Results 4,221-4,240 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services (3 Feb 2022)

Simon Coveney: My Department is closely monitoring the situation in Ukraine, drawing on reports from our recently opened Embassy in Kyiv and our co-ordination with EU and other like-minded partners. The Department of Foreign Affairs advises against all non-essential travel to Ukraine at this time. We continue to keep this advice under constant review so that citizens can make informed decisions on travel....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Asylum Seekers (3 Feb 2022)

Simon Coveney: My Department is aware of the reports referenced by the Deputy. Ireland is deeply concerned by the human rights abuses against civilians in Libya, including migrants and refugees. An important area of EU support to Libya remains migration management, including support to Libyan communities that host a particularly high number of migrants as well as to refugees and migrants themselves, and the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Inquiries (3 Feb 2022)

Simon Coveney: My Department is aware of the issue raised by the Deputy. Most recently, officials in the new Embassy of Ireland in Rabat have been in contact with a number of the affected Irish citizens. My officials will engage directly with the individuals concerned. While I share the Deputy’s concern about this long-running matter and regret that a number of Irish citizens have found...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (3 Feb 2022)

Simon Coveney: There is an ongoing process of reform within the Passport Service. This process has already delivered a number of transformational improvements for citizens at home and abroad, in particular, the rollout of the Passport Online service. Passport Online can now be accessed by first time applicants, both children and adults, in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Great Britain, Europe, Australia, Canada,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Citizenship Applications (3 Feb 2022)

Simon Coveney: In order to apply for Foreign Birth Registration, applicants must complete a two step process. Firstly, the applicant must complete an online form. Secondly, the applicant must print, sign and submit that form along with the supporting documentation that is required to the Department of Foreign Affairs or to their closest Irish Embassy if applying from overseas. The application cannot be...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (3 Feb 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Passport Online service offers Irish citizens the ability to apply online for their passport 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is a user-friendly, efficient service that consistently offers processing times up to 4 times faster than paper-based passport renewal applications. Over 90% of all passport applications are received through Passport Online. All Irish citizens, including...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (3 Feb 2022)

Simon Coveney: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in tabular form below. There are several factors that will help to clarify the figures of passports issued before, on or after the issue-by date in 2021. Passport Service operations were severely disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, as were many Government services. Between January 2021 and May 2021, many Passport Service staff members were...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (3 Feb 2022)

Simon Coveney: With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has issued a passport to the applicant.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (3 Feb 2022)

Simon Coveney: With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has returned the documents requested.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Maritime Jurisdiction (3 Feb 2022)

Simon Coveney: Military exercises or manoeuvres are traditionally recognized as being a part of the freedom of the high seas as captured in article 87 under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). These rights are transcribed directly into the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of coastal states. Under international law, including UNCLOS, states are entitled to carry out naval...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Properties (3 Feb 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 271 and 272 together. As the Deputy will be aware, the majority of current occupiers of Columb Barracks are there without the express legal permission of my Department and in accordance with an earlier Government decision this property is to transfer to the Land development Agency for housing provision. I am advised that my Department has not issued any...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Maritime Jurisdiction (3 Feb 2022)

Simon Coveney: I am advised by my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications that in relation to undersea telecommunications cables, the operators of communications infrastructure are obliged to take measures to protect the resilience and integrity of their own systems. These obligations already exist in law and oversight of compliance is a matter for the telecoms...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (3 Feb 2022)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy will be aware Cathal Brugha Barracks is the only operational military installation in Dublin City and no decision has been taken on the relocation of Defence Forces' operations from Cathal Brugha Barracks. I can confirm that in the context of the Housing for All Plan, my Department will, with the assistance of the military authorities, engage consultants to carry out a...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (3 Feb 2022)

Simon Coveney: Under the Framework for Major Emergency Management the Defence Forces can be tasked in aid of Civil Power to provide operational support in a response to a national chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) incident in order to mark, cordon, monitor, measure, decontaminate, retrieve and dispose of any CBRN devices and matter so found. Additionally, the Defence Forces in the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Electric Vehicles (3 Feb 2022)

Simon Coveney: There are currently no Electric Vehicle (EV) charging points at the Department’s offices in Newbridge, Co. Kildare. However, the Department of Defence is currently investigating the options available to it regarding EV Charging Points in Newbridge, including the number of EV Charging spaces it may require and the need for installing extra cabling to allow for future demand. ...

Seanad: Passport Office Service: Motion (2 Feb 2022)

Simon Coveney: I thank Members for their engagement on this important topic and for the opportunity to provide an update on the work of the Passport Office. I know this is an issue that many public representatives have spoken about and it is a service they engage with regularly. The passport service is facing its busiest year to date with an estimated 1.7 million passport applications expected this year....

Seanad: Passport Office Service: Motion (2 Feb 2022)

Simon Coveney: I strongly urge anyone who is considering travelling overseas this year, especially families with young children, to check the validity of their passports before booking travel and to apply for their passports online in plenty of time. I cannot emphasise that point enough. If an application is online, we can do all sorts of things with the system when there is an urgent need to get that...

Seanad: Passport Office Service: Motion (2 Feb 2022)

Simon Coveney: Cork and Dublin are open.

Seanad: Passport Office Service: Motion (2 Feb 2022)

Simon Coveney: She will have to leave via the back door.