Tuesday, 5 Dec 2023

Written Answers Nos. 129-142

Middle East

Questions (129)

Matt Carthy

Question:

129. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the actions he has taken in response to the forced displacement of Palestinians from their homes in the West Bank; the increased funding announced for illegal Israeli settlement construction and expansion in the West Bank, described by the High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security Policy as a breach of international humanitarian law; the increased funding to ‘search and destroy’ European Union-funded projects in the West Bank; the funding for arming illegal settlements in the West Bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53479/23]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs

We are deeply concerned about the situation in the West Bank and there is an urgent need for all parties to cease all unilateral measures that impede peace, including illegal settlement activity.

In February of this year, the UN Security Council underlined that Israeli settlement activities are dangerously imperilling the viability of the two-State solution based on the 1967 lines. Within the context of the current crisis since the brutal Hamas attacks on October 7th, we have also seen a sharp rise in settler violence and the displacement of Palestinian communities. Settler violence and the displacement of Palestinian communities are unacceptable and must end.

Ireland has consistently condemned the practice of illegal settlement activity and highlighted our concern over its impact on Palestinian communities and on the viability of a two-state solution. In this regard, I also condemn recent announcements of additional funding for illegal settlements. Such funding will only add to tensions in an already febrile atmosphere and travels further down a path that jeopardises the viability of a two-state solution, which we believe remains the best solution to guarantee the peace and security of both Israeli and Palestinian people.

At EU level, I intend to discuss with like-minded EU Member States potential actions that the EU can take in relation to the situation in the West Bank. For example, I note President Biden's comments on the willingness of the US to consider targeted travel bans against violent settlers who are actively involved in displacing Palestinian communities.

Ireland will also continue to work to influence the EU’s collective stance, building on the central pillars of a clear position on the illegality of Israeli settlements in the West Bank under international law and the EU’s ongoing concern over the rise of extreme settler violence.

Recent events in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory have raised serious questions of compliance with international law, in particular international humanitarian law. The Government has made clear that we fully support impartial and independent investigations into any and all breaches of IHL and other relevant branches of international law by the appropriate authorities – including the International Criminal Court which has an investigation under way into events in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory since March 2021.

Middle East

Questions (130)

Matt Carthy

Question:

130. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his response to President of the European Commission burdening NGOs with bureaucracy in an attempt to stem aid to Palestine, in the spirit of an announced cessation of aid to Palestinian rebuked by Ireland and other member states, and despite a recent review having concluded that existing safeguards ‘work well’ and that ‘no evidence has been found to date that money has been diverted for unintended purposes’; and so as to ensure parity of treatment with regard to aid to Palestine and trade with Israel, in line with statements of the Taoiseach, the actions he has taken to limit trade with Israel in a comparative manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53480/23]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs

Continued development and humanitarian support for the Palestinian people is absolutely essential.  We have welcomed the increase in EU humanitarian assistance to Gaza to over €100 million so far this year. 

We had called for the review of assistance to Palestine, announced by the Commission, to be carried out swiftly and in close consultation with member States.  I take note of the conclusion of the review, and welcome in particular the conclusion, as we would have expected, the Commission’s existing controls and safeguards work well and that there is no evidence that funding has been diverted for unintended purposes.

In light of the proven effectiveness of already extensive safeguarding measures, we are continuing to work with our fellow EU Member States and the Commission on clarifications around the review’s recommendations. We believe that additional controls, as proposed by the Commission, could have a negative impact on EU assistance to the Palestinian people. 

It is also more important than ever that the EU steps up its political engagement with the Palestinian Authority. We have called for the opening of negotiations as soon as possible on a full Association Agreement, which would formally be concluded upon Palestinian statehood.

Ireland's long-standing development and humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been provided as an integral part of our contribution to the achievement of a just, enduring and stable peace based on a two-State solution.  So far this year, we have provided a total of €29 million in development and humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people. We expect to be in a position to announce further support shortly.

We remain steadfast supporters of our trusted partners in their efforts to deliver needs-based humanitarian and development aid in the most appalling conditions. The only way to avoid any further suffering is to ensure a sustainable ceasefire, which we encourage all parties to renew, and to ensure the protection of civilians.  These are prerequisites for the re-establishment of a credible political process.

Middle East

Questions (131)

Matt Carthy

Question:

131. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his efforts to secure the release of Palestinian people interned by Israel in administrative detention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53481/23]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs

At the end of September 2023, the Israel Prison Service was holding 1,310 Palestinians, including children, in administrative detention. Since the Hamas attack on October 7, I understand that has increased to more than 2,000.

Ireland has called on the Israeli authorities to end the practice of administrative detention completely.

We have also repeatedly highlighted the applicability of international human rights standards and international humanitarian law in respect of detainees, in particular obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention. Detainees must have the right to be informed of the charges underlying any detention, have access to legal assistance, and receive a fair trial.

At the UN Human Rights Council, most recently in July of this year, Ireland has called on the Israeli authorities, in accordance with their obligations under Article 9 of the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to refrain from conducting arbitrary arrests and to follow the acceptable procedure established by law regarding arrest and detention. Ireland also made a recommendation to Israel regarding the treatment of detainees during the most recent Universal Periodic Review of Israel at the Human Rights Council in 2018, expressing concern at Israel’s extensive use of administrative detention in particular.

United Nations

Questions (132)

Neasa Hourigan

Question:

132. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline Ireland’s position at the United Nations and other relevant international forums regarding lethal autonomous weapon systems; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53571/23]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs

Autonomous Weapons Systems raise important challenges with respect to human control and judgement over the use of force, as well as humanitarian, legal, security and ethical perspectives.

 It is our position is that human beings must make decisions with regards to the use of force. Systems that do not incorporate human control must not be developed, deployed or used.

Ireland is actively engaged in international discussions on this issue. The primary international forum for discussions on lethal autonomous weapons (LAWS) is the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on LAWS. This forum sits under the United Nations (UN) Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), for which Ireland is a High Contracting Party. Ireland has, and continues to be an active participant on LAWS within this group and other CCW fora.

We continue to raise Ireland’s position on LAWS in broader international and regional disarmament fora, including UN General Assembly First Committee, where we recently co-sponsored Austria’s First Committee Resolution on LAWS at the 78th Session of First Committee. 

Ireland has also engaged on other recent initiatives that are in development regarding broader military uses of artificial intelligence, including in relation to their potential role on LAWS. These include attendance at the Dutch hosted REAIM Summit in February 2023 - an initiative on Responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain, and endorsement of the US Political Declaration on Responsible Military Use of AI and Autonomy in November 2023.

Departmental Communications

Questions (133)

Carol Nolan

Question:

133. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if his Department operates an X account (formerly Twitter) or any other social media account, and if such accounts are verified through a subscription fee; the policy in place that guides when any of these accounts can ‘like’, endorse or support a posting on X or other social media platforms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53655/23]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs

The Department of Foreign Affairs operates accounts on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. None of these accounts are verified through a subscription fee. Operators of these accounts use the Department’s Social Media Handbook as a guide for all social media usage.

Diplomatic Representation

Questions (134)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

134. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to list the countries that in the past 20 years have asked to establish formal diplomatic missions in Ireland; the year they applied; the reason they have not been established to date if available; and if any have been refused, the number refused and the reason. [53731/23]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs

Requests to establish resident foreign diplomatic missions in Ireland are considered by the Government on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961 and those of the Diplomatic Relations and Immunities Act 1967.

Based on a review of the records held by my Department and compiled in the time available, a list of the seventeen countries that established resident diplomatic missions in Ireland over the period to which the Deputy refers is set out below.

In the time available, it has not proved possible to confirm the year when formal negotiations on the opening of a resident diplomatic mission began in every case.  

My Department is not aware of any case during the timeframe in question where a request to establish a resident diplomatic mission was considered by the Government and subsequently refused.

Country	Year Formal Request Received	Year Established
Algeria	2019	2020
Colombia	2018	2018
Estonia		2003
Georgia	2010	2010
Iraq	2022	2023
Kenya		2007
Kuwait	2021	2023
Lesotho		2004
Luxembourg	2021	2022
Malta		2005
New Zealand	2017	2018
Peru	2017	2017
Saudi Arabia	2005	2009
Slovenia	2020	2020
Sudan	2014	2016
Sweden	2021	2023
UAE	2009	2010

Diplomatic Representation

Questions (135)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

135. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of foreign diplomatic missions located in Ireland; the number with ambassadors; the number with only a consular service or honorary consulates; and the number of staff employed in each. [53732/23]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs

There are currently 67 resident foreign diplomatic missions in Ireland employing some 581 staff across diplomatic, administrative and technical, and service categories as notified to the Department of Foreign Affairs under Article 10 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961. 

A list of all the foreign diplomatic missions in question and their respective Ambassadors as well as details of Honorary Consular representatives in Ireland, can be found in the Diplomatic List as published on my Department’s website. 

The numbers of accredited staff employed by each mission are set out below. This information is based on Article 10 notifications processed by my Department as of 30 November 2023. The information supplied in respect of the USA includes the total number of US Customs and Border officials who are located here and as notified to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Locally engaged staff as employed by resident diplomatic missions are not notified to the Department of Foreign Affairs and this Department does not hold information on numbers of staff that work in support of Honorary Consular representatives.

It is for each foreign diplomatic mission and the relevant sending State authorities to determine their exact mission configuration and the services that they provide to their citizens in Ireland but consular services are a typical priority work area for all missions.  

Staff Numbers (accredited diplomats, administrative and technical staff and service staff) by Diplomatic Mission

Algeria	8
Argentina	4
Australia	3
Austria	4
Belgium	3
Brazil	9
Bulgaria	3
Canada	3
Chile	3
China	25
Colombia	6
Croatia	6
Cuba	2
Cyprus	1
Czech Rep.	5
Denmark	2
Egypt	14
Estonia	2
Finland	3
France	20
Georgia	7
Germany	9
Greece	6
Holy See	5
Hungary	6
India	10
Iran	6
Iraq	9
Israel	7
Italy	8
Japan	15
Kenya	5
Korea (Rep.)	13
Kuwait	6
Latvia	5
Lesotho	5
Lithuania	7
Luxembourg	2
Malaysia	5
Malta	3
Mexico	8
Moldova	4
Morocco	10
Netherlands	4
New Zealand	3
Nigeria	9
Norway	2
Pakistan	10
Palestine	4
Peru	4
Poland	10
Portugal	11
Romania	12
Russia	16
Saudi Arabia	27
Slovak Republic	5
Slovenia	2
South Africa	6
Spain	13
Sudan	4
Sweden	2
Switzerland	2
Turkiye	12
UAE	7
UK	21
Ukraine	6
USA	102

United Nations

Questions (136)

Matt Carthy

Question:

136. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason Ireland abstained on the UN General Assembly resolution which called on Israel to withdraw from the occupied Golan Heights in accordance with previous Security Council resolutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53733/23]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs

On 9 November, Ireland voted in favour of a resolution on “The Occupied Syrian Golan” at the Fourth Committee. This resolution was approved by a recorded vote of 146 in favour, including Ireland and other EU Members, to 2 against and 23 abstentions. This resolution is scheduled to be voted on again in the UN General Assembly on 7 December. Ireland will again vote in favour of this resolution at the General Assembly.

On 28 November, the UN General Assembly voted on a resolution titled “The Syrian Golan”. This resolution passed by vote on 91 in favour to 8 against, with 62 abstentions. Ireland, along with all other EU Member States, abstained from the vote.

The first resolution mentioned is tabled in the context of Israeli practices and settlements affecting the rights of the Palestinian People and other Arabs of the occupied territories. It is has a solid grounding in international law and uses traditional UN language that is acceptable to the EU.

The second resolution mentioned has a narrower focus and contains geographical references which could undermine the process of negotiation of a just and lasting peace based on a two state solution.  For these reasons, and given its strong association with the Assad Regime, EU abstention on this resolution is a longstanding practice.

United Nations

Questions (137)

Matt Carthy

Question:

137. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the UN General Assembly resolutions and UN Security Council resolutions that Ireland has voted on that called on Israel to withdraw from the occupied Golan Heights, the dates of each resolution and the position taken by Ireland in each instance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53734/23]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs

I refer the Deputy to the United Nations Digital Library Website, digitallibrary.un.org/?ln=en, which provides a full record of the list of resolutions adopted by the General Assembly and the Security Council, and the position taken by Ireland in each instance.

Middle East

Questions (138)

Catherine Connolly

Question:

138. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs given that the International Criminal Court is engaged in an active investigation of the situation in Palestine, including an investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity, and given Ireland's political and financial support for the Court's work, if there are any plans to communicate advisories to Irish citizens and residents who may be serving or volunteering in the Israel Defence Forces on the potential legal consequences and individual criminal liability that could arise under both Irish and international criminal law from their conduct in the course of such service or volunteering; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53774/23]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs

I refer the Deputy to my reply of 22 November. I can clarify that the Department has no plans to issue an advisory along the lines suggested. 

Departmental Advertising

Questions (139)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

139. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs how much his Department has spent on advertising on a website (details supplied) for each of the years 2019 to 2022 and to date 2023, in tabular form; and whether his Department will still run advertisements on the platform going forward due to issues. [53800/23]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs

The Department of Foreign Affairs uses public awareness campaigns primarily to promote essential services to citizens at home and abroad such as passport and consular services. In recent years, public awareness campaigns in relation to COVID-19 travel restrictions and Brexit have formed a significant part of advertising costs.

As with other Government Departments, the Department of Foreign Affairs engages the services of a third-party media agency (PHD Media) for the purposes of advertisement placement and reaching audiences across a range of mediums including digital advertising, print media, radio, outdoor and TV.

The Department’s spend on advertising and public awareness campaigns is primarily conducted through this agency with the aim of maximising the audience reach, without direct engagement or financial transactions with social media organisations such as Twitter/X.

The below figures represent the costs of DFA HQ advertising activity placed with website Twitter/X that took place within each of the relevant calendar years.

X (formerly Twitter) total spend from 2019 – 30, November 2023:

2019	TWITTER	€ 78,884.07
2020	TWITTER	€ 4,539.94
2021	TWITTER	€ 49,773.36
2022	TWITTER	€ 60,440.31
2023 (Nov 30th)	TWITTER	€ 10,347.87

Middle East

Questions (140)

Catherine Connolly

Question:

140. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps taken to ensure that a US navy aircraft (details supplied) was not transporting US soldiers or military materials for delivery to Israel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53820/23]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs

Under the terms of the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order, 1952, all foreign military aircraft wishing to overfly, or land in, the State require diplomatic clearance from the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Diplomatic clearance is subject to strict conditions, including that the aircraft is unarmed; that it carries no arms, ammunition or explosives; that it does not engage in intelligence gathering; and that the flight in question does not form part of a military exercise or operation.

This policy is well known and is fully understood by the United States and other international partners.

With respect to the aircraft in question, I am satisfied that the correct diplomatic clearance procedures for foreign military landings were followed in full.

Climate Change Policy

Questions (141)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

141. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications what subsidies the Government has provided to develop carbon capture and storage technologies in each of the years 2015 to 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53260/23]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications

The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications has no records of subsidies paid to develop carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies in the years requested.

However, several Irish assessment studies on the issue have been funded and conducted in recent years:

• SEAI, 2008: ‘Assessment of the Potential for Geological Storage of CO2 for the Island of Ireland’

• EPA, 2010: ‘An Assessment of the Potential for Geological Storage of CO2 in the Vicinity of Moneypoint, Co. Clare’

• The GSI 2014: Irish Sea Carbon Capture and Storage Project’

• SEAI 2022 'Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS)' report as part of the National Heat Study series

In the Climate Action Plan there is recognition of the importance of CCS as a developing means of mitigating emissions from hard to abate activities. Within the current Climate Action Plan there are actions to be progressed in 2024 to advance the policy position on CCS. Furthermore, since 2015, CCUS has become a more readily deployable technology as demonstrated by international projects such as The Northern Lights and The Brevik CCS projects.

Waste Management

Questions (142)

Peter Burke

Question:

142. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if an extension to the temporary extension of the Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 will be considered, given the difficult weather conditions which have persisted in recent months. [53314/23]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications

The Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) Regulations 2009 make it an offence to dispose of waste by uncontrolled burning. Article 5 of these Regulations provided an exemption to allow for the disposal of uncontaminated wood, trees, tree trimmings, leaves, brush, or other similar waste generated by agricultural practices only. Such burning was only to be done as a final measure following the application of the waste hierarchy. Article 6 of the Regulations provided a five-year sunset clause for this exemption, however it has since been extended through amending Regulations on six occasions.Following the granting of a further one-year exemption in early 2022, this Department engaged with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) in an attempt to regularise the situation. As a result, DAFM engaged the Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) to carry out a feasibility study to explore options for the sustainable management of agricultural green waste in Ireland. This study was submitted to DAFM in November 2022 and is available on the gov.ie website at the following link - gov.ie - Climate Change, Bioenergy & Biodiversity (www.gov.ie).

In light of the conclusions and recommendations set out in the feasibility study, particularly relating to the fact that many farmers were mid-cycle in their burning process, it was decided that the exemption should be extended for a final time for a further two-month period until 1 March 2023 and again for a further three-month period from 1 September 2023 to 30 November 2023. DAFM distributed official guidance to both the farming sector and local authorities on sustainable alternatives to such burning in September 2023. It has been well flagged with the sector that this is the final extension to an exemption that was originally intended to expire in 2015 under the Regulations.