Results 8,301-8,320 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Preparations (28 Jul 2020)

Simon Coveney: To try to be helpful, I will publish an update of the Government Brexit readiness and contingency action plan in September. We are working on that at the moment. The plan will outline the work taking place across Government and the steps businesses and citizens should take to prepare for the end of the transition period. This will be supported by the roll-out of a focused communications...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Preparations (28 Jul 2020)

Simon Coveney: I will be brief. As the Deputy will know, having asked questions on this issue before, there has been significant consultation between my Department and the Department with responsibility for transport, which has had an ongoing dialogue with ferry companies. There is intense competition among ferry companies on the routes between Britain and Ireland. In addition, there has been significant...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Human Rights (28 Jul 2020)

Simon Coveney: I know there is very genuine concern in the House across all parties about this issue, and people have raised concerns about Hong Kong with me directly outside of the House as well. We are taking the matter very seriously. The statement I made after this law was introduced was probably stronger than any other that I can recall that was made across the EU. The UK has made very strong...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Human Rights (28 Jul 2020)

Simon Coveney: What matters is the outcome. I do not see that the position taken by the UK, for example, has changed the policy position in Beijing. We will assess and are assessing, as I said earlier, the extradition treaty Ireland and a number of other EU countries have. It is equally important, however, to use our position in international fora such as the UN and the EU and to send open, honest and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Human Rights (28 Jul 2020)

Simon Coveney: That is the key question. We can do things that allow us to position ourselves with other countries that have similar concerns. Ultimately, however, the question is how the relationship with China and the international community results in a sustained level of concern and pressure to ensure that the legitimate concerns of the international community are understood in Beijing and result in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Human Rights (28 Jul 2020)

Simon Coveney: I do not see a situation in which the Chinese Government will invite monitors from the EU to monitor officially the implementation of legislation that the Chinese Government regards as a domestic matter. That said, in everything that happens in Hong Kong, I think the EU will monitor very closely how demonstrators, who are legitimately expressing concerns through protest, are treated. That...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Human Rights (28 Jul 2020)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28, 32 and 34 together. The Government is closely monitoring the situation in Hong Kong following the adoption of a national security law on 30 June by the Chinese National People's Congress. I made a statement on 1 July to express my concern at the adoption of this law and reiterated Ireland's full support for fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong, such...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Human Rights (28 Jul 2020)

Simon Coveney: It is noteworthy that other EU member states have not yet made that decision. Sometimes the most effective way to move something forward is to act together. We are talking to other member states about the issue. I acknowledge that some countries have moved, but there is sense in EU countries talking to each other and potentially seeking to act together, as well as communicating with China...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Human Rights (28 Jul 2020)

Simon Coveney: We work with the Chinese ambassador on many things. For example, when Ireland needed to source PPE recently, the ambassador was extraordinarily helpful. He helped to facilitate the arrangements that allowed us to deal with a very serious public health issue. We also deal with the ambassador with regard to important consular cases all the time. I raised with him in a frank way the issue...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (28 Jul 2020)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy is a great man to try to twist reality to try to make political arguments. The Government message is very clear to people. This year people should holiday at home. That is the safest thing to do for their families and themselves. If people are travelling, and we know that up to 50,000 people a week are, my Department has an obligation to give factual information based on risk...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (28 Jul 2020)

Simon Coveney: Shouting does not make the point any clearer, quite frankly.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (28 Jul 2020)

Simon Coveney: What we have done, and we have made it very clear, is there is an obligation on the Department to provide travel advice to people who choose to travel, which is not consistent with what the Government is asking people. The Government message is very clear that people should holiday at home this year. We are not encouraging, supporting or funding people to go on holidays abroad. If people...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: UN Security Council (28 Jul 2020)

Simon Coveney: I can understand the frustration the Deputy has outlined. My position on the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018 has been made very clear to this House on many occasions. We cannot do something we are not legally allowed to do and that is the clear advice I have on that Bill. That being said, this week alone I have spoken to the new Israeli foreign minister, this...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: UN Security Council (28 Jul 2020)

Simon Coveney: I wish to reassure the Deputy. This was the first opportunity I have had to speak to the new Israeli foreign minister. We had a long conversation lasting about 35 to 40 minutes. It was welcome. I have not spoken to him before this, he has not been in government before now. I believe in engagement. I believe in direct conversation and building relationships. That is the way to persuade...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (28 Jul 2020)

Simon Coveney: On 21 July the Government agreed a list of 15 locations for which the advice against non-essential travel no longer applies, as far as formal travel advice is concerned. The travel advice for those locations now is to take normal precautions which is represented by a green bar under the system of country risk ratings used by my Department. It is important to note that the list of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (28 Jul 2020)

Simon Coveney: I am not. Is the Deputy saying he is?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Middle East (28 Jul 2020)

Simon Coveney: -----and its economic impact as well as health impact. That is my understanding of the priority and focus of the new Israeli Government right now. We will continue to do everything we can to discourage any moves to annex land that is not Israeli land.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Middle East (28 Jul 2020)

Simon Coveney: I do not accept the point that the Israeli Government does not care. It does listen to what the international community says. Sometimes it takes action in a way that is contrary to the views of many countries, including in the EU. Recent years have been very damaging to a peace process that is very fragile right now in the context of the Middle East peace process. I understand why Irish...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: UN Security Council (28 Jul 2020)

Simon Coveney: I question that we have had a disappointing start. We just got elected to the UN Security Council, against the odds, which was a significant achievement for Irish diplomacy. It reminds us that a small country such as Ireland matters and when we put our mind to it, we can persuade a significant majority of countries within the UN that Ireland is a country worth trusting on the UN Security...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Middle East (28 Jul 2020)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 24 together. As the Deputies will know, I have given a very high priority to the Middle East peace process since my appointment as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in 2017 and I will continue to do so as Minister with responsibility for foreign affairs and as Minister for Defence. I have personally been very engaged in efforts to keep the issue...