Results 12,361-12,380 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Peace Process (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: On Friday 18 May the UN Human Rights Council held a Special Session to consider the recent events in Gaza. The HRC adopted a resolution – which was co-sponsored by Ireland – which includes provision to establish a Commission of Inquiry into these events. The current President of the HRC will now take this forward. Israeli Ministers have responded with public statements...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Peace Process (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Government’s view of the move of the United States Embassy to Jerusalem was expressed in my statement of 6 December when the decision was announced. I stated that the decision was premature and ill-advised, and would be unhelpful to efforts to reach a resolution of the Middle East Peace Process, something which is very urgently needed. Indeed prior to this announcement, I had...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: I am extremely concerned about the current situation in Yemen, which is the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. I, and officials in my Department, have been monitoring the state of affairs in Yemen with growing anxiety, particularly in recent months as the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate. After three years of war, three quarters of the population are estimated to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (12 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: Diplomatic Representation (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Embassy of Ireland in Ankara is accredited on a non-residential basis to Iran. Ireland is also represented in Iran by an Honorary Consul. A range of factors are taken into account in considering our diplomatic representation overseas, including our national political, economic and trade priorities, as well as the availability of resources. The Government is conscious of the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Emigrant Support Services (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: Since the publication of the Indecon Economic Report on Addressing Challenges Faced by Returning Irish Emigrants, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has undertaken a number of steps, in conjunction with other Government Departments and State Agencies, to address the thirty recommendations made in the report. In the first instance my colleague the Minister of State for the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Passport Service is currently in its peak season for passport demand with the vast majority of applications being received between February and August each year. The Passport Service monitors the volume of applications on an ongoing basis to ensure that resources are available to meet demand. In order to respond to anticipated application increases and to seasonal demands, the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications Administration (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: Applicants who have submitted a passport renewal application through Passport Express may withdraw their original application and re-apply through the counter application service. This service is designed to accommodate applicants who have upcoming travel plans and have, in error, submitted their passport application through a channel which would not allow the application to be processed...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Students (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: My Department does not undertake such activities. The national International Education Strategy – outlined in Irish Educated, Globally Connected: An International Education Strategy for Ireland, 2016-2020 – is under the direction of the Minister for Education and Skills. Furthermore, the Department of Education and Skills has informed my officials that it does not provide...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications Data (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Passport Service located in my Department is one unified service composed of 3 constituent offices located in Mount Street, Dublin; Balbriggan, Co. Dublin and South Mall, Cork. The following table shows how many passport applications were processed by the Passport Service’s Dublin and Cork offices for the years requested: Year Total Passport Applications 2016 750,833 2017...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: The following table details the number of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Staff permanently employed by my Department and assigned to the Passport Service in both Dublin offices (Mount St. and Balbriggan) at the end of the year for 2016 and 2017 and at the end of May 2018. Year Number of staff 2016 (December 31) 225.3 2017 (December 31) 244.5 2018 (May 31) 266.9

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Department employs approximately 350 people in the Passport Offices in Mount Street, Balbriggan and in Cork. The pay bill, including Employer’s PRSI, for the permanent staff employed in Dublin and Balbriggan for 2016, 2017 and to the end of May 2018 is set out below. My Department also employs Temporary Clerical Officers (TCOs) to meet seasonal demand, and the pay bill for these...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications Data (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Passport Service located in my Department is one unified service composed of 3 constituent offices located in Mount Street, Dublin; Balbriggan, Co. Dublin and South Mall, Cork. The following table shows how many passport applications were processed by the Passport Service’s Dublin and Cork offices for the years requested: Year Total Passport Applications 2016 750,833 2017...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: The following table details the number of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Staff permanently employed by my Department and assigned to the Passport Service’s Cork office at the end of the year for 2016 and 2017 and at the end of May 2018. Year Number of Staff 2016 (December 31) 76.5 2017 (December 31) 78 2018 (May 31) 85.9

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: My Department employs approximately 350 people in the Passport Offices in Dublin, Balbriggan and in Cork. The pay bill, including Employer’s PRSI, for the permanent staff employed in Cork for 2016, 2017 and to the end of May 2018 is set out below. My department also employs Temporary Clerical Officers (TCOs) to meet seasonal demand, and the pay bill for these staff over the period in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Commencement of Legislation (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Protection of Cultural Property in the event of Armed Conflict (Hague Convention) Bill is the only legislation brought forward by my Department in the past four years that has yet to be commenced. It will commence in August 2018 to coincide with the entry into force of the Convention, for Ireland.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications Data (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: The following table gives the available detail on numbers of passport applications received from Northern Ireland for the years requested: Year Number of applications 2016 67,582 2017 82,274 2018* 46,898 *Jan 1 to May 31 2018

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Funding (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: Under the National Development Plan 2018 - 2027, my Department will have capital allocations, across its two Votes: Vote 27 - International Co-operation and Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade, for the years 2019 – 2022 as follows: 2019€17 million 2020€13 million 2021€13 million 2022€14 million The National Development Plan does not include capital...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Passport Service offers a range of channels for submission of passport applications by Irish citizens in Great Britain. Advice and guidance on these channels is available on the Department’s website at . The award-winning, Online Passport Application service for adults was launched in March 2017 and offers the convenience of an online application facility 24 hours a day, 7 days a...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Meetings (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Coveney: I met with then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Washington DC last February, when we had the opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues, including the position of undocumented Irish citizens living in the US, the bilateral trade relationship and the Middle East Peace Process. I also briefed Secretary of State Tillerson on developments in Northern Ireland and on Brexit. I have not...