Written Answers Nos. 1-23
10. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the additional steps he and his EU counterparts have taken to address the Syrian conflict; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1581/13]
View answer27. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the conflict in Syria will be a high priority in Ireland’s EU Presidency; and if he will invite representatives of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces to Dublin during the Presidency. [1667/13]
View answer34. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which it is intended to use Ireland’s influence in the course of its Presidency of the EU to positively influence the situation in Syria with particular reference to the urgent need for a major humanitarian input from the EU and its member states in association with the UN and the worldwide community with the objective of bringing to an end the on-going loss of life and humanitarian violations; if he anticipates a specific role for this country and the EU; if this will be prioritised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1654/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 27 and 34 together.
The conflict in Syria, which arose from a basic demand on the part of ordinary Syrians for greater freedom and democracy and which by the UN’s estimate has to date cost up to 60,000 lives, has been a major priority for the European Union over the past two years. It will remain a major priority during the period of Ireland’s EU Presidency. We will continue to be fully supportive of the High Representative in her work on this issue and will use our influence to advance the efforts being made by the European Union to bring about a political resolution of the conflict working closely with the relevant official structures.
The immediate priority is to achieve an end to the violence and the initiation of some form of political process. Ireland and the EU fully back the efforts of the UN/Arab League Joint Special Representative, Lakhdar Brahimi. We were very pleased to facilitate a meeting between Mr. Brahimi, Hillary Clinton and Sergei Lavrov at the OSCE Summit in Dublin last month. This has led to further tripartite meetings between the UN, US and Russia in the search for a political solution. Such a solution is likely to draw extensively from the Geneva Communiqué of last June which foresaw the establishment of a transitional Government responsible for mapping out a path towards political transition.
I have also repeatedly made clear that there must be accountability for what has transpired in Syria and that those guilty of committing war crimes must know that they will ultimately face justice. That is why Ireland has been fully supportive of the efforts to have the situation in Syria referred by the UN Security Council to the International Criminal Court. We have taken a leading role within the EU in arguing for such referral. I am pleased to note that virtually all EU member States are signatories of the letter which the Swiss Mission to the UN forwarded to the President of UN Security Council earlier this week and which called for referral to the ICC and reminded all sides in Syria of the obligation to fully respect international law. I was also pleased in recent days to join with Ministerial colleagues from Austria, Denmark and Slovenia in issuing a strong public statement in support of referral to the ICC.
We also need to encourage the political opposition in Syria, now led by the Syrian National Coalition, to work actively with Special Representative Brahimi in search of a ceasefire and a political breakthrough. This was much one of the principal messages delivered by the Foreign Affairs Council when it discussed Syria last month. I was pleased to meet the President of the National Coalition, Dr Al Khatib, on that occasion. Dr. Al-Khatib also met with the Minister of State for Trade and Development, Joe Costello TD, on the margins of the Friends of Syria meeting in Morocco last month. I have now formally invited President Al Khatib and his officials to come to Dublin to discuss the Coalition’s plans for a post-Assad, democratic Syria.
Ireland and the EU will also remain actively engaged in addressing the seriously deteriorating humanitarian situation arising from the crisis. Some 2 million Syrians have been internally displaced, a further 2 million are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and more than 600,000 refugees have fled the violence to neighbouring countries. Ireland has contributed a total of €2,450,000 in emergency assistance to date in response while total assistance from the EU so far stands at €321 million. The UN has now convened a high-level donor pledging conference for Syria in Kuwait on 30 January at which Ireland will be represented by the Minister of State, Deputy Costello.
11. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the EU is considering additional sanctions against Iran on the basis of its nuclear development plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1582/13]
View answer21. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will use his position in the EU to ensure that the US sponsored sanctions against Iran currently supported by the EU, and having an adverse impact on the Iranian economy and people, are lifted, rather than intensified. [1602/13]
View answer64. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will withdraw diplomatic support for the US/EU sanctions against Iran. [1630/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 11, 21 and 64 together.
Ireland fully supports the diplomatic efforts which are being made with Iran to address the serious international concerns arising from its nuclear programme. It also fully supports the sanctions imposed on Iran with a view to securing diplomatic engagement. Progressive sanctions have been reluctantly imposed by the EU, particularly in the last two years, after many years in which Iran simply refused to negotiate on this issue. During 2012, sanctions were extended to include oil and gas imports and increased restrictions on financial transactions and investment. We believe that these sanctions have been successful in bringing Iran to the negotiating table. However, the Iranians have as yet shown no evidence that they are ready to engage seriously with this process.
President Obama has recently signed into law a further tightening of US sanctions which was approved by Congress at the end of last year. This may lead to renewed pressure within the EU for a further tightening of bilateral EU sanctions against Iran. However, it will be difficult to go much further in this direction without reaching what amounts to a de facto trade embargo on Iran. Any further proposals for EU sanctions would have to be considered carefully by all member States, and in the context of Iran’s engagement with the ongoing negotiations.
It is important to recall that the sole purpose of the sanctions is to help bring about a peaceful diplomatic resolution to the nuclear issue and so to avoid the resort to military force by any power. Our view is that military action, which would have a devastating impact on the Iranian people as well as on the wider region, should be avoided at all costs.
It is also important to note that, in order to minimise the impact of sanctions on civilians, no sanctions exist at present on food, medicine or most normal commercial goods. The recent economic turmoil in Iran, including severe depreciation of the Rial, has been generally linked to the effects of serious economic mismanagement over many years, including the diversion of massive resources to secret nuclear activities. Pressure from sanctions may have brought forward some of these reactions but cannot be said to have directly caused them.
Ireland will continue to work at EU level to prevent any move towards a general economic embargo of Iran. We will also lend full support to High Representative Ashton and the dual track approach which is being pursued by the E3 + 3 on the Iranian nuclear issue.
12. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to ensure that the EU’s development cooperation programme is a central focus of Ireland’s EU Presidency; and what he sees as the biggest successes to aim for in this area. [1664/13]
View answerIreland’s EU Presidency comes at a crucial period for international development policy, as the international community opens discussion on the framework for global development after 2015, the target date for the Millennium Development Goals. A Special Event will be held at the United Nations in September to review progress on the MDGs and to begin consideration of the post-2015 development framework. A key priority for Ireland’s Presidency will be to ensure that the EU, which collectively provides over 55% of all assistance to developing countries, adopts a strong, coherent position for this UN event and takes a lead in discussions on the future of development policy and practice.
As Presidency, we will also work to forge stronger links in EU policy between humanitarian relief and development aid, drawing on the experience of humanitarian emergencies in recent years. On the basis of the response to the emergency in the Horn of Africa in 2011, we plan to focus consideration on the EU’s approach to disaster risk reduction, helping communities to prepare for and take action to avert the effects of disasters and emergencies.
We look forward to hosting an informal meeting of EU Development Ministers in Dublin on 11/12 February. This will represent the first opportunity for a substantive policy discussion by Ministers of these key development issues, in preparation for Council Conclusions for consideration by the development segment of the Foreign Affairs Council, which will be held in Brussels on 28 May.
Throughout the Presidency, I look forward to highlighting the priority which Ireland attaches to the fight against global hunger and undernutrition. A key theme of our work nationally and as Presidency for the next six months will be to examine and build a stronger understanding of the linkages between hunger, nutrition and the impact of climate change on the poorest countries in the world. This will be the theme of the high-level international conference to be held in Dublin in April 2013, which will bring together international policy makers and representatives of communities across the developing world.
13. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will, during the course of Ireland’s Presidency of the EU, encourage his EU colleagues to rediscover the original vision of Europe as set out by Monnet, Schuman, Adenauer and others with particular reference to the urgent need to ensure that European leaders speak with a common cause and purpose, mindful of the need for unity and solidarity on matters affecting the persons within and outside the Eurozone; if it is expected to set particular or specific targets in this regard in respect of areas that have become known to require particular attention in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1655/13]
View answerThe founding fathers of European integration sought to develop a Europe of peace, security and prosperity for its people. The success of the European project can be in no doubt today in that regard. However, the considerable challenges that Ireland and the EU face today are very different to those of sixty years ago. Our values remain the same. But the challenge of delivering to our citizens increases as our economic and social challenges grow.
The Irish Presidency programme published last week identifies three main priorities: Stability, Jobs and Growth. During the European Year of Citizens there is no greater result that we could deliver for our people than ensuring that our Presidency leads to renewed and sustainable economic growth and job creation, built on strong and secure foundations. The best hope for prosperity, securing stability across the EU, is in creating an environment for job creation. Nowhere is this more important than in addressing youth unemployment, which is now reaching unsustainable dimensions.
The Presidency will focus intensively on pushing ahead with the introduction of a Youth Employment Package, which includes a “Youth Guarantee”, a consultation on “Quality Framework for Traineeships” and a proposal for a “European Alliance for Apprenticeships”. We cannot afford to have a lost generation of young unemployed Europeans. We will not be found wanting as a Presidency in addressing this challenge.
I have been greatly encouraged in my recent consultations with our partners by the extent to which the Irish Presidency’s objectives are widely shared and supported. The Presidents of the European Council and the European Commission whom we met in Dublin last week also expressed their strong support for Ireland’s Presidency priorities, and we also have received broad support from the European Parliament, where the Taoiseach is presenting Ireland’s Presidency programme this morning. The history of European integration has demonstrated that the EU is at its most effective when Member States act together. The Single Market is proof of this, and as Presidency, Ireland will seek to respond to the challenges that face all Member States with common actions and solutions. In today’s globalised market with strong links between economies, such coordinated responses are more critical than ever. This is why the Government is attaching strong importance to reaching agreement on outstanding Single Market Act measures, to creating new opportunities for EU business, especially for SMEs, and supporting President Van Rompuy in securing agreement on the EU’s future financing to mobilise investment in areas including agriculture and cohesion funding.
The Irish Presidency programme published last week sets out in greater detail our priorities and also how we plan to deliver results for Europe’s citizens.
Future economic recovery and job creation depend on creating a stable economic environment. This is why we will work to advance the Banking Union proposals and specifically to win agreement on a Single Supervisory Mechanism. Effective implementation of the EU’s economic governance measures will also promote stability and confidence for business, consumers and investors, fuelling economic recovery and job creation.
As Presidency, Ireland will also seek to create new markets for EU exporters by making progress on trade agreements with key partners. Expanding opportunities for EU products and services abroad will be vital to our future economic growth in Ireland and Europe.
Europe’s priorities are also key national priorities for Ireland in terms of resolving bank debt, stabilising the Euro, and anchoring economic recovery. Never has our agenda in Ireland been so aligned with the priorities of the Union. As Presidency, the Government looks forward to meeting the challenges ahead and to delivering strong and tangible results for citizens in Ireland and across the Union.
14. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason his Department has been given significant increases in some administration spending, such as travel, €452,000, postal and telecoms services, €451,000 and office equipment and external IT services, €945,000, in Budget 2013. [1676/13]
View answer23. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the programmes that will benefit from the €3.6 million increase in the Consular, Passport and Irish Abroad Services of his Department that are outlined in Budget 2013. [1674/13]
View answer28. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will explain the decrease in the Promote Ireland's Economic and Trade Interests in Europe and Internationally section of his Department, as outlined in Budget 2013, by more than €1.1 million; the reason it was cut while recent trade figures demonstrate this State's over reliance on trade of chemical and related products and the EU and American market. [1673/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 23 and 28 together.
With the move to Performance Budgeting in 2012, the layout of the Estimates has changed. All expenditure is now grouped under Departmental programmes which combine administrative and direct expenditure attributable to each area of activity. The Estimates for 2013 published on 5 December last in respect of my Department show an overall reduction of some €4.1 million for Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs and Trade) compared with the allocation for 2012.
In preparing the budget, every effort was made to protect direct expenditure in areas such as Promoting Ireland’s Economic and Trade Interests in Europe and Internationally; Consular, Passport and Irish Abroad Services and Reconciliation and Cooperation on This Island.
The particular adjustments raised in the Deputies’ questions are the result of an updated estimate of the administrative costs attributable to each programme. The direct programme expenditure allocations remain unchanged. Changes in administrative spending allocations also take account of the additional provisions made for the exceptional once-off costs associated with the EU Presidency.
The Revised Estimates Volume, which will be published in a few weeks, will provide more detailed information on all expenditure.That volume will take account of the 2012 out-turn and will also include a number of adjustments, often technical, that are made as part of the budgetary process.
15. Deputy Derek Keating asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he has taken to address the problems arising from the decision taken by Belfast City Council and the flying of flags in the city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1724/13]
View answer20. Deputy Derek Keating asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the discussions that are taking place between his Department, the Northern Ireland Office and the British Government to address the new crisis in relation to the decision taken by Belfast City Council and the flying of flags in the city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1723/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 20 together.
In recent weeks we have seen widespread street violence in a Belfast and elsewhere in Northern Ireland. We have seen attacks on the Police Service of Northern Ireland including the attempted murder of police officers and widespread attempts to intimidate public representatives and their families. I have condemned these events unreservedly.
I have remained in contact with the Secretary of State Theresa Villiers and with the party leaders in Northern Ireland throughout. Over the past week I have spoken with Peter Robinson, Martin McGuinness, David Ford, Mike Nesbitt and Alasdair McDonnell. I will be travelling to Belfast tomorrow morning to meet with the Secretary of State, and the First Minister and Deputy First Minister. Officials from my Department continue to work closely with the British Government and with political representatives in Northern Ireland to identify ways to address not just the current crisis but its underlying causes.
Security cooperation between the Gardai and the PSNI is at its most effective level ever. The PSNI are on the front line dealing with the violence of recent weeks – 99 police officers have been injured to date – and I want to reiterate my steadfast support for them in dealing with these most difficult circumstances.
I also wish to take this opportunity to put on record the Government’s abhorrence at the attempts on the lives of police officers.
The vast majority of people in Northern Ireland want to see an end to street violence. The rioters are in effect wrecking their own communities. This year has the potential to be a great year for tourism to Northern Ireland. That potential must not be jeopardised by the recent terrible images from Belfast that have been beamed around the world by international media.
The economic cost of recent events is becoming apparent. Apart from the cost of the policing operation – estimated at £7 million – foreign direct investment, the retail trade and tourism are all at risk. The Confederation of British Industry Director in Northern Ireland has warned of the economic damage being inflicted on local businesses, tourism and investment.
It is my hope that out of this setback, we will see a redoubling of efforts to achieve a genuinely reconciled society in Northern Ireland. It is a reminder to all that the peace process is exactly that – a process which still has some way to go. Political cooperation and security cooperation on this island has never been better and we can rely on these relationships of trust and on the resilience of the Good Friday Agreement to create space for progress beyond the current difficulties.
16. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the target of 0.7% of GNP to be given as overseas development aid for 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1578/13]
View answerIreland’s aid programme prioritises the fight against global poverty and hunger. It is strongly focused on the poorest countries and communities in sub-Saharan Africa, prioritising investments in the areas of education, health, good governance, food security and nutrition. The programme is central to our foreign policy, has an enviable international reputation, and consistently enjoys strong political and public support.
This Government is strongly committed to Ireland’s aid programme. Our programme for Government contains a very clear commitment to the aid programme and the UN target of providing 0.7% of Gross National Product (GNP) for Official Development Assistance (ODA). However, as I have stated on many occasions in the past, credible progress towards achieving the UN target can only be made through restoring sustainable growth in the economy. This is our absolute priority and we are making solid progress on this front.
Last year, the Government provided €639 million to ODA. For 2013 we have allocated an estimated €623 million - a modest reduction on the 2012 level. Stabilising the ODA budget has been an important and significant achievement for this Government, particularly in light of the extraordinarily difficult economic conditions facing the country.
€623 million remains a very significant allocation of public funds and is a clear indication of our commitment to the aid programme. It represents a genuine investment on behalf of the Irish people to assist those less fortunate than ourselves. The Government is ambitious for the aid programme and is determined to ensure the significant resources allocated continue to maximise results and deliver real and sustainable improvements in the lives of the world's poorest people.
17. Deputy John Browne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he has taken to address procedures in distributing aid to Uganda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1563/13]
View answer24. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the date on which the Ugandan Auditor General is expected to finish his report into the misappropriation of €4 million of aid given by Irish Aid; and if officials or those from an accounting background in his Department will be travelling to Uganda in connection with the case in the coming months. [1680/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 24 together.
As the Deputies know I was deeply concerned about the misappropriation of €4 million of Irish development funding in Uganda, which came to light last October. Ireland has always made it abundantly clear that we have no tolerance for fraud or any other form of financial irregularity in relation to our development programme. I immediately suspended €16 million of Irish development assistance which was due to be channelled through the Government of Uganda systems in 2012 and I initiated an investigation into the misappropriation of funds by the Ugandan Office of the Prime Minister which was undertaken by a team from the Evaluation and Audit Unit of my Department. Their report has been made public and is available on my Department’s website.
The Deputies will be aware that the Government of Uganda has accepted full responsibility for the misappropriation of Irish development funds and full restitution of the funds has now taken place. I welcome this action which was brought about after intensive dialogue with the Ugandan Government at a high level and is a sign of the strong partnership which has been built with Uganda over many years. This partnership enables very strong and frank dialogue on a wide range of issues including development, human rights and corruption.
The initial report of the Special Investigation by the Auditor General of Uganda into the misappropriation of €4 million of Irish Aid, and other donor funds intended for financing of the Peace and Recovery Development Plan (PRDP) was published in October 2012. The Auditor General will now carry out further detailed follow up assessments and audits in relation to the PRDP, the Office of the Prime Minister, the Treasury Department and on the Government’s Financial Management System. Current expectations are that this work will be completed by mid 2013. My Department will support the Auditor General in this important work.
I am committed to ensuring that we learn from what has occurred in Uganda to further strengthen our systems of risk identification and management as well as monitoring and audit to minimise the potential for the misuse of funds in the future. I fully accept the recommendations set out in the Report of the Evaluation and Audit team and have directed that they should be implemented.
The Director General of Irish Aid, together with other officials, will travel to Uganda shortly to review proposals and appropriate management arrangements for a future programme. Any such programme will build on the previous valuable contribution made by Ireland towards improving the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in the world, but must provide assurance and strong accountability to the Irish taxpayer. The Evaluation and Audit Unit of my Department will also continue to follow up on the important work they have already undertaken in Uganda, with the next audit visit by this Unit to take place in the coming weeks.
Following the exposure of the misappropriation of funds in Uganda, Ambassadors in overseas missions that manage Irish Aid bilateral programmes were asked to undertake a full review of their management and risk assessment systems to ensure that any weaknesses are dealt with. This review has been completed and the Secretary General of my Department will meet with all of the Heads of Mission in February to underline the importance of managing risk around Irish development funding.
18. Deputy John Halligan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if a new EU military mission will be launched in the coming months; if he will provide details of both the mission and Ireland's involvement in any such mission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1683/13]
View answer37. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if a new EU military mission will be launched in the coming months; if he will provide details of both the mission and Ireland's involvement in any such mission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1682/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 37 together.
Planning is underway for the establishment of an EU training mission to address the deteriorating situation in Mali. This will be deployed under the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy.
The crisis in Mali has been high on the EU’s agenda since the attempted coup in March 2012 and the de facto secession of much of the north of the country. At our meeting in December, EU Foreign Ministers issued a strong statement which reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to playing a constructive role in support of stabilisation efforts and which increased the pressure on the Malian parties to adopt and implement a “roadmap” for a transition to democratic elections.
The training mission, called “EUTM Mali”, is being established in response to a number of recent United Nations Security Council Resolutions which call upon Member States, regional and international organizations to provide assistance, training and capacity-building support to the Malian security forces so as to help them to restore the authority of the State. The most recent of these, UNSCR 2085, takes note of the planned deployment of a military mission by the EU with these objectives in mind.
EUTM Mali will provide military training and advice to the Malian Armed Forces to improve their military capacity and their effectiveness in working towards the restoration of the country's territorial integrity. Training will also be provided in international humanitarian law, the protection of civilians and human rights. The mission, which will be based in the south of Mali, will not engage in combat operations. It will be conducted at the invitation of the Malian Government and in close coordination with the UN, the African Union, ECOWAS and other key partners. An EU Council decision on deployment of the mission is expected to be taken this month.
No decision has yet been made with regard to the question of Irish participation in EUTM Mali. Any participation by the Defence Forces would require the approval of Government and Dáil Éireann as appropriate.
19. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the discussions he has held with the Israeli representation in Ireland and his EU counterparts regarding the Gaza conflict; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1572/13]
View answer32. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on whether Israel should fully implement the 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access, to give the stagnant economy of Gaza an opportunity to revive itself, and to pave the way for the creation of a viable Palestinian State in the West Bank and Gaza by providing and allowing transport links between the West Bank and Gaza. [1660/13]
View answer35. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to any progress that has been made with regard to opening the crossings and facilitating the movement of people and transfer of goods in and out of Gaza as provided for in the cease-fire agreement of 21 November 2012; and if he has discussed the issue with the Israeli authorities and his colleagues in the EU. [1678/13]
View answer39. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he supports the right of Gaza's fishermen to fish twenty nautical miles out at sea, as provided for in the Oslo accords; and if he will raise the restriction to six nautical miles currently being imposed on them by the Israeli navy with the Israeli authorities. [1679/13]
View answer55. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if there was a discussion on Israel and Gaza at the November European Council meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53795/12]
View answer59. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his concerns regarding tensions in Israel and Palestine even though there is a peace agreement at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54063/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 19, 32, 35, 39, 55 and 59 together.
The recent conflict in Gaza was, thankfully, comparatively brief, beginning on the evening of 14 November and ending in a renewed ceasefire on 21 November. The relatively speedy restoration of the ceasefire was due to the active intervention of the Egyptian Government in particular, with the support of others such as Turkey and Qatar, and the recognition by both parties that a further escalation would be both inevitable and damaging if the conflict continued.
I issued statements on behalf of the Government on 15 and 18 November. I discussed the situation in Gaza with my EU colleagues at the Foreign Affairs Council on 19 November, and the Council adopted Conclusions on the issue. My concerns were also conveyed directly to the Israeli authorities, through the Ambassador in Tel Aviv and the Israeli Ambassador in Dublin. I have reported previously to the House in more detail on these matters.
The ceasefire established on 21 November has so far held very well, despite some incidents. As I said in November, however, so long as the underlying problems of Gaza are not adequately addressed, any ceasefire will ultimately break down again. I therefore laid particular stress on the provisions in the ceasefire for further contacts between the parties, again through the mediation of Egypt, with a view to the reaching of longer-term agreements. The essence of these would be that the current blockade of Gaza would be significantly relaxed, allowing a return to more normal life and commercial activity while securing a more durable and lasting cessation of rocket attacks into Israel.
I am encouraged by some small but important steps which have been taken by Israel, in the context of these discussions, to relax some of the restrictions on Gaza. The three-mile fishing limit previously enforced has been doubled to six miles; some commercial supplying of construction aggregates has begun; and, perhaps most importantly, the restrictions on farmers accessing their land approaching the border fence have been significantly relaxed, with a reduction in the width of the buffer zone from 500 metres to 100 metres. Indications so far are that these relaxations are being largely followed through in practice.
These measures are comparatively small, and much more needs to be done. But they are a welcome beginning. It is important that they progress and that the contacts between the two sides continue, leading to better understanding. It is also essential that the ceasefire remains intact and that for instance militant groups do not use the greater access to farmland to mount attacks on the border fence and the soldiers manning it, as has been done in the past.
I have long argued at EU level and directly with the Israeli authorities, as did my predecessor Deputy Martin, that the blockade of Gaza as it has operated has been counterproductive. The collapse of Gaza’s economy, and displacement of traffic to smuggling tunnels, has only strengthened the control and the finances of the militants while increasing the latter’s appeal for unemployed youth. I will continue to urge the relaxation and ultimate ending of the blockade, while accepting that the prevention of weapons entering Gaza remains an essential objective.
Measures to address the situation on the ground in Gaza and to ease the blockade should ultimately include working for full implementation of the 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access, as repeatedly called for by the EU and also by the UN Security Council in Resolution 1860. This should include full access by fishermen to the waters envisaged under Oslo, although bearing in mind that the security situation is significantly altered from the position when the Oslo Accords were agreed and that Gaza is not currently controlled by the Palestinian Authority which was set up under those Accords.
22. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will he raise the practice of tied aid, as practiced by many EU countries, during Ireland’s EU Presidency; the measures he will take to encourage other EU member states to abolish this practice which does not benefit the recipient country, and in fact imposes unnecessary costs on them. [1666/13]
View answerThe practice of tying aid to the purchase of goods and services of the donor country has long been recognised as reducing the effectiveness and efficiency of development cooperation programmes. The untying of aid has been shown to improve the effectiveness of programmes aimed at reducing poverty and of better aligning donor assistance with the needs of beneficiary countries.
Ireland is one of a minority of donor countries whose aid is 100% untied. This is one of the principal reasons that Ireland’s aid programme is internationally recognised as being of the highest quality.
The Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation, agreed in Busan, South Korea in 2011, set the international standard on the principles of effective aid and good development practice. It was signed by all multilateral and bilateral institutions providing international development assistance and commits them to accelerate global efforts to untie aid.
One of the key priorities of Ireland during its Presidency of the European Council is the agreement of a common EU position for the United Nations Review of the Millennium Development Goals, in September. Ensuring there is a sustained delivery of the commitments agreed by EU Member States in the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation, which include accelerating efforts to untie aid, will constitute a key element of Ireland’s approach.
