Results 21-40 of 40,850 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Meetings (20 Mar 2024)

Simon Coveney: Since my appointment as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment I have not met with the organisation in question. My predecessor as Minister met with the organisation on 13th January 2022. An official of my Department had an online meeting with the organisation on 22nd July 2021 where they provided an overview of new initiatives. In addition, the organisation in question is...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Trade Sanctions (20 Mar 2024)

Simon Coveney: EU sanctions are instruments used by the EU to bring about a change in policy or behaviour by the target country, entity or individual. EU Member States are responsible for the implementation and enforcement of EU sanctions, as well as for identifying breaches and imposing penalties. However, decisions on the adoption, renewal, or lifting of sanctions regimes are taken by the Council of the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (20 Mar 2024)

Simon Coveney: I appreciate the concern from businesses regarding the rising costs they are seeing at the moment and as they deal with the rising cost of doing business. It is important to note that the impact of rising prices is not unique to Ireland, but an issue facing all major economies around the world. The Government has advanced a range of measures to improve working conditions in Ireland,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Social Media (20 Mar 2024)

Simon Coveney: My Department hosted nine Building Better Business conferences around the country in 2023. The aim of the conferences was to highlight the Department’s Regional Enterprise Plans and also the challenges of digitalisation and the transition to a low-carbon economy. The events were aimed at local businesses including SMEs and were attended by many State agencies and offices who advised...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Public Private Partnerships (20 Mar 2024)

Simon Coveney: My Department and its related Offices (the Workplace Relations Commission, the Companies Registration Office, the Labour Court and the Intellectual Property Office of Ireland) have no ongoing or planned Public-Private Partnership projects. With respect to the Agencies under my aegis, I have asked the them for the relevant information on this matter and will revert to the Deputy at the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (7 Mar 2024)

Simon Coveney: The Increased Cost of Business Grant will mainly provide support to many small and medium enterprises operating from rateable premises. A total of €257m has been allocated for the purposes of the grant. The administration of the Increased Cost of Business Grant (ICOB) will be undertaken in accordance with a Service Level Agreement (SLA) between the Department of Enterprise, Trade...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Coveney: To Deputy Dillon, I will make sure the Minister for Education comes back to you on those two issues. Every child should be able to get a place in a school at a reasonable distance from their home, whether in Mayo or anywhere else. I know there are pressures in some parts of the country given population growth pressures and so on. We are putting a huge budget into education in terms of...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Coveney: 1 o’clock I thank the Deputy for that question. I know the incoming chair of RTÉ well. He is a very smart and capable person. He will be more than aware of the importance of TG4 and Irish-language media more generally. I am confident he will ensure the concerns the Deputy has addressed regarding the Irish-language speaking community and the importance of TG4 and...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Whenever any changes are made to how resources are allocated in schools it can cause a lot of worry for students and parents, as Deputy Nolan has just outlined. We want to ensure that every child with special educational needs has access to the most appropriate school place. Schools were notified of their special educational teacher allocation...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Coveney: I think the terms of reference of that report were only agreed. I will have to check the timeline for the Deputy. Obviously, Frank Clarke is an extremely competent individual. I will get the Deputy a timeline for the publication of the report from the Minister. It was my understanding that the terms of reference were only created in the last few weeks.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Coveney: I agree with the Deputy, for a change, on this issue. We need to move away from the extent to which we rely on digs accommodation at the moment, to more appropriate student accommodation, which should be on-campus or close to campus where possible. The Minister, Deputy Harris, has done an extraordinary amount of work in this area. Now more than ever before, we are seeing student...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Coveney: I am very familiar with the issues with Carrigaline Community Special School. We have spoken to the Minister of State about that, and she has been hugely helpful in trying to get solutions to effectively involve new structures. We recognise the frustrations, as well as the inability to get appropriate special staffing levels for certain necessary therapies and interventions. We will...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Coveney: I hear what the Deputy is saying, but I will have to ask the line Minister to come back to him with a more detailed answer. I presume it is a combination of safety and appropriate regulation of driver licences.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. He is a constant advocate, both in committee and in this House, for the circular economy. We are acting on this issue. In particular, this year we are targeting the biggest emitters in our economy. The IDA group of companies comprises more than 1,800 companies of which around ten of them represent the vast majority of emissions. Likewise, in...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Coveney: I will give the Deputy the same answer I gave Deputy Naughten earlier. I am aware the scheme is due to end at the end of the month. It is a matter for the consideration of the Department of Health and the Minister. I will ask the Minister to come back to the Deputy directly. We have not had any recommendation to Government in relation to this issue, at least not yet.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Coveney: There is very real concern on this issue. I want to say to people listening to vote at the end of this week. Changing a country's constitution is a big deal. No one should allow other people to make decisions for them. I encourage everybody to vote. This is an opportunity to modernise and improve our Constitution in relation to both questions. I hope people take the opportunity to do...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Coveney: I am familiar with this project. It has taken a long time to get to this stage with regard to site selection. This is an elective-only hospital, which is relatively new in Ireland in terms of structure. We are pushing as hard as we can to get it built as soon as we can. In the meantime, it is important to say that there are multiple projects at big hospital campuses like CUH, for example,...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Coveney: On the issue of President von der Leyen, I think the Taoiseach has outlined a very different perspective from Ireland than, perhaps, the perspective that she has outlined at different times. However, I think President von der Leyen has done an extraordinary job if you look at the role she has played in the round over the last number of years. She has, I think, given extraordinary leadership...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Coveney: Ireland continues to be the most vocal country in the European Union regarding the humanitarian disaster that has unfolded in Gaza, and we will continue to be that vocal voice. Calling for a ceasefire, as we have done for months, is now the mainstream position, and we are calling for the release of hostages and a massive humanitarian aid effort to be facilitated into Gaza as soon as possible.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Coveney: I am sorry, I could not hear the Deputy.