Results 5,501-5,520 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (21 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 325, 326, 333 and 338 together. The current Passport processing turnaround times 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. Almost 45% of passports for simple adult renewals continue to issue within one business...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (21 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 327 and 329 together. My Department is responsible for citizenship by descent through the Foreign Births Register under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 (“the 1956 Act”), as amended. We take our legal responsibility in relation to Foreign Birth Registration very seriously and prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the processing time for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff (21 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: My Department continues to work closely with the Public Appointments Service to recruit additional resources to meet demands across the Department, including in the Passport Service, which has responsibility for the delivery of both passports and foreign birth registrations. Ongoing contact between my Department and the Public Appointments Service has continued as part of the recruitment...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Communications (21 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: My Department makes available to the public a wide variety of records and information as part of our FOI Publication scheme. Most recently we oversaw the largest ever release of records in the history of the Department under the scheme, which included a significant volume of email correspondence and text messages, including messages from my phone. In respect of emails related to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (21 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 332 and 334 together. I note with concern the details in the cases referred to by the Deputies. 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. Officials from my Department have raised concerns over the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Official Engagements (21 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Department of Foreign Affairs has regular engagement with ADHRB on human rights issues in Bahrain. Officials from the Department have met with representatives from ADHRB on a number of accessions in the past 12 months. At the invitation of ADHRB, officials from the Gulf and Middle East Unit of the Department of Foreign Affairs also attended a conference in May on the Covid-19 crisis in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (21 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: In relation to the Deputies query the person in question must request a replacement Foreign Birth Registration Certificate. The application must be made through my Department's website, www.DFA.ie.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Properties (21 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Offices of the Department of Defence are secure and access controlled. They are not buildings that are usually open to the general public. As such, services in these buildings are not accessible to the general public. Defence buildings occupied by the military are not open to the general public. On occasion some organisations, such as schools and sporting clubs, apply for use of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: European Union (21 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 340 to 343, inclusive, together. In the course of her wide-ranging State of the Union Address to the European Parliament last week, President von der Leyen made a number of remarks on defence-related issues. Some of the issues referenced in the President's speech will require further elaboration and may require specific proposals from the European...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (21 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: Ilistened with concern to the women who recounted their experiences on the Women of Honour programme on RTE Radio on the 11 September 2021. I expressed my willingness to meet with the participants, should they wish to do so, and I am pleased to say that my offer has been accepted. I have instructed my officials to make the necessary arrangements without delay. In the meantime, I also wish to...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (21 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: I receive information on an ongoing basis from serving and former personnel on a range of issues in relation to their experiences within the Defence Forces. The action taken on foot of such information is dependent on the circumstances of each individual case and whether the complaints are already the subject of investigation by other statutory authorities or within other grievance...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (21 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: The detailed information sought by the Deputy is not readily available within the time frame sought. At the request of my Department the military authorities are conducting the search, retrieval and collation of same. I will arrange to have this information forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (21 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: I wish to advise the Deputy that the Ombudsman discharges his duties in line with the provisions of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces, Act, 2004. Under the provisions of this Act, the Ombudsman has full independence and autonomy in the discharge of his statutory functions. The findings of the Ombudsman, in relation to complaints submitted to his Office under the provisions of the Act,...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (21 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: The purpose of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 is to make provision for and in connection with the protection of persons from the taking of action against them in respect of the making of certain disclosures in the public interest and for connected purposes. Section 16 of the Act provides that subject to exceptions, a person to whom a protected disclosure is made, and any person to whom a...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (16 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Passport Service scaled up operational levels on 4 May 2021, in line with the phased easing of restrictions set out in “COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021 – The Plan Ahead”. In order to provide a safe working environment, staff who can work from home have done so to allow the Service to maximize operations on site. However, this number is extremely low as staff...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (16 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 217 and 218 together. The Passport Service maintained operations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, notwithstanding the fact that the processing of passports requires physical attendance on site to deliver this service. As a result of well implemented safety protocols our staff were able to assist citizens who required passports for a range of emergency and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Visa Applications (16 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: Working Holiday Authorisations (WHAs) play an important role in building Ireland’s bilateral relations with the United States, Canada and a number of other non-European countries and regions with which we have reciprocal agreements. As Minister, I support fully the objectives of the Working Holiday programmes and their vital contribution in promoting people-to-people contacts, and am...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Relations (16 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: I strongly condemn the coup carried out by the Myanmar military and the attempts to consolidate or legitimise the military regime. I call for an end to violence, the immediate and unconditional release of all those detained, including the President and State Counsellor, and the restoration of a legitimate, civilian Government.  As a result of the coup, there is a political and...

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

Simon Coveney: I believe that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, more commonly referred to as freedom of religion or belief. As a fundamental freedom, I am concerned about any reported persecution because of religious belief, irrespective of where it occurs.  In March 2021 Ireland made a national statement at the Human Rights Council during an Interactive...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Relations (16 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 222 and 223 together. I believe that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, more commonly referred to as freedom of religion and belief. This right includes the freedom to change religion or belief as enshrined in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As a fundamental freedom, I am concerned about...