Results 61-80 of 435 for 5 million speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (20 Jan 2022)

Simon Coveney: ...remains of grave concern. The conflict is having a devastating impact on civilians with reported widespread human rights violations, while the number of casualties continues to rise. Over 9 million people are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance, including 5.2 million people in Tigray alone. Through our bilateral engagements, as well as within the European Union and at the UN...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Policies (15 Dec 2021)

Simon Coveney: ...sector that my Department will continue to implement over the lifetime of the Programme. During 2021, one of the key commitments was to establish a Commission on the Defence Forces. On the 15th December 2020, the Government approved terms of reference and the membership of an independent Commission on the Defence Forces. The work of the Commission will inform the future development of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (14 Dec 2021)

Simon Coveney: ...continues to be the world’s most severe humanitarian crisis. Seven years of conflict, accompanied by economic collapse and the breakdown of public institutions and services, have left over 24 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. Ireland, along with all EU member states, fully supports the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, in his efforts to secure a...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (18 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22, 26, 30, 39, 50, 67, 68 and 69 together. Passport Service operations were severely disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, as were many Government Services. Notwithstanding that disruption and despite the fact that the processing of passports requires physical distance on site to deliver this service during Level 5 restrictions, the Passport Service...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (16 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: ...Service provided service to our citizens facing a medical emergency of death of a family member abroad at all times since the onset of the pandemic. The Passport Service has issued over half a million passports to date in 2021 and 45% of simple adult renewals issue within one business day. The Passport Service is currently experiencing a high demand for first time passports. These...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (10 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: I undertook a working visit to Israel, the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) and Jordan from 1-5 November 2021. This was my fifth visit to Israel and the oPt as Foreign Minister and my first visit during Ireland’s tenure on the UN Security Council. I had useful exchanges on situations of concern to Israel, Palestine and Jordan in the wider Middle East region, including in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Recent Meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council and the UN Security Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (9 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: ...and negotiated with the international community in terms of how that would be done. Those are the kinds of conversations that are taking place right now. It is a country with approximately 115 million people and there really needs to be an international focus to ensure it does not collapse and splinter into different tribal perspectives, which would be a disaster for the Horn of Africa....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Cross-Border Co-operation (4 Nov 2021)

Simon Coveney: ...Development Fund and through its operation of the Reconciliation Fund over many years. I am happy to confirm that the Department recently arranged payment of a supplementary allocation of €1 million by the Government towards the North West Development Fund, which supports strategic collaboration between Donegal County Council and Derry City and Strabane District Council to address...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (19 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: ...Re-Roofing Of Disaster Store Fire Proofing Upgrade, Cadet’s Mess CCTV Installation Upgrade Refurb Of Hospital Wards 2 And 8 €2.955 million €2.667 million €1.294 million In addition the Deputy may wish to note the following major capital projects which...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (30 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: ...five key benchmarks to inform the EU’s engagement with any future Afghan Government. There has also been close international cooperation and coordination on evacuation efforts.  A total of 58 Irish citizens and dependents have safely evacuated from Afghanistan since mid-August, including with the support of the Emergency Civil Assistance Team which I approved. My Department...

Afghanistan Crisis: Statements (29 Sep 2021)

Simon Coveney: ...Irish citizens and residents remain in Afghanistan and wish to return home. We continue to liaise with partners, including EU partners, regarding safe exit options in the period ahead. To date, 58 citizens and their dependents and family members have safely left Afghanistan. A total of 50 Irish citizens and their direct family members remain in Afghanistan and require ongoing support....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 Jul 2021)

Simon Coveney: ...lead to ensure effective co-ordinated international action to support the COVID-19 response of several African states. Ireland was the first bilateral donor in 2020 in Uganda to release funding amounting to €1.8 million to the World Health Organisation (WHO) to support the country’s COVID response plan, which enabled the procurement of 145,000 COVID-19 test kits and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 Jul 2021)

Simon Coveney: ...-income countries finance vaccines and support for developing countries to secure their share of global supply. In 2021, through the Irish Aid programme, Ireland has allocated approximately €100 million to global public health. Some €5 million of this has gone directly to support COVID-19 vaccines for developing countries. €4 million of this has been in direct support...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (13 Jul 2021)

Simon Coveney: ...is 1,555 personnel, as of 31 May 2021. Expenditure relating to the cost of the AR and NSR is drawn from a range of subheads. Subhead A.5 of the Defence Vote provides for a budget of €2.15 million of which €2.068 million is allocated for paid training for members of the AR and NSR. This allocation provides for seven days annual paid training for each effective member of...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Department of Foreign Affairs (Revised) (3 Jun 2021)

Simon Coveney: ...summarise the main activities and priorities under each expenditure programme. For 2021, the overall gross estimate for the foreign affairs group of Votes, which is Votes 27 and 28, is €807 million. This represents a €30 million increase on the 2020 allocation. For 2021, the total gross expenditure allocation for Vote 28, including a capital allocation of €10.5...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (1 Jun 2021)

Simon Coveney: ...air-based capability, my immediate priorities have been the acquisition of three Pilatus PC-12 aircraft in the Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) role and for two Airbus C295 maritime patrol aircraft. An additional PC-12 was also acquired in response to the Covid 19 situation. Some €276 million, including VAT, has been committed to the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (27 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: The Defence Forces Built Infrastructural Programme 2020-2025 (IDP) was published in January 2020. This Programme, which is a 5 year plan, provides a blueprint for investment in the Defence Forces built infrastructure over a multi annual timeframe. Over the course of the programme it is projected that some €145m will be allocated to ensure programme delivery. This year’s...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (25 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: ...air-based capability, my immediate priorities have been the acquisition of three Pilatus PC-12 aircraft in the Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) role and for two Airbus C295 maritime patrol aircraft. An additional PC-12 was also acquired in response to the Covid 19 situation. No decisions have been made for the acquisition of additional aircraft in...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for the Public Services 2021
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (20 May 2021)

Simon Coveney: I welcome the opportunity to engage with the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence to consider the 2021 Revised Estimates for public services, Vote 35 - Army Pensions; and Vote 36 - Defence. In this opening statement, I will set out the overall position and update members on some of the recent developments within the defence sector. As members will know, the defence sector...