Results 37,941-37,960 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (31 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 330 and 334 together. Over half a million passports have been issued so far this year. Last year, 634,000 passports were issued in the whole year. In less than five months, the Passport Service has issued over 80% of the total number of passports that were issued in the whole of last year. The Passport Service is already out-performing any previous year,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff (31 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: The number of staff from the Department of Foreign Affairs serving at the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the European Union from 2016 to date is provided below in tabular form.  In addition, the Department of Foreign Affairs also facilitates the secondment of officers from other Government Departments to the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the European Union to serve in a...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (31 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: Over half a million passports have been issued so far this year. Last year, 634,000 passports were issued in the whole year. In less than five months, the Passport Service has issued over 80% of the total number of passports that were issued in the whole of last year. The Passport Service is already out-performing any previous year, despite the challenges that it has encountered over the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (31 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: The processing of Foreign Birth Registration has resumed and will be gradually scaling up in line with the recruitment of additional resources. Due to the complex nature of the Foreign Birth Registration process, the large increase in applications received following the Brexit vote in the UK, and the pause in the Service due to necessary Covid-19 restrictions, applicants should allow...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services (31 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: Although I have not had a meeting so far in 2022 with our Consul General in Sydney, I am kept fully informed of the Consulate's work by officials in my Department, who are in almost daily communication with the office.   In April, I was pleased to host the first in-person gathering of our Heads of Mission and senior management since the onset of COVID-19. During the Conference I...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Meetings (31 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: There is regular and ongoing engagement between the Passport Service and An Post across a range of issues. A number of officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs have engaged with An Post on the rebranding of the "Passport Express" service this year. The Deputy Secretary General, Operations held a meeting with An Post earlier this year to discuss a range of issues. During this meeting...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (31 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy may be aware, medals were awarded to members of the Permanent Defence Force, members of the Army Nursing Service, members of the Chaplaincy Service and members of the Reserve Defence Force who were in service at any time during the period 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2016 inclusive.   The eligibility for this medal is outlined in the DFR “An Bonn Comórta...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: United Nations (31 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: In March of this year, my Department made contact with the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services (UNOIOS) following reports that an individual had provided information to that Office. Inquiries made established that the reports made to UNOIOS had already been reported to Irish authorities. UNOIOS confirmed that the information provided to them will not require...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (31 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I have previously acknowledged the receipt of information on this matter. Given the apparent manner by which the information is sourced, the matters detailed in that information cannot be investigated by me or my officials, particularly where it is alleged that criminal offences of a sexual nature have been committed against children. They are best investigated by an Garda Síochána....

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (31 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: Every member of the Defence Forces has the right to be treated with dignity, equality and respect to carry out their duties in a safe workplace underpinned by a culture of zero-tolerance for any kind of bullying, discrimination, harassment or sexual abuse. The Independent Review Group, approved by Government and established last January, is examining the systems, policies and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Staff (31 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: The table below provides a breakdown of the number of civil servants employed in my Department by gender and by pay grade at 23rd May 2022. Grade   Male Female Total Staff Secretary General 0 1 1 Assistant Secretary 1 1 2 Director 0 1 1 ...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (31 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Defence Forces are committed to pursuing best-practice methods in the context of the efficient administration of a military force. In that regard, personnel records are digitised and maintained on a Personnel Management System (PMS) which stores relevant personnel data concerning the Force. Similarly, interaction with Defence Forces competitions, such as General Service Recruitment, is...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (31 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: An Inter-Departmental Group was convened last year to examine options, in line with the Public Spending Code, for the future provision of an independent, international air transport service for use by the President and Government. The Learjet 45 is the primary aircraft providing this service at present. The Learjet has been in continuous operation since 2004 and is now nearing the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Relations (1 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 116 together. Ireland is firmly opposed to the use of the death penalty in all circumstances, and has consistently made our opposition clear to the Saudi authorities. I note with concern the cases referred to by the deputies. When I visited Saudi Arabia last year, I raised a number of human rights concerns, including the continuing use of the death...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (1 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 99, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 117, 118, 131, 136 and 139 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 (1 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 100, 114, 120, 126, 132 and 133 together. With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputies have enquired, the Passport Service has provided an update to the applicants as to the steps they must take to progress their passport application.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (1 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the document has been returned to the applicant's parent as requested. 

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (1 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service is reviewing the applications and taking action where appropriate. 

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (1 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: My Department actively follows emerging reports regarding Xinjiang and I am aware of the recent disturbing files published by a consortium of media agencies. Ireland remains deeply concerned about the evidence-based reports of human rights violations and abuses in Xinjiang. We have raised these concerns, along with our partners in the EU and the wider international community, on a number...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (1 Jun 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 119, 123, 125, 134, 135, 137 and 138 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 application to the applicant.