Results 10,781-10,800 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: It is important not to make suggestions here without backing them up.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: Yes. My understanding is that the advice to the Government is that retendering the project at this stage, to deliver the same project, would not result in a significant saving of money.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy is right in one thing - the CervicalCheck screening process does not need another controversy. It has been a real challenge for the Government, the Department of Health and the HSE to deal with what was an extraordinary scandal a little less than a year ago. At all times, the Minister and the Government have responded in a way that has tried to put women's interests first. I am...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: That was not the case the Deputy made but it was a charge the leader of Fianna Fáil made this week. The Minister was not advised by his officials not to provide free out-of-cycle tests for women on a temporary basis in order to try to provide confidence and reassurance. That is what happened. Undoubtedly, the response to that, as the Deputy has outlined, was significant as people...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: The introduction of HPV testing is not being long-fingered but it is going to be done properly in order to ensure that transition works and that we do not add any further uncertainty in regard to CervicalCheck in the future. This decision is not going to be rushed. The work is already under way to make sure this transition happens in a way that is seamless and that works. We are not in a...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: It was not a soundbite. Some 90,000 women-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy stated that 90,000 women availed of that out-of-cycle smear test.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: That is not as a result of a soundbite. That is as a result of a service that was being provided by GPs. That has put pressure-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: If the Deputy is not going to listen-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: That was a real commitment which resulted in real demand and real tests. It put the lab system under pressure and that has resulted in a delay in the turnaround times. We know that. The priority is to get those times down, which is what the HSE is focusing on.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for his good wishes on the day that is in it. We have not exactly been feeling the love from Fianna Fáil this week but perhaps-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: It is early in the day but I will pass on Deputy Calleary's good wishes to the Minister for Health. That is appreciated. On the serious issue of insurance, I emphasise that we in government are very aware of the financial strain that the cost of insurance is placing some consumers and many businesses. Indeed the problem of rising premiums in respect of motor insurance in particular was the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: It is important to say that while I recognise there are significant pressures in some of the areas raised by Deputy Calleary, it is also important to recognise the progress that has been made in other areas. If we were here two years ago or last year, we would have been talking about the cost of motor insurance-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: What we have seen over the past two and a half years is a 22% reduction in the cost of motor insurance. We now need to deliver the kind of results for small businesses that we have managed to deliver for motor insurance. That is what we intend to do. That is why we have an action plan. Motor insurance was phase one, we are now looking at public liability insurance and businesses and we...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: I will have to come back to Deputy Calleary about that but I will do so happily. I will speak to the Minister concerned, who is the Minister of State, Deputy D'Arcy, and revert to Deputy Calleary about the book of quantum.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Military Aircraft Landings (14 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: Under the Air Navigation (Carriage of War, Weapons and dangerous Goods) Order 1973, as amended, civil aircraft are prohibited from carrying weapons or munitions in Irish sovereign airspace or into Irish airports unless they receive an exemption from the Minister for Transport. In considering such applications, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport seeks the advice of relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (14 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: My Department has not engaged the named consultancy firm to perform work from 2015 to date and no expenditure has been incurred during this period.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Issues (14 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: The Government has noted the statement by the UK Minister of State for Immigration Caroline Nokes MP on 5 February and is aware of the concerns raised by the Committee on the Administration of Justice in this regard. The Government has noted and welcomes that Prime Minister May acknowledged in her speech in Belfast on 5 February that there have been serious concerns raised about how UK...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Miscellaneous Provisions (Withdrawal of the UK from the EU on 29 March 2019) Bill 2019: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (14 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Chairman and members for this opportunity to come before the committee, particularly in advance of next week when we will publish the legislation on which, hopefully, I can give them some information now. I thank the committee for the invitation to be here today to discuss the Miscellaneous Provisions (Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on 29 March 2019)...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Miscellaneous Provisions (Withdrawal of the UK from the EU on 29 March 2019) Bill 2019: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (14 Feb 2019)

Simon Coveney: On why I think the legislation will not be needed, we will need to get it ready to be enacted. However, I am of the view that a strong majority of MPs in Westminster do not want a no-deal Brexit and will act to avoid it, although I cannot be sure that will be the case. The reality is that any sane individual who looks at the consequences of a no-deal Brexit for Britain and Ireland in...