Results 3,181-3,200 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Official Engagements (11 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: On 4 May, I spoke with the UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Elizabeth Truss, M.P. This followed calls between us in January and a meeting in February. We discussed co-operation in support of Ukraine, the ongoing EU-UK discussions on the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, and the elections in Northern Ireland. We addressed the grave situation in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (11 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Government remains committed to advancing a two-State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in line with the agreed parameters for a resolution. I am clear on this in my engagement with both Israel and the Palestinian Authority. As I have previously stated, our commitment is to recognise a State of Palestine as part of a lasting settlement of the conflict, or when we believe...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Official Engagements (11 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: Ireland is committed to strengthening the protection of the human rights of older persons and to promoting a better mainstreaming of the human rights of older persons through the work of the UN. We engage with the Open Ended Working Group on Aging through the European Union, in partnership with fellow EU Member States. The Group considers the existing international framework of the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (11 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: Foreign Birth Registration (11 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 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...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Wildlife Conservation (11 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Department of Foreign Affairs is committed to climate action, sustainability and measures to support biodiversity across all our policy areas and in relation to property matters. Biodiversity is mainstreamed across the Irish Aid programme and key measures include our advocacy for sustainable food systems. Ireland played a leading role in the run-up to the September 2021 UN Sustainable...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ukraine War (11 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: At present, the Defence Forces and my Department are providing accommodation supports at Gormanston, Co Meath which is ready for occupation as required and are facilitating access by Kerry County Council to aspects of Ballymullen barracks in Tralee, Co. Kerry. Similarly lands at Knockliasheen, Co. Limerick have been made available for consideration if required by the Department of Children...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Historical Conflicts (11 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: As you are aware, an Independent Review Group (IRG) was established to examine and report on matters relating to recommendations for military medals relating to events at Jadotville. The IRG completed its research in July 2021 and has submitted its report. The IRG made a number of recommendations in its report, which was published in full last July, including a recommendation that...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: European Union (11 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: To date, there have been no proposals made in relation to the formation of a European Union army and no discussions have taken place regarding the creation of an EU army. Defence and security remains a national competence,. Any decision to deepen EU defence cooperation requires unanimity. There is no provision in EU treaties for the creation of an EU army and no proposal has been set out...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (11 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: Defence Forces personnel may avail of daily meals in certain circumstances. This includes personnel engaged in security duties, approved training courses, on operational exercises and single personnel living in barracks. I am advised that a daily ration rate is set by the military authorities and that this rate is used as a budgeting figure by military cooks when supplying meals to...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (11 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I wish to reiterate that the Government remains committed to the RDF. Indeed, the White Paper on Defence is clear that there is a continued requirement to retain and develop the Reserve Defence Force. As the Deputy will be aware, the Defence (Amendment) Act 2021 has now been signed into law, which serves to update the Defence Legislation on the use of the RDF on a voluntary basis,...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Wildlife Conservation (11 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I am advised that there are currently no policies in place in my Department to install artificial structures that provide shelter and habitat space for the various species referenced by the Deputy. However, the Deputy may wish to note that in June 2020, my Department and Kildare County Council jointly procured the service of a multidisciplinary team that includes an ecologist; led by...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Passport Services (10 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Deputies have asked a lot of very fair questions and I will try to respond to them all. First, there was never a suggestion of a system for Oireachtas Members where they could apply for passports on behalf of the public.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Passport Services (10 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: We cannot turn Deputies' offices into a passport service. What we do have is an Oireachtas phone line that handles queries. It is not perfect but so far this year more than 10,000 calls have been taken on that line and the customer service hub has handled 95,000 queries this year. It is really busy and sometimes there are interruptions in the system, as there have been over the past few...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Human Rights (10 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I have just told the Deputy about a range of things we have been doing in terms of raising the matter. However, Ireland does not control the foreign policy decisions of other countries. We try to make arguments that can build consensus around international action on a range of things, including the Middle East peace process, be it arbitrary detention, illegal expansion of settlements,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Human Rights (10 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: We often have these discussions in respect of acting unilaterally on the assumption that Ireland doing something on a unilateral basis will force fundamental change internationally. That is not always the way it works. From my experience of international politics, you must build consensus and coalitions around change and pressure, which is why we are putting pressure on Russia as a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Passport Services (10 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 82, 83 and 85 together. There has been a lot about passports this evening, but I will keep talking about them if Members want me to. I will arrange to have the figures requested by the Deputies on passport applications from counties Dublin, Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Galway and Donegal shared directly with them following this session. ...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Trade Relations (10 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: As the question had a specific focus on congestion at the Port of Shanghai, I went to some trouble to try to get the Deputy an answer on this particular issue. The Department of Foreign Affairs, together with the embassy in Beijing and consulates general in Shanghai and Hong Kong, is closely monitoring the Covid-19 situation in China. This includes the current challenging circumstances in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Trade Relations (10 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: I have quite a lot of information on the number of citizens and so on that I can send to the Deputy afterwards if it would be helpful. He clearly has an interest in this issue. The Irish Embassy in Beijing, together with our consulates in Shanghai and Hong Kong, are working closely with State agencies to assist Irish businesses and citizens to manage the impact of the ongoing Covid-19...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Trade Relations (10 May 2022)

Simon Coveney: Foreign direct investment has deeply embedded Ireland in global value supply chains and, in turn, supported Irish companies to access value chains driving productivity and innovation growth. The current geopolitical environment, coupled with the impact of Covid and the twin green and digital transitions, has placed increased focus on future global value supply chains. In this context,...