Results 11,361-11,380 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Coveney: There is now the prospect of talks due to the work of a number of actors. The United States has been looking for and demanding a ceasefire in recent weeks and we need to build on that positive momentum. There is a clear signal from the Houthi side that it wants a ceasefire, and a lot of pressure is being put on the Saudi side to facilitate real and substantive talks in Sweden before the end...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy said there were 22 people at the embassy.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Coveney: On the issue of arms sales, Ireland does not have an arms industry. Some products are sold in Ireland that have been described as having a duel use, but I am not aware of any sales of products used by the Saudi Arabian military. There was a discussion over lunch yesterday, and a number of ministers spoke about the approaches taken in their countries. Some do not sell arms to countries that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Undocumented Irish in the USA (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Government continues to pursue two key objectives with regard to Irish immigration to the United States: first, increased pathways for legal migration by Irish citizens to the US; and second, seeking some form of relief for undocumented Irish citizens living in the US. The Taoiseach and I continue to prioritise this issue in all our engagements with the US administration and Congress. I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Coveney: There is a great deal of inflammatory language in the House, understandably, because people have genuine concern about this issue. However, it is not helpful for Deputy Boyd Barrett to talk about Saudi citizens who are in an embassy here and who are diplomats. The ambassador, whom I met last week, is from my experience a decent person who is trying to make a coherent case in very difficult...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Coveney: I have explained many times that some information is available to the Government during a negotiating process that one does not put into the public domain. We make no apologies for this as our job is to get a deal and we got one last week. We did it by trying to negotiate with Michel Barnier and his team, working with the United Kingdom to explore solutions, to find a fair way forward for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Coveney: In order that I am clear, does it mean that I have four times as long as I normally have?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Coveney: I have a long script. Tell me when I have 30 seconds left and I will stop.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Coveney: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 81, 91, 92, and 109 together. I have already set out in general terms my views on the situation in Yemen, which is shocking. I share the Deputies' concerns about the dire security and humanitarian situation in Yemen and the urgent need to bring about a political solution for the country. There are direct threats to civilians from the ongoing fighting and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Coveney: On the last question, until we had a meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference, BIIGC, in the summer there had not been one for years. I am not quite sure how many, but it had been quite a few years. We had one in the summer and one in the autumn and we are going to have one in the spring. That suggests there will be up to four a year. We are insisting on the structures of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Coveney: As I have already outlined to the House, our overriding priority currently is to work towards the finalisation of the draft withdrawal agreement and the political declaration on the EU-UK future relationship. However, any Brexit scenario will mean considerable change and impact for Ireland. We are taking forward extensive and detailed Brexit preparations and contingency work across all...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Coveney: With respect, our job is to keep calm and plan as opposed to responding to these issues in the way the Deputy sometimes does. I have just been with Mr. McKeever for an hour and a half at an export trade council. I am going to see him for a couple of hours later this evening at a Brexit stakeholders' meeting.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Coveney: We are talking to all of the key stakeholders. I will be talking to hundreds of businesses again on Friday, in Limerick. We will be doing the same in Letterkenny next week. We are planning in the areas in which we can predict outcomes and we are planning for all potential outcomes. We are not, however, going to add to a sense of panic. For the next two to three weeks, which is the time...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Negotiations (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Coveney: It is important to say that Brexit is not the Government's policy. It has never agreed with it and regrets that the United Kingdom has made the decision through the referendum to leave the European Union. Before that decision was made, this country was planning for how it would need to respond to protect core Irish interests and British-Irish relations in the context of Brexit. Last week...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Coveney: The most recent meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference in Dublin on 2 November provided an opportunity for the two Governments to continue our discussions on legacy issues, security co-operation, east-west matters, on which I will go into a bit more detail, and political stability in Northern Ireland. It was co-chaired by myself and David Lidington, and the Minister for...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Coveney: We looked at what the appropriate structure will be for east-west engagement because, as the Deputy rightly points out, at the moment we bump into British ministers all the time in Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg. That will not happen in the future so we are planning to set up the kind of structure that France and Germany, and Portugal and Spain, have, whereby, at least once a year,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Humanitarian Access (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Coveney: To be realistic, Ireland is not a significant player in brokering a peace deal in Yemen. That said, we are a very active commentator and are part of the debate and conversation at an EU level. I made it very clear to Ms Federica Mogherini yesterday that countries like Ireland want detail on what is happening in a timely manner and all EU countries will get that information now. The truth...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Negotiations (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Coveney: Last week, the British Government and the EU task force team, led by Michel Barnier, agreed a draft withdrawal agreement together with the outline of a political declaration on the future relationship. This is a very significant and welcome breakthrough in the Brexit process. An extraordinary European Council summit will be held on Sunday, 25 November so that the agreement, together with...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Negotiations (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Coveney: I have repeatedly thanked Fianna Fáil and other parties in this House for the support they have given to the Government's negotiating position on Brexit. Political unity in Ireland has been a key factor in allowing us to take clear positions that have subsequently resulted in achieving solidarity across the EU and has played an important part in helping us to get a wording across the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Middle East Peace Process (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Coveney: I will happily brief the Deputy on the planned meeting which I hope will be held in January, but it would probably not be helpful for me to put all of the details into the public domain right now. What I can say is I have spoken to a number of Arab Foreign Ministers, including those of Jordan, Egypt and Lebanon, and the Arab League. I have also spoken to a number of EU Ministers, primarily...