Results 11,801-11,820 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Coveney: Ireland has been a committed supporter of the Colombian peace process for many years. We have provided more than €10 million in funding to Colombia since 2007 to protect human rights, prevent conflict, build peace, and support livelihoods for rural populations, including women. A particular focus for funding last year was supporting the implementation of the Peace Agreements, as...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Emigrant Support Services (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Inter-Departmental Committee on the Irish Abroad, works to facilitate a whole of Government response to issues affecting Irish people abroad, as well as those who seek to return to Ireland to work or study. On foot of the work of this Committee, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade commissioned the independent economic report on difficulties experienced by Irish people returning...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Issues (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 39, 41 and 45 together. The Government’s contingency planning for Brexit was initiated well in advance of the UK referendum in June 2016 and since my appointment as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in June 2017 I have overseen a sustained intensification of these efforts. Co-ordination of the whole-of-Government response to Brexit is being taken...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: State Visits (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Coveney: It was announced by the White House on Friday 31 August that the US President proposed to visit Ireland in November as part of his trip to Europe to commemorate the end of the First World War. As the Deputy will be aware, this visit has since been postponed, with the US Administration citing scheduling reasons. Discussions on the proposed, and subsequently postponed, visit took place between...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Presidency (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Coveney: Under the Treaties, it is for the European Council acting by a qualified majority, taking into account the elections to the European Parliament and after having held the appropriate consultations, to propose to the European Parliament a candidate for President of the Commission. As a member of the European Council, the Taoiseach will participate actively in these discussions.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Undocumented Irish in the USA (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government continues to pursue two key objectives with regard to supporting Irish communities in the United States; increased pathways for legal migration by Irish citizens to the US and relief for the plight of undocumented Irish citizens living in the US. The Taoiseach discussed the issue with President Trump in the Oval Office last March and also in his...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Peace Process (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Coveney: I was delighted to welcome President Abbas to Ireland last month, following on from my invitation to him when I visited Ramallah in January. His visit came ten years after his last visit in 2008 and gave us a valuable opportunity to discuss a number of issues relating to the Middle East Peace Process and our bilateral relations with Palestine. After the official welcome at the Dublin...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid Provision (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Coveney: I deeply regret the US decision to cease funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). I made my views clear in my public statementon 1 September and reiterated them during my speech before the UN General Assembly last week, where I stated that I greatly regretted recent cuts to UNRWA’s funding by the US, and called on those in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications Data (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Coveney: The turnaround timeframe for a passport application will depend, in the first instance, on the channel through which the application was submitted. The Passport Service provides a range of channels to Irish citizens wishing to apply for a passport. These include a postal application system, an online passport application service, in person counter application facilities in Dublin and Cork and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid Provision (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Coveney: I reiterate my unreserved condemnation of the violence perpetrated against civilians that has characterised the Syrian conflict to date. The conflict, which is now in its eighth year, has cost the lives of well over 400,000 people. Over 13 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance inside Syria, over 6 million people are internally displaced, and a further 5.6 million people have...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Peace Process (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Coveney: I have reported on the visit of President Abbas and discussions with him in an earlier Reply today. Ireland has consistently acted at EU level to ensure that the European Union retains a focus on the Israel-Palestine issue, in parallel to our engagement on other conflicts and crises across the Middle East region, and elsewhere. I am concerned to note that the prospects for an...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Negotiations (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Coveney: Brexit is a priority issue for this Government, and the Taoiseach, my cabinet colleagues and I have taken every opportunity to engage with all relevant stakeholders to advance Ireland’s priorities. I, as well as officials from my Department, remain in ongoing contact with representatives from EU Member States, the Commission and Task Force, and the UK. It is important to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Dublin-Monaghan Bombings (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 52 and 53 together. Dealing with long-outstanding issues relating to the legacy of the conflict in Northern Ireland are of the utmost importance to the Government. The implementation of the All-Party Dáil motions relating to the Dublin and Monaghan bombings is a priority for the Government, as highlighted in the Programme for a Partnership...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Public Relations Contracts Data (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Coveney: Further to my reply to Question No. 61 of 27 September, I confirm that my Department has not incurred expenditure on external public relations or communications advice in 2018. My Department has from time to time commissioned companies with a public relations and communications background to provide other professional services such as project management, logistics and event management,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Expenditure (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Coveney: The purpose of the Brexit section of my Department’s website is to provide a resource that enables users to learn about work that the Government is undertaking to protect their interests in the Brexit negotiations and also about supports and resources that are available to help Ireland get Brexit Ready. The website section in question was recently revamped to reflect the latest...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid Provision (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Coveney: Ireland’s support for the Palestinian people, which so far this year amounts to almost €13 million, includes support for human rights NGOs and civil society organisations involved in a range of humanitarian, development and peacebuilding programmes. Ireland has for many years been working to maintain a focus on the justice and human rights issues affecting Palestinians on...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications Data (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Coveney: From 1 October 2016 to 30 September 2017, the number of passport applications received was 789,024. In the recent 12 month period from 1 October 2017 to 30 September 2018 the number of passport applications received was 796,327. This figure show an increase of 0.9% over the previous 12 month period. The percentage increase in applications year on year can vary depending on the period in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Negotiations (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Coveney: The UK decision to leave the European Union poses unprecedented challenges for the island of Ireland. The Government continues very much to regret the decision. But it is the policy of the British Government based on a democratic decision within the UK as a whole, notwithstanding the fact that a majority of voters in Northern Ireland, as in some other parts of the UK, did not support Brexit....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Issues (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 60 and 71 together. The Embassy network is a vital resource for our state agencies through its active support of their daily work and strategic objectives in overseas markets. The Embassy network is an invaluable asset for trade promotion in locations with limited or no state agency presence. In addition to economic and public diplomacy, the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: UN Security Council (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Coveney: Each year, Ireland attends the United Nations General Assembly held at UN Headquarters in New York. We take our place alongside the 192 other Member States of the UN at this important global gathering each September. The 73rdsession of the UN General Assembly got underway in early September. The theme for this year’s General Debate which took place from 25 September-1 October was...