Results 7,041-7,060 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Criminal Court (18 Feb 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am aware of the Pre-Trial Chamber’s ruling on 5 February in relation to the scope of territorial jurisdiction in the occupied Palestinian territory. Ireland is a strong supporter of the International Criminal Court and is committed to preserving the independence and impartiality of the Court’s judicial process. The Court remains seized of the situation and we do not comment on...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (18 Feb 2021)

Simon Coveney: Ireland and the EU have consistently called on the Israeli Government to uphold its international legal obligations, including under the Fourth Geneva Convention, on the treatment of civilian populations. Jerusalem is one of the permanent status issues to be settled in a final peace agreement. I have consistently focused on the issues surrounding settlements, including evictions and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (18 Feb 2021)

Simon Coveney: The following table provides details of when each Embassy informed the Department of Foreign Affairs of its intention to operate a polling station, the date on which the Department confirmed it had no objections to the operation of a polling station, and the date on which polling took place. In addition to the details noted as follows, two Embassies, Poland and Spain, informed the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (18 Feb 2021)

Simon Coveney: Ireland advocates prioritising the vaccination of the most vulnerable communities in developing countries, including the occupied Palestinian territory. Both Israel and the Palestinian Authority have responsibilities to ensure the welfare of citizens in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Israel’s responsibility as the occupying power. I am aware of the differing views...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ministerial Responsibilities (18 Feb 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 145 to 153, inclusive, together. Deputy Jack Chambers was appointed Minister of State at the Department of An Taoiseach and Government Chief Whip and at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and the Media with special responsibility for the Gaeltacht and Sport on 15 July, 2020. His appointment as Minister of State and the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Funding (18 Feb 2021)

Simon Coveney: My Department provides grant funding to local authorities in relation to running costs for Civil Defence. Civil Defence funding includes annual operational grants payable to Local Authorities for the provision of Civil Defence services. Operational grants cover 70% of the running costs of Civil Defence annually with Local Authorities providing the remainder. On application, other grants are...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Vaccination Programme (18 Feb 2021)

Simon Coveney: The COVID-19 vaccine Allocation Strategy was developed by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) and the Department of Health, endorsed by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), and approved by Government on 8 December 2020. It sets out a provisional list of groups for vaccination. The Defence Forces has established vaccine prioritisation which is in line with...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 324 and 325 together. I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is providing ongoing consular assistance to this citizen through our Consular Assistance Unit in Dublin, our Embassy in Beijing and our Consulate General in Shanghai. Our Consul General has been meeting and engaging regularly with the citizen since we were first informed of this complex case...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Coveney: Ireland stands in solidarity with the people of Myanmar and I reiterate my condemnation of the coup carried out by the Myanmar military on February 1st and the unlawful detention of political leaders including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. On February 11th, I called for a firm response from the international community, including sanctions that target the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Coveney: My Department is responsible for citizenship by descent through the Foreign Births Register. At present, there are 27,000 applications in the Foreign Births Registration (FBR) system that are awaiting processing. The Passport Service has paused the processing of FBR applications as Ireland is at Level 5 of the National Framework for Living with COVID-19. Applications that have been sent...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Cases (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Coveney: Ireland, along with our EU partners, remains deeply concerned about the treatment of Uighurs and other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang. My Department has been closely following the situation, including in relation to reports of systemic abuse, torture, forced labour, forced sterilisations, and restrictions on freedom of religion and belief in the Province. We have been active in raising our...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Coveney: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in ongoing contact with the Department of Health in relation to the provision of advice for our citizens abroad in the context of COVID-19. There are currently no plans to arrange vaccines for Irish citizens abroad and our advice to our citizens overseas is to follow the guidelines of the public health authorities in the region or country in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Covid-19 Pandemic (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Coveney: Ireland is playing its full part as member of the global health community to establish facilities and oversight mechanisms to ensure fair and equitable access to vaccines for all. The World Health Organisation, as the lead UN agency for health, is central to this effort: in recognition of this critical role, Ireland quadrupled support to WHO in 2020. Ireland is a member of the ACT...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Coveney: Despite the introduction of travel restrictions both nationally and internationally during the Covid-19 pandemic, Irish citizens continued to require passports, particularly our community living overseas. To assist with the wider State response to COVID-19, Passport Service personnel have been redeployed, at the request of different Departments, into other, essential public service roles,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Coveney: At present, there are approximately 49,000 Passport Online applications in the system. When operations resume at Level 4, all applications received via Passport Online will be processed. The Passport Service have requested that applicants refrain from submitting documents until we resume operations. Applicants will be notified by e-mail when we resume processing. The Passport Service has...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Passport Service has paused processing of routine applications while Ireland is at Level 5 of the National Framework for Living with COVID-19. Passport Service staff have been temporarily reassigned to provide consular assistance for Irish citizens overseas. The Passport Service continues to provide an emergency passport service for Irish citizens at home and abroad. The service is...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Coveney: On 7 December 2020, the Council of the European Union adopted a Decision and a Regulation establishing a global human rights sanctions regime. The new Regulation represents a significant development in the EU sanctions regime. For the first time, the EU is equipping itself with a framework that will allow it to target individuals, entities and bodies – including state and non-state...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Government is aware of the incident that took place following a memorial event on the Ormeau Road in Belfast on Friday, 5th February last. The memorial was marking the tragic loss of life that occurred 29 years ago at Sean Graham’s Bookmakers, when 5 people were murdered and several others wounded in a loyalist paramilitary attack. The Government fully understands the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Coveney: I would like to take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt condolences and those of the Government to the family and friends of Noah Donohoe, on their most tragic loss. Our thoughts especially are with Noah’s mother Fiona. The case of Noah’s death is matter for the Police Service of Northern Ireland and an investigation is underway. There has been a renewed appeal for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Shannon Airport Facilities (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Coveney: The landing in question was by a US military aircraft, with seven crew and no passengers on board. It had sought and received prior diplomatic clearance to land subject to our routine stipulations, including that it did not carry arms or ammunition. The US authorities have confirmed that this condition was met. Sovereign immunity, a long-standing principle of customary international law,...