Results 4,661-4,680 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (1 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 Defence: European Union (1 Dec 2021)

Simon Coveney: The European Union's common security and defence policy (CSDP) is the policy which sets out the EU’s framework in the field of defence and crisis management, including defence cooperation and coordination between Member States in support of international peace and security.  The EU proposes to be a provider of security for its citizens, to protect values and interests...

Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories: Statements (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: I thank all of the Deputies for participating in this debate and for the tone of the debate. I also wish to recognise that yesterday was the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. They would have got a very strong signal from Ireland with Irish people's continuing concern for their struggle. I will address a number of the issues that have been raised. I have been...

Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories: Statements (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am sharing time with Deputy Costello who is taking the last three minutes. I welcome this opportunity. Let me start by recalling that the Middle East peace process is a key priority for Ireland including during our tenure on the Security Council. There have been a number of recent developments on the ground that make this discussion very timely. I wish to underline my serious concern,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 265, 270, 272 and 283 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: Foreign Birth Registration (30 Nov 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...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am fully aware of the very strong ties this individual has to Ireland. As the person is a German citizen and was travelling on that passport at the time of the incident, consular assistance is being provided by the German Embassy - and has been since 2018. My Department is therefore limited in the extent to which consular assistance can be provided to this individual. The relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: I have had numerous engagements with high-level US officials in the past three months. During my visit to Washington DC in September, I had good meetings with Senator Dirk Durbin, the Senate Democratic Whip, and with Senator Pat Leahy, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. I also met with Senator Chris Murphy, whom I have since spoken to again recently by phone. While in Washington, I...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: United Nations (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: Ireland condemns the regime of Alexander Lukashenko for its exploitation of migrants for political purposes. At the November Foreign Affairs Council meeting, EU Foreign Ministers discussed the escalation in the crisis along the EU’s borders with Belarus. We took swift action and agreed to broaden the listings criteria for sanctions on the Belarusian regime. This broader listing...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy will be aware that Ireland is represented at two Diplomatic Missions in Australia, with an Embassy located in Canberra and a Consulate General located in Sydney. My Department keeps staffing levels at these Missions as well as at its network of 94 Missions abroad under continuing review. There are no immediate plans to increase the number of staff at the Embassy of Ireland in Canberra.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has provided an update to the applicant as to the steps they must take to progress their passport application.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: Emergency Travel Certificates are issued by Irish missions overseas to Irish citizens with a valid reason for emergency travel. Emergency Travel Certificates are valid only for a single journey and generally relate to an Irish citizen travelling abroad whose passport has been lost or stolen and who wishes to return to Ireland. Applicants for an Emergency Travel Certificate are required to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the parents' passports that were submitted with the application of their child have been returned. The Passport Services prioritises dispatching the applicant's passport once it has been issued. Supporting documents submitted with the application are dispatched separately and, depending on current volumes, can...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Bodies (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: Ireland greatly values the work of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, including its human dimension. The Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM) is a key platform for the promotion of human rights in the OSCE region. HDIM is an invaluable and unique forum for engagement between civil society and the participating States of the OSCE and Ireland regrets that it...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 277 and 281 together. Respect for human rights is an integral part of Ireland’s foreign policy and we consistently seek to raise our concerns on human rights issues through the most appropriate and effective channels. I note with concern the details in the case referred to by the Deputy Griffin. Officials from my Department have raised concerns over the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Freedom of Information (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: My Department currently has two requests for an internal review of freedom of information requests.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Freedom of Information (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: My Department is only aware of two complaints to the Office of the Ombudsman about Freedom of Information matters since the FOI Act was enacted. The first, made in 2020, is closed and marked 'Resolved' by the Office of the Ombudsman. The second was made this year. My Department’s report to the Office of the Ombudsman in response to the latter complaint will issue this week.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has provided an update on the status of the passport applications to the applicants' parent.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: The current situation in Nicaragua is of great concern to Ireland and to the European Union. Elections took place in Nicaragua on 7 November last. Ireland and the EU had stated on numerous occasions that these elections were going to be neither free nor fair, and that proved to be the case. No credible opposition figures were allowed to run, and no election monitoring was permitted. ...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 284 and 285 together. Passport Service operations have been severely disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, as were many Government services. Notwithstanding this, the Passport Service has issued over half a million passports to date in 2021 and 45% of simple adult renewals issue within one business day. The current passport processing times are: -...