Results 6,541-6,560 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: United Nations (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: Ireland has been a long-standing champion of the Women, Peace and Security, WPS, agenda at the UN. It is a key priority for our two-year membership of the Security Council. This agenda recognises the differential impacts of conflict on women, but also their critical agency in conflict prevention and resolution and in peace-building. Ireland co-chairs the UN Security Council’s...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: United Nations (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: Ireland has been to the fore on the women, peace and security agenda for many years. There are other countries that are very much with us on that agenda within the UN. We very much want to build that into the mandate for peacekeeping missions as well. Our own experience on this island is that if we have gender balance in the context of both politics and peace negotiations, we are likely to...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: With respect, just because the Deputy says it does not make it so in terms of the-----

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: In terms of-----

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: If the Deputy would let me answer the question-----

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: Human Rights Watch is a respected NGO. I value the role it and other civil society organisations play. The report by Human Rights Watch is a lengthy and complex document which, as I said earlier, is being reviewed by my Department. I continue to be concerned about the overall human rights situation in Israel and Palestine and discriminatory practices. There is no doubt Israel's actions...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: With respect, the Deputy’s words only go so far. The way in which we can get something done here is to build consensus so that the EU can collectively-----

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: Please listen. Much is being done. Ireland is raising its voice internationally but pretending that Ireland on its own can change the course of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not being realistic. The way for us to really change things on the ground is to work and use our influence within the UN Security Council and the EU, which is exactly what we are doing, rather than putting...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Diplomatic Representation (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: The safety and security of our staff and their families is a fundamental priority of my Department. My Department promotes best practice in managing the security of our people, material assets and premises through workplace security design, review, awareness-raising and training in consultation with the State’s security experts. Ireland has 90 missions abroad, some of which are...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Diplomatic Representation (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces contribute significantly to the security of our people abroad and I am certain this support will continue and potentially even broaden. An Garda Síochána supported seven on-site mission security reviews in 2019 and three in early 2020, two in Africa. Members of the Defence Forces supported two complex projects at three missions...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am deeply concerned by the escalation of violence in Jerusalem in recent days, the launching of rockets from Gaza and the actions of the Israeli defence forces. Many were shocked at reports of 24 Palestinians being killed last night, including nine children. I believe those figures are now higher. The latest figures, which I received a number of hours ago, were that 28 people were...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I agree with the Deputy. Believe me when I say that Ireland is very involved in the UN Security Council in these matters. Ireland co-sponsored an emergency discussion at the council yesterday when the situation was not as dramatic as it is now. Ireland is working this evening as we speak. I spoke to our representative in New York who heads our Security Council team, which is speaking to...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I hope my position on this issue has been very consistent. We have and continue to advocate for a two-state solution on the basis of a negotiation where equality of esteem between both sides is respected. That certainly has not been the case in recent years. I continue to be outspoken on the illegality of settlements in occupied territory and their expansion, the forced removal of...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am aware of the report referred to in the details supplied, which my officials are reviewing. It is quite a long report, at which my Department's legal team are now looking. I have been forthright in expressing my concerns regarding the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Ireland’s position on this issue is, and will continue to be, based on international law, Israel’s...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for asking this question. What has been happening in Tigray is quite shocking. I remain deeply concerned by the ongoing conflict, which has seen many people killed, injured and displaced, and which is feeding into instability across the Horn of Africa. Since joining the UN Security Council, Ireland has worked consistently to ensure a focus on the conflict in Ethiopia,...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: In order to get a unanimous statement at the UN Security Council, compromises sometimes have to be made. We had choices to make. We could write a statement that Ireland would have written on its own and to which very few would have been listening, or we could write a statement through negotiation with the other 14 member states, in particular the five permanent member states and the three...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I agree with some of what the Deputy has said but strongly disagree with other elements of it. Ireland's relationship with Ethiopia goes back many years. Our development assistance programme and partnerships with Ethiopia are stronger than with any other African country and have been for many years. In fact, we had workers in the Tigray region when the violence started. It is a country we...

Europe Day: Statements (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am sorry I was not here for all of this debate but I got a sense towards the end of the debate of some of the criticisms of, and frustrations with, Europe as it is today. I would be the first to recognise that Europe is far from perfect but the fact that we have regular, open debate and often strong disagreement on some of the issues that have been raised is a reflection of a European...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 57, 59, 68, 70, 77, 88, 89, 90, 91, 96, 99, 103, 104, 108, 109 and 111 together. Thank you Deputies, I welcome the opportunity to update you on the scaling up of operations by the Passport Service. The Passport Service maintained operations throughout the pandemic, notwithstanding the fact that the processing of passports requires physical attendance on site...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Issues (11 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am pleased to note that technical level contacts between the EU and UK have been ongoing in recent weeks with the goal of resolving a number of outstanding issues around implementation of the Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland. These contacts are taking place following the agreement last month between Vice President Šefcovic and Lord Frost to facilitate further, intensified...