Results 7,201-7,220 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (27 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: All passport applications are subject to the provisions of the Passport Act, 2008, as amended (the “2008 Act”). The Act provides a legal basis for the issuance of passports. Section 14 of the Act sets out the requirements for obtaining consent from guardians prior to the issuance of a passport to a minor. In complex cases, it is necessary to seek legal advice in order to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Data (27 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 411 and 413 together. At present, there are approximately 40,000 Passport Online applications in the system. Of these, approximately half are from the island of Ireland and half are from the rest of the world. The Passport Service have requested that applicants refrain from submitting documents until we resume operations. Applicants will be notified by e-mail...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (27 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: Issues relating to the regulation of international trade fall under the EU's common commercial policy and are ultimately a matter of exclusive EU competence. The Tánaiste, as Minister for Enterprise, Trade, and Employment, is responsible for overall trade matters in the national context. Ireland does not have any unilateral autonomous sanctions regimes, but implements agreed UN or EU...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: My Department is actively managing the challenges and issues associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. This pandemic affects the operation of our Global Mission Network to varying degrees depending on the situation in each country. My Department operates within the overall budgetary allocations received each year and will continue to engage with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Disability Act Employment Targets (27 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Department of Foreign Affairs is fully committed to equality of opportunity in all its employment practices in line with the National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021 and in meeting its obligations under part 5 of the Disability Act 2005. The number and percentage of DFA staff with registered disabilities is noted in the below table. The Department does not hold historic...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Data (27 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 418 to 422, inclusive, together. The ranks referred to by the Deputy are ranks which personnel occupy on a transitional basis until they qualify in their respective role. New entrant general service recruits to the Army start as Private Grade 1 and on sucessful completion of their initial 15 weeks training, progress to Private 2 star. On sucessful completion...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Deployment (27 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: EUNAVFORMED Operation IRINI, the UN mandated EU Naval mission in the eastern Mediterranean was launched on the 31st of March 2020. Its core task is the implementation of the UN arms embargo on Libya (through the use of aerial, satellite and maritime assets). As secondary tasks, the operation will contribute to the implementation of UN measures to prevent illicit export of petroleum from...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Local Authority Funding (27 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Department of Defence does not provide specific funding streams to Local Authorities as such outside of the funding made available for Civil Defence from within the Defence Vote. Civil Defence funding includes operational and discretionary grants payable to Local Authorities for the provision of Civil Defence services. Operational grants cover 70% of the running costs of Civil Defence...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Recruitment (27 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: An applicant to the Defence Forces must either be a citizen of the State or be any other person who has a lawful entitlement to reside and work within the State for the period of time required for the purpose of any such appointment.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Data (27 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: Government and Dáil approval was received in June 2019 for the deployment of a contingent of up to 14 Defence Forces personnel, drawn primarily from the Army Ranger Wing, to participate in MINUSMA, the United Nations authorised operation in Mali. MINUSMA was established on 25 April 2013 by UN Security Council Resolution 2100 to stabilise the country after the Tuareg rebellion...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: The extent and potential additional financial cost of ‘long COVID-19’ on this Department cannot be determined at this point. As an immediate priority, my Department is participating in various cross-Departmental groups to ensure that appropriate supports are available to personnel as required. My Department will continue to monitor the impact of ‘long COVID-19’...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Staff (27 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: In compliance with the Disability Act 2005, statistics on the number of staff working with a disability within my Department are compiled and submitted to the National Disability Authority annually. The figures are compiled retrospectively during the first quarter of each year in respect of the previous year. Therefore, the return for 2020 has not yet been made and is not included in the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Appointments to State Boards (27 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: The only State body under the aegis of my Department is the Army Pensions Board. The Army Pensions Board is an independent statutory body, established under the Army Pensions Act 1927, to provide for the payment of pensions, allowances, and gratuities in certain circumstances to members of the Defence Forces. The 1927 Act specifies that the Board shall consist of a chairman and two...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: State Bodies (27 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: The only State body under the aegis of my Department is the Army Pensions Board. The Army Pensions Board is an independent statutory body established under the Army Pensions Act 1927 to provide for the payment of pensions, allowances and gratuities in certain circumstances to members of the Defence Forces. The 1927 Act specifies that the Board shall consist of a chairman and two ordinary...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: My Department has allocated no funding to the Covid-19 communications strategy since the beginning of the pandemic.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: My Department has had no spending on the Covid-19 communications strategy since the beginning of the pandemic.

Brexit (Foreign Affairs): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: There is not a complete failure at ports. We all have a responsibility to try to address problems when they arise but not to exaggerate them for effect either. The Revenue Commissioners are working night and day with haulage companies, exporters and importers to try to help people adjust to the new system. This is a change we have been warning about for many months. Grant aid and advice...

Brexit (Foreign Affairs): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: There were some good questions. On the Deputy's example of the Leitrim company that, effectively, wants to bulk import because of the difficulties with individual consignments and is seeking banking facilities for that, she might send me the details and I will try to be helpful if I can. I do not want to over-promise in respect of our relationship with banks but I would be surprised if...

Brexit (Foreign Affairs): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: I have to time my interventions. I am not sure whether Deputies want me to answer now or at the end. The Deputy and others have been raising this for many months and I have, not for the first time, said we have to wait and see what the deal looks like before having detail and clarity around what replaces what was there previously. This is the responsibility of the Department of Health...

Brexit (Foreign Affairs): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: The last issue is separate to what we are discussing but I will comment on it in due course. First, I am more than familiar with the challenges that many hauliers face and I have spoken to people in many haulage companies in the past number of weeks. Some are adapting to the new realities reasonably well and others are not. It is important to say that the numbers are increasing and have...