon Coveney: Question 127: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the contact he has had with other EU Governments regarding UN reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18703/07]

International Agreements: Motion. (4 Jul 2007)

Simon Coveney: I might not use my allotted ten minutes but I wish to retain the option of doing so. I did not intend to speak on this issue and was not even aware it was on the agenda until the Order of Business. I decided to speak for a number of reasons, primary among which was registering my concern about how this arose. I recall speaking on the issue last October when it was debated in the European...

Waste Management: Motion (Resumed). (4 Jul 2007)

Simon Coveney: Is the Deputy for the incinerator or not?

Waste Management: Motion (Resumed). (4 Jul 2007)

Simon Coveney: So the Deputy said one thing to the residents but will vote in favour of the incinerator here.

Waste Management: Motion (Resumed). (4 Jul 2007)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy is speaking out of both sides of his mouth.

Waste Management: Motion (Resumed). (4 Jul 2007)

Simon Coveney: Has Government policy changed?

Waste Management: Motion (Resumed). (4 Jul 2007)

Simon Coveney: That is rubbish.

Waste Management: Motion (Resumed). (4 Jul 2007)

Simon Coveney: Ask Dan Boyle what happened in Cork.

Waste Management: Motion (Resumed). (4 Jul 2007)

Simon Coveney: I was not going to speak on this debate, but now that it is such a lively discussion I am glad that I have decided to do so. I was surprised to hear Deputy Cuffe proudly saying that the Minister, Deputy Gormley, was in favour of recategorising the definition of incineration at a European level from waste disposal to waste-to-energy. He seemed anxious that incineration would not be...

Waste Management: Motion (Resumed). (4 Jul 2007)

Simon Coveney: Yes, exactly. That is why it is so important that we have this debate tonight and not in the autumn, when it might be too late. Deputy Cuffe is correct when he says that those in Government cannot directly influence or change a planning decision of An Bord Pleanála. However, Ministers can outline clearly the Government's policy on waste disposal and management at national level. I remind...

Waste Management: Motion (Resumed). (4 Jul 2007)

Simon Coveney: Can I tell the Deputies what we have done in the Cork region? Cork County Council is one of the few local authorities that is controlled by Fine Gael. At every step of the way, Fine Gael has tried to prevent the construction of a national hazardous waste and municipal waste incinerator on Cork Harbour at Ringaskiddy. We refused to zone the site for a waste facility of this nature. We made...