Results 39,041-39,060 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: Perhaps I did not explain it well. I ask Mr. Conlon to correct me if I am wrong, but the UN system works on three-year budgetary cycles and there is not an even allocation for each year. The UN chooses when to draw down certain amounts of money from different countries and it spikes up and down over that three-year period. We just happen to be in a year when a high payment is required....

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: That is the case. That is why we rely on Supplementary Estimates. We find it difficult to predict what the UN will ask for. We are told to come back when we know the amount we need and that will be dealt with through a Supplementary Estimate. We agreed that last year. There is follow-through this year on what was agreed in the budget before the most recent one.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: It is a consortium. I presume we tender for it. I am not sure where they come from. I think the chip system is American but I am not sure. It is a consortium. There are a limited number of-----

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: -----specialist providers for passport books, particularly ones that fit our system. I do not know what country they come from. We need proper quality control to get what we need and get value for money. That is my understanding of what the process delivers. However, I am not sure which country they come from. I will check for the Deputy.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: What kind of support programmes is the Deputy referring to?

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: Support for returning emigrants remains a priority for the Government and Department. It falls within the remit of the interdepartmental committee on the Irish abroad, which is chaired by the Minister of State with responsibility for the diaspora, Deputy Brophy. The increased fund can partly be used for that. The bulk of the extra €1.5 million will be spent abroad, dealing with the...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: -----getting insurance, setting up a business, housing issues and a whole load of others. We have been trying to respond to those issues one after the other.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: I was putting a context around the ambition to open an embassy in Iran. There are many things happening in Iran at the moment that raise serious question marks about our bilateral relationship. There are questions around how woman, girls and protesters are treated. The reality is that Iran is providing drones to Russia which are being used to target civilians in Ukraine. These are matters...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: Deputy Brady asked about generators in Ukraine. The committee probably knows most of what I am going to say about medical assistance but I will put some of it on the record because it is important information. Ireland responded immediately to the crisis in Ukraine. With regard to humanitarian assistance, we were among the first to respond with a significant Irish Aid package on the first...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: I am actually glad the Deputy asked this question because I found the matter frustrating. Many members of the Defence Forces made an extraordinary contribution during the Covid period in a series of different areas. The recognition payment was essentially a small gesture by the State to people who put themselves at risk and contributed to try to keep people alive at a time when we were...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: It will not be headline news, but she is a smart, competent person. I assure the committee that we will have direct conversations and we will keep the veterans’ bodies very much up to speed on what we are trying to do. The easy thing for us to do here would have just been to say that we cannot pay the pension top-ups until the end of January or early February. However, we tried...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: Yes. As I said, this is something we are looking at. It will certainly be part of what the new head of transformation in the Defence Forces will look at as well. We are bringing about some pretty fundamental change over the next six months or so in terms of how people are managed in the Defence Forces. We will be bring in a lot of outside expertise as part of those efforts. However, we...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: I will come back with short answers, which I am sure would also be helpful.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: I will have to check what is already on the website. Normally, many of these organisations have good networks within their cities and communities already. They put out information if there is a new fund or more support available. I will take a look at the Deputy's suggestion.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff (9 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: There are no civil servants in my Department seconded to State agencies or other public bodies and in receipt of a higher duty/acting allowance.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (9 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: My Department is responsible for processing Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) applications for people who are born abroad and claim Irish Citizenship through a grandparent born in Ireland or through a parent who has claimed citizenship also through FBR, Naturalisation or Post Nuptial Citizenship. Demand for this service increased significantly as a result of the Brexit vote in the UK.  In...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (9 Nov 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. The witnessing of these forms is a vital element of the identity verification process for the Passport Service, as it provides initial assurance that the person in the photograph is the same person presenting to submit the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (9 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has contacted the applicant's parent directly in relation to the application. 

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Staff (9 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: There are currently no staff in my Department seconded to State agencies or other public bodies and in receipt of a higher duty/acting allowance. There are currently no staff in my Department seconded for more than 10, 20 or 30 years. 

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Military Neutrality (10 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: Russia’s appalling military aggression against Ukraine has highlighted more than ever the importance of solidarity and cooperation amongst like-minded partners in upholding the rules based international order. While we are militarily neutral, the Government has been clear that Ireland is not politically neutral in terms of our response to Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified...