Results 4,521-4,540 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services (19 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: Ireland and Thailand enjoy strong bilateral relations. While the COVID19 pandemic has seen a decrease in travel, Thailand remains a popular destination for Irish citizens. Ireland opened an Embassy in Thailand in 2014. The Embassy, located in Bangkok, is responsible for all consular issues affecting the Irish community likely to arise in Thailand. There are no plans to open a Consulate...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Visa Agreements (19 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Working Holiday Authorisation (WHA) programme has played an important role in building Ireland’s bilateral relations with Australia and other countries with which we have reciprocal programmes. Each year, many thousands of young Irish people visited Australia under this programme which allowed them to work there in order to finance their holiday.  Similarly, we actively...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Communications (19 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: I can reassure the Deputy that the Department of Foreign Affairs is aware of this case and is in direct contact with the family of the citizen concerned, through our Consular Directorate in Dublin. Our Consulate General in Hong Kong stands ready to provide advice and assistance to the citizen if requested. My Department’s Travel Advice for Hong Kong is kept under regular review. On...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (19 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Belarusian regime’s persecution of political activists and peaceful protestors is an affront to democracy and to the rule of law. I am aware of the specific case the Deputy is referring to. Ireland has repeated called on the Belarusian regime to release all political prisoners and engage in dialogue with the opposition. Ireland has taken a number of actions at EU level and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (19 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: Passport Service operations have been severely disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, as were many Government services. The Passport Service maintained operations throughout the pandemic, notwithstanding the fact that the processing of passports requires physical attendance on site to deliver this service. Despite the disruptions related to the pandemic throughout last...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (19 Jan 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 and the documents requested have been returned. 

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (19 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service regrets that the applicant’s application was returned to him in error. The Passport Service has attempted to contact the applicant by telephone and has written to the applicant to apologise for this error and to make arrangements for his application to be processed without delay.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Citizenship Applications (19 Jan 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 and the pause in the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (19 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 these 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.  In all...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (19 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: Following her appointment as Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs in September 2021, I had a video call with Liz Truss on 13 October on a range of issues including Brexit and the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland. Since the Foreign Secretary was subsequently assigned responsibility for Brexit in December 2021, we spoke by phone on 21 December, and met in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Public Sector Staff (19 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 675, 676 and 678 together. The Department of Foreign Affairs has no offices and therefore no employees based in County Clare.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (19 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: Passport Service operations have been severely disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, as were many Government services. The Passport Service maintained operations throughout the pandemic, notwithstanding the fact that the processing of passports requires physical attendance on site to deliver this service. Despite the disruptions related to the pandemic throughout last...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (19 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: I am advised by the military authorities that there are 18 vacancies, out of an establishment of 123, in the Defence Forces School of Music. The breakdown of the vacancies by rank is below. Rank Lieutenant Colonel Commandant Captain Lieutenant - Vacancies 0 0 1 0 - Rank ...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (19 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: I am committed to establishing an Independent Review to examine the effectiveness of systems, policies and procedures dealing with workplace issues relating to bullying, discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct in the Defence Forces   Extensive consultations on the development of Terms of Reference for the Review have taken place with...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (19 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: I am committed to establishing an Independent Review to examine the effectiveness of systems, policies and procedures dealing with workplace issues relating to bullying, discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct in the Defence Forces.   Extensive consultations on the development of Terms of Reference for the Review have taken place with...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (19 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: I am advised by the military authorities that the Defence Forces have no record of participation by Defence Forces personnel in any events held by this organisation.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (19 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 684 and 685 together. As the Deputy will be aware, cyber attacks pose a major challenge to the security of the State, to our society, to our national socio-economic wellbeing and to the security of our citizens.  We only need to look at the recent attack on the HSE to understand the impact cyber attacks can have on the health and wellbeing of our...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Reviews (19 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: The table below provides details of live studies, reviews and research being undertaken by my Department, or commissioned by me as Minister for Defence.  It also includes the scheduled completion dates.   Activity Details Scheduled date of completion Live Study Project 88 under the White Paper is a Defence funding study...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (19 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Programme for Government committed to an independent commission to undertake a comprehensive review of the Defence Forces.  The independent Commission on the Defence Forces was established by Government in December 2020.  The Commission’s overall approach is guided and informed by both the White Paper on Defence 2015 and the White Paper Update...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Social Media (19 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: I wish to advise the Deputy the spend on Social Media in 2021 by my Department was as follows. Item Cost Promoted tweets for Be Winter Ready (Twitter) €5,220.02. Promoted tweets for Be Summer Ready (Twitter) €4,596.54. Moderation and input into OEP social media crisis communications ...