Results 7,741-7,760 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel (12 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: The information sought by the Deputy could not be collated within the timeframe. I have requested the Military Authorities to provide this information as soon as possible and I will revert to the Deputy as soon as the information is made available to me.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Expenditure (12 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: The European Peace Facility was proposed by High Representative and Vice President of the Commission, Federica Mogherini, in 2018 with the aim of providing the EU with a single off-budget financing mechanism of up to €5 billion for the period of the next MFF - 2021 to 2027 and would finance a range of Common Security Defence Policy (CSDP) actions having military or defence...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs (12 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: I thank the committee for the invitation to meet with it this morning. It is a pleasure to meet with members of the current committee for the first time. My Department has provided an information note on the issues that the Foreign Affairs Council has considered in the 13 months since I last met with the previous committee. In the future, I would hope to meet with the committee at least...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs (12 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: What time do we have until?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs (12 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: I think it would be really good to give both ambassadors an opportunity to come and interact with the committee because they will provide very different perspectives. I also think it is important to understand the thinking of both and then to draw conclusions from a committee and policy perspective. My understanding is that the Palestinian ambassador to Ireland, whom I will meet later...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs (12 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: Deputy Brady asked his question and I will answer it. As Minister for Foreign Affairs, I have spent more time from a policy perspective on the Middle East peace process than on anything else outside of Brexit and EU affairs. I have been to Palestine and Israel four times in two years as Minister for Foreign Affairs. We cannot travel at the moment because of Covid. I have got to know those...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs (12 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: I have just explained what we have been doing and what is tangible.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs (12 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: The problem is that Deputy Brady does not want to hear this because, unfortunately, he comes at this from a domestic political motivation. I think we want to see the same outcome.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs (12 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: With respect, if Deputy Brady's party had its way we would not even have an Israeli representative in Ireland. We would have no embassy in Israel. We would have no channels of communication to try to influence decisions that could be good for Palestinians. That is not the approach that I propose to take because I do not believe it will get the outcome we are seeking. It may get a headline...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs (12 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: On the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr. Netanyahu's suspension of annexation, we are uncomfortable with the fact that he has essentially described it as a temporary stalling of plans to annex part of the West Bank. We want that to be a permanent commitment from Israel not to annex parts of the West Bank. The land is not theirs. Israel is an occupying power in occupied territory. It was...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs (12 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: Apologies. What was the Deputy's last question?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs (12 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Chairman. To respond to that last point because I know a number of people have mentioned it, I have a good short and concise note on it. On 9 November, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia signed an agreement to bring an end to the conflict. This agreement was to come into effect at midnight on 10 November. This followed significant Azerbaijani military gains on the ground which...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs (12 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: I just do not want to comment on something on which I do not have the facts. The question of misinformation was raised and it is a major issue. Cybersecurity is also a major concern. We are specifically asking the new commission on the future of the Defence Forces to look at cybersecurity from a defence perspective. The 5G communications networks conversation is an example. The...

Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Order for Second Stage (11 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Second Stage (11 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: The Bill before us is essential to ensuring we are as ready as we can be for the challenges coming in just 50 days' time. The support of the House has been a hallmark of Ireland's approach to Brexit. I look forward to continuing that constructive engagement and working closely with all Members as the Bill passes through the Oireachtas. Last year, when I opened the Second Reading on the...

Seanad: Recognition of Irish Military Service at Jadotville in 1961: Statements (11 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: I hope many of the individuals and their families will gain solace and pride from having their names read out in Seanad Éireann in the way the Cathaoirleach has just done. It is a recognition of the stature in which they are held by the political system across all sides of the political divide in Ireland. I thank the Cathaoirleach for that. I welcome the opportunity to discuss the...

Seanad: Recognition of Irish Military Service at Jadotville in 1961: Statements (11 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Cathaoirleach. This has been a really useful debate and I hope the families watching get some solace from the fact that the Seanad has decided to prioritise this debate, spend as much this much time discussing the matter and that the debate had so many contributors, which is not always the case. I congratulate the Senators who have made this happen through the Cathaoirleach's...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (11 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 110 together. The demolition of Palestinian homes, and demolition or seizure of related structures such as water tanks, wells, solar panels, schools and animal housing, are cruel and unjust actions. These practices also cause suffering to ordinary Palestinians, and impinge on the right of children to an education. I am deeply concerned by an...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Funding (11 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: The breakdown of the funding allocation for the Department of Foreign Affairs for 2021 is as detailed in the Estimates for Public Services 2021, published on Budget Day. The Department has secured a €30 million increase on its 2020 allocation. €10 million of that increase will be allocated to programmes to assist the Department in meeting the many challenges and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Expenditure (11 Nov 2020)

Simon Coveney: My Department currently rents office space in one location from the company in question. The premises operates as a temporary location for the Consulate General of Ireland in Frankfurt. The cost to my Department, as of end October 2020, of renting this office space is set out in tabular form below. 2019 (July to Dec) 2020 (Jan to Oct) Frankfurt,...