Results 12,381-12,400 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

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

Simon Coveney: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has never paid any EU fines.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Chairman and committee members for the opportunity to be here. I look forward to the questions and discussion that will follow when I outline the Government's position on a range of issues. I also welcome the ambassadors and the other members of the diplomatic corps who have taken the time to be here today. I thank the joint committee for the invitation to address it on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I will start with the final question. It is no secret that I think Ireland needs to put a convincing roadmap in place to get us to where we promised we would be, which is to commit 0.7% of our gross national income to development aid funding. To put that into context, we are currently spending €700 million a year on development aid. If we were to get to 0.7% by 2030, which is a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: What was reckless?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy. I missed what he said.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: What did the Deputy say?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I could get it out of the way quickly at the start. I have met the families as the Deputy probably knows. We need to make a decision before 20 June and we will as a Government but we are still waiting on a final piece of advice from the Attorney General's office because this is not a standard or normal appeals process. Anyone who follows this case will know it is a referral process as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: The South Sudan crisis is one of the most severe large scale humanitarian crises in the world today. The Senator is right to say it is largely an invisible crisis because it does not get anything like the same coverage as many of other humanitarian crises. Widespread violence from the bitter civil war which broke out in December 2013 has forced more than 4 million people to flee their...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I thank Senator Daly for his comments on the Middle East peace process. I will continue to ask for support, in particular from the Fianna Fáil Party, to ensure we continue to have a consistent and credible approach to the Middle East and do not do something in the short term which makes Ireland's position less relevant in terms of trying to be part of compromise solutions. I thank...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Discussion (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I would be happy to come in and spend a few hours talking about this issue, in terms of what we are trying to do. Although I spoke a lot about it today we have not had the time to get into some of the specific measures we have been trying to promote and do. I do not agree with those who are saying a two-state solution is no longer tenable. If that becomes the consensus, we have to ask...

Questions on Promised Legislation (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I happen to live two miles from the site in question which is closer than any other Member, although Deputy Michael McGrath is pretty close to it too. I have been involved in discussions and debates around this issue for over ten years. I believe the decision made by An Bord Pleanála is the wrong one. I am not saying that for the first time. Anybody who wants to look at my views on...

Questions on Promised Legislation (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: Following on from some of the questions that Deputy Donnelly raised earlier on the support packages promised by the Government, I received a note from the Department of Health. Up to 105 new medical cards have already been issued in this area. All supports in terms of home care packages and 14 counselling and physio appointments have started. The packages are under way in terms of the...

Questions on Promised Legislation (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: The consultant contract negotiations are ongoing. It is difficult for me to predict outcomes.

Questions on Promised Legislation (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Minister is seeking to progress the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2016, which will create for the first time a statutory right for adopted persons and persons who have been subject to incorrect birth registration, birth certificate information and certain other information. The intention is that the Bill would certainly be enacted by the end of the year. The Minister has...

Questions on Promised Legislation (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: My understanding is that the reason the Minister, Deputy Zappone, is so anxious to bring this Bill forward is to try to deal with the very issue Deputy Burton is raising. I am aware that the Deputy has raised this before. We sat in Cabinet together and the Deputy has been vocal on this issue for many years. That is why the Minister, Deputy Zappone, wants to work with all parties in the...

Questions on Promised Legislation (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Minister, Deputy Harris, has been very clear that he wants to bring legislation forward as quickly as possible. That legislation will be consistent with what the Government committed to before we asked the people to vote on this issue. We hope to have a draft Bill published before we break up for the summer. In fact, we hope to have Second Stage concluded before then, so that the...

Leaders' Questions (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: There has been extensive consultation between the Government and the Opposition spokespeople on the legislation mentioned by the Deputy. I compliment the Minister, Deputy Bruton, on the work he has done to build consensus across the House on an appropriate way forward through Committee Stage, etc. It has not been straightforward. The approach that has been taken represents a fundamental...

Leaders' Questions (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy can ask the question, but I am not going to give an answer that is not properly informed. I have not spoken to the Secretary General concerned and I am certainly not going to disassociate myself from him in the context of the positive work that the Department of Education and Skills has been doing in this tricky area. The Government supports diversity of educational patronage....

Leaders' Questions (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy has asked a lot of questions. We do have rent controls for the first time in the history of the State. I introduced them and this Government made that happen in Christmas week, 2017.

Leaders' Questions (31 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: As a result of those rent controls, we are seeing some limitations in rental inflation. Approximately 67% of rental properties in the country are in rent pressure zones. There are issues with regard to student accommodation which the Minister has agreed to examine in co-operation with Opposition parties. On the issue of family hubs, if memory serves me correctly, we have spent about...