Results 9,741-9,760 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: I thank Deputy Calleary for raising this issue. I am aware of reports about a number of violent and public order incidents that have occurred in Longford recently. I am not in a position to discuss specific details about Garda operations in the area but I can assure the House that gardaí will not permit a small number of individuals - in this case families who are feuding - to put...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: Deputy Calleary has accused the Government of many things but I do not believe it is credible to accuse the Government of not being open to new thinking, better policing and new ways of doing things from a policing perspective. There is a constant programme of reform, reassessment and independent assessment of policing in Ireland - for obvious reasons - over the last years. This continues....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (20 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: I am aware of the protests which have been taking place in Hong Kong over recent weeks. The Consulate General in Hong Kong has been monitoring and reporting on the developments in relation to the demonstrations and on the proposed extradition bill to which the Deputy refers. The Consul General, along with the EU Office and representatives of other EU Member States, has also engaged directly...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Protected Disclosures Data (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: The Protected Disclosures Act was introduced in 2014. The making of a Protected Disclosure refers to a situation where a worker discloses information in relation to wrongdoing. This is sometimes referred to as 'whistleblowing'. No protected disclosures were received by my Department from 2014 to date.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: In recent weeks, demonstrations have been taking place in Hong Kong to protest against plans to amend local legislation to allow for extradition to the Chinese Mainland, Macau and Taiwan. On 15 June, the Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced the indefinite suspension of the Extradition Bill. While the demonstrations have continued following that announcement, they have been largely...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: Ireland and its partners in the EU are closely monitoring developments in the Republic of Moldova. I issued a statement on 11 June to express Ireland’s support for efforts to resolve the constitutional crisis by peaceful means and to call for calm and restraint. I take note of the decisions taken by the democratically elected Parliament of Moldova, and welcome the formation of a new...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Israeli Settlements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: In March 2016, the UN Human Rights Council adopted Resolution 31/36, calling upon the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to produce a database of all business enterprises involved in activities relating to Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian Territory. The EU and its Member States, including Ireland, are wholly opposed to Israeli settlements in Palestine, which are...

Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (18 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: I will try to respond to the question from Deputy Pringle. The African Union has demonstrated robust and principled leadership in response to the crisis since the transitional military council assumed power in Sudan on 11 April. It set 30 June as the deadline for the transfer of power to a civilian authority and on 6 June decided, with immediate effect, to suspend Sudan from participation...

Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (18 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: The EU has made the judgment call here. As I stated, I was not at that meeting this week because I was in Belfast. The Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, was at the meeting, however, and I will talk to her about it. I do think that the judgment of the EU is correct. This needs to be an African-led solution and this is an important intervention by the African Union. Suspending Sudan was a...

Other Questions: Brexit Preparations (18 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: As I outlined earlier in responding to Question No. 36, a no-deal Brexit remains a serious concern and we are preparing accordingly. A key part of the work across Government has been to put in place the necessary infrastructure, staffing and ICT capacity at the ports and airports to manage the new checks and controls that will be required on east-west trade in a no-deal Brexit. Work has...

Other Questions: Brexit Preparations (18 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: I am just trying to remember what we discussed the last time we had questions. There certainly has been a major focus on trying to ensure that we can continue to get goods to and from this island via the UK landbridge. We have also discussed with shipping companies the potential need for increased capacity for direct shipping access to and from mainland Europe, if we want to call it that....

Other Questions: Brexit Preparations (18 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: A number of these areas are EU competences. We rely on conversations with the European Commission on the collective contingency planning that the European Union does together. Many of the areas linked to trade require EU solutions and the licensing of hauliers is a good example. The EU has essentially stated that the current approach will be maintained for what will be a relatively short...

Other Questions: Human Rights (18 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: Finally, can I just say because it is important-----

Other Questions: Human Rights (18 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: All EU member states have called on the parties to the conflict in Libya-----

Other Questions: Human Rights (18 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: -----to implement a ceasefire immediately. Additional information not given on the floor of the House The EU has also reminded the parties to the conflict to respect international law, including international humanitarian law, and that those who violate it will be held accountable.

Other Questions: Human Rights (18 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: First, it is not EU policy to send refugees and migrants who have been rescued in the Mediterranean back to Libya. We do not regard that as safe. There was an understanding with the Libyan coastguard before the recent violence broke out in Tripoli but since then the functioning of Libya as a state, and the ability of it to protect migrants in camps, has been fundamentally undermined. The...

Other Questions: Human Rights (18 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: -----from both Malta and Italy-----

Other Questions: Human Rights (18 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: -----in relation to rescues but this needs a more fundamental solution from the EU.

Other Questions: Human Rights (18 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: I have stated in both responses that it is not EU policy to return migrants and refugees who are rescued in the Mediterranean to Libya now and I ask the Deputy to stop stating that it is. We do not control the Libyan coastguard. The Libyan Government is now, for obvious reasons, under some threat of violence around Tripoli. The solutions that were potentially there in the past are not...

Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (18 Jun 2019)

Simon Coveney: The recent political events and violence against protestors in Sudan follows over six months of demonstrations, triggered initially by the spiralling costs of living. On 11 April, it was announced that President Omar al-Bashir had been removed from power and that a transitional military council, TMC, had assumed control in Sudan. Demonstrators, while welcoming the removal of...