Matt Carthy
Question:5. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the measures in place to ensure the safety and protection of Irish citizens in Sudan. [19749/23]
Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions
Foreign Conflicts
Pádraig O'Sullivan
Question:15. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the measures Ireland has taken at EU and international level regarding the ongoing civil unrest and humanitarian crisis in Sudan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19755/23]
Brian Leddin
Question:16. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his Department's plans for contingency planning for the evacuation of Irish citizens from Sudan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19892/23]
I ask the Minister for an update on the evacuation of Irish citizens in Sudan and other measures that are in place to ensure the safety and protection of our citizens.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 5, 15 and 16 together.
The Government and our EU partners remain seriously concerned at the situation in Sudan. Heavy fighting, including air strikes, has been taking place across Khartoum and the rest of Sudan since 15 April. Hospitals and critical infrastructure have been attacked. At least 500 people have been killed and thousands injured. Civilians are the main victims of the conflict, with many trapped in their homes, unable to access essential supplies.
A series of ceasefires were announced but they did not hold. However, the three-day ceasefire announced by the US Secretary of State, Mr. Blinken, on 24 April has eased the situation in some areas. Nevertheless, the situation remains very volatile and dangerous. Since the outbreak of hostilities, I have consistently expressed our deep concern and called on all parties to immediately commit to a ceasefire and allow access for medical and humanitarian assistance.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has conveyed to the ambassador of Sudan in Dublin our concern about the safety and security of our citizens. We have emphasised the obligation on the authorities to ensure the protection of all civilians, the provision of humanitarian access, and the protection of diplomatic personnel. Our embassy in Nairobi, which is accredited to Sudan, and the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin have been in continuous contact with Irish citizens in the country and have been advising and assisting with the process of evacuation of civilians. Since 23 April, 116 Irish citizens and family members have been assisted to leave Khartoum, mainly on fights to Djibouti, Jordan and Cyprus. I am particularly grateful for the assistance with these flights of our EU partners France, Spain, Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands. We also deeply appreciate the assistance of the United Kingdom in evacuating Irish citizens in recent days.
On 23 April, the Government approved the deployment of an emergency consular assistance team mission led by the Department of Foreign Affairs, to augment the ongoing consular support being provided to Irish citizens and to support evacuation operations led by EU member states. The team, currently based in Djibouti, includes officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and 12 members of the Defence Forces. The Department is also providing consular support to people evacuated to Djibouti, Jordan, Cyprus and other cities in Europe.
Even before the current outbreak of violence, some 16 million people in Sudan, one third of the population, were in need of humanitarian assistance. Humanitarian operations are now almost impossible, with most organisations suspending operations. A humanitarian pause in hostilities is vital to allow civilians to access basic supplies. Ireland has been a long-standing partner to the people of Sudan, providing more than €35 million in humanitarian and development aid since 2018. Earlier this month, we provided €3 million to the Sudan Humanitarian Fund to respond to the urgent humanitarian need.
On 24 April, I discussed the crisis in Sudan with other EU foreign Ministers at the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg. The Government will continue to work closely with our EU and other partners for an end to the conflict and to support the people of Sudan to return to a peaceful and democratic path.
I thank the Minister for that response. I commend everybody in his Department and in our Defence Forces who have been proactive in supporting our citizens in Sudan. I also join the Minister in thanking our European neighbours for their assistance. The obvious question that arises is how we can be better positioned in the time ahead, in instances like this, to be able to contribute to such multilateral efforts to evacuate citizens, when required. Although this crosses Departments, there has been reference to the fact that a down payment has been made in respect of a cargo plane that would have the capacity to go into places like Sudan and return citizens. Is the Minister in a position to give us an update on whether we are close to having that in our possession?
We are all very concerned about developments in Sudan over recent weeks. It is a very concerning time for all Irish citizens and their families as the situation there has been very fluid and unpredictable. The partnership and help that we have received from the French, Swedes and Spanish, as the Minister mentioned, demonstrates what being in the EU is all about and we should be very grateful to our EU colleagues for their ongoing support in that regard.
The Minister will be aware of recent criticism with regard to our lack of air capacity and I understand that he has taken steps to address this. I join Deputy Carthy in asking the Minister to inform the House of the latest developments in that regard.
I thank the Deputies for their comments. I will convey their best wishes to the consular staff, diplomats and members of our Defence Forces working in Djibouti, Cyprus, Egypt and Jordan in the co-ordination of this.
The first comment I would make in regard to this crisis and future crises is that we will always be part of a pan-European response. That is the benefit of being in the European Union. Much depends on who is strongest on the ground in given situations. The French would have been strong in Sudan, with bases in that jurisdiction. A mistaken and misplaced view was expressed in recent days that somehow we could just fly a plane into Khartoum but that would never have been a consideration. That said, there is a necessity for a stronger strategic capability and we have signed contracts with Airbus in that regard but obviously that will take time. The plane has to be built, delivered and so on. We also have two maritime aircraft which will come on stream in June which can be reconfigured for strategic airlift capability.
We already had its procurement in train through the procurement process. Its most immediate value would be in getting our own personnel out to the adjacent location, Djibouti for instance, more quickly than is currently the case, in order that they can co-ordinate better. That would be the first initial value in strategic capability, and then directly to evacuate people, working with other countries. I also believe in, and am exploring, being part of a broader EU approach. There are some programmes in Europe whereby countries come together and combine resources in regard to strategic airlift capability. That would not take from our own indigenous efforts to strengthen our own capabilities. It would be part of and contributing to a wider European approach.
I meant to ask this question as my first follow up. The Tánaiste mentioned that 116 Irish citizens have been evacuated. My understanding was that the original figure was around 200. Does the Tánaiste have a figure as to how many Irish citizens are in Sudan seeking evacuation? Will he give an update on the steps that are being taken and the timeframe for that? It is accepted that with missions such as this, there will always need to be a collaboration with EU and in some instances non-EU states. However, there is also a responsibility on us to be able to wash our own face in that respect. That is why I believe we need to carry out an appraisal and engage with our Defence Forces in regard to the type of equipment that is necessary in order to be able to play a proactive role in matters such as this so that we are not wholly dependent on other states to provide for the evacuation and safety of our citizens. Rather, we should be able to engage in a proactive manner in missions such as this when it is necessary.
I believe the Tánaiste just spoke there, as well as in the media recently, about joining a wider group of EU member states. He mentioned a possibility of a pan-European response in the future. In regard to that, will he expand on the development of such a strategy? Has he had any discussions at European level in that regard? How would he envisage such an arrangement working into the future?
We are obviously all worried about our citizens in Sudan. We welcome the great work that has been done by our diplomats, members of the Defence Forces and others in regard to evacuation. I spoke already to the Tánaiste about Dr. Amin Kheir. He works as a CAMHS consultant in Drogheda. He also worked in Trim. His colleagues contacted me. He was also on RTÉ. He has been in contact with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the embassy. To use his own words:
I have been offered an evacuation airlift for myself and I don't know how people are expecting me to leave my two elderly parents ... my preterm nephew and my vulnerable siblings behind to die in a warzone. I'm not going to do that.
I accept there may be difficulties. Some of this may relate to the capacity we do not have. However, I have sent the details on. Could contact be made to see if there is any means to assist in this situation.
My question is along similar lines. I thank the Tánaiste for outlining the details on the citizens he has been able to evacuate. He also mentioned that he was able to go beyond citizens. He referred to families as well. There will be situations where close relatives and immediate family of citizens may remain there. What efforts can be made to bring citizens' families to safety also? What capacity is there? The Tánaiste mentioned that some had already been brought to safety.
To address Deputy Carthy’s point, the numbers are fluid because some may not have registered with the embassy in the first instance. The numbers have increased. In the first evacuation, Irish citizens were probably among the first to be evacuated and 50 left in the first 24 hours of evacuation. As people saw that, more registered. There are now 116. As I said, the situation is fluid. Some are on the move, so I am wary of giving precise figures but close to 100 could still be in Sudan. When I say 116, that involves both citizens and their dependants.
In response to Deputy O’Sullivan, there are existing EU programmes where countries have come together and purchased aircraft. There are memoranda of understanding in regard to utilisation of that capacity and capability. I have asked my officials to explore joining such a programme which would give us access to the utilisation of aircraft in addition to procuring our own strategic capability. I have asked for that to be explored. I am keen that we join such a programme for humanitarian and evacuation purposes.
The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, is also creating a crisis centre. That had started prior to this situation and again underlines the European-wide response to this being the best way to do it, just as we did with the vaccines. Europe is better when it pools its resources and works together.
In regard to the families, an issue raised by Deputies Ó Murchú and Moynihan, in situations like this evacuation of citizens and their dependants takes priority. Dependants ordinarily means children and spouses who may not be citizens but they are generally evacuated as well. Those are generally the ground rules that apply to all countries participating in the evacuation. On the issues raised, I fully empathise with Dr. Kheir’s situation. I can fully understand that from a human perspective. There are challenges in terms of how that is organised more broadly in an evacuation context. We are being as flexible as we can be. However, there are challenges to that approach.
Northern Ireland Institutions
Aindrias Moynihan
Question:6. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent of his efforts to restore the Northern Ireland institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19926/23]
I am very much aware of the Tánaiste's strong interest in advancing the Northern Ireland institutions. Will he outline recent efforts and engagement he has had, in particular since the Windsor framework, with a view to re-establishing the institutions?
I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. The full and effective operation of all of the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement across all three strands is a key priority for me for and for our Government. The people of Northern Ireland are entitled to a functioning Assembly and Executive. In recent weeks we have seen cuts to services that will affect Northern Ireland's most vulnerable. It is vital that the people of Northern Ireland are represented by the politicians that they elected in May 2022. The absence of a functioning Executive also has knock-on effects on the operation of strand two of the agreement which has been severely disrupted in recent years. It is vital that the North-South Ministerial Council is allowed to continue its work as soon as possible.
I remain in regular contact with political representatives in Northern Ireland, reiterating the urgent need for a functioning assembly and Executive. I am also in regular contact with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with restoration of the institutions a core focus of our discussions. I met the Secretary of State and the British Prime Minister most recently last week, at the conference hosted by Queen's University Belfast to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. In my remarks at the conference I emphasised the importance that the Government attaches to the restoration of the devolved institutions. I had a substantial bilateral engagement with the Secretary of State on 6 April 2023 when we discussed the restoration of the devolved power-sharing institutions and the Irish Government's continuing opposition to the British Government's legacy Bill.
The Secretary of State and I also met at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference in Dublin earlier this year, which is a strand three institution. The Government will continue to work across all strands of the Good Friday Agreement in support of the devolved power-sharing institutions in Northern Ireland.
It is now two months since the Windsor framework was agreed. There has been an opportunity for the different parties to review the agreement and to have questions answered.
While some people might have had Good Friday or maybe the US presidential visit as target dates, they have come and gone. It is reasonable to allow people time to consult and clarify, but sooner or later a decision on this must be arrived at so things can move on and an Executive can be established. Is there an identifiable pathway, or what milestones does the Tánaiste see along the route to allow us to get back and establish an Executive? What of the right of the people of Northern Ireland to have a functioning Executive and their expectations about having their elected representatives fulfilling their roles? The right of a nationalist First Minister also seems to be denied in the absence of an Executive. I ask the Tánaiste to outline the milestones he sees ahead.
I thank the Deputy for the points he has made. Last week at the three-day event on the Good Friday Agreement a significant dinner was hosted by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland involving all those who participated in the agreement, but also many community groups and representatives of all the political parties. That gave me an opportunity to informally talk to all the leaders of the Northern Ireland political parties as well as the Secretary of State. Contacts, discussions and assessments are continuing, especially within the DUP. The party engaged in a consultation process with broader unionism and that has concluded. I have said repeatedly that I am very clear that when an election happens in a democracy, it should be followed by the establishment of a parliament or an assembly and then the formation of a government. That is what happens in all normal democratic situations after elections and it is not acceptable that the people of Northern Ireland are being denied the reconvening of the Assembly and the formation of an Executive. In those discussions and at the conference, no door was closed to the prospect of reopening the institutions.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Tánaiste. I agree that following on from an election it would be a reasonable expectation of people that an Executive would be re-established and functioning. The parties have not been able to get that up and running. I appreciate the various talks that are going on, but is there an identifiable pathway towards that, or what milestones does the Tánaiste see ahead? I take on board his point that no doors have been closed, but can see we where that landing zone might be and what milestones are along the way to achieving that, so the people of Northern Ireland can have the Executive up and running, as they are entitled to?
Deputy Ó Murchú wants to come in briefly before the Tánaiste replies.
I will be very brief. I welcome what the Tánaiste said about how following elections we should have a parliament and the formation of an executive. We would all like to see the DUP get into government as quickly as possible. My fear is around how we avoid drift. What does the Government intend to do on that? The council elections are imminent and the North is now facing serious Tory cuts. Some of this could be alleviated by the Executive being up and running. We are afraid of this drifting into the summer and the marching season and there are fears nothing will happen at that point.
We are all conscious of the particular milestones that have been outlined. I do not want to speculate on those or the impact of them on the restoration of the institutions. I found it interesting that in the debates and various contributions that took place last week no one said they were not going to go back into the institutions in the fullness of time. Groups have raised issues pertaining to the Windsor agreement. The agreement comprehensively addressed many of the issues unionist political parties raised. There is no question about that. I refer to questions about the movement of goods and the simplification of that. It was dramatic change really and was all based on the EU having access to UK data on trade flows and so on. Significant progress, therefore, was made. The Stormont brake and the manner in which the British Government applies it should give greater succour to unionists, because we are not enamoured with all of that. It is clear from a unionist perspective that that is something they would be supportive of in terms of how the UK Government applies that in its own legislation. I understand the Deputies' concerns and we will keep in touch on this.
International Relations
David Stanton
Question:7. Deputy David Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the situation in Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19764/23]
What are the Tánaiste's views on the situation in Sri Lanka? It is an awfully long way away, but there has been an economic collapse there. Things are pretty serious and sometimes what happens in countries like that can have an impact here, eventually.
The Deputy is absolutely correct; we are in a global world and it is a smaller global world. Sri Lanka has been facing huge challenges, not least relating to the impact of climate change, which has been severe. Sri Lanka is facing a severe economic crisis as a result of high national debt and the collapse of tourism during the Covid pandemic. This lead it to suspend foreign debt payments in April 2022. In this context, I welcome the specific financing assurances Sri Lanka recently obtained from bilateral creditors. While Ireland holds no bilateral sovereign debt, we are a member of the Paris Club and we encourage efforts to ensure debt sustainability for countries like Sri Lanka. Ireland is also a member of the Asian Development Bank and supports the bank’s ongoing assistance to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka benefits from preferential trading arrangements with the EU. These generalised scheme of preferences plus, or GSP+, arrangements mean lower tariffs for its exports. I welcome the efforts Sri Lanka has made to comply with the requirements for GSP+ status, which included ratifying 27 conventions on labour standards, environmental protection, good governance and human rights.
Specifically on human rights, Ireland engaged with Sri Lanka this year during its universal periodic review at the UN Human Rights Council in February. I underlined the need for inclusive national dialogue and an immediate moratorium on the use of the Prevention of Terrorism Act. Ireland will continue to promote human rights in Sri Lanka through this mechanism.
The Embassy of Ireland in India, which is accredited to Sri Lanka, actively monitors the situation in Sri Lanka in close consultation with the EU delegation in Colombo. Ireland’s ambassador to Sri Lanka visited the country in recent weeks. During this visit he exchanged views with the President of Sri Lanka, its Minister for Tourism and Lands, numerous senior officials and civil society. Ireland will continue to engage with the Sri Lankan Government and people as the country seeks to emerge from the current crisis.
I thank the Tánaiste for his response. I am sure he is aware of the humanitarian crisis that has developed in the country. There is a shortage of fuel and food. The 21 million people there are under intense pressure. There are long queues for fuel. Basics like milk, baby powder and so on are not available on the streets. Serious riots occurred in autumn. Are many Irish citizens based in Sri Lanka at the moment?
As I said, the country is continuing to respond to a severe economic crisis, which escalated in 2022 due to the high debt burden and also the pandemic-related fall in tourist numbers and this lead to the suspension of foreign debt payments in April 2022.
There is a small Irish community in Sri Lanka. We continue to provide consular assistance and advice to Irish citizens in Sri Lanka through our embassy in New Delhi and our honorary consul in Colombo. A number of consul visits to Sri Lanka have been undertaken to support Ireland's on-the-ground response to the current economic crisis. The Department currently advises Irish citizens to exercise a high degree of caution when travelling to the country.
With respect to our supports, we operate primarily as part of the European context. As I said, Sri Lanka benefits from the EU's GSP+ arrangement, which supports its economic development through trade.
I again thank the Tánaiste.
One of the issues that is developing there is that people are desperate to leave and they are selling what they have, including property and whatever else. They are mortgaging houses to get out and try to get to Europe and the traffickers are taking advantage of that. Would the Tánaiste bring that to the table in the EU so that it is aware of that and of the pressures people are under and to see what more can be done to assist the people there to get out of this shocking crisis they are in? It is leading to a major humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka with rising inflation, currency collapse and so on.
I thank the Deputy again for his insightful and detailed presentation of the case. I was about to say earlier that the focus of the EU's approach with Sri Lanka has been the generalised scheme of preferences plus arrangement, which aims to support Sri Lanka's economic development through increased trade with the EU, as well as by diversifying its exports and attracting investment. That system and the benefits of it are granted on the condition that Sri Lanka implements 27 international conventions on human rights, labour conditions, protection of the environment and good governance.
The EU is Sri Lanka's third most important trading partner and its second most important export destination, with a 13.6% share of Sri Lanka's overall trade. I will work with and talk to Josep Borrell about the broader issue of trafficking, smuggling and the pressure on citizens to see what the EU can do on the Common Security and Defence Policy side and in humanitarian interventions to see what we can do to curtail the work of the traffickers.
Passport Services
James O'Connor
Question:8. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that passport applications that are unsuccessful are not looked at until the end of the "estimated issue date"; the reason the applicant could not be informed of the problem within the first week of the Passport Office receiving the application in order to speed up the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19890/23]
I want to ask about and bring to the attention of the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the passport applications that are unsuccessful and the administrative issue that arises where an unsuccessful application is notified quite late in the process. The process does not necessarily allow applicants to amend the errors and there is a lack of an efficient and effective system in place should they wish to correct the errors and get their passports on time, which causes disruption in travel. Do the Department or the Minister have any feedback on that matter?
I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. We are in the busy season for passports, as citizens prepare for their upcoming summer travel plans. The passport service is successfully responding to the high demand, and has already issued 350,000 passports to date this year. All turnaround times are at their target level and there are no backlogs.
The customer service hub is responding to over 3,000 queries per day, the turnaround times outlined on my Department's website apply to fully complete and correct applications, and they are estimates based on current average processing times. Applications that are incomplete or incorrect will take longer. In cases where insufficient or incorrect supporting documents are received by the passport service, every effort is made to let the applicant know as soon as possible. Applications enter a queue and are checked in order of date received. It is not possible at present for the passport service to address issues with applications earlier in the process due to the volume of applications that are being received. The passport service has a system in place to ensure that when an application is incomplete and further supporting documents are required and requested, these applications are prioritised once the supporting documents have been received from the applicant.
The passport service continually works to enhance the service and provide further efficiencies for customers. The recent upgrade to the passport online platform provides significant improvements for first-time online applicants in particular. The new custom cover sheet, along with the general register office integration, reduces the administrative burden for these applicants. In addition, the eircode look-up tool minimises the potential for address-related errors on all types of online applications. The passport service will continue to consider ways in which to enhance this essential service for citizens.
The reason this is being raised is that we all know about the chaos that ensues when something goes wrong with a passport applications. As Deputies, we were all inundated with queries about that and the Minister's answer is perfectly justified in terms of the backlog that is there and that we are dealing post Brexit with people seeking Irish citizenship and passports, as well as the administrative issues around Covid-19 with people not applying. There was a staggeringly large number of people trying to get their passports at that time. The point I am making is genuine and it affects a small and limited number of people. It can often be the ruination of people’s holiday plans and they only find out at the last minute that these errors have cost them their passports. Mary from Turner's Cross might have to cancel her trip to Tenerife and end up in Tramore if these things are not solved.
The reason I am bringing this forward is that there is an opportunity to make a minor change, in time and when the backlog dies down, that will allow these amended errors to be dealt with a little more swiftly. This would enable a more efficient and fair system and it would mean people would not have to miss out on their international travel plans.
There is no backlog at the moment; none. Phone calls are being dealt with very quickly; within two to three minutes. As I said earlier in my replies, the longest wait for a call to be returned last week was five minutes and 350,000 passports have been issued this year.
What can we do to help first-time applicants, including helping them to complete their applications correctly? A recent upgrade to the passport online platform provides first-time applicants with a bespoke list of the documents they need to submit, which is customised for the applicant's specific circumstances. As I said earlier, we also offer video guides to assist citizens in submitting their correct photos. The general registration office system is quite significant and you can now do the birth certificate with the Passport Office, avoiding the need for a physical birth certificate to be sent.
We are constantly trying to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of this. The issue will be that as applications come in, they go into a queue. The Deputy has raised this issue and I will talk again to the Passport Office officials because they are constantly looking at ways to make this better and more customised for the customer who is applying for the passport.
Maybe there is not a backlog as such but the processing times for the applications, particularly for first-time applications, are what I am coming at. I accept there are systems in place and I acknowledge the fantastic and phenomenal work that is being done by officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs to try to cut down on waiting times, and some turnarounds have been as short as a number of days for people we have been dealing with. I am raising those genuine cases where people find themselves having identified an error at the end of the estimated date for the application to be completed and finding only at the end of the process that there is an error in the application. That may take a number of weeks to sort out. These are just a limited number of cases and perhaps now that the backlog has been tackled, as the Minister has said, we can do something about that. I am genuine in my remarks on that and I am not trying to pick holes but it would save a lot of people's international travel and prevent errors or mishaps occurring in the future and it is something that might not take an awful lot of effort to make a positive difference.
Deputy Ó Murchú wants to come in on the same issue.
I agree that we need to streamline the amendment system for passports because it is an issue. I would also ask if we have looked into improving the situation where members of the Garda have to sign passport applications. We still occasionally get the situation where the Passport Office rings the Garda station and nobody can locate the book. The fact that we are looking for the book is probably not the greatest set of circumstances.
I thank the Deputies for their comments. Some 350,000 passports have issued to date this year. All turnaround times are at their target levels and there are no backlogs. The customer service hub is responding to over 3,000 queries per day and it has handled over 200,000 queries to date in 2023. The Department of Foreign Affairs website includes a dedicated passport service section where applicants can easily find out what additional documents are required for their applications.
Perhaps it is evidence of his diligent constituency work but Deputy O'Connor has identified an area for his constituents to get an additional bump up in the queue. We are constantly looking at ways to improve this and we will go back and see what we can do. This approach of assisting applicants at the beginning with videos and bespoke guides is the way to go.
By the way, Tramore is not a bad place for a holiday location and I am sure Deputy Butler would welcome that.
I will leave that discussion for later.
And the gardaí-----
Those issues have improved immeasurably.
They definitely have. I just got a query about it this week; that is the only reason I raised it.
Question No. 9 taken after Question No. 10.
Good Friday Agreement
Bernard Durkan
Question:10. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which he perceives opportunities to advance the letter and the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement in the aftermath of the visit of President Biden, and to re-energise the Good Friday Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19860/23]
This question seeks to focus on the need for the re-energising of the Good Friday Agreement on the basis that it is a work in progress. The contributions that need to be made by all the contributors need to manifest themselves now.
I skipped a question but I will not go back to it now. We will deal with Deputy Durkan's question first.
I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and for the motivation behind his question. The visit of President Biden in the month that we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement was indicative of wider American support for peace on this island. Throughout his visit, President Biden spoke of the importance that the United States attaches to the agreement. The Taoiseach raised the ongoing political instability in Northern Ireland with President Biden during their bilateral meeting. I raised the political situation in Northern Ireland with the congressional and cabinet delegation that travelled with the President. Moreover, during my visit to Washington DC in February, I discussed the current situation in Northern Ireland with the Deputy Secretary of State, Wendy Sherman, the National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, and a wide range of political and civil society contacts. During my visits to New York and Massachusetts around St. Patrick's Day, I spoke with a wide variety of business, political and community leaders.
At Queen's University Belfast last week, we heard from a number of Americans who played a vital role during the peace process including former President Bill Clinton, the former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, and George Mitchell who, as an independent chairman of the Northern Ireland peace talks, played a pivotal role. Throughout the commemorative events for the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement in which I have participated, I have always emphasised the support of the United States, the European Union and other international partners. I remain in regular contact with political representatives in Northern Ireland, reiterating the urgent need for a functioning Assembly and Executive. I am also in regular contact with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with restoration of the institutions a core focus of our discussions. We will continue to work across all strands of the Good Friday Agreement in support of the devolved power-sharing institutions in Northern Ireland. President Biden and the delegations took a very neutral and objective approach in their visit. As President Biden said, it is up to the parties in Northern Ireland. All of that, combined with the Good Friday Agreement commemorations, will cause people to reflect on and consider the value of the agreement and the institutions, with a view to restoring those institutions.
I thank the Tánaiste. I fully agree with and support the measures taken by the Government and by the Tánaiste in particular. There now emerges a possibility for looking again, while recognising the great input of people like Michel Barnier in Europe when the threat was Brexit. That threat still remains. A period of inertia has developed. The focus has shifted from one issue to another, including the Northern Ireland protocol and the Windsor Framework, so that there is not the focus there was. Also emerging in Northern Ireland is the clear necessity for serious focus to be placed on the principles of the Good Friday Agreement, given that the institutions in Ireland are not working or have not worked to the extent needed. However, there are opportunities for all of the co-signatories to now fill that void.
I agree with most of what the Deputy has said. It is also important to point out that President Biden has appointed Joe Kennedy III as an economic envoy to Northern Ireland. Joe Kennedy spent a lot of time in Northern Ireland both prior to the week of the celebrations of the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement and during that week. He has had a lot of engagement with industry, business and political contacts. I met the Northern Ireland Business Brexit Working Group, which was very welcoming of the Windsor Framework. Above all, Northern Ireland needs certainty and stability to facilitate inward economic investment. All of these companies and sectors create jobs in Northern Ireland. The Windsor Framework provides an opportunity. The American support on the economic front, which has been very strongly communicated, and the support of the European Union and Maroš Šefčovič, who also attended in Belfast and to whom I pay tribute for his genuine and steadfast commitment to this issue, are also there to help economically
I thank the Tánaiste for his further reply. At this stage, would it be opportune to engage to an even greater extent with the communities on both sides of the debate in Northern Ireland and with the institutions in a helpful, non-aggressive and non-invasive way to assure them that the principles involved in the agreement are still alive and necessary and that we must strive to ensure that a vacuum does not develop wherein speculation replaces a very hard-won agreement that was fought for over a long number of years and to which everybody contributed?
I agree with the Deputy. In all of my visits to Northern Ireland and in my engagements, I have always ensured there was a community dimension to my programme. I refer particularly to meeting communities on both sides of interface locations, for example. I had a very interesting visit to Creggan and surrounding areas last year. It was striking that residents on both sides of peace walls said that they need to get to know each other better first, before any walls are taken down. The wall is the ultimate perceived barrier between the peoples and communities on both sides. It was very striking that communities in parts of Belfast I have visited are coming together through tremendous schooling and preschooling initiatives. Over time, those walls will literally melt away because the people will have engaged and come together. With the British Government, we can help to facilitate that through investment and the funding of community-based initiatives.
Táim ag dul ar ais anois go dtí ceist Uimh. 9, in ainm an Teachta Christopher O'Sullivan, atá á tógáil ag an Teachta Aindrias Moynihan.
Ukraine War
Christopher O'Sullivan
Question:9. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his current assessment of the situation with regard to Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19703/23]
Will the Tánaiste give us his current assessment of the situation regarding Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine as the brutality is now dragging on into its second year?
I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Intense fighting is continuing in eastern Ukraine, particularly around the city of Bakhmut. Russia is continuing its regular missile attacks on cities and civilian infrastructure across the country. Ireland remains unwavering in its support of Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and right to defend itself against Russia's brutal full-scale invasion. Ireland is supportive of the ten-point peace formula announced by President Zelenskyy last November. In March, the European Council reiterated the European Union's support for the plan noting that the European Union will continue to work with Ukraine on it.
To date, Ireland has welcomed more than 80,000 Ukrainians under the temporary protection directive. This figure equates to some 1.5% of our population. Ireland has provided over €174 million in bilateral support for Ukraine. This has included €52.5 million in stabilisation and humanitarian support and approximately €122 million in non-lethal military assistance through the European Peace Facility.
Ireland has consistently supported strong sanctions in response to Russia's illegal actions in Ukraine. European Union member states have imposed ten major packages of unprecedented measures since the invasion of Ukraine last year. Ireland is supportive of further packages of sanctions focused on degrading Russia's capacity to continue its aggression against Ukraine. We are also focused on ensuring that all measures adopted to date are fully and effectively implemented.
I understand that the EU Foreign Affairs Council exchanged views on the conflict this week and that, at the beginning of those discussions, the Ukrainian foreign minister addressed ministers via a video link, briefing them on the latest developments on the ground and on Ukraine's priorities and needs. Will the Tánaiste give an update on what the foreign minister said and what the response was? What action is the EU taking to sustain pressure on Russia through sanctions? What engagement is the EU having with third countries to prevent the circumvention of sanctions?
The Foreign Affairs Council met earlier this week, on Monday, and the foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, addressed that meeting by video conference. He is seeking a broad range of supports from the European Union, including the provision of weapons from those member states that are providing them in as timely a manner as possible and action to prevent the circumvention of sanctions.
He gave an outline of the current situation with Ukraine. The determination and the resilience of the people of Ukraine in the face of the most unprecedented and appalling assault on their homes and on their civilian infrastructure was very evident in his contribution. It was a strong presentation by the foreign minister, Mr. Kuleba, that also referenced the challenges the country faces. The European Union and the member states have collectively pledged assistance of approximately €67 billion to Ukraine and its people to date. This comprises of financial, humanitarian, emergency, budgetary and military assistance, as well as the hosting of refugees. This year, €4.5 billion of macro-financial assistance, out of a total of €18 billion committed for 2023, has been disbursed and the European Union has agreed on approximately €5.5 billion in military assistance to Ukraine under the European Peace Facility.
Reports on Wednesday indicate that the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, was going to send a delegation to Ukraine to hold talks with parties there. This was the first call he has had with President Zelenskyy since the invasion in February last year. According to Chinese media, his aim as set out is to facilitate these peace talks and bring about a ceasefire as soon as possible, and that he is going to be neutral on it. That is all coming despite China describing its partnership with Russia as a no-limits alliance. We have seen where there is a state visit and repeated close engagement there and there is little doubt as to where China's ambition or main interests lie. Given that, how does the Tánaiste see those proposed talks developing or does he think they are expected to go anywhere?
President Zelenskyy described his talks with President Xi Jinping as being meaningful and I believe they lasted well over an hour. As to the degree to which China can influence Russia, that level of engagement could have positive outcomes but we must wait and see. Any influence that can be exercised over Russia to withdraw and to cease the war is important. Russia started this war unprovoked. It is an imperialist war and it challenged and undermined the basic principles of the United Nations Charter in terms of sovereignty and territorial integrity. We would like China to acknowledge the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. I note in the commentary made by the Chinese Government that there is reference to its upholding of the principle of sovereignty and territorial integrity. The engagement has potential and every effort must be made to get Russia to withdraw from the war.
Question No. 11 taken with Written Answers.
Overseas Development Aid
David Stanton
Question:12. Deputy David Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his latest engagement with Dóchas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19765/23]
I ask the Tánaiste about his most recent engagement with Dóchas, which is made up of 58 organisations working in 104 countries and aims to reach the furthest behind.
Dóchas is the Irish association of non-governmental development organisations. Its mission is to enable international development and humanitarian organisations in Ireland to achieve greater impact in their work by working together. The Tánaiste and I met Dóchas and the CEOs of key Irish international NGOs on 22 February 2023. I was keen to meet with these stakeholders as a group as early as possible in my new role and had earlier held bilateral meetings with each of the CEOs who were at that meeting. The OECD has commended Ireland on the quality of our partnerships with NGOs, calling it the hallmark of our development co-operation. The Irish international NGO sector has a strong international reputation. Irish NGOs carry out important work supporting development and delivering humanitarian assistance and protection. They are well-placed to ensure aid reaches those to whom it is intended and are very well informed of the realities on the ground. I was personally very pleased to visit Zambia over the Easter break and see this happening on the ground and the impact they were having on family lives. At the meeting with Dóchas, the Tánaiste and I discussed a wide range of issues, including the global humanitarian system, the importance of gender equality and how we can effectively reach those who are furthest behind. The increasing number of humanitarian crises was noted as presenting a risk to hard-won development gains and shrinking civil society space was highlighted as a significant challenge by the NGOs. The sector acknowledged Ireland’s agility as a development partner, especially during the Covid-19 crisis. We expressed our appreciation for the impressive work carried out by the Irish international NGOs in the context of increased conflict, climate change, extreme violence against women and girls, and growing inequality. We also acknowledged the valuable information which the sector shared with us during our term on the UN Security Council. The Tánaiste and I will continue to meet with the sector on a regular basis.
I thank the Minister of State for his response. Will he comment on the concerns Dóchas and its membership have with respect to what they see as the reversal of the progress that had been made on the sustainable development goals since 2019? Can the Minister of State also give some indication as to Ireland's funding in this area with respect to reaching the furthest behind and funding for the Dóchas organisations? Are there plans to increase the same in line with the aim we had to reach the 0.7% target? Will the Minister of State comment on the ongoing support that Dóchas, the Department of Foreign Affairs, and Ireland have given to the victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria? Quite often, disaster like that hit the headlines when they happen. They stay in the headlines for a couple of days or weeks and then disappear but the actual suffering, crises and humanitarian pressures continue.
I thank the Deputy for the seven questions there. I will be as brief as I can. The sector acknowledged the difficulty in areas where there have been humanitarian crises. In some areas, it has set back the development work undertaken over previous years and we have to work to rebuild that, especially in relation to the earthquake in Turkey and Cyprus. Ireland was the first out to offer €10 million of aid immediately on the weekend that happened. We all recall the death of 30 GOAL workers in Syria who were from Syria and were good friends with our GOAL workers here in Ireland. I also acknowledge the funding of €515,000 that we have made available to Dóchas this year to support this core work. Dóchas is also carrying out a deep Irish public attitudes survey towards overseas aid and I look forward to seeing the results of this research in due course.
I thank the Minister of State for his response and join with him in congratulating Dóchas and the organisations for the fantastic work they do. As the Minister has pointed out, quite often they put their own lives at risk as we have seen with the GOAL workers. I ask the Minister to comment on the situation regarding front-line defenders, who are also a matter of concern to the Dóchas organisations. The fact is that so many of them are suffering around the world and have been killed, imprisoned or tortured and so on, for the work they do.
I met representatives of their organisation, Front Line Defenders, and especially people who are providing information on the ground and who want to keep a low-key presence in some of these countries so as not to be identified. We are making efforts to ensure their safety continues. Another point is that at our meeting with Dóchas, we specifically raised the issue, following my bilateral meeting, that there be board representation on the Irish NGOs from the southern hemisphere, where we are delivering so much aid directly on the ground and humanitarian benefit. That change has now been implemented by the Department already this year. When they apply for funding, each NGO that has not already got a member on the full board from the southern hemisphere, is required to put arrangements in place to make it more knowledgeable about the situation on the ground. I am very pleased that has actually happened and is in place this year. We are working, through Ireland's civil society partnership, on A Better World, which is a framework document we are working on with the NGOs and we are achieving considerable increases in overseas development aid, ODA, spending year on year.
British-Irish Co-operation
Deputy Carthy has the next question but we are literally out of time. There is a minute and a half left. Does the Deputy want 30 seconds to put his question?
Matt Carthy
Question:13. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his recent engagement with representatives of the British Government. [19752/23]
Very briefly then, will the Tánaiste report on his recent engagements with the British Government? I focus particularly on the so-called legacy Bill legislation.
We are dealing with Question No. 13.
It relates to engagements with the British Government. In the limited time he is apparently going to have, I ask the Tánaiste to reflect on his engagements in respect of the legacy Bill.
I have had regular interactions with the British Government in respect of the legacy Bill, especially in the context of the Good Friday Agreement. As outlined earlier, I attended the Queen's University events and so forth. I met the British Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, in person at the Munich Security Conference in mid-February. We have made very clear, as I did in my speech in Queen's University last week, the Government's opposition to the legacy Bill and the need for it to be paused in the Westminster Parliament. I have also met with many victims' groups as well. They are all united in their opposition to this legislation. We could not have been clearer about this in the meetings we have had to date with the British Government, including when I met the British Prime Minister last year, and the Taoiseach has continued in this vein, and in engagement with the Secretary of State. We have also raised our opposition to the legacy Bill and asked for it to be paused at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference.