Results 37,801-37,820 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Official Travel (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I travelled to the United States from 27 - 29 April for a series of engagements in Washington, D.C. and Boston. Over the course of the two-day programme, I met with senior officials from President Biden's Administration, engaged with a number of foreign policy organisations, and met representatives from the Irish American community. In Washington D.C., I participated in a public...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: My Department is responsible for citizenship by descent through the Foreign Births Register under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. The processing of Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) has resumed and will be gradually scaling up in line with the recruitment of additional resources. Due to the complex nature of the FBR process, the large increase in applications...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 199 to 201, inclusive, and 213 together. With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputies have enquired, the Passport Service has provided an update on the status of the passport applications to the applicants.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 202 to 207, inclusive, together. With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputies have enquired, the Passport Service has issued passports to the applicants.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: There are certain passport applications for applicants resident in Ireland that require forms to be witnessed by a member of An Garda Síochána. These applications include: - All Passport Express applications - Section 9 Certificate of Identity - First time adult online applications - Identity Verification Form - First time child online applications - Child Passport...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 209 to 211, inclusive, together. There are currently 88,000 first time online passport applications in the Passport Service system. Of these, 39,000 (44%) are incomplete passport applications which require further action from the applicant. Figures show that consistently 40% of applications in the Passport Service system are incomplete. It is not...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: With regard to the specific case about which the Deputy has inquired, the Passport Service has issued a replacement Foreign Birth Registration Certificate to the applicant.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service is working with the Deputy's office to clarify the information supplied for the application. Once clarification is received the Passport Service will review the application.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ukraine War (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: In line with the commitment laid out in the 2020 Programme for Government and the provisions of the memorandum on the European Peace Facility (EPF), approved by the Irish government in March 2021, Ireland’s financial contribution supporting the Ukrainian Armed Forces via the EPF is directed towards providing non-lethal support such as food, medicine and personal protection equipment...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: European Union (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: The European Union's common security and defence policy (CSDP) is a policy setting the EU’s framework in the field of defence and crisis management, including defence cooperation and coordination between Member States. Ireland is a strong proponent of the important role the EU can play in support of international peace and security and of the UN. It is essential, therefore, that...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ukraine War (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: The European Peace Facility allows the EU to support the capabilities and resilience of the Ukrainian armed forces. In February, March and again in April of 2022, the Council of the European Union adopted assistance measures under the European Peace Facility (EPF). To date, a €1.5 billion package has been approved that will allow the EU to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces in...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 May 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...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 219, 221, 228 and 231 together. My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service, is maintained to the greatest extent possible so as to enable the Defence Forces to carry out their roles as assigned by Government, including overseas deployments. In this context, the principal aim...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 220, 222, 223 and 230 together. As the Deputy is aware the Permanent Defence Force is currently under strength by just over 1000 personnel. The report of the Commission on the Defence Forces has made it clear that the level of ambition (LOA) for the Defence Forces must be elevated beyond that at which it is operating at the moment. The report...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: The 2015 White Paper on Defence frames the delivery of training and education in the Defence Forces as one of the most important outputs of the organisation. Training and Education remain central to capability development and are key elements of the five pillars of the Defence Capability Framework. Through the provision of military capability, the Defence Forces achieves its mission to defend...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: The primary function of training and education in both the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) and the Reserve Defence Force (RDF) is to develop and maintain capabilities necessary to enable personnel to fulfil the roles laid down by Government. The principal role of the Reserve is to augment the PDF in crisis situations. As such, the RDF undertakes training in preparation to assist the PDF when...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure the operational capacity of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service is maintained and developed. This is to enable the Defence Forces to carry out the roles assigned by Government, as set out in the White Paper on defence. Equipment priorities for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service are being considered in the context of the lifetime of the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Defence Forces, including the Air Corps, is maintained to the greatest extent possible to enable them to carry out their roles as assigned by Government. The Equipment Development Plan (EDP) published in June 2020, completed through extensive joint civil-military work, provides a comprehensive list of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: In accordance with the Framework for Major Emergency Management, primary responsibility for responding to emergencies, including security events, rests with the three designated principal response agencies, namely, the relevant Local Authority, An Garda Síochána, and the Health Service Executive. The Defence Forces provide the fullest possible assistance to the appropriate Lead...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: To be helpful to the House, I would be very happy to have such a debate but I would like to be here for it, if that is possible. As Minister for Foreign Affairs, I have made some quite strong statements on both the killing and what happened at the funeral, which was disgraceful and should be condemned. I have no problem in doing that but I would like to be here for the debate. I believe it...