Results 37,221-37,240 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: I am advised by the military authorities that for counties Cavan and Monaghan the number of total inductions as a percentage of total applications is in line with the national rate, which is 7% per annum for the five years in question. The Defence Forces do not collate reasons for unsuccessful applications on a county by county basis. As outlined in reply to question No 55 of 10 March 2022,...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Contracts (23 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: I am advised that neither my Department nor the Defence Forces have any contracts in place with the company referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Commission on the Defence Forces was established on foot of a commitment in the Programme for Government and the Government decision in December 2020 which also agreed its terms of reference and membership. The report was published on the 9th February 2022. The Commission undertook a significant body of work encompassing their wide-ranging terms of reference. The report contains...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Ukraine War (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: Before I answer that question, I wish to take a few moments to recognise the service of Mr. Jim Kelly, who has just been mentioned by the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman. Jim was a massively important member of the Department of Foreign Affairs team. He was an ambassador and was central to our team in the UN Security Council since we joined that council. He passed away very unexpectedly last...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Ukraine War (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: I appreciate that flexibility, a Chathaoirligh. On the important question asked by Deputy Brady, since the illegal, unprovoked and unjustified further invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces on 24 February, Ireland has stood in unwavering solidarity with the people and Government of Ukraine. Ireland’s response to the invasion has included engagement with EU partners and at the UN,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Ukraine War (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for his questions and for his support of the approach the Government has taken so far. With regard to Ireland being categorised as an unfriendly country, all of the EU has been categorised as being unfriendly towards Russia. That is a term it has used previously, and then it takes action on the back of that. Any actions of the back of that statement a number of weeks ago...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Ukraine War (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: I travelled to Poland last week to meet my counterparts there and to meet refugees. I visited the largest Ukrainian refugee hub in Poland where there were approximately 7,000 people, predominantly women and children and quite a number of elderly people. The scale of human misery and the responsibility for the EU collectively to respond to it are enormous. As the Deputy knows, Ireland will...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Ukraine War (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: We will come back to Ukraine again and I will answer the question then.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Undocumented Irish in the USA (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy. He was an incredibly popular person in the Department. Addressing the difficult situation of undocumented Irish emigrants in the United States and working to secure legal pathways for Irish people seeking to live and work in the US continues to be a key priority for the Government, as it has been for many years. The need to address the challenge of establishing...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Undocumented Irish in the USA (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: Everybody in the House wants the same outcome, which is to find a way of regularising the lives of Irish people living in the US in the shadows. For many years they have lived and worked there and paid taxes there. In many cases they have married and have families growing up in the US. Often they are unable to come home for family funerals or for normal interaction with family and friends...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Undocumented Irish in the USA (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: What we have done here at home strengthens our argument in terms of what we are asking of the US and what the Minister, Deputy McEntee, has done in terms of regularising the status of thousands of people in Ireland looking to have their status recognised. It is a very progressive example of how to do this.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Undocumented Irish in the USA (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: Perhaps a special envoy would help. I would say that our embassy in Washington is all over this. It is constantly briefing key people. We have very strong advocates and supporters in the Friends of Ireland group and people outside of it. The Biden Administration is also supportive. We are not short of political support. There are impediments, some of which are outside of the control of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Human Rights (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: Amnesty International is a respected NGO and I value the role it and other civil society organisations play on these issues. The assertions in the report echo those we have seen in a number of recent similar reports. These reports undoubtedly raise difficult questions for the Israeli Administration. Ireland’s position on these matters is, and will continue to be, based on...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Human Rights (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: I have not used the word "apartheid" and I have explained why. We have had a detailed debate on this issue and this report in this House. The Deputy was part of that discussion. The position I outlined then is the same as I have outlined today. Our approach is about bringing about change on the ground, helping Palestinians and holding the Israeli Administration to account for the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Human Rights (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: Yet again, the Deputy has outlined a whole series of actions he says we should implement but that we cannot. We do not sell arms to Israel, so how can we stop? The Deputy is calling for an arms embargo. Ireland cannot impose an arms embargo on Israel but he calls for one anyway because it makes for a good sound bite. He wants to impose trade restrictions on Israel. Ireland cannot do...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Human Rights (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: We are focused on what we actually can do to try to bring about change, to support Palestinians and to try to support the progress of a peace process that has gone backwards in recent years. We are doing this through diplomatic engagement, visits and constant vocal objections to what we see as breaches of international law. We use every international forum to do that. That is what we will...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Passport Services (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for the question because it is useful to put this information on the record. There are a number of channels available to Deputies to flag issues that their constituents are having with passport applications. The main issue creating pressure at the moment is the sheer volume of applications. It is off the charts when compared with anything else we have experienced in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Passport Services (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Acting Chairman might suggest some music.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Passport Services (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: We are always open to suggestions to improve the experience. There have been very high volumes this week. I understand that the wait time on phones has been longer than normal. We will respond to that by increasing resources accordingly. That line is up and running; it was never there before. People effectively had to look online to see the status of their passport application. We put...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Passport Services (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: We now have more than 770 staff in the Passport Office compared with 450 last summer. Within the next six weeks or so that number should be up to 900. That effectively means a doubling of staff in the Passport Office over the past six or eight months. I agree with the Deputy on the turnaround times. Passport express is a bit of a misnomer. It is not an express service. It is a much...