Results 13,681-13,700 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications Data (14 Dec 2017)

Simon Coveney: Tracking of passport applications is in general carried out against channel of application rather than by other metrics, including country of origin. Bearing this in mind, the following general breakdown of applications will give the available detail on numbers of passport applications received from Northern Ireland and Great Britain for 2012 to 2016 and in 2017 to date: Year Northern...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (14 Dec 2017)

Simon Coveney: The situation in Venezuela continues to be a matter of serious concern to the Government. Municipal elections took place in Venezuela on 10 December 2017. Preliminary results released by the country’s national electoral institute suggested that the ruling party of President Maduro, the Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela (PSUV), won a significant majority of available seats....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Undocumented Irish in the USA (14 Dec 2017)

Simon Coveney: I want first of all to reassure the Deputy that the Government remains committed to finding a solution to the plight of the thousands of undocumented Irish in the United States. By their nature, it is difficult to put exact numbers on undocumented communities, and the thousands of undocumented Irish in the US are no different. Estimates vary as to the numbers but our priority is to assist...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Budgets (14 Dec 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Taoiseach appointed Deputy John Deasy as Special Envoy to the United States Congress on the Undocumented Irish in June 2017. The work of the Special Envoy is conducted under my overall direction and is part of the ongoing engagement by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on the issue of the undocumented Irish in the United States. Our diplomatic network across the United States...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Negotiations (14 Dec 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 51 and 52 together. The second phase of the Article 50 negotiations will enable discussions to get under way between the EU and the UK on transitional arrangements and on the framework for the future relationship between the EU and the UK. Ireland’s overriding objective is that a future EU-UK agreement should be comprehensive and ambitious and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Issues (14 Dec 2017)

Simon Coveney: As I noted in my response to the Deputy regarding this matter on 13 July 2017, the EU Ombudsman report on unpaid internships in the European External Action Service is an “own initiative” report that has not been the subject of formal discussion among EU foreign ministers. I noted also that the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy /...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Travel (14 Dec 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 55 and 56 together. The core functions of my Department are predominantly concerned with international political and security policy, advancing reconciliation and cooperation on the island of Ireland, representing Ireland at the EU level, and promoting Ireland’s economic and trade interests in Europe and internationally. The Deputy will find details of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Expenditure (14 Dec 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Question Nos. 57 and 58 together. Photography My Department only avails of the services of external photographic agencies where it is warranted, in particular for major events and State occasions. This is a service which my Department provides so that the media can easily and freely avail of photography where their own staff photographers cannot be fully accommodated....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Expenditure (14 Dec 2017)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 60 and 61 together. Photography - 2017 My Department only avails of the services of external photographic agencies where it is warranted, in particular for major events and State occasions. This is a service which my Department provides so that the media can easily and freely avail of photography where their own staff photographers cannot be fully...

Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (Hague Convention) Bill 2016 [Seanad]: Order for Report Stage (13 Dec 2017)

Simon Coveney: I move: "That Report Stage be taken now."

Northern Ireland: Statements (13 Dec 2017)

Simon Coveney: Deputy Durkan should not be harangued by Sinn Féin Deputies.

Northern Ireland: Statements (13 Dec 2017)

Simon Coveney: I am very pleased to open these statements on Northern Ireland on behalf of the Government and I look forward to the debate. I know the intention is to have regular quarterly statements on Northern Ireland in the House, a development I very much welcome and support. The peace process is at a critical phase on a number of fronts. It is important that we regularly consider the issues in...

Other Questions: Brexit Negotiations (13 Dec 2017)

Simon Coveney: It is not by accident that the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Heather Humphreys, is also from a Border county. It was a deliberate decision by the Taoiseach to send a message that we are prioritising the Border counties in the context of the undoubted concern around Brexit. In the new capital expenditure programme, which will be announced in the first quarter of...

Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (13 Dec 2017)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy's question reminds me that I visited Erbil just after the Iraq war. The Kurds there are an extraordinarily resilient people, as they are in Kurdish parts of Turkey. A referendum on independence was held by the Kurdistan Regional Government in September 2017. On 6 November, the Federal Supreme Court of Iraq issued an opinion stating the referendum was illegal, and the...

Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (13 Dec 2017)

Simon Coveney: I wish to put on the record my admiration for the Kurdish people. They have been an extraordinarily resilient people and have played a significant part in facing extremism and terrorism within Iraq by directly fighting Islamic State. I do not have any details on the Turkey report but I can follow up on it for the Deputy. I will also need to follow up on the question of our direct supports...

Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (13 Dec 2017)

Simon Coveney: I am personally extremely concerned about the current situation in Yemen. Three years of war have had devastating consequences for civilians, with allegations of violations of international humanitarian law, and significant loss of life. The death of former President Saleh has led to increased violence this month. The closure of land, air and sea ports in November, including for the...

Other Questions: Middle East Peace Process (13 Dec 2017)

Simon Coveney: What about Deputy Crowe?

Other Questions: Middle East Peace Process (13 Dec 2017)

Simon Coveney: Will I let Deputy Crowe in first and then reply to both Deputies? I know what the Deputy wants to ask and I am happy to try to provide an answer.

Other Questions: Middle East Peace Process (13 Dec 2017)

Simon Coveney: My previous answer covers Deputy Durkan's comments regarding the need for the EU to be a more influential political player in the context of the Middle East peace process. This is all the more important now that the US has undoubtedly damaged its potential as an honest broker in the short to medium term, which is very clear from the statements made by the Arab League and many Arab...

Other Questions: Middle East Peace Process (13 Dec 2017)

Simon Coveney: Unfortunately, the figure is a lot higher than 500,000 and I agree with the Deputy that they are illegal. That is not just my view; it is also the view of the UN. The settlements are totally unacceptable and are counterproductive in the context of a lasting peace settlement. They also make the politics for the Palestinian leadership all the more difficult in terms of convincing people that...