Results 7,281-7,300 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (14 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am informed by the military authorities that the 2021 competition for Air Corps aircraft maintenance technicians will be held in the first quarter of the year.   8 apprentice technicians were recruited in 2019, and 20 in 2020, while a total of 60 apprentices are in training with all due to complete by 2024.  Of those, 15 are scheduled to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Issues (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: On 9 January 2019, the Council of the European Union added two Iranian individuals and the Directorate for Internal Security of the Iranian Ministry for Intelligence and Security to the EU terrorist list, in response to attempted attacks on European soil. EU sanctions are implemented in Ireland through EU Council Decisions and Regulations. The Regulations are directly applicable in Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Contracts (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Department of Foreign Affairs has awarded no contracts to the company in question. There are no agencies under the aegis of the Department.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: Ireland’s bilateral agreements with Israel do not apply to territories occupied by Israel in 1967. This includes the bilateral agreements referred to in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 285 of 10 December 2020. With regard to the Double Taxation Treaty between Ireland and Israel, any claim for Treaty benefits must adhere to the conditions of the Treaty. It is for the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: Ireland continues to strongly condemn the totally unacceptable human rights situation in Belarus. Regrettably, the harassment of protesters, civil society actors, and journalists by the Belarusian authorities has not ceased despite international pressure, including sanctions against the regime. I am aware of the case of the individual in question, who was detained for his political...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Passport Service has paused the processing of Foreign Births Registration applications as Ireland is at Level 5 of the National Framework for Living with COVID-19. Applications that have been sent to the FBR team are being held securely and will be processed when normal services resume at Level 3. Foreign Births Registration, by its nature, can be a detailed and complex process, often...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 376, 377 and 379 together. I remain deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Iran, including restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly, arbitrary arrest, torture in detention and the use of the death penalty. Ireland is opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances, and we have made this position clear to the Iranian...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Research Funding (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: The EU’s Research and Innovation programme, Horizon 2020, includes several implementation mechanisms which prevent EU funds being used for activities that could be contrary to international or EU law. Article 19 of the Horizon 2020 Framework Regulation provides that all research and innovation activities carried out under Horizon 2020 must comply with ethical principles and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Citizenship Applications (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 382 and 399 together. The Passport Service has paused the processing of Foreign Births Registration (FBR) applications as Ireland is at Level 5 of the National Framework for Living with COVID-19. Applications that have been sent to the FBR team are being held securely and will be processed when normal services resume at Level 3 of the Framework. The...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Passport Service has paused processing of routine applications while Ireland is at Level 5 of the Plan 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 available for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Cases (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 384 and 388 together. I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has been providing ongoing consular assistance to this citizen through our Consular Assistance Unit in Dublin, our Embassy in Beijing and our Consulate General in Shanghai. I can also confirm that this citizen is not in prison in China. However he has been subject to an exit ban and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Data (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 385 and 386 together. The key aim of the Government's Brexit readiness work was to support business and citizens prepare for the permanent and immediate changes that arose as a result of the UK leaving the EU. As part of this work and, in order to respond to queries arising in the immediate Day 1/Week 1 period following the end of the transition period,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: Ireland enjoys strong relations with Japan with a focus very much on political, economic and people-to-people cooperation. While I have not had the occasion to engage with Prime Minister Suga since his inauguration in September, I maintain ongoing contact with my counterpart, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Toshimitsu Motegi. We spoke most recently by phone on 27 November, discussing...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (13 Jan 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. The Passport Service continues to provide an emergency passport service for Irish citizens at home and abroad. The service is available for those who are required to travel due to the death or serious illness of a family member or because the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Undocumented Irish in the USA (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: The issue of Irish immigration to the US, particularly the status of the undocumented Irish, 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 the US Administration and political leaders. I have raised these issues in contacts with the US Ambassador, as well as with...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Issues (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: Following discussions in 2011 between the then Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and the British Foreign Secretary, the British and Irish Governments agreed to seek to resolve jurisdictional issues relating to both Lough Foyle and Carlingford Lough. Since that time, a series of meetings and contacts have taken place at official level between the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Legislation (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: Now that the UK has departed the European Union, it is particularly important that Ireland continues to foster its already close relationships with other like-minded Member States, and to enhance collaboration on key priority policies at EU level. Ministers and officials at home and in our European Missions, including staff posted to the Permanent Representation in Brussels, closely monitor...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Government is closely following the situation in Hong Kong following the mass arrest of over 50 people on charges pursuant to the National Security Law, in relation to pro-democracy primary elections held in July 2020. The EU issued a statement on 7 January which called for the immediate release of those arrested, and urged the authorities to respect Hong Kong's rule of law, human...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Passport Service has paused processing of routine applications while Ireland is at Level 5 of the Plan 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 available for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Negotiations (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Coveney: The EU and UK agreed to create a joint body, called the Partnership Council, to efficiently manage the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. The Partnership Council is co-chaired by a Member of the European Commission and a representative of the UK at Ministerial level. It meets at least once a year, but can meet more often at the request of either the EU or the UK. Any decision is taken by mutual...