Results 4,421-4,440 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Museum Projects (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Great Famine was a time which radically altered the course of Irish history and of American history. Many thousands of Irish emigrants fleeing Ireland at that time found refuge and a new home in the United States, and many of these are the ancestors of the 30 million Americans who now claim Irish heritage. - Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum at Quinnipiac University holds an...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: Ireland has consistently made clear its support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Along with our EU partners, we have consistently called on Russia to de-escalate the tensions caused by its protracted military build-up. The build-up of Russian troops near its border with Ukraine is a significant cause for concern to us. It is the fundamental and inalienable right of a...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: Adequate staffing of the Passport Service to respond to demand is a priority for my Department and is an issue that is kept under constant review. My Department is actively working with the Public Appointments Service on an ongoing basis to recruit and assign additional staff at all grades to meet the current and forecasted high demand for passports in 2022. Additional permanent and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Issues (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 214 and 236 together. I had a video call with Foreign Secretary Truss on 13 October on a range of issues including Brexit and the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland. Following her taking responsibility for Brexit policy issues in December 2021, we spoke by phone on 21 December, and met in person in London on 6 January. During these engagements, I...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Issues (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: Since its entry into force at the beginning of 2021, the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) has provided a framework for continued trade and cooperation with the UK. While no agreement could have replaced the seamless relationship with the UK enjoyed prior to Brexit, the TCA provides for tariff- and quota- free goods trade between the EU and the UK as well as preferential...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Irish Communities Abroad (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: There has been extensive engagement on the referenced case at the most senior political and diplomatic levels. I can assure the Deputy that all possible efforts continue to be made through multiple channels – by myself as Minister and at senior political levels here in Dublin; as well as by our diplomats in Beijing, Shanghai and elsewhere throughout our diplomatic network. This...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Data (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: No polling of the general public related to possible or existing policies has been commissioned by my Department for the period 1 January 2021 to date.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: The November 2015 Fresh Start Agreementreaffirmed a commitment of the Irish Government to support the regional development work of the North West Gateway Initiative involving Donegal County Council and Derry City and Strabane District Council. The Agreement also made a commitment to establish a North West Development Fund and for the Irish Government to provide €2.5 million to the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Military Exercises (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 220 and 222 together. The Government is aware of planned Russian naval exercises taking place off the south west coast of Ireland in early February. The exercises are not taking place within Ireland’s territorial waters, but 240 kilometres off the south west coast and within Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Under international...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: Norway, the current chair of the UN Security Council, initiated a set of talks in Oslo from 23 to 25 January, with the stated goal of taking steps towards addressing the humanitarian situation in the country, as well as engaging the Taliban on human rights issues, especially girls’ schooling and women’s participation in society. The talks comprised three strands, involving...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: Ireland is a strong and consistent supporter of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and has condemned Russian violations of Ukrainian sovereignty. The build-up of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine is a matter of great concern. It is important that dialogue be maintained, with the primary goal of de-escalating tensions in the region. In this regard, I welcome the intensive...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: The human rights situation in any particular country is unique in its character, scale and complexity, and a universally agreed global ranking does not exist. On the 18thNovember 2021, I set out the overall response by Ireland and the international community to ongoing human rights crises in my response to the Deputy’s Parliamentary Questions (204, 205, 210, 212, 213, 214). Both at...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 227 and 237 together. Ireland has always been, and will remain, a strong supporter of enlargement of the European Union, provided that candidate countries meet the necessary conditions for membership. We recognise the value of enlargement as a transformative driver for stability and peace in candidate countries and are concerned at both the increasing...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 229 and 230 together. As we approach the one year anniversary of the military coup, Ireland is increasingly concerned by the deteriorating security, human rights, and humanitarian situation in Myanmar. The coup is a reversal of the progress made towards democracy in Myanmar that has taken years to establish. On 6 December 2021 State Counsellor Aung San Suu...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: The recruitment of child soldiers remains a serious problem with tens of thousands of children recruited into conflicts around the world. The UN Secretary-General issues an annual report on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) which examines both trends and specific country situations, listing all armed groups that recruit and use children. In his latest 2021 report, the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: The promotion and protection of human rights is a key foreign policy priority for Ireland and consequently Ireland is a strong contributor to strengthening efforts by the United Nations, Council of Europe, and European Union to eliminate human rights violations. In this regard, international human rights organisations play a critical role in identifying, monitoring, and responding to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: The mission network of the Department of Foreign Affairs plays a vital role in increasing trade, diversifying our markets and supporting Irish companies to take advantage of new market opportunities, which is particularly relevant as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Mission network plays a key role in the Team Ireland approach, which sees Government Departments and State Agencies...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: With regard to the applications about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has issued passports to the applicants.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Data (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: My Department has not commisioned any polling of the general public related to possible or existing policies within the remit of my Department for the period 1 January 2021 to date and no related costs have been incurred.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (27 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 240 to 243, inclusive, together. As the Deputy will be aware, my Department has been engaging in legal correspondence with Kildare County Council on this matter. On foot of legal advices, it was agreed that the matter would be resolved through a mediation process between my Department and Kildare County Council. Arising from same my Department reached...