Results 12,581-12,600 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid Provision (15 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: Since the latest escalation of violence in Rakhine State, Myanmar, in August 2017, approximately 700,000 members of the Rohingya community have fled across the border to Bangladesh. The people and government of Bangladesh have demonstrated extraordinary generosity in receiving such a large influx of refugees. Cox’s Bazar now hosts the largest refugee camp in the world and 1.3 million...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Issues (15 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47, 54, 73 and 76 together. I issued the following public statement on 8 May in response to the decision of the United States Government: “I am greatly disappointed by the US announcement that it is withdrawing from the nuclear agreement with Iran (the JCPOA). Ireland and our EU partners, and a very broad spectrum of international opinion have...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (15 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: Dealing with long-outstanding issues relating to the legacy of the Troubles are of the utmost importance to the Government. This includes the holding of coroners' inquests in a manner consistent with Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights. In February 2016, the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland put forward proposals to process outstanding legacy inquests relating to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications Data (15 May 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, online passport application service, in person counter application facilities in Dublin and Cork and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Meetings (15 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 51 and 79 together. I propose to take questions 51 and 79 together. I refer the Deputy to the answer delivered today to his priority question, Ref No: 21310-18. Ireland is seeking election to a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2021-2022 term.We are one of three candidates for the two available seats in the Western Europe and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Sanctions (15 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I reiterate my unreserved condemnation of the violence perpetrated against civilians that has characterised the Syrian conflict to date. The brutal repression of dissent by the Assad regime, which has included use of chemical weapons and other barbarous tactics, has cost the lives of over 400,000 people. It has led to a situation in which more than 13 million people are in need of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (15 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I am extremely concerned about the current situation in Yemen. Three years of war have had devastating consequences for civilians, with allegations of violations of human rights, international humanitarian law, and significant loss of life. Three quarters of the population are estimated to require some form of humanitarian assistance. At the Foreign Affairs Council in December last...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Meetings (15 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: The crisis in Syria is high on the agenda for me and my Department. My colleague Ciarán Cannon T.D., Minister for State for the Diaspora and International Development, led Ireland’s delegation to the Second Brussels Conference for Syria and the region on 24-25 April. At that conference, Ireland reaffirmed its support for the UN-led efforts to bring about a resolution of the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Issues (15 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: The 70th anniversary of the events of 1948, which is also the anniversary of Israel’s independence, serves to remind us all that the objective of two sovereign states, Israeli and Palestinian, living side by side in peace and prosperity, has yet to be realised. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the hardship it has caused, has gone on for far too long. This has been underlined...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications Data (15 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: The number of passports applications processed by the Passport Service in each of the years requested is as follows: YearNumber of passport applications 2015 679,944 2016 750,833 2017 789,701 Jan 1 to April 30 2018 358,572 The figure given for the period covered in 2018 represents a 9% increase on the same period last year.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: All-Island Civic Dialogue (15 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: The fourth plenary session of the All-Island Civic Dialogue took place on Monday 30 April, 2018, in Dundalk Institute of Technology. Over 400 representatives across industry and civic society attended the plenary session and were provided with updates on the main developments in the Brexit negotiations, with an emphasis on the all-island aspects as well as the Government’s...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (15 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: On March 27, in light of the European Council conclusions on the nerve agent attack in Salisbury and based on an assessment of all relevant political, diplomatic and national security considerations, I took the decision to terminate the accreditation of a diplomatic staff member of the Russian Embassy. It is longstanding policy not to comment on the detail of security briefings provided...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (15 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: The elections in Hungary resulted in a two thirds majority for the ruling party led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Engagement with all EU Member States is a key imperative for Ireland in advancing and protecting our interests in the EU. In that context, we raise not only issues of shared interest with our partners but also issues of concern. The Irish Government will continue to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Negotiations (15 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 75 together. Firstly, in terms of next steps in the Article 50 negotiations, following on from the March European Council, the EU and UK agreed to five additional formal rounds of negotiations between April and the next European Council in June when progress on all issues will be assessed. These negotiations are focused on all outstanding issues in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (15 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I am deeply troubled by the abuses perpetrated against refugees and migrants in Libya, as reported by a number of NGOs and other sources. My EU colleagues and I have raised these concerns on a number of occasions at the Foreign Affairs Council, as did the Taoiseach at the European Council in October 2017. I will continue to raise these concerns when appropriate. I reiterate my call on the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Official Engagements (15 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: The arrangements around a visit by the President of the United States to the United Kingdom are a matter for the US and UK authorities and we would have no involvement in such discussions. Given the exceptionally close relations between Ireland and the United States, and the generous hospitality extended to successive Taoisigh by US Presidents at the White House during St Patrick’s...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Dublin-Monaghan Bombings (15 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: In the week of the 44th anniversary of the Dublin Monaghan bombings, which saw the biggest loss of life in a single day during the Troubles, I think it is important to acknowledge those across the House who work on a cross-party basis with the Government on this issue, and the tireless efforts of Justice for the Forgotten. The Government will be represented at the wreath-laying ceremony on...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (15 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 69 and 77 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Negotiations (15 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: Protecting the Northern Ireland Peace Process is at the forefront of the Government’s approach to the Brexit negotiations. This includes the protection of the Good Friday Agreement in all of its parts and the gains of the peace process, maintaining EU support for the Peace Process, supporting continued North South cooperation and ensuring there is no border infrastructure of any kind...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Negotiations (15 May 2018)

Simon Coveney: We are in another crucial stage in the Brexit negotiations. Work on drafting the Withdrawal Agreement has been a key focus since December. Published on 28 February, it contains a draft Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is an integral part of the Agreement. The UK has accepted that a legally operative version of the ‘backstop’ for the border will be included...