Results 5,561-5,580 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

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

Simon Coveney: My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service, is maintained to the greatest extent possible so as to enable the Defence Forces to carry out their roles as assigned by Government, including overseas deployments. The  Equipment Development Plan (EDP) published in June 2020,...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service (15 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: The White Paper on Defence set out an ambitious programme of capital investment in the Naval Service including the replacement of LÉ Eithne with a Multi Role Vessel. This project is an important developmental project and indicative of the Government’s commitment to on-going investment and development of defence capabilities. The project is...

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

Simon Coveney: All members of the Defence Forces have a right to be treated with respect, equality and dignity and to carry out their duties free from any form of sexual harassment, harassment or bullying. Unacceptable forms of behaviour are not tolerated in the Defence Forces and where there are allegations of offences having been committed, investigations will be initiated by the appropriate...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Expenditure (15 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: Details of the amount of interest and compensation paid in respect of late payments to suppliers, service providers and contractors for goods and services supplied to my Department and the Defence Forces for the years 2017 to the year to date in 2021 are outlined in tabular format below: Year Late  Payment Interest € Compensation Costs € ...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: My Department is fully committed to progressing the values of diversity and inclusion, promoting a fair and equal workplace for our people, and ensuring that our staff represents the society we serve. Reflecting this commitment, in 2020, my Department's Human Resources Division launched a staff survey on the 'Building Diversity Through Recruitment' staff and has engaged the Irish Centre for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Appointments (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 404, 410, 411, 412, 418 and 476 together. I briefed the Oireachtas Joint Committee of Foreign Affairs and Defence in detail on this issue on 7 September 2021 and my statement to the Committee is available on the Oireachtas website. In September 2019, then Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Ms Katherine Zappone T.D., was appointed Special Envoy for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 405, 423 and 442 together. With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputies have enquired, the Passport Service has already issued these passports. The Passport Service is meeting their current turnaround times of 10 working days for Simple Adult renewals, 15 working days for Complex renewals, 40 working days for First Time...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 406, 407, 417, 419, 434, 458, 461, 462, 464, 465 and 472 together. With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputies have enquired, the Passport Service has been in contact with the applicants and has provided an update on the status of the passport applications.The current turnaround times are 10 working days for Simple Adult renewals, 15...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 408 and 479 together. With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputies have enquired, the Passport Service has tried to make contact with the applicants to provide an update on the status of the passport applications.  The current turnaround times are 10 working days for Simple Adult renewals, 15 working days for Complex renewals, 40...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Vaccination Programme (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 409 and 414 together. Admission to the United States of America is solely a matter for US authorities. Vaccination status currently does not have any bearing on such admissions, for essential reasons, or otherwise. I know that the current situation is causing unprecedented disruptions and is placing enormous pressure on families, businesses, and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 413, 416, 421, 424, 430, 431, 432, 438, 439, 452, 460 and 470 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...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 415, 428, 448 and 455 together. The Passport Service has received nearly 500,000 applications in 2021 to date, with approximately 110,000 under process. The current 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...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Flexible Work Practices (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Department of Foreign Affairs supports the aims of the National Remote Working Strategy and is committed to implementing a model of blended working that will provide flexibility to staff, while supporting the continued delivery of high quality services to Government and the Irish people. While a formalised policy is currently under consideration and due for development by March 2022,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: Last month I announced, together with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and the Minister of State for Law Reform, Youth Justice and Immigration, that places would be allocated to Afghan nationals under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP). The IRPP was created in 2015 as part of Ireland’s response to the migration crisis in central...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Good Friday Agreement (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: The full implementation and effective operation of the Good Friday Agreement and all subsequent agreements is an utmost priority for this Government. The Agreements, as well as the principles and values underpinning them, are at the core of the Government’s commitment to peace, reconciliation and prosperity on this island. The Good Friday Agreement addressed the constitutional...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: Our Embassy in Ankara, which is accredited to Pakistan, is aware of the situation in question which arose out of alleged blasphemy charges against a minor.  Media reports, based on comments by the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Interfaith Harmony, indicate that the case against the minor has been closed and that action is being taken against the police officers who...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Union (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: Details of 237 cases before the Court of Justice of the European Union, the General Court of the European Union and the Court of Justice of the European Free Trade Association on which Ireland made Statements in Intervention or made Observations between the years of 2010 and 2020 are set out in the table below. The table includes a small number of cases from the period 2003-2009 which were...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Access (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: Last month I announced, together with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and the Minister of State for Law Reform, Youth Justice and Immigration, that places would be allocated to Afghan nationals under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP). The IRPP was created in 2015 as part of Ireland’s response to the migration crisis in central...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am gravely concerned at recent developments in Afghanistan. In particular I am concerned at the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation, the Taliban’s approach to human rights, and to the rights of women and girls and minorities in particular, as well as the need for safe passage out of Afghanistan for foreign nationals and at-risk Afghans. I have raised these issues...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Defence Forces (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: An Emergency Civil Assistance Team (ECAT) deployment is provided for in Section 3(f) of the Defence (Amendment) Act, 2006. This states that a contingent or member of the Permanent Defence Force may, with the prior approval of and on the authority of the Government, be dispatched for service outside the State for the purposes of "undertaking humanitarian tasks in response to an actual or...