Written Answers Nos. 14-25
14. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the recent visit of the President and the Minister of State to South America and the estimated impact on relations and trade between Ireland and Chile, Brazil and Argentina; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44910/12]
View answerPresident Michael D. Higgins, accompanied by Mr Joe Costello T.D., the Minister of State at my Department with responsibility for Trade and Development, recently concluded an official visit to Chile, Brazil and Argentina. The visit provided a valuable opportunity to build upon existing links with these three countries. The busy schedule included comprehensive meetings with the Presidents of each country visited, as well as contacts with Irish communities, and business engagements.
In all contacts, President Higgins and Minister Costello availed fully of opportunities to promote Ireland as a stable and desirable investment, business and education partner. In Chile, a business network event was hosted by the Embassy of Ireland and was attended by Irish companies and their local partners. The programme in Argentina also had a business component with the Irish State Agencies and Irish companies participating in a business event hosted by Enterprise Ireland.
Brazil, now the world’s sixth largest economy, is a priority market under the Government’s Trade Strategy. President Higgins’s visit, and the accompanying Enterprise Ireland mission of 42 companies and third level institutions led by Minister Costello, raised Ireland’s profile in this key high growth market. A number of agreements with Brazilian partners were finalised, including announcements of export contracts secured by Irish companies and agreements signed between third level education institutions. Another key event was the launch of the participation of Irish third-level institutions in a Brazilian scholarship programme that focuses on Science and Technology. Under this programme, we look forward to up to 4,000 Brazilian students studying in Ireland at under-graduate level over the next four years, as well as up to 1,500 post-graduate students.
The President’s programme included other opportunities to build Ireland’s profile in South America. The President delivered well-received addresses at the University of Diego Portales in Chile, and at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil. President Higgins also addressed a seminar in Chile organised in connection with next January’s European Union – Community of Latin American and Caribbean States Summit, and was the keynote speaker at a seminar in Buenos Aires on migration from Ireland to Argentina. The programme also recognised the commitment to human rights protection and promotion that Ireland and these three countries share.
I look forward to bilateral contacts increasing with Chile, Brazil and Argentina. I am confident that such links will include greater business ties but will also encourage deeper political and cultural contacts as well as a wide-range of people-to-people connections. Increased contacts in all areas will bring related benefits in terms of more trade, investment and ultimately jobs and prosperity.
15. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the recently released UN report, 27 August 2012, which states that Gaza will not be liveable by 2020, barring immediate action; if he has raised the damning report with the Israeli Government; and if he will take any action on this report. [44802/12]
View answerIreland has consistently stressed that conditions in Gaza are already intolerable, that problems in areas such as education, sewage and drinking water are progressively worsening, and that these conditions, allied to a growing young population and huge unemployment, are creating textbook conditions for militant groups to flourish and recruit. The recent UN report ‘Gaza in 2020’ only reinforces these messages. I visited Gaza myself in January this year, to see conditions for myself. The blockade makes it impossible for local authorities or international organisations to keep pace with the need for basic services in a rapidly growing population. The UN report underlines this. Schools in Gaza already work on double shifts, and there is presently a demand for an additional 250 schools. In recognition of these problems, Ireland has provided €12m to UNRWA since 2010 to provide basic education, health and social services to Palestinian refugees, and a further €500,000 to UNRWA’s food aid programme in Gaza. But outside aid can at best only ameliorate the problems, as long as the blockade stifles normal economic activity.
The Government’s conviction that the blockade causes unnecessary hardship for the civilian population in Gaza and those working to assist them is made clear unequivocally to the Israeli authorities at every opportunity. In my meetings with PM Netanyahu and FM Liberman in January, I stressed the futility of the blockade, and that it is counter-productive to Israel’s security concerns. Ireland will continue to raise these concerns and to urge the Israeli authorities to fundamentally alter their policies in relation to Gaza and open up the border crossings to all normal commercial, humanitarian and human traffic, as called for in Security Council Resolution 1860 of January 2009.
16. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans for the further rationalisation of Irish embassies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44885/12]
View answerIreland’s diplomatic network includes 56 Embassies, 7 multilateral Missions and 10 Consulates General and other offices overseas. In addition to their country of primary accreditation, many Ambassadors are also accredited to additional countries on a non-resident basis which enhances the cost-effectiveness of our external representation. Our missions abroad perform a wide range of functions in pursuit of Ireland’s foreign policy interests. These include representing and advancing government policies with other States and in international organisations, in particular the EU and the UN; economic and cultural promotion; frontline consular and passport services to Irish citizens overseas; engaging with Irish communities and harnessing the resource they offer in assisting economic recovery; and programme management, particularly in Irish Aid priority countries.
The size and scale of our diplomatic network is considered by the Government on an ongoing basis. Any decision to adjust the State’s external representation by closing, opening or relocating missions, will have regard to national priorities and available resources.
17. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he has taken in his role to encourage and promote The Gathering in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44904/12]
View answerThe inclusion of tourism, as well as trade and investment, in the Government’s Trade Strategy, is a recognition that tourism, as a labour-intensive sector, has a very strong role to play in employment creation and in economic recovery. My Department has always played an important and active role in promoting Ireland as a tourist destination, in particular through our Embassy Network, and we are working very closely with the Department of Tourism, Transport and Sport and Tourism Ireland to promote The Gathering. In some cases dedicated events have been organised to launch the initiative: just last week, for example, President Higgins and Minister of State Costello launched The Gathering in Argentina at an Embassy organised event. In many other cases Embassy events are being leveraged to promote the initiative and, where suitable, speaking engagements and media/radio interviews are also being used to support the scheme. Along with the Taoiseach and Minister Varadkar, I launched The Gathering in Dublin Castle on 11 May 2012. Following on from this launch we sent a joint letter to all Global Irish Network Tourism Advocates on 14 May. Network members are working with our Embassy Network and Tourism Ireland to promote the Gathering across the world. More recently, I played a central role in many of the events surrounding the Navy-Notre Dame American football match in Dublin, which was sponsored by The Gathering.
I have also used my overseas travel to promote the initiative. To give some specific examples: during my St. Patrick’s Day visit to Montreal and Toronto, I launched the international campaign for The Gathering in Canada; during my September 2012 visit to New York, along with Minister Varadkar, I was guest of honour at a reception co-hosted by the Consul General and Tourism Ireland to promote The Gathering to a large audience drawn from tourism professionals and the Irish community; I took the opportunity to promote the initiative in an interview last week with Libération, an influential French newspaper.
18. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has discussed violence in Northern Ireland during the marching season with the Northern Executive and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44886/12]
View answerThis summer’s parades in Northern Ireland were once again marred by outbreaks of violence, most significantly in North Belfast where there were serious disturbances in the Ardoyne on 12 July and in the Carrick Hill/Carlisle Circus area over several evenings in late August and early September. Such violence is totally unacceptable. The disturbances in Carrick Hill/Carlisle Circus resulted in injuries to 65 PSNI officers. I condemn those involved in violence against the police service and I am pleased to note that charges have been brought in a number of cases. These riots caused serious concerns regarding community relations in advance of the parades commemorating the centenary of the signing of the Ulster Covenant, which took place on Saturday 29 September. In the event, the parades, which involved 208 bands and over 30,000 marchers, passed off without violence, following extensive behind-the-scenes efforts, although several breaches of the Parades Commission determinations were reported to the authorities.
I commend the First Minister and Deputy First Minister for moving quickly to defuse the situation and using their offices to liaise with the various interested parties, as well as the efforts of MLAs, Councillors, the churches and community representatives.
Respect is the key to preventing and resolving violence related to parades and sectarianism, and I applaud efforts to facilitate dialogue between residents and parade organisers. I have discussed this matter with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on a number of occasions since she took up office, and we agreed to work together to support efforts to address division and sectarianism and to help promote the shared future agenda.
I would like to welcome the apology provided by the Royal Black Institution for the incident outside St Patrick’s Church in Carrick Hill on 25 August, and hope that this will clear the way for further progress in relation to parades in Belfast.
Irish Government officials monitored events leading up to the Covenant parade closely and used every opportunity to underline the importance of dialogue and respect. They remained in regular contact with local residents and clergy in advance of the parade, as efforts were made to address residents’ concerns. At the request of the residents, the feeder parades were monitored on the ground by my officials. Both the Taoiseach and myself were fully briefed as the situation evolved, and I was heartened that the parade passed off peacefully.
It must be recognised that the Parades Commission also played a key role in working to promote a peaceful outcome to the Covenant parade. It continues to work to address the parades issue in a very challenging environment, and it is essential that the determinations of the Parades Commission are respected and upheld as the rule of law.
The scenes of rioting in early September made international headlines and underlined the urgent need to address the root causes of division and sectarianism in Northern Ireland. They also underlined the potential for sectarian acts to destabilise the situation generally and for new flashpoints to emerge. In the absence of a clear strategy to address the causes of division in Northern Ireland, events such as those we have seen in recent weeks risk damaging community relations in general, undermining economic regeneration strategies for Belfast and tarnishing Northern Ireland’s improving international reputation for stability and political progress.
These events underline the importance and urgency at this time of the Northern Ireland Executive delivering on and implementing an agreed Strategy for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration.
19. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress that has been made on bilateral economic partnership agreements between the EU and third countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44640/12]
View answerSince 2002, the EU has been negotiating a series of new Economic Partnership Agreements with the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States. The Agreements are required as a result of World Trade Organisation (WTO) rulings that the unilateral trade preferences previously granted to the ACP countries established unfair discrimination between developing countries. The negotiations have been protracted, and at times difficult. By the end of 2007, when a WTO waiver expired, one full Agreement had been concluded with Caribbean States and seven interim Agreements were agreed and initialled with 21 other ACP States, either individually or in regional groupings. Negotiations towards full Agreements are continuing. Several years ago, there were well-founded concerns that momentum was being lost in the process and that the original shared commitment to the achievement of Agreements which serve the development needs of African countries was being lost. However, agreement was reached at the EU-Africa Summit in November 2010 that both sides should move “to conclude Economic Partnership Agreements that support socioeconomic development, regional integration and the integration of Africa into the global economy”.
The European Commission last year engaged actively and flexibly in renewed negotiations with the ACP countries at the regional level. The Commission also made a proposal in September 2011 to set a deadline of 1 January 2014 for the conclusion of the negotiations. The European Parliament has given a first reading to the Commission proposal and has voted to recommend an extension of the proposed deadline to 1 January 2016. The proposal is currently under consideration by the Council of Trade Ministers. At their meeting last March, the EU Trade Ministers acknowledged the need for flexibility and pragmatism on both sides to find solutions to outstanding issues.
Throughout the process of negotiating Economic Partnership Agreements, the Government has at all stages made it clear that Ireland supports a negotiating approach that is as flexible as possible under WTO law and underlines the importance of a strong partnership approach. We will continue to work for the conclusion of Agreements which serve the development needs of our developing country partners.
20. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide further details on his senior level meeting with the World Bank; and if it will signal any change in Ireland's economic engagement with developing countries. [44818/12]
View answerMy colleague, the Minister of State for Trade and Development, Mr Joe Costello T.D., visited Washington in September and held discussions with senior officials from the World Bank. Ireland works closely with the World Bank through the Department of Finance and through the Government’s aid programme, Irish Aid, which is managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The World Bank Group supports developing countries in their fight against poverty by providing the financial and technical assistance needed to promote trade and investment. In 2011, the Department of Finance provided €18 million to the International Development Association, one of the five agencies within the World Bank Group, which in turn provides grants and long term, zero interest loans to the world’s poorest countries. In addition Irish Aid contributes to a number of global and programme country trust funds managed by the Bank Group focusing on the fight against hunger, the provision of basic needs, private sector development, and fragile and conflict affected states.
Minister Costello discussed the strong relationship between Irish Aid and the World Bank, over a wide range of our development priorities including hunger, nutrition and agricultural productivity. The Bank provided him with a valuable update on its work in fragile and unstable States. He was in a position to brief senior officials on the findings of his recent visit to Jordan where he saw at first hand the scale of the refugee crisis as a result of the conflict in Syria.
The Minister also discussed Ireland’s forthcoming EU Presidency role, and especially our focus on facilitating substantive discussions on the EU’s approach for the formulation of the framework for global development after 2015. He also engaged Bank officials on the crucial role of the private sector in driving economic growth, creating jobs and reducing poverty. He briefed the Bank on the development of the new Africa Strategy of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and discussed the opportunities for Irish business in Africa in the context of increasing two way trade between Ireland and Africa.
We look forward to further meetings at Ministerial level with the World Bank and to developing a closer working relationship on development and on economic and trade issues.
21. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will consider proposing to the EU Foreign Affairs Council the exclusion from the EU of products from illegal Israeli settlements; if in the absence of an EU agreement, he will also consider introducing an unilateral ban on Israeli settlement goods entering Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44807/12]
View answerExternal trade policy and controls are an EU competence, not a national one. And most or all settlement produce (which is probably a very small volume) reaches us as imports from other EU countries. A ban on importation can therefore only be enacted at EU level. In relation to the possibility of such a ban at EU level, I refer the Deputy to my reply to Priority Question 4 today on this topic.
I will also be writing to Deputies shortly in more detail on this issue.
22. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the revelations contained in the New Zealand made television documentary Who Killed Trent Keegan, by Melting Pot Studios and carried on TVNZ which details the encroachment on the land of the Masai people by safari companies; the death in suspicious circumstances of a New Zealand citizen of Irish decent Trent Keegan (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44723/12]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, there are three parts to his question which I will answer accordingly. Firstly, the issue of encroachment on the land of the Masai people by safari companies. Ireland has been to the fore in highlighting the challenges facing pastoral communities such as the Masai people, the violation of their human rights and the need to find sustainable solutions to land conflicts. We have also emphasised the substantial contribution that pastoral communities make to environmentally sustainable economic development in Tanzania. The Irish Embassy in Dar es Salaam has taken a lead in highlighting pastoralist community concerns, including through the EU, and the issues have been raised at the highest levels of Government. Through our existing Irish Aid bilateral programme in Tanzania, Ireland is providing annual support of €400,000 to pastoralist civil society groups to strengthen their capacity for advocacy and engagement with national and local development processes.
Secondly, the death of Trent Keegan in Kenya. Notwithstanding Mr. Keegan’s connections with Ireland, he was a citizen of New Zealand travelling on a New Zealand passport. While I am aware that the circumstances of Mr. Keegan’s death remain unresolved, Ireland has no consular role or standing in this matter.
Finally, the person referred to by the Deputy first came to the attention of my Department in 2008 when he was living in Tanzania. Since then my Department, through the Embassy in Tanzania and Consular Assistance Section in Dublin, has afforded all possible consular assistance to the person mentioned. The Embassy pursued his concerns in attempting to seek a meeting with District Commissioner and also through the Foreign Ministry. Also, my Department has kept him fully up to date with correspondence from the Tanzanian Ministry for Foreign Affairs on this matter.
23. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he has taken to support imprisoned Irish trained doctors in Bahrain who have had their appeals rejected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44907/12]
View answer38. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the recent decision of Bahrain's highest court which upheld the jail terms issued against nine medics convicted for their role in last year's pro-democracy uprising, especially the case of Dr. Ali al-Ekry, who was trained here; and if he has raised these cases with the Bahraini Government. [44820/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 38 together.
The Government has made clear its concerns on this case at every opportunity to the Bahraini authorities. We have repeatedly raised this case with the Bahraini Ambassador in London and through our Ambassador in Riyadh who is accredited to Bahrain. Officials in my Department again conveyed our strong concerns to the Bahraini authorities through diplomatic channels after the Court of Cassation’s decision on 1 October to uphold the prison sentences against a number of doctors, including some who trained in Ireland.
Given the great concerns and doubts which have surrounded the case of the medics from the start, and particularly in light of the well-documented reports of ill-treatment to which many of those originally detained were subject, I believe that the Bahraini Government should consider exercising clemency and releasing those medical professionals who have now been imprisoned. Such an act of clemency would also be very much in the wider interests of promoting urgently needed reconciliation and national dialogue within Bahrain. I therefore urge King Hamad and the Bahrain Government to take account of the widespread international concerns which exist and to agree to release those now imprisoned following the verdict in the Court of Cassation.
I also again urge the Bahraini authorities to follow up on the recommendations of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry Report, particularly the recommendation that an independent and impartial body should conduct effective investigations of all allegations of torture in detention. I believe that such investigations would demonstrate Bahrain’s determination to ensure mistreatment in custody cannot happen again, and would contribute to initiating a genuine process of reform.
24. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if there has been any recent discussions in relation to immigration reform between the Irish and American Governments, specifically regarding the status of the illegal Irish in the United States. [44825/12]
View answer61. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 23 of 11 July 2012, the progress made to date on resolving the issue of the undocumented Irish in the US; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45009/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 24 and 61 together.
The welfare of the Irish abroad is a very important priority for the Government. There are particular concerns in the United States where addressing the position of the undocumented Irish and reforming our migration arrangements are priorities for the Government in its contacts with the US Administration and Congress.
The Government’s keen interest in a resolution of the situation for undocumented Irish migrants is well recognised and accepted by our contacts within US Administration and Congress. Their advice to us remains that comprehensive reform of the US immigration system and procedures is likely to be the only manner by which this can be achieved.
With a view to building some positive momentum around immigration issues, we have focused our efforts on enabling Irish people to apply for E-3 temporary U.S. work visas. The passage of existing draft legislation by Congress to extend this scheme to Irish citizens would make up to 10,500 E-3 visas available each year. The level of support achieved to date for this draft legislation among members of Congress is encouraging. However, further progress will have to await the outcome of the Presidential and Congressional elections in November.
Through our Embassy in Washington, the Government will continue to work closely with our friends in Congress and with Irish-American community representatives and ensure that every opportunity is taken to put an E-3 visa scheme in place. I met with Irish community lobby groups for immigration reform during my visit to New York in September and discussed this issue in some detail with them. We agreed to continue to work together on this important endeavour.
25. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on whether US threats of military action against Iran are breaches of the UN Charter and international law. [44834/12]
View answer63. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on whether comments made by the President of the United States in support of pre-emptive military strike by Israel against Iranian nuclear facilities are in breach of United Nations Charters and international law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45098/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 63 together.
In his address to the UN General Assembly on 25 September last, President Obama said: “America wants to resolve this issue through diplomacy, and we believe that there is still time and space to do so. But that time is not unlimited.” This is consistent with the serious, patient and protracted efforts of the United States Government over many years. The US has worked closely with the European Union and the Governments of Russia and China, to engage Iran in a diplomatic dialogue to resolve the serious concerns surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme. These concerns are shared by Ireland and its EU partners, by the wider international community and by the International Atomic Energy Agency. All recent reporting and analysis of the issue has acknowledged continuing US efforts to discourage any immediate recourse to military action against Iranian sites.
The Government, in concert with our European partners, fully support a diplomatic solution to this issue. Furthermore, the Government has equally and consistently been clear in advocating with EU and international partners that it is only through the path of diplomatic negotiations that the serious issues arising from Iran’s nuclear programme can be resolved. It is regrettable that thus far Iran has not been willing to engage in negotiations on the issue with the necessary seriousness and commitment. We hope very much that this will change.
