Results 12,701-12,720 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Questions on Promised Legislation (26 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: Vera Twomey is someone I have gotten to know very well in recent years. She and her daughter, Ava, now have not only the treatment they were looking for but also the financial support of the State to ensure that medication will continue to be provided for Ava. I understand that medication is working very well. That is a successful outcome to what has been a difficult case. The Minister...

Leaders' Questions (26 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: I reaffirm to the Deputy that no one is kicking the can down the road on anything here. It is a programme of action that is already under way. The construction of a national forensic mental health complex at Portrane is progressing well and should be completed by 2020. There are other improvements such as in counselling services, including new Jigsaw sites in Cork, Dublin and Limerick, to...

Tributes on Retirement of Member of Staff (26 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: I also wish to congratulate and thank Marie. Thirty-two years of service is a long time in this House. Marie is one of my favourite people in Leinster House. She has good taste; she only ever served Fine Gael and Labour tables-----

Tributes on Retirement of Member of Staff (26 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: -----so we know her much better than does the dark side.

Tributes on Retirement of Member of Staff (26 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: She is someone who constantly brings a smile to people's faces in the Members' Restaurant. When one considers both of their service, she and her mother have given 62 years to this House. As far as I am concerned, she is far too young to be retiring from here, and we would like to have her around for much longer. I thank her on behalf of all the Deputies and Senators who got to know her so...

Leaders' Questions (26 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: We are working with An Post to ensure we have as many post offices as possible. There are no compulsory closures. If certain postmasters choose not to stay open-----

Leaders' Questions (26 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: -----then there will be the option to transfer the business to another business locally or to another post office if it is within a certain range. The whole point is to ensure An Post has a future. Up until six months ago, this was a company with a bleak financial outlook. We now have a situation where An Post is back in profit and we need to ensure it remains so permanently. We must use...

Leaders' Questions (26 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: I will ask the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, to revert to the Deputy with more details on South Tipperary General Hospital after Leaders’ Questions. He is aware of some of the cases to which the Deputy referred and he has spoken to some of the parents involved. Staffing and necessary skills shortages need to be addressed in the context of extra beds. Up to €55...

Leaders' Questions (26 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: I accept absolutely that we have to ask all of the hard questions after a case like this. However, I want also to reassure people, particularly those outside the House, that CervicalCheck rates very well in comparison with similar screening systems in other parts of the world. There is no perfect system and human errors will occur in screening programmes, particularly with 250,000 people a...

Leaders' Questions (26 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: Well-----

Leaders' Questions (26 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: I compliment the Minister, Deputy Naughten, on his determination, which I have witnessed over and over again in Cabinet, to ensure that the post office network remains part of the physical infrastructure of urban and rural Ireland. He has repeatedly confirmed the Government's commitment to ensuring that the infrastructure remains intact. We have seen a commitment to explore the potential to...

Leaders' Questions (26 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: I heard the interview this morning, which raised some questions and did not provide full clarity in terms of the Health Service Executive's response. The clinical director of CervicalCheck has spoken on radio in the past hour and provided much more clarity on the issues. I thank both individuals for their efforts to bring clarity. I am sure the Minister will be happy to deal with questions...

Leaders' Questions (26 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: Work is under way to establish whether there are other women in the same category, that is, women who have not received the information they should have received. We will have more details when the work has concluded. It is not expected that there are many more women in this category but that needs to be confirmed. I hope the work will be completed quickly.

Leaders' Questions (26 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: In answer to the Deputy's final question, that is what we are changing. Many of us listened to Vicky Phelan who is an incredibly courageous woman. In the midst of all the challenges she is facing, she focused on the hope that something good may come from this. I hope that is the case and we have an obligation to ensure it is the case. The key issue is the information flow. Once the State...

Leaders' Questions (26 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I think anybody who has listened to this story or read about it will come to the conclusion that this was a shameful series of events, particularly where information flow is concerned. The tragedy and challenges that Ms Vicky Phelan and her family are facing now have been made all the more difficult because of the failings in passing information...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Negotiations (26 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 to 58, inclusive, together. In the context of the UK withdrawal from the EU, the Government is determined to ensure that the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts is fully protected, including the provisions relating to citizenship. The Government appreciates the solidarity and support which has been shown by all of our EU partners in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Common Travel Area (26 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: Maintaining the Common Travel Area has been a Government priority in the context of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. The Common Travel Area is an important feature of the close relationship Ireland enjoys with the UK, with long-established bilateral benefits. It means Irish citizens can move freely North and South, East and West, and live, work, study and access social benefits in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Issues (26 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: I have been greatly concerned by the events in Gaza over recent weeks, and especially by the appalling number of serious injuries to and deaths of people engaged in demonstrations. Every country is entitled to defend its border, but the use of force, and particularly deadly force, must only be used as a last resort and should be proportionate to a real and immediate threat. Israel is...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (25 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: Since the most recent escalation of violence in Rakhine State, Myanmar, last year, Ireland has been actively engaged with our international partners with the aim of easing the crisis, promoting a political solution and ascertaining the facts on the ground to ensure accountability for crimes and other violations of human rights that have occurred. This has been done both through bilateral...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (25 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 79 and 80 together. I am deeply troubled by the abuses perpetrated against refugees and migrants in Libya. 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. I reiterate my call on the Libyan Government, and all parties, including those with...