Results 6,841-6,860 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (25 Mar 2021)

Simon Coveney: As of 2 March 2021, Ireland is contributing 568 personnel to 10 different missions throughout the world. The main overseas missions in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with 346 personnel and the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in Syria with 132 personnel.  Ireland also...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Covid-19 Pandemic (25 Mar 2021)

Simon Coveney: Whilst the Defence Forces are not a primary response agency for non-security related emergencies, as defined in the Framework for Major Emergency Management, they provide the fullest possible assistance to the appropriate Lead Department in the event of a natural disaster or emergency situation in its Aid to Civil Authority (ATCA) role.  In this regard, the full spectrum of Defence...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (24 Mar 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 739 and 749 together. In line with Government guidance that at Level 5 of the National Framework on Living with COVID-19 only essential work should take place, the Passport Service continues to provide a high-quality essential service in line with Government measures to reduce social contact and combat the spread of COVID-19. This essential service is...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (24 Mar 2021)

Simon Coveney: Article 15 of the European Convention on Human Rights provides for derogation from certain provisions of the Convention in times of emergency. A party may take measures derogating from its obligations under the Convention in time of war or other public emergency threatening the life of the nation, to the extent strictly required by the exigencies of the situation, provided that such...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Meetings (24 Mar 2021)

Simon Coveney: In line with current guidance on Freedom of Information, the Department of Foreign Affairs prioritises the routine publication of information most frequently requested by the public. The minutes of the DFA Committee on Human Rights are circulated to all the organisations represented at the Committee and additional requests for this information have not been received in the recent past....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (24 Mar 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 742, 746, 747, 751, 768, 769, 771 and 773 together. In line with Government guidance that, at Level 5 of the National Framework on Living with COVID-19 only essential work should take place, the Passport Service continues to provide a high quality essential service in line with Government measures to reduce social contact and combat the spread of COVID-19....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (24 Mar 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 743 and 781 together. I strongly condemn the coup carried out by the Myanmar military. The coup is a reversal of the progress made towards democracy and rule of law in Myanmar that has taken years to establish, and does nothing to tackle the public health, security or economic issues faced by the people of Myanmar. I am appalled by the escalating and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (24 Mar 2021)

Simon Coveney: At present, there are approximately 71,300 Passport Online applications in the system. When operations resume at Level 4, all applications received via Passport Online will be processed. The Passport Service is confident, taking into account measures to ensure a safe workplace, that any Passport Online backlog can be cleared in six to eight weeks. There are currently approximately 4,200...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Functions (24 Mar 2021)

Simon Coveney: I can advise the Deputy that my Department's Authentication and Apostille Unit provides essential consular services for Irish citizens and businesses. I am pleased to confirm therefore that staff in the unit have continued to attend and work in the office throughout all levels of the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to access applications and operate specialist printers and equipment.  ...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Legislative Process (24 Mar 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Heads of Bills for which my Department is responsible are prepared in the Department,  in consultation with other Departments where relevant and with the advice, where necessary, of the Attorney General’s Office.  Once approved by Government, the Bills themselves are drafted by the Office of Parliamentary Council.  No Bills have been outsourced by my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Meetings (24 Mar 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 752 to 754, inclusive, together. The Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, as an international agreement concluded by the EU and the UK, must be fully implemented. It is the agreed and only available solution to the problems created on the island of Ireland by Brexit. This message is central to my contacts with counterparts across these islands, Europe and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Meetings (24 Mar 2021)

Simon Coveney: Strengthening bilateral relations with the US is a priority for Ireland as set out in our Programme for Government,as wellin our Strategy for the US and Canada (2019-2025). We look forward to working with the new US Administration on the many global challenges facing the international community, from the pandemic to climate change to promoting peace and security, as well as on issues of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Cases (24 Mar 2021)

Simon Coveney: This is a complex case involving an Irish citizen who has been prevented from leaving China since March 2019.  As the Deputy will be aware, my Department has been providing ongoing consular assistance to the citizen through our Consular Assistance Unit in Dublin, our Embassy in Beijing and our Consulate General in Shanghai, while he and his legal teams work on the legal, commercial and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Agreements (24 Mar 2021)

Simon Coveney: The negotiations for a Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) between the EU and China were concluded in principle on 30 December last year. The conclusion in principle is a first step in the process towards signature and ratification. Ratification of the Agreement will only arise when the European Commission presents the final legally scrubbed texts to Trade Ministers in Council...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: UN Security Council (24 Mar 2021)

Simon Coveney: Ireland took its seat on the UN Security Council on 1 January 2021. We have been engaging actively across the full Security Council agenda, which includes some 30 country and regional files and 20 thematic files. The Government have set out three overarching principles for Ireland’s membership of the Security Council: building peace, strengthening conflict prevention, and ensuring...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Issues (24 Mar 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Agreement on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community was signed on 24 January 2020. It was approved by the European Parliament on 29 January 2020 and adopted by the Council on 30 January 2020. The instruments of ratification were deposited on 31 January 2020. The Agreement entered...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Visa Agreements (24 Mar 2021)

Simon Coveney: The issue of Irish immigration to the US has been a high priority for successive Governments and continues to be one of my key priorities. Immigration issues have been raised on an ongoing basis in our engagement with US Administrations and political leaders, including last week by the Taoiseach with President Biden as part of his virtual St. Patrick's Day engagements in the US. The Taoiseach...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (24 Mar 2021)

Simon Coveney: On 9 January 2020, the Irish and British Governments published a new agreement for Northern Ireland, New Decade, New Approach, which was reached together with the political parties. Alongside the agreement, both Governments set out their own separate, unilateral  commitments. Although Covid 19 has been the understandable focus in the year since the NDNA was reached,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Dublin-Monaghan Bombings (24 Mar 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Government stands in solidarity with all those impacted by the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. Thirty three people were murdered and hundreds seriously injured on that awful day in 1974. We will continue to seek the full truth of these appalling attacks, and some measure of closure for the victims' families and survivors, in accordance with the three Motions passed unanimously by...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (24 Mar 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am deeply concerned by the unacceptable manner and practices around the detention and trial of Palestinian children in Israeli prisons and the Israeli military court system.  Israel is bound, as a contracting party, by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). I am not satisfied that Israel is meeting its...