Results 12,201-12,220 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (27 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: -----in the withdrawal treaty. The commitment is in place. That commitment is cast-iron and clear. The language does not lie. The commitment was followed up in March when the British Government agreed that not only would it agree to a backstop, but it would agree to a backstop being in the withdrawal agreement unless and until something better was agreed. The challenge now is to make...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Common Travel Area (27 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: They are very fair questions. It is important to say that, in practice, the CTA has been implemented administratively and more formally through sectoral agreements and legislation, where necessary and relevant, for example, the Citizens of United Kingdom and Colonies (Irish Citizenship Rights) Order 1949, the Aliens (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 1999, the Aliens (Exemption) Order 1999 and, in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Common Travel Area (27 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: I believe Senator Richmond has been doing an extraordinarily good job in batting for Ireland-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Common Travel Area (27 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: -----on both British and Irish media. He has been making the case in a succinct and informed way but it is important to make a distinction in respect of the common travel area arrangements because it is accepted by the EU task force and both negotiating teams that this is a bilateral matter and that nothing in any withdrawal agreement or treaty will undermine the capacity for Britain and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Brexit Negotiations (27 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy knows, we had hoped to make substantial progress on the Irish backstop issues in June before the summit this week. I think everybody accepted that everything would not conclude in June but we certainly expected to make a significant step forward in helping to ensure that backstop was taking shape and that we could have confidence that we would be able to finalise that...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Brexit Negotiations (27 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: Yes.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Common Travel Area (27 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for this question. The common travel area is a long-standing arrangement between the UK and Ireland, which means Irish citizens can move freely to live, work and study in the UK on the same basis as UK citizens and vice versa. It is an arrangement that is valued by both islands and the continuation of this arrangement is a stated objective of the Irish and UK Governments....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications Data (27 Jun 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: Northern Ireland (27 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: I am aware that the Deputy has raised concerns about the length of the time some prisoners in the separated regime spend on remand prior to facing trial. My officials have engaged with the Northern Ireland Office and the Department of Justice in relation to the concerns raised by the Deputy. A recent NI Audit Office report showed that there are significant delays in delivering justice in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (27 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: The humane approach of Spain to migration was evident in the recent decision of its Government to allow the Aquariusto dock at Valencia port and to permit over 600 migrants to disembark. There has been an increase in migration into Spain in recent months. So far this year over 10,000 migrants have arrived via the so-called Western Mediterranean Route. The represents an increase of over 50%...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications Administration (27 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: The turnaround timeframe for a passport application will depend 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 and in person counter application facilities in Dublin and Cork. The quickest and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Enlargement (27 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: Ireland is a strong supporter of EU enlargement. As such, we have been pleased to see the renewed focus on enlargement that has been provided by the Bulgarian Presidency’s prioritising of the European perspective of the Western Balkans. We are glad to see that this is set to continue under the Austrian Presidency. We believe that enlargement is a transformative driver for stability and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (27 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: Over the course of many months, the Irish and British Governments, as co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement, have worked tirelessly to support and facilitate the parties in their efforts to form an Executive.The devolved, power-sharing institutions are at the heart of the Good Friday Agreement and are the best means for achieving accountable, representative decision-making for all the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Peace Process (27 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: The United States administration has been working for over a year on developing an initiative to restart direct negotiations to reach a final peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. The details of the plan have been kept closely confidential, but there are some indications that it may be unveiled soon. The resolution of this conflict remains a high foreign policy priority for the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Negotiations (27 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: I propose taking questions 45, 52 and 58 together. The EU’s objective remains that the full legal text of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement, as well as a detailed political declaration on the framework for the future relationship, be agreed by the October meeting of the European Council. With a view to achieving this goal, negotiations have been continuing between the EU and the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Issues (27 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: My officials and I maintain intensive contact with the EU Taskforce. My most recent meeting with Michel Barnier took place yesterday, immediately in advance of the General Affairs Council (Art. 50). Such meetings provide an opportunity to take stock of progress in the negotiations and to communicate Ireland’s priorities, including in relation to agriculture, with a view to shaping the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Issues (27 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: Maintaining frequent contact with EU partners has been a priority for Ireland throughout the Article 50 negotiations process. I discuss Brexit collectively with my EU27 counterparts on a monthly basis at the General Affairs Council (Article 50), most recently yesterday. Since the last meeting of the European Council in March, I have met with my counterparts from Sweden, Croatia, Cyprus,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Dublin-Monaghan Bombings (27 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: 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 Government. The All-Party motion on the 1974 Dublin Monaghan bombings that was adopted by the Dáil on 25 May 2016 has, like those adopted in 2008 and 2011, been conveyed to the British Government. These...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Economic Sanctions (27 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: The question of boycotts and sanctions has been discussed on many occasions in the Oireachtas.The Government does not support boycotts on Israel. I believe that such actions would be ineffective and counterproductive. They would impact indiscriminately on Israelis, including those who agree with our views on the resolution of the conflict, as well as potentially isolating Israelis from the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (27 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: I am aware of the case to which the Deputy refers and my officials in the Belfast Secretariat monitor this and other cases as part of their ongoing work on prison issues generally in Northern Ireland. Senior officials from the Secretariat have twice visited the person in custody in Maghaberry prison, at his request. I have previously raised the case with the Secretary of State for...