Results 13,121-13,140 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: The big spend is in the area of current expenditure. The programme can be broken into one thirds - salaries, programmes and other. Breaking it up item by item, there has not been significant change year on year, rather there has been a change of emphasis. There is nothing to stop the committee from looking in more detail at any one of these sections and asking me to come back to speak about...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I accept that and we will ensure it will happen.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I will ensure the committee will receive my full speaking note which I will try to summarise. Programme B provides the framework for the Department's role in securing Ireland's influence in EU outcomes through maintaining and growing strong relationships with EU institutions and other member states. The focus of work under the programme in 2018 will be on safeguarding Ireland’s...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: With respect to section B.4 and EU engagement, much of it is linked with the debate on the future of Europe. As members know, the Minister of State, Deputy Helen McEntee, is organising public meetings throughout the country, of which she has had a series. I believe she is in Letterkenny today. One of the problems with debates such as that on the future of Europe is that they often take...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: Programme C covers the Department's contribution to a more just world through the promotion and protection of human rights internationally and a more secure world based on a stable and secure rules-based international environment. Under the programme, 68% of current expenditure is made up of contributions to international organisations. My Department’s commitment to promoting...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: Yes.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: Yes. The contributions that we make to the UN each year are mandatory contributions and they fluctuate slightly. For example, a big part of UN expenditure is on peacekeeping operations. It is a multi-billion euro expenditure programme. Obviously, Ireland benefits from that in the context of our interest in UN peacekeeping operations, such as UNIFIL and UNDOF. Those operations are all...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: The direct answer is "No".

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I am not sure that it was UNRWA schools-----

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: -----that were demolished. Belgium and the Netherlands have raised serious concerns with the Israelis about projects that have been destroyed. In the case of a solar panel project which the Netherlands funded in Gaza, where the panels were confiscated by the Israeli military, I understand that some of them have subsequently been returned.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: We have not received any compensation. I have raised the general issue of demolitions in what is called Area C of the West Bank with the Israelis. We are very critical of that and in my view it should not be happening. However, Ireland is not the only country that has raised concerns on this issue.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: The Department's work under this programme will focus on leveraging our resources to drive job creation, exports, inward investment and the tourism and education market. There will be a particular focus in 2018 on assisting Irish business in the context of the UK's exit from the EU. My Department’s commitment to advancing Ireland's trade and economic interests in Europe and...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: The allocation under programme E in 2018 is €41.2 million compared with €39.3 million in 2017, an increase of €1.9 million or 4.9%. This programme covers the Department's work in marshalling its human and capital resources at home and abroad to maximise Ireland's influence internationally. It includes the management and development of staff, the management and...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: The total income under appropriations-in-aid in 2018 is estimated at over €45.2 million. The primary source of income that accrues directly to the Exchequer from my Department comes from passport application fees, which account for over 90% of all the receipts. If current passport application trends continue, this level of income is likely to be exceeded. Passport, citizenship, visa...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: Would you like to name a townland?

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: That is very big of you. I will have to leave the meeting now. The Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, will deal with the aid budget. However, I would like to return to the committee to discuss some of the policy issues that have been raised, particularly the approach we are taking to Brexit and where we see it going, as well as the future of Europe. It would be good to bring the Minister...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I will be happy to do that.

Prohibition of Bogus Self-Employment Bill 2018: First Stage (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: No.

Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: Strong legislation and laws are already in place to counteract gangland crime, which abuses and uses teenagers as carriers in the drug trade. An Garda Síochána is very focused on it and has had some success. We also have a comprehensive new national drugs strategy and the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, has led on this. In terms of the issue referred to by the Deputy with regard...

Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Mar 2018)

Simon Coveney: I know Fianna Fáil does not like to focus on the detail of the Project Ireland 2040 plan or the capital plan that goes with it, but it does include----