Results 13,061-13,080 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Order of Business (20 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: In regard to the funding of the particular project the Deputy spoke about, I can confirm that the Ministers had no role in the appeals process other than to approve the monetary allocation proposed by officials. Education facilities can always apply for funding as long as their applications are made jointly with another sports club. The private school in question was a joint applicant, and...

Order of Business (20 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I am not quite sure what the Deputy's question is.

Order of Business (20 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: Why is the Deputy raising the Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2017, which he has tried to stall and delay as much as he can in this House?

Order of Business (20 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I will ask the Minister to come back with an accurate response regarding driver testing.

Order of Business (20 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I speak to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Karen Bradley, at lot with regard to Northern Ireland. When I last spoke with her it was in advance of her speaking in Westminster and giving an update on Northern Ireland. I told Ms Bradley that I would like her to consider a British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. I felt it would be appropriate at this stage to have that...

Order of Business (20 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: -----to Washington and was quite busy there. I will go to Belfast tomorrow to meet with some of the parties. I expect to speak with the Secretary of State again before the end of the week. We will update the conversation when we speak again.

Order of Business (20 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: Let me try to be helpful to the House on the issue. What we are asking for is the Citizens' Assembly being given a little more time. It was due to finish up, but because of the bad weather, it was unable to hold hearings and make recommendations on a five-year fixed term for Parliament in Ireland. It was last due to meet in the middle of Storm Emma, but for obvious reasons - namely, safety...

Order of Business (20 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: Cyber security is a big issue. The national cyber security strategy is led by the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Denis Naughten, but, of course, multiple other Departments feed into it, from the Department of Defence to the Department of Justice and Equality and others. It is a rolling policy that is constantly being updated, as it needs to be. If more...

Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: There is a series of responses that are needed to ensure we will have legislation which is fit for purpose and an Office of the Data Protection Commissioner which is well resourced and on top of what it needs to be on top of. We need to look across Departments at what can or should be done to ensure consumers will not be exposed to fake news and that their data will not be abused for that...

Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Minister is looking at making a considered amendment to section 43. With respect, it would not be reasonable for me to outline during Leaders' Questions what that detailed amendment will be. We are looking at it and will have an opportunity to tease through it with other political parties when the legislation is brought through the various Stages in the Dáil. The Referendum...

Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: The scale of delivery that is needed, and which I think the Deputy is looking for, cannot be delivered purely through local authority-led schemes.

Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy has asked a lot of questions about this serious matter. This morning, the Cabinet spent some time discussing many of the issues he has raised. I will set out the Government response on this so far. The Data Protection Bill 2018 is coming through the Seanad at the moment. We have approved a Report Stage amendment which is not directly related to the issues raised by Deputy Ryan....

Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I respectfully suggest the Deputy is missing the point, not me. Money is not the obstacle to delivering social housing. Local authorities which have good projects on their books are getting the funding they need to progress them. The challenge is capacity and to deliver the scale of social housing we want in time and to meet demand. We have had an enormous increase in housing budgets to...

Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I agree with most of what the Deputy just said. Of course, we have to reach out to people who are not benefiting from a growing and expanding economy. Many people in society are under pressure. We know that with respect to housing in particular, which is why we have a hugely ambitious housing plan and social housing financial commitment. Therefore, there is work to do. I am not saying...

Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: It is not the first time the Deputy and I have had this engagement. I will make a number of comments. The Deputy is right on one aspect. We do have a social housing emergency and we are dealing with it in a way that is multifaceted. We are encouraging and inviting private investment to solve the problem, as well as committing billions of euro of public money to solve it. The difference...

Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy. I have not read that report yet but I will. Over the last ten days or so, while there was somewhat of a break in political activity in this House, a lot of economic data was released. All of it was pretty good news. Last year, people's wages increased by about 2.5%. Almost 70,000 extra people found employment last year; I think the official figure was 66,800. We are...

Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: First, as the Deputy will be aware, I invite constructive criticism on Brexit in order that we can get this right on behalf of the country. This issue is not party political for me and never has been. However, I will not accept people trying to misrepresent what was agreed to yesterday as a lack of progress when all of the informed commentary was welcoming of the step forward. If anything,...

Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: It is somewhat regrettable that Fianna Fáil seems to be changing its position in terms of how it approaches Brexit from one of consultation with the Government to one of trying to find ways of undermining and criticising what the Government is trying to do. This is regrettable, but it seems to be the case. Yesterday was a big step forward on the Irish issues. Do not forget that Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Convention on Human Rights (20 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: There have been no findings by the European Court of Human Rights of a violation of Article 2 (right to life) for the period referenced by the Deputy in his question. I have set out below details of rulings of the European Court of Human Rights involving the State and Article 2 (right to life) for the relevant period. The outcomes have included the State reaching a friendly settlement with...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Banking (20 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is responsible for two Votes: Vote 27- International Co-operation and Vote 28 - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. There are no agencies under the aegis of the Department. In 2017, negative interest charges totalling €4,235.42 were incurred on Vote 27 and paid to one commercial bank. In the period to end-February 2018, costs of...