Results 4,561-4,580 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (16 Dec 2021)

Simon Coveney: There are now over 900 political prisoners in Belarus, according to the Belarusian human rights organisation, Viasna. They have been detained for challenging the rule of Alexander Lukashenko. Their ongoing detention is inexcusable. It is vital that human rights violations in Belarus are independently investigated. Ireland and the EU have clearly stated that the impunity enjoyed by the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: State Bodies (16 Dec 2021)

Simon Coveney: The only State body under the aegis of my Department is the Army Pensions Board. The Army Pensions Board is an independent statutory body established under the Army Pensions Act 1927 to provide for the payment of pensions, allowances and gratuities in certain circumstances to members of the Defence Forces. The 1927 Act specifies that the Board shall consist of a chairman and two ordinary...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (16 Dec 2021)

Simon Coveney: A joint civil/military review has been conducted on mandatory retirement ages for all ranks in the Permanent Defence Force. As Defence Forces superannuation arrangements are based on contracts of service and mandatory retirement ages, the recommendations in the review require consideration from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, in relation to implications on costs and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (16 Dec 2021)

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, with a mandate to report within 12 months. The Commission’s overall approach is guided and informed by both the White Paper on Defence 2015 and the White Paper...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: State Properties (16 Dec 2021)

Simon Coveney: Officials from my Department are currently liaising with the Chief State's Solicitors Office on the necessary legal matters with regard to finalising contracts and the intention is to conclude the transfer as soon as possible, subject to the normal exigencies of the conveyancing process. I understand that this matter is now at an advanced stage.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Military Honours (16 Dec 2021)

Simon Coveney: The siege of Jadotville was a prominent event that occurred during Ireland's peacekeeping mission in the Congo in September 1961 where "A" Company, 35th Infantry Battalion, came under attack. From the 13th to the 17th September the men of “A” Company endured almost continuous attack. At the end of the Siege, the men were taken into captivity until finally released on the 25th...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (16 Dec 2021)

Simon Coveney: A range of actions have been taken to address recruitment and retention issues in the Permanent Defence Force and bridge the shortfall between the current strength figures and those of the establishment. The strength of the PDF at the end of October 2021 was 8,572 personnel. Ongoing recruitment initiatives have resulted in a total of 574 personnel being inducted to date in 2021. The...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (15 Dec 2021)

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: Irish Prisoners Abroad (15 Dec 2021)

Simon Coveney: I can reassure the Deputy that my Department is aware of this case and is continuing to provide consular assistance to the citizen through our Consular Assistance Unit in Dublin, the Irish Embassy in Abuja, and with assistance from the Embassy of France in Togo - as Ireland does not have diplomatic representation in the country. My Department is also liaising with the Irish Council for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Policies (15 Dec 2021)

Simon Coveney: This year my Department published its new Statement of Strategy for the 2021-2023 period which outlines in more detail the key priorities for the period, and frames our efforts to protect and promote the values and interests of Irish citizens, at home and abroad. Over the past year, my Department has continued to make an important contribution to the Government response to the pandemic,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (15 Dec 2021)

Simon Coveney: With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has contacted the applicant and their documents will be returned as requested.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (15 Dec 2021)

Simon Coveney: The processing times for all passport applications are based on current average application turnaround times and apply to passport applications that are fully complete, where all required supporting documentation has been correctly submitted to the Passport Service by the applicant. Applications can take longer than the average turnaround time if applicants have not provided all of the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (15 Dec 2021)

Simon Coveney: With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service regrets that this application was not checked within the current average turnaround time of 40 working days. The Passport Service contacted the applicant on 17 November 2021 to request a document that was required to complete the application. A document has been submitted by the applicant and the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Common Travel Area (15 Dec 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am aware of the UK’s Nationality and Borders Bill, which was recently passed in the House of Commons and has now proceeded to the House of Lords. As currently drafted, this Bill would provide that the UK’s immigration rules may require that specified categories of individual, to be set down in the rules, have an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) in order to travel to...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (15 Dec 2021)

Simon Coveney: The alleged offences are currently under investigation and for this reason, it is not appropriate for me to comment on the case.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (15 Dec 2021)

Simon Coveney: The incident referred to in your question is currently under investigation and therefore it would be inappropriate for me to comment. With regard to the decision to employ a no-alcohol policy, the military authorities have informed me that this decision was made by the General Staff, to replicate a policy that has already been successfully employed in other troop missions overseas. This...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Policies (15 Dec 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Programme for Government contains an ambitious range of commitments concerning the Defence sector that my Department will continue to implement over the lifetime of the Programme. During 2021, one of the key commitments was to establish a Commission on the Defence Forces. On the 15th December 2020, the Government approved terms of reference and the membership of an independent...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (14 Dec 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 339, 340 and 360 together. With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputies have enquired, the Passport Service has provided an update on the status of the passport application to the applicant.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Bodies (14 Dec 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Government’s strategy to increase Irish representation in European Union Institutions and Agencies, A Career for EU, was launched in May of this year. This strategy contains a number of measures to ensure that more Irish people secure roles in the EU’s Institutions over the coming years. Many Irish officials have shaped policies and decisions that have had a positive impact...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Citizenship Applications (14 Dec 2021)

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...