Results 8,821-8,840 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: But many people do not, which is why it is important to outline it.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: This funding has provided critical investment in so many areas in communities such as sports, culture, health, youth services and community development. This is why the integrity of this system needs to be protected. The Government is looking at how best to do that. This is why we have an open mind to what the Deputy has suggested today.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: We want to get the regulator and the operator before a committee to answer direct questions. If necessary, we will then ensure an independent investigation to get to the bottom of this in a credible and transparent way. That needs to be done and the Government will ensure it will be.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I did not hear this morning's interview, but I am sure it was heartbreaking. Any parent's worst nightmare is for a child not to come home in those circumstances. The Government absolutely recognises that we have a major challenge, as so many other countries have, to respond in a substantive way to drug use. The number of deaths linked to cocaine...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: The Government is already very serious about drugs, which is why we are trying to break this enormous challenge into its component parts, including providing more services for homeless people who are affected by addiction, putting in place injection centres for people to inject safely rather than potentially poisoning themselves with overdoses or with dirty needles. These are difficult...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Budgets (12 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: The National Development Plan 2018 - 2027 includes, in Annex 1, the capital allocations for Departments up until 2022. My Department will have a capital allocation of €13 million in 2020, across its two Votes: Vote 27 - International Co-operation and Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade, as published on Budget Day in October. The Department's total capital allocations for 2021 and 2022...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Expenditure (12 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: There are currently just three official credit cards in use in the Department's Headquarters. Two are held by designated officials in the Finance Division offices of the Department in Dublin and in Limerick and are generally used only for emergency purchases or purchases that can only be made by credit card. An official credit card was also issued to the Private Office of the Office of the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: I am glad we are taking a global perspective this morning. That is always good.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: That is right. Normally you give out to Deputies for raising local issues, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Certainly, this could not be put in that category. We have been doing an extraordinary amount to expand Ireland's global footprint in the past 18 months or so. We have opened new embassies in Wellington, Santiago, Bogota and Amman in Jordan. We have opened new representative offices in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Budgets (11 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: This week’s European Council will discuss the MFF (Multiannual Financial Framework) on the basis of a revised proposal put forward by the Finnish Presidency. This is the most recent iteration of the draft proposal by successive Presidencies in these complex negotiations, which are likely to continue well into 2020. The Presidency has proposed an overall level of 1.07% of EU27 GNI for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (11 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: Full and effective implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and subsequent Agreements, including the 2006 St Andrews Agreement, the 2014 Stormont House Agreement and the 2015 Fresh Start Agreement, is a key priority for the Government, as reflected in the Programme for a Partnership Government. Progress in implementing the provisions of the Fresh Start and Stormont House Agreements and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (11 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: The Taoiseach appointed Deputy John Deasy as Special Envoy to the United States Congress on the Undocumented Irish in June 2017. In this role, Deputy Deasy reports directly to the Department of An Taoiseach on the outcomes of his visits. He is supported, however, from a logistical perspective, by my staff in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Since 2017, Deputy Deasy has made...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Negotiations (11 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: The future relationship between the UK and the EU will be discussed at the European Council on 13 December, but was not an item for discussion at the Foreign Affairs Council. It is expected that the European Council will adopt Conclusions on preparations for the negotiations on the future relationship with the UK post 31 January 2020. While awaiting the outcome of the UK General Election,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Advertising Expenditure (11 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade engages in public awareness advertising campaigns where there is important information that needs to be brought to the attention of the public. In that regard, two significant campaigns took place in 2019 and will be ongoing in 2020; the new “Passport Online” campaign and the “Getting Ireland Brexit Ready” campaign. ...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Advertising Expenditure (11 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: My Department primarily uses videography to augment information campaigns that promote Ireland’s economic, political and cultural interests and to engage with the Global Irish community. In 2019, campaigns that included video production and promotion were the Rugby World Cup in Japan, the Global Programme for St. Patrick’s Day and ‘Getting Ireland Brexit Ready.’ ...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: It was listed for this session and it is more or less ready to go but it will certainly be early next session.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (10 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: The situation in the Xinjiang region in China was not on the agenda at the most recent meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council, which took place yesterday, on 9 December. However, as I have stated on a number of occasions in this House in recent weeks, most recently on 5 December, Ireland and our EU partners remain deeply concerned about the credible reports of the treatment of ethnic...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Good Friday Agreement (10 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: The Citizenship and Identity provisions are central to the Good Friday Agreement and it is vital that they are upheld. The Government has consistently engaged with the British Government in support of this, and we will continue to do so. It is important to say that Ms. Emma De Souza is an Irish citizen, and this is provided for and protected under the Good Friday Agreement. I am meeting with...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Good Friday Agreement (10 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: The Citizenship and Identity provisions are central to the Good Friday Agreement and it is vital that they are upheld. The Government has consistently engaged with the British Government in support of this, and we will continue to do so. It is important to say that Ms. Emma De Souza is an Irish citizen, and this is provided for and protected under the Good Friday Agreement. I am...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (10 Dec 2019)

Simon Coveney: I am deeply concerned by recent events in Iran. The growing body of evidence which indicates that a large number of demonstrators have been killed in Iran at the hands of the security forces during demonstrations in recent weeks, is extremely disturbing. The protests which were sparked by a sharp rise in fuel prices and took place in several Iranian cities and towns, have also, according to...