Results 13,041-13,060 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney
- Strategic Communications Unit: Motion [Private Members] (20 Mar 2018)
Simon Coveney: The Deputy should be careful with what he is saying. Nobody is spinning lies and the Deputy should not be naming people in association with that.
- Strategic Communications Unit: Motion [Private Members] (20 Mar 2018)
Simon Coveney: That is rubbish.
- Strategic Communications Unit: Motion [Private Members] (20 Mar 2018)
Simon Coveney: Good communications save lives.
- Strategic Communications Unit: Motion [Private Members] (20 Mar 2018)
Simon Coveney: Up to 20% of the capital investment will be used to deal with climate change in the next ten years. However, the Deputy does not want to hear about it.
- Strategic Communications Unit: Motion [Private Members] (20 Mar 2018)
Simon Coveney: I am interested in tackling climate change.
- Strategic Communications Unit: Motion [Private Members] (20 Mar 2018)
Simon Coveney: What constituencies are not marginal?
- Strategic Communications Unit: Motion [Private Members] (20 Mar 2018)
Simon Coveney: Every constituency is marginal.
- Strategic Communications Unit: Motion [Private Members] (20 Mar 2018)
Simon Coveney: I am glad to have the opportunity to speak to this matter. It is curious to hear Sinn Féin spokespersons saying there should not be any involvement in politics or political campaigning by the strategic communications unit, SCU, while at the same time the former leader of Sinn Féin was willing to support the unit on the basis that it might help to win a referendum on Irish unity....
- Strategic Communications Unit: Motion [Private Members] (20 Mar 2018)
Simon Coveney: It was.
- Strategic Communications Unit: Motion [Private Members] (20 Mar 2018)
Simon Coveney: The point is the Deputy does not like hearing this because he does not want good communications coming from the Government. It does not suit his political agenda.
- Strategic Communications Unit: Motion [Private Members] (20 Mar 2018)
Simon Coveney: The truth is the concept was about co-ordinating communications across government in a professional manner to ensure money that is spent on communications gets good results. The truth is the Deputies speak about €5 million or €6 million but communications across the Government and its agencies costs in the region of €170 million per year, as the Deputy knows. There are...
- Strategic Communications Unit: Motion [Private Members] (20 Mar 2018)
Simon Coveney: The spin on this communications unit is coming from the Opposition parties and not the Government.
- Strategic Communications Unit: Motion [Private Members] (20 Mar 2018)
Simon Coveney: The SCU is part of the Civil Service and it is staffed by civil and public servants. They are good people who know about communications.
- Strategic Communications Unit: Motion [Private Members] (20 Mar 2018)
Simon Coveney: They are committed to ensuring we have better communications across government and that we spend public money properly to ensure we do that in a way that makes sense and delivers on potential. We can take a project like Project Ireland 2040. The idea that we would not communicate across government on a project that will commit over the next ten years €115 billion of taxpayers'...
- Order of Business (20 Mar 2018)
Simon Coveney: The work done by the Oireachtas committee in this area is very helpful. The Bill has been through a pre-legislative scrutiny process and I am told it will be drafted and published before the end of this term. We are anxious to move on with it.
- Order of Business (20 Mar 2018)
Simon Coveney: I can only assume that if a cardiologist is leaving, he or she will be replaced quickly and that the process will get under way. I will ask the Minister for Health to get back to Deputy Healy-Rae with a specific answer.
- Order of Business (20 Mar 2018)
Simon Coveney: I remember being involved when the decision on a relocation scheme was made. We have an incredibly hands-on Minister with responsibility for flooding, namely, the Minister of State, Deputy Moran. My understanding is that he will make a statement on the issue in the coming weeks but I will ask him to get back to the Deputy directly in terms of where the scheme is at. I assure him that this...
- Order of Business (20 Mar 2018)
Simon Coveney: Local knowledge on the Front Bench indicates that Coláiste Ráithín, which is one of the schools in Wicklow, should be ready by early summer. Efforts are being made to make sure the schools get the supports they need given what has happened in terms of financial uncertainty. The best course of action would probably be for the Deputy to table a parliamentary question to the...
- Order of Business (20 Mar 2018)
Simon Coveney: I need to consider the deadline and the significance of it. The thinking behind a public services card is to make sure we make accessing services easier for people, not more difficult. Once people go to the trouble of getting the public services card, which I know for some may involve travelling, it will allow them access multiple services across the State, including getting passports...
- Order of Business (20 Mar 2018)
Simon Coveney: I welcome the fact that the Government is continuing to increase the funding going to the sports capital programme. It is something that we unfortunately could not afford to do several years ago. The programme is now up and running again. It has an assessment process with which I am very familiar, as most people in this House are, because after many years without that level of support...