Results 2,361-2,380 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Functions (13 Jul 2022)

Simon Coveney: My Department issues civil letters of freedom (Certificat de Coutume) to Irish citizens getting married abroad. Details of how to apply can be found at www.dfa.ie/travel/our-services/marriage-and-civil-partnershi p-abroad/. This is not an Irish requirement but is a requirement of the country where an applicant may be getting married. All applicants should check whether or not a civil letter...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff (13 Jul 2022)

Simon Coveney: Pay scales for Irish civil servants are available from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-public-expenditure -and-reform/). The current (1 July 2022) salary of the Department’s Secretary General is €223,529 and the salaries of the Deputy Secretary Generals are €178,199 to €187,578. The TD element of the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (13 Jul 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 262, 271, 276 and 284 together. With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputies have enquired the Passport Service has reviewed the applications and they have been progressed as appropriate.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff (13 Jul 2022)

Simon Coveney: My Department recruits staff either directly or through the Public Appointments Service (PAS), which is the central recruitment function for the Public Service. All of our recruitment competitions are run in accordance with the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA) Code of Conduct 2022. The Code requires recruitment competitions to be administered in a fair and equitable manner....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (13 Jul 2022)

Simon Coveney: With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, this application is within the current average turnaround times and has not yet reached its issue-by date. Turnaround times are estimates based on current average processing times, and apply to fully complete and correct applications. Applications that are incomplete will take longer. The turnaround time for first...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (13 Jul 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 281, 283 and 285 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 applications.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Rights of People with Disabilities (13 Jul 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Department of Foreign Affairs occupies twelve premises in the State provided by the Office of Public Works. Members of the public who attend our public offices in Dublin and Cork have access to toilet facilities in the public areas. Changing facilities are also available in our Dublin office and we are currently reviewing the situation in our Cork office.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Rights of People with Disabilities (13 Jul 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Department of Foreign Affairs is fully committed to equality of opportunity in all its employment practices and in the delivery of its services in line with the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015, Equal Status Acts 2000-2018, Disability Act 2005 and the National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021. My Department is also guided by the Code of Practice for the Employment of People with...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (13 Jul 2022)

Simon Coveney: There are currently two entry streams by which Medical Officers are recruited into the Defence Forces, namely Direct Entry and via the Military Medicine Training Scheme. I am informed that there is currently no designated pathway for Direct Entry Medical Officers to be entered onto the Specialist Division of the Medical Council’s Register of Medical Practitioners in General...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (13 Jul 2022)

Simon Coveney: I am informed that the completion of a joint civil-military review of the Military Medicine Training Scheme is currently imminent, which will inform the process of future inductions. I am further informed that discussions remain ongoing between the various parties to the scheme regarding a number of outstanding administrative issues which will require resolution prior to the advertisement of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Staff (13 Jul 2022)

Simon Coveney: Salaries for my Department are paid at the rates determined by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Revised payscales with effect from 1 July 2022 for the grades requested by the Deputy are set out below. For Civil Servants appointed on or after 6th April 1995, paying the Class A rate of PRSI contribution and making an employee contribution in respect of personal superannuation...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (13 Jul 2022)

Simon Coveney: In recognition by the Defence Organisation that modern Defence Forces must reflect the demographics of Irish society, a Joint Civil/Military working group was established in 2019 with a view to progressing the development of a Transgender Policy for the Defence Forces. The Terms of Reference (TOR’s) to guide the deliberations of the Working Group, are as follows: 1. Steps to...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Staff (13 Jul 2022)

Simon Coveney: My Department operates in a non-discriminatory environment in accordance with the Equality Acts and aims to ensure that the principles of employment equality are implemented in pay, recruitment, promotion, training and experience of the workplace. Recruitment of civil servants is carried out for the Department by the Public Appointments Service which undertakes recruitment underpinned by its...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (13 Jul 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces contains many detailed recommendations, including a recommendation on the establishment of an Office of Veterans Affairs in the chapter on Defence Forces structures. The recommendations of the report, along with a High Level Action Plan detailing a proposed response to each, were recently presented to Government and agreed. The recommendation...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Rights of People with Disabilities (13 Jul 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Offices of the Department of Defence are secure and access controlled. They are not buildings that are usually open to the general public. As such, services in these buildings are not accessible to the general public. Defence buildings occupied by the military are not open to the general public. On occasion some organisations, such as schools and sporting clubs, apply for use of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Rights of People with Disabilities (13 Jul 2022)

Simon Coveney: The National Disability Inclusion Strategy (NDIS) 2017-2021 is the key framework for policy and action to address the needs of people with disabilities. Its aim is to improve the lives of people with disabilities in Ireland. My Department is committed to doing all that is reasonable to assist people with disabilities seeking to avail of or access statutory entitlements or services...

Confidence in Government: Motion (12 Jul 2022)

Simon Coveney: Despite all of this, because of the Government's priorities, 30,000 homes have been commenced in the past year and close to 10,000 social homes will be delivered this year. We have much more to do. Unfortunately, we will have to do it in spite of those opposite. We will continue to protect a strong economy from Sinn Féin ideology and disruption, keeping people in work and growth...

Confidence in Government: Motion (12 Jul 2022)

Simon Coveney: The tabling of a motion of no confidence in the Government at this time says more about the party opposite than the Government. This is a cynical political tactic to raise Sinn Féin's profile in the last week of a Dáil session, taking up valuable time when so many issues needs this Parliament's focus. What makes this stunt even more cynical is the reality that it will not succeed....

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

Simon Coveney: Due to the complex nature of the Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) 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 over 2 years from the receipt of supporting documentation for processing of FBR applications at this time. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, and...

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

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 466, 469 to 473, inclusive, 475 to 478, inclusive, 480, 481, 484 to 486, inclusive, 488 to 492, inclusive, 494, 495, 499, 504, 505, 512, 516, 523, 525 and 526 together. With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputies have enquired, the Passport Service has issued passports to the applicants.