Results 3,621-3,640 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Meetings (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 92, 100 and 120 together. I participated on Monday, 21 March, in a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council that took place in Brussels. The Russian invasion of Ukraine was the focus of our discussions. We considered in some detail the most recent developments on the ground and the effectiveness and impact of our response to date, as well as how we can...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ukraine War (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the EU has imposed the most significant sanctions in its history. EU unity on successive sanctions packages sends an important message beyond the economic effects of the sanctions. From the beginning, it was understood that imposing sanctions on Russia would come at a cost to the EU. The impacts vary between Member States, but Russia's...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: The number of passport applications with the Passport Service from County Mayo is outlined below in tabular form. The table outlines the total number of applications in the system for the county as well as the number that are currently being processed by the Passport Service and the number of applications that require further action from the applicant, such as the submission of additional...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ukraine War (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 95, 127, 149 and 162 together. My Department has been responding to this multi-dimensional crisis across many areas including as a member of the EU, particularly the preparation and coordination of sanctions, through our membership of international and regional organisations, particularly the United Nations, through the provision of consular services to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 96 and 110 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. When I visited Saudi Arabia last year, I raised a number of human rights concerns, including the continued use of the death penalty. Officials from my Department have raised...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Military Neutrality (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 97 and 133 together. As practised by successive Irish governments, Ireland’s policy of military neutrality means that the state does not participate in military alliances or in common or mutual defence arrangements. Successive governments have exercised their executive power to maintain a consistent policy in this area. A policy of neutrality is to be...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Undocumented Irish in the USA (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 148 together. The Government continues to prioritise immigration issues in our relationship with the United States. This includes working towards secure legal pathways for Irish people to live and work in the US, as well as addressing the situation of the undocumented Irish. Immigration matters are raised by senior members of the Government...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: The promotion and protection of human rights is a key foreign policy priority for Ireland and consequently we are a strong contributor to strengthening efforts by the United Nations to eliminate human rights violations, particularly at the UN Human Rights Council and through our membership of the UN Security Council. As stated previously in my replies, the human rights situation in any...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Protection (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: The promotion and protection of human rights is a core pillar of Irish foreign policy, and Ireland is active bilaterally and in multilateral fora on human rights issues, including in relation to displaced persons. I am aware of the significant numbers of Tibetans living outside Tibet, in India and elsewhere. My Department liaises closely with the Department of Justice and the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 104, 122, 130, 134, 143, 154 and 160 together. Over 264,000 passports have been issued from 1 January to 20 March 2022, compared to 21,000 passports issued over the same period in 2021. The Passport Service is currently experiencing a high demand for passports. My Department has been pro-actively planning to ensure the necessary resources are in place to meet...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 131 together. The Middle East Peace Process continues to be a key foreign policy priority for Ireland, and I have had extensive engagements with my counterparts in the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority since my appointment as Minister for Foreign Affairs. I have made five visits to the region, most recently from 1-5 November 2021...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: All passport applications are subject to the provisions of the Passports Act 2008, as amended. The Act provides, among other things, that a person must be an Irish citizen before a passport can be issued to them. In order to meet this requirement, each passport applicant must demonstrate an entitlement to Irish citizenship by providing acceptable documentary evidence of this entitlement when...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: Ireland’s diplomatic presence in the Middle East includes long established Embassies in Cairo, Tel Aviv, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, as well as a representative office in Ramallah. A new Embassy in Amman was opened in 2019. There are also Honorary Consuls in Manama, Alexandria, Beirut, Damascus, and Muscat. In June 2018, the Government launched the Global Ireland programme, which aims to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 109, 114, 121 and 152 together. The numbers of passport applications with the Passport Service from counties Carlow, Cavan, Kilkenny, Longford, Monaghan, Meath and Tipperary are outlined below in tabular form. Passport Service figures show that of the total of 182,000 passport applications in the system, 63% are fully complete and are being processed by the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Membership (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: Ireland is a strong supporter of EU enlargement, and of the European perspective of the Eastern Partnership’s three associated partners, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. Ukraine, in particular, has made impressive progress in aligning with EU standards and deserves recognition for their efforts to defend European values. However, we are mindful that there is a clear distinction...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 115 and 137 together. Amnesty International is a respected NGO, and I value the role it and other civil society organisations play on these issues. I note the publication of the detailed and comprehensive report issued on 1 February. The content of the report is under review by officials in my Department, and they have had an initial meeting with Amnesty...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ukraine War (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: At the United Nations, Ireland has been at the forefront of efforts to hold Russia internationally accountable for its actions. Ireland has been fully engaged at each of the 13 times when the Security Council discussed Ukraine to date in 2022. We have actively supported Security Council and General Assembly meetings on Ukraine, and have urged others to join us in condemning Russia’s...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Stormont House Agreement was reached collectively in 2014 by the Irish Government, the British Government and the political parties in Northern Ireland after a period of intense negotiation, and provides a balanced and comprehensive framework to address the painful legacy of the Troubles. The Government has engaged consistently with the British Government to underline the importance of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Issues (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: EU-UK talks on the implementation of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland are ongoing. I welcome the meeting of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee on 21 February, and the meeting of the Specialised Committee on the implementation of the Protocol held on 8 March. I note the determination expressed in the resulting joint statements to ensure that durable solutions are found as soon as...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ukraine War (24 Mar 2022)

Simon Coveney: As a founder member, Ireland is deeply committed to the Council of Europe and to its central role in the protection of human rights across the continent. On 16 March, on the unanimous recommendation of members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, including the Deputy, the Committee of Ministers decided that the Russian Federation be excluded from the organization with...