Results 9,101-9,120 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Peace Process (12 Nov 2019)

Simon Coveney: I have given a high priority to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, particularly the situation in the Gaza strip, over the last two years, and have worked consistently to maintain an international focus on the issue, and support for the two state solution. I regularly discuss this situation with my counterparts in the EU and the region. For example, in February of this year I convened a...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (12 Nov 2019)

Simon Coveney: The Government condemns, in the strongest terms, the brutal attacks committed on civilian populations by terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab. Ireland remains engaged in efforts by the international community including European Union and the United Nations to combat terrorism. We continue to work with international partners to address the root causes of radicalisation and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Enlargement (12 Nov 2019)

Simon Coveney: In regard to the accession status of Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia and Kosovo, I would refer the Deputy to the reply given to Parliamentary Question 45803/19. In relation to Bosnia-Herzegovina, the European Commission’s Annual Enlargement Package and country reports, published in May this year, set out the opinion that Bosnia-Herzegovina does not yet fulfil the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (12 Nov 2019)

Simon Coveney: After a months of increasing violence, there has been some positive momentum in recent weeks with regard to the ongoing conflict in Yemen. Nevertheless, the situation remains grave. Ireland and the EU have been clear from the beginning that this crisis can only be solved by political means, and that efforts to impose a military solution will be both fruitless and dangerous. We fully support...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Advertising Campaigns (12 Nov 2019)

Simon Coveney: My Department attends and participates in emergency planning meetings with other Departments. However, my Department does not have a lead role in the winter ready campaign and has incurred no expenditure.

Dublin Mid-West By-election: Issue of Writ (7 Nov 2019)

Simon Coveney: Deputy Michael Collins should inform himself on what happened with that application. I am very familiar with it.

Dublin Mid-West By-election: Issue of Writ (7 Nov 2019)

Simon Coveney: It is not even in my constituency but I am very familiar with it because I am committed to west Cork.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh (Atógáil) - Questions on Promised Legislation (Resumed) (7 Nov 2019)

Simon Coveney: I understand that legislation has completed Second Stage. The Government is open to constructive amendments. The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Richard Bruton, will meet RTÉ to discuss in detail its plans for reform, change and, in some cases, cost savings. The debate on the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2019 will be in light of that conversation.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh (Atógáil) - Questions on Promised Legislation (Resumed) (7 Nov 2019)

Simon Coveney: We need to be careful about the detailed commentary we make because we are essentially reading a media report on an RTÉ decision.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh (Atógáil) - Questions on Promised Legislation (Resumed) (7 Nov 2019)

Simon Coveney: She did and she confirmed that RTÉ would not be closing Lyric FM and that RTÉ would maintain a presence in Limerick although I accept it would be a downsized presence. It is up to RTÉ to justify the plan which they signed off at board level and was only sent to the Minister this morning. I suspect there will be plenty of opportunities to debate that plan in the weeks ahead.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (7 Nov 2019)

Simon Coveney: Public liability insurance has been an issue and a problem for many festivals for quite some time. While we have taken a whole series of actions to respond to that, the Government is open all the time to new approaches. The Minister of State, Deputy D’Arcy, is focused on driving down insurance costs, including public liability costs. I am not aware there has been any specific...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh (Atógáil) - Questions on Promised Legislation (Resumed) (7 Nov 2019)

Simon Coveney: I am glad the Deputy recognises that standards are important for crèches and children’s play areas. We must have a common standard and benchmarks below which we cannot fall. If there are individual cases and problems that the Deputy wants to raise, he might send me on the details and I will forward them to the Minister.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2019)

Simon Coveney: There is no home help embargo. We all need to be accurate in what we say in this House, particularly when we are talking about people's health and elder care in the home. The Deputy should reflect on some of his commentary on that. I am not saying that many people are not frustrated, under pressure and on waiting lists, they are. I am also saying, however, that we will have over 19...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2019)

Simon Coveney: I would like to talk to the Deputy in a bit more detail about some of the problems she has just outlined. I am very familiar with HAP tenancies. I was a Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government when we saw a shift away from rent allowance towards HAP because it provided more security of tenure for tenants and also more security and consistency for landlords as they were dealing...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2019)

Simon Coveney: I do not mind saying that I have been somewhat of a magnet for people to come and talk about social housing concerns and housing concerns generally because I was a Minister in that Department. I do not mind that because we are trying to help families, not expose them to the dangers and vulnerabilities of homelessness. We have an overreliance at the moment on the private rental sector for...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2019)

Simon Coveney: I will address the resources issue first. The Border region has been prioritised by the Garda Commissioner and the Minister for Justice and Equality. We have seen more Garda vehicles, more Garda personnel, more civilians working alongside gardaí in stations and in administration, more Garda reservists, and the setting up of an armed support unit for An Garda Síochána. We...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2019)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I know it is a very important issue for many households in different parts of the country. The challenge with home help hours and home supports is a very personal one for many households. The Government is committing significant increases in resources to provide more home care hours all the time. A €26 million fund has been made available...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2019)

Simon Coveney: This represents a substantial increase of 1 million extra hours more than this year's target. This investment is focused on enabling older people to remain at home when they want to and reducing the current waiting list for a service being experienced in almost all areas. As appropriate, provision of hours will also be targeted at times of peak demand in winter 2020, at the beginning and...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2019)

Simon Coveney: The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Bruton, only received the final report from RTÉ this morning.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2019)

Simon Coveney: My understanding is that RTÉ was not expecting to have to deal with this issue today. Dee Forbes spoke on today's edition of "Morning Ireland" and explained the frustration within RTÉ at the news being leaked and the subject of a report on the front page of The Irish Times such that more than 1,800 RTÉ employees read in the newspaper of decisions about which they should have...