Results 9,141-9,160 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (5 Nov 2019)

Simon Coveney: The Government remains concerned about the credible reports of the treatment of ethnic Uighurs and other minorities in the Xinjiang region. We and our EU partners take these reports very seriously and have raised our concerns with our Chinese counterparts, in bilateral and multilateral contexts, on a consistent basis. At the multilateral level, Ireland was among 23 countries that joined a...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Contracts Data (5 Nov 2019)

Simon Coveney: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) currently operates in a number of locations in Ireland and in over 80 locations overseas. The policy of the Department is to operate competitive tendering as standard procedure. In order to achieve best value for money, a Central Procurement Section operates to co-ordinate all contracting activity and to promote best practice in procurement...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (5 Nov 2019)

Simon Coveney: I am aware of the recent civil unrest in Chile. My Department has been receiving updates on the developing situation from our new Embassy in Santiago. As the Deputy will be aware, protests about price increases for the metro service in Santiago became increasingly violent over the weekend beginning Friday, 18 October, leading the Government to declare a state of emergency. This was...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (5 Nov 2019)

Simon Coveney: The human rights situation in Bahrain remains a matter of concern. Although Bahrain has repeatedly stated its commitment to improving its human rights record and safeguarding human rights as enshrined in the Bahraini Constitution, there are ongoing instances of violations of fundamental freedoms there, including violations of freedom of opinion and expression, as well as the targeting of...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (24 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: This is something to which the Government is committed. The Minister of State, Deputy Daly, has led on the issue and has done a really good job. Pre-legislative scrutiny of the relevant Bill begins in committee on 13 November. Further legislation is needed.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (24 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: This is the first I have heard about this issue. I presume the Courts Service will respond pragmatically. I will ask the Minister for Justice and Equality or his office to come back to the Deputy on this matter.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (24 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: That legislation will come forward in this session. I understand we are expecting planning applications for at least two of the sites very soon.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (24 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: I will have to ask the Minister to respond to the Deputy directly. It is a serious issue.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (24 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: I am aware of the problems in west Cork in terms of school transport this year. The Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy McHugh, intervened to improve the situation but there are still outstanding issues. I will ask him to refer back to the Deputy directly on it.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (24 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: It will be this session.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (24 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: That is exactly what the new national planning framework and the 2040 plan are all about - ensuring that as population growth continues, it happens at twice the pace outside Dublin as in Dublin. The investment decisions and priorities we are making are consistent with that. I do not disagree with much of what the Deputy said, although I would not draw conclusions from the unfortunate...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (24 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: We must be careful in how we respond to individual decisions by judges in courts. There is a separation of powers that we must respect. However, on the broader sentencing policy issue, the Deputy should table a parliamentary question for the Minister for Justice and Equality.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (24 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: A Cheann Comhairle, can the Minister offer a clarification on the matter?

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (24 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: On the individual locations that have been referred to, I will ask the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne, to revert to the Deputy. She has responsibility for the national drugs strategy but this is a combination of both the national drugs strategy and the response by An Garda Síochána. Both cocaine and heroin are significant problems. The numbers of users of both have...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: Nonsense.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: It is difficult to have a rational debate with somebody when he or she does not want to see the facts. If the Deputy wants to look at what we are doing to have warmer homes and cheaper energy bills, since 2016 we have increased the funding available for home upgrades threefold. That is the first point.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: In 2020 an allocation of €146 million, a €29 million increase on the figure for last year, will be used to upgrade 24,000 homes and businesses, yet the Deputy is saying we are doing nothing. With reference to the Shannon liquefied natural gas, LNG, plant - it is important to make this point because the Deputy does not want to hear it because it suits him to misrepresent the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: The Minister has indicated that he will carry out a comprehensive energy security review which will also consider scientifically from whom and where fossil fuels are sourced during the transition to having a carbon neutral economy.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: We are doing all of what the Deputy is suggesting we are not doing. We are applying the science and rationale-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Oct 2019)

Simon Coveney: -----as opposed to the politics Deputy Boyd Barrett brings to these debates. It is hypocrisy.