Results 12,721-12,740 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

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

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 81 and 82 together. My Department provides social media training to staff to increase their capacity to promote public engagement and accountability for our work across global issues and in the delivery of services. In-house expertise is used wherever possible and training on the use of social media is generally delivered by the Communications Unit in my...

Questions on Promised Legislation (24 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: I am looking forward to meeting the families and some of the men concerned. I understand they will have their legal representatives with them. We will talk through the issues. The State wants to establish the truth and find justice here. We have tried to do that to date. An appeal is not straightforward. I look forward to taking the opportunity to discuss issues in some detail with the...

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (24 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: Does the Deputy think that helps the campaign?

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (24 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: Stupid stunts like that do nothing to inform people.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Council Meetings (24 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: I attended the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 16 April. The Council discussed Syria, Iran, the Western Balkans, Russia and the EU’s External Financing Instruments. Council Conclusions were adopted on Syria, South Sudan, malicious cyber activities and on Chemical Weapons. I was glad to have the opportunity to discuss Syria with my EU colleagues, especially in light of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Syrian Conflict (24 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 100, 105 and 108 together. The Syria conflict, which is now in its eighth year, has cost up to 500,000 lives. Over 13 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance inside Syria, including close to 3 million people trapped in besieged and hard-to-reach areas. Over 6 million people are displaced internally, and a further 5.5 million have fled to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Staff (24 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: I am aware of the recruitment of UK Border Force officials, to which the Deputy refers. There were specific concerns raised about the requirement for applicants to hold a British passport and whether this was in line with the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement which recognises the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves or be accepted as Irish, or British,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Council Meetings (24 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: At the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council on 16 April, which I attended, Ministers strongly underlined our continuing conviction that the nuclear agreement with Iran is an important and positive achievement, which has delivered significant gains and which should continue to be implemented by all parties. The ending of the agreement would represent a serious blow to both the cause of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (24 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: The situation in Venezuela continues to be a matter of serious concern to the Government. Ireland and its EU partners have repeatedly called for concrete actions to ensure full respect for and the independence of Venezuela’s democratic institutions, notably through the holding of free and fair elections supervised by a balanced Electoral Council and involving independent international...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Issues (24 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: The European Union is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, respect for human rights and the rule of law. Dialogue has been ongoing between the European Commission and Poland regarding the rule of law since January 2016, when the Commission initiated its rule of law process following changes introduced by the Polish government to the functioning...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Passports (24 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: Diplomatic passports are issued in accordance with the provisions of the Passports Act, 2008. Section 16 of the Act makes particular provision for the issuance of diplomatic passports to persons who hold a diplomatic rank or to persons whom the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade considers it appropriate to issue such a passport in order to carry out their duties. Applications are only...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Expenditure (24 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is responsible for two Votes - Vote 27 (International Co-operation) and Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs and Trade). The Department has not received any invoices from, or made any payments to, the company referred to in the Question in the years 2007 to 2017.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (24 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy may be aware, the United Kingdom invited the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to independently verify their analysis of the toxic chemical used in the Salisbury attack. The UK requested the assistance of the OPCW under Article VIII, Subparagraph 38(e) of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which provides for the Technical Secretariat to provide...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Regulation of Lobbying (24 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy will be aware, the obligation to record and submit lobbying returns to the lobbying register rests with those carrying out lobbying activity, not with those who are lobbied, such as the Designated Public Officials of my Department. While it is the case that Designated Public Officials of my Department have no formal obligation to make a record of telephone calls from...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (24 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: A number of events took place in Belfast around 10 April to mark the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. On 9 April, on behalf of the Government of Ireland, I hosted an evening event in Belfast’s Lyric Theatre to mark the anniversary. The event, called ‘A Further Shore’, was produced by Poetry Ireland and saw some of the island’s...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (24 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: I welcomed the Loyalist Declaration of Transformation issued on 9 April last, coinciding with the 20th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. The leaders of loyalism played a crucial role in negotiating the Agreement and in winning the referendum that endorsed the Agreement, and their recent statement reaffirms their commitment to the principles of the Agreement and to the peace process....

Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: We are not talking about the numbers again, are we?

Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: As an aside, the more we talk about the numbers, the more foolish we look to those on the outside.

Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: That is not a reflection on you at all, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Apr 2018)

Simon Coveney: That is good. I hope so.