Results 5,241-5,260 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: The current Passport processing turnaround times for all passports are: - 10 working days for Simple Adult renewals, - 15 working days for Complex renewals, - 40 working days for First Time applications on Passport Online and - 8 weeks for Passport Express. Over 450,000 passports and passport cards have been issued to date in 2021. Almost 45% of passports for simple adult renewals continue to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 340, 355 and 357 together. With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputies have enquired, the Passport Service has already issued passports to the applicants. The current passport application turnaround times are 10 working days for Simple Adult renewals, 15 working days for Complex renewals, 40 working days for First Time Applications on...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Revenue Commissioners (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Department of Foreign Affairs does not have any State agencies under its remit.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: As I stated in my response to the Parliamentary Question no. 250, referred to by the Deputy, I remain gravely concerned by the ongoing human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory and particularly the impact on children and their education. Ireland has repeatedly emphasised that the rights of children to education without fear of violence or attack must be upheld at all times....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: Ireland has been consistently vocal in its opposition to illegal settlements and their expansion. The Government's support for a Dáil motion earlier this year, declaring that Israel’s settlement policy in occupied Palestinian territory amounts to unlawful de facto annexation, reflected our grave concern about the scale and character of settlements and their negative impact. I...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: We respect the strong connection between the Jewish people and the State of Israel. By their very nature, all States have certain inherent characteristics. However, regardless of how a state may name and define itself - be it socialist, democratic, united, Islamic, Arab or Jewish - full respect for the equal rights of all citizens – irrespective of ethnicity, religion, or other...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department, through the Embassy in New Delhi, Consulate General in Mumbai and Consular Assistance Unit in Dublin, has been providing assistance to the citizen’s family since first being informed of this tragic death. It is a general principle not to detail the specifics of ongoing consular work. However, I remain firmly committed to this case and I...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 363, 365 and 366 together. As at 31st August 2021, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force was 8,550 personnel. The Government remains committed to returning to, and maintaining the agreed strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel and significant work continues in order to restore the PDF to its full capacity. Personnel leave the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: Public Service pay policy is determined by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform having regard to Public Sector Pay Agreements. Similar to other sectors in the public service, Pay has been restored to members of the Defence Forces in accordance with public sector pay agreements. The focus of these increases is weighted in favour of those on lower pay. The Defence Forces have...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: It is Government policy to increase female participation rates at all levels of the Defence Forces in order to increase capability and to better reflect the society from which the Defence Forces are drawn and serve. As of 31 August 2021, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) stood at 8,550 Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) personnel. Of this some 603 personnel or 7% were female,...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Revenue Commissioners (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: My Department has made the following settlements with the Revenue Commissioners in the last 5 years: Year Amounts 2016 €465,745 2017 €167,069 2018 €36,038 2019 €13,151,342 2020 €74,797 The settlements in question were...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am advised by the military authorities that it has not been possible to gather the required information within the time allotted. I will revert to the Deputy when the information has been gathered.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: State Visits (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: I do not have any plans currently to invite my French counterpart to Ireland before the end of 2021. I do however plan to attend the November FAC (Defence) meeting in Brussels, which will present an opportunity to meet fellow EU Defence Ministers including my French colleague.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Staff (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: Civilian Employees are employed by my Department to support the operational capability of the Defence Forces. There is one civilian craft worker, a Barrack Foreman Electrician, employed in Gormanston Camp. A recruitment campaign is currently under way to fill an electrician vacancy. The recruitment of Civilian Employees for military installations is an ongoing process, informed by...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Civil Defence (5 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: The allocation provided to Civil Defence from my Department in 2021 was €4.64 million. The full year cost of increasing this allocation by 12% would be €0.56 million. (An additional €1 million was also provided for Civil Defence from the 2021 Dormant Accounts Action Plan through my Department.)

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (30 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am not.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (30 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: I will be brief. There is much interest in this issue. A judicial review is also under way in respect of challenging the report, and it is difficult for me to comment in too much detail until that judicial review has been settled and we get a clear outcome. We are, however, committed to implementing the recommendations in the report. To be honest, some elements in the report take away...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (30 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am somewhat limited in what I say, because if I comment on the content of any protected disclosure I have received, I am at risk of identifying somebody or of breaking the law, and I obviously do not want to do that. All I can say is we have a system in the Department to deal with protected disclosures. Our Secretary General takes that very seriously. We act on protected disclosures as...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (30 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: From my experience, when people join the Defence Forces, they are loyal to the Defence Forces and to the country. That is why they serve their country. Part of their training is to reinforce that loyalty to the system they are part of, which involves a command structure that is very different from any other form of employment. For someone to go against that means he or she is effectively...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (30 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am happy to come back in when we have more time. This is a report I am sure the Deputy read over the summer because she has spoken about it on more than one occasion. The battle of Jadotville occurred 60 years ago this month. This significant event in military history occurred during the Irish peacekeeping mission in the Congo. The issue of awarding military medals to personnel who...