Written Answers Nos. 51-56
51. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of posts that will be created at the new Irish consulate in Austin, Texas; the job descriptions of same; where they will be advertised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8504/14]
View answerThe new Consulate General in Austin will be headed by a Consul General who will be an official of the Department of Foreign Affairs. The decision on this appointment will be made by Government in the coming weeks as part of its regular consideration of appointments of Heads of Mission at our embassies and consulates abroad.
Ahead of the opening of the new missions I announced in January, including the Consulate General in Austin, officials in my Department are undertaking a number of necessary preparatory tasks, involving consultation with the authorities in each location and finalising a range of administrative arrangements including the numbers and job specifications of locally engaged staff at each mission.
Details of any local staff posts in Austin will be advertised in due course on the Consulate General’s website, which is currently under construction. However, in the interim, anyone interested in applying for local staff posts can send their CV to my Department’s Human Resources Section (c/o paula.kiernan@dfa.ie) which will forward them on to the new Consul General for consideration when he/she is appointed.
52. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the amount of expenditure by his Department on external legal fees in the years 2011, 2012 and 2013 and to date in 2014; if he will provide the name of each law firm in receipt of fees from his Department with a breakdown of the amount paid to each firm in each of those years. [8509/14]
View answerMy Department generally seeks advice on domestic legal matters from the Office of the Attorney General and/or the Chief State Solicitor’s Office.
Depending on the subject-matter, litigation is dealt with on my Department’s behalf by the Attorney General’s Office, the Chief State Solicitor’s Office or the State Claims Agency which engage lawyers to act for the Department where necessary, including for personal injuries claims and other matters. The costs of any external solicitors or counsel engaged for such matters are not charged to my Department’s Votes.
The Chief State Solicitor’s Office provides legal advice in relation to commercial contracts and public procurement matters. The Department has not engaged external private sector legal advice on these matters for any of the years 2011 to 2014 to date.
The Department’s Missions abroad engage local legal advisers from time to time to deal with a range of miscellaneous matters.
53. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on all ministerial visits that will take place around the world for the St. Patrick's Day celebrations. [8510/14]
View answerThis year, 27 Ministers will undertake programmes focussed on trade tourism and investment in more than 35 cities in 23 countries across Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Middle East supported by the Embassy network (full list included). It is expected that Ministers will participate in more than 80 high-level political meetings, including bilateral meetings with President Obama and Prime Minister Cameron. They will also attend over 100 business events and participate in cultural, networking and Irish community events throughout the St. Patrick’s Day period as part of an intensive “Promote Ireland” programme.
As our number-one export market and the source of 80 percent of all foreign direct investment to Ireland, North America features heavily in the programme again this year with Ministers undertaking programmes in 11 US and two Canadian cities. Among the destinations included in this year’s St. Patrick’s Day programme for the first time are Mexico and Vietnam – two important emerging markets identified in the soon-to-be-published Review of the Government Trade, Tourism and Investment Strategy. Mexico and Vietnam have a combined population of more than 200 million people with total Irish exports to the two countries up by 8 percent and 41 percent respectively between 2010 and 2012.
Russia is also included in the St. Patrick’s Day programme for the first time since 2010, reflecting the impressive growth of Irish exports to the country in recent years. Goods exports to Russia have increased by 69 percent since 2010.
2014 St Patrick’s Day programme:
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Location |
State Official |
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London, Washington, New York and Boston |
Taoiseach |
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France |
Tánaiste |
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Canada |
Minister Michael Noonan |
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China |
Minister Brendan Howlin |
|
Italy |
Minister Richard Bruton |
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New York |
Minister Joan Burton |
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San Francisco |
Minister Jimmy Deenihan |
|
London and Birmingham |
Minister Pat Rabbitte |
|
United Arab Emirates |
Minister Phil Hogan |
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Mexico |
Minister Alan Shatter |
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New Zealand and Eastern Australia |
Minister Simon Coveney |
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Japan and Korea |
Minister Frances Fitzgerald |
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Boston and Cleveland |
Minister James Reilly |
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Atlanta and Savannah |
Minister Leo Varadkar |
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Washington DC |
Attorney General Máire Whelan SC |
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Scotland |
Minister of State Jan O'Sullivan |
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Pittsburgh and Philadelphia |
Minister of State Dinny McGinley |
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Spain |
Minister of State John Perry |
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Netherlands |
Minister of State Michael Ring |
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Vietnam |
Minister of State Kathleen Lynch |
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Germany |
Minister of State Fergus O’Dowd |
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Chicago and Kansas City |
Minister of State Sean Sherlock |
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Western Australia |
Minister of State Alan Kelly |
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Russia |
Minister of State Alex White |
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Norway |
Minister of State Tom Hayes |
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Belgium and Luxembourg |
Minister of State Paschal Donohoe |
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Romania |
Minister of State Ciaran Cannon |
54. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of submissions his Department received based on the public consultation document his Department published on a proposed review of foreign policy and external relations between October 2013 and the deadline for submissions in February 2014; if it received any late submission; if he will provide a full list of the persons and organisations from whom these submissions came; when he expects to be in a position to publish the review; if it will be in the form of another White Paper; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8511/14]
View answerThe Review of Foreign Policy and External Relations on which my Department is currently working provided for a broad-based process of consultation, including a call for submissions from members of the public on any aspect of our foreign policy. A period of two months, from 4 December 2013 to 4 February 2014, was provided for the submission of inputs to the review.
In response to this invitation to contribute views, my Department has received 203 submissions from organisations and individuals. Thirteen of these were received after midnight on 4 February.
A list of those organisations that made submissions is attached. In compliance with the Data Protection Acts, my Department sought consent for the publication of submissions, including names of individuals, when inviting inputs to the review. In the time permitted, it has not been possible to provide a list of those individuals from whom consent has been received to disclose their name.
The purpose of the review is to provide an updated statement of Ireland’s foreign policy and to identify a series of recommendations for its conduct, with a view to ensuring that the Government is equipped with the right mix of policies and instruments to promote our values and interests in a complex and changing international environment. I expect to be in a position to finalise the review in the second quarter of this year.
List of organisations from whom submissions to the Review of Foreign Policy and External Relations were received
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List of organisations |
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80:20 Educating and Acting for a Better World |
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Afri |
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Age Action Ireland |
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American Chamber of Commerce |
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Amnesty International Ireland |
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ARCO: Association of Retired Commissioned Officers |
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Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland (ACEI) |
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Barnabas Fund |
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CBM Ireland |
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Christian Aid Ireland |
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Church In Chains |
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Coalition for Children's Rights, on behalf of: Plan Ireland; World Vision Ireland; Childfund Ireland; UNICEF |
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Concern |
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Crosscare Migrant Project |
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DCU Institute for International Conflict Resolution and Reconstruction (IICRR) |
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Dóchas |
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EAPPI - The Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) Ireland |
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ECO-UNESCO |
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Fianna Fáil |
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Frontline Defenders |
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Future Matters |
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Goal |
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Gorta/ Self Help Africa |
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Habitat for Humanity |
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Immigrant Council of Ireland |
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Immigration Control Platform |
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Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) |
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Institute of Public Administration (IPA) |
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Ireland Stand Up |
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Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) |
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Irish Centre for Human Rights, NUI Galway |
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Irish Christian Friends of Israel (ICFI) |
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Congress - Irish Congress of Trade Unions |
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Irish Development Education Association (IDEA) |
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Irish in Britain |
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Irish in Europe Belgium |
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Irish Missionary Union (IMU) |
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Just Forests |
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Kimmage Development Studies Centre |
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Liberia Solidarity Group |
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Monaghan County Council |
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Moroccan Irish Friendship Association |
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NGO Monitor |
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Oxfam Ireland |
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Peace and Neutrality Alliance (PANA) |
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SADAKA – the Ireland Palestine Alliance |
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Shannonwatch |
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Sinn Féin |
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Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary |
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Social Justice Ireland |
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Stop Climate Chaos |
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Teagasc |
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The Centre for Cross Border Studies |
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The Edward M. Kennedy Institute for Conflict Intervention at NUI Maynooth |
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The Galway Platform on Human Rights in Irish Foreign Policy, signed by: Amnesty International Ireland; Centre for Criminal Justice and Human Rights at University College Cork; Centre for Disability Law & Policy at National University of Ireland, Galway; Children's Rights Alliance Community; Workers’ Co-operative’ Department of Applied Social Studies, National University of Ireland, Maynooth; Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC); Front Line Defenders; Gay & Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN); Irish Centre for Human Rights, National University of Ireland, Galway; Irish Council for Civil Liberties; Irish Congress of Trade Unions; Irish Penal Reform; Irish Refugee Council; Liberia Solidarity Group; National Assembly of the Baha’is of Ireland; National Women's Council of Ireland; Northern Ireland Human Rights Consortium; Pavee Point; Social Justice Ireland; Trócaire; University College Dublin, Human Rights Network; Women’s Human Rights Alliance |
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The Irish Maritime Forum |
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The Leprosy Mission, Ireland |
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The Missionary Society of St. Columban |
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The School of Asian Studies, University College Cork |
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Trócaire |
|
Vivat Ireland |
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VMM: Volunteer Mission Movement |
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We're Coming Back (WCB) |
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Women’s Human Rights Alliance |
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The Workers’ Party |
55. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department has carried out security sweeps of its own offices to ensure that no bugging or covert surveillance has been or is taking place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8534/14]
View answerIt is not policy to comment on or provide details concerning security matters of this nature. My Department’s security arrangements are kept under regular review, including security arrangements for premises and telecommunications.
56. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to recent legislation introduced in Ukraine regarding the registration of NGOs in receipt of overseas development; the implications for NGOs; his views on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8571/14]
View answerI am aware of the legislation to which the Deputy refers in his question. The provisions relating to civil society organisations were part of a wider package of highly restrictive legislative measures passed by the Ukrainian parliament with little or no debate on 16 January. The laws were hastily passed in the context of the crisis in Ukraine and were rightly seen as an attempt to stifle the protests.
The specific changes to the Law on additional measures (Law 721-VII) required NGOs receiving foreign funding and engaging in broadly defined “political activities” to register as foreign agents or risk closure. The legislation is similar to earlier Russian legislation concerning “foreign agents” which the Council of Europe described as having a chilling effect on the NGO community in Russia.
In an analysis of the Ukrainian measures, the Council of Europe suggested that the aim was not to ensure the financial transparency of NGOs in general but rather to be able to act against NGOs supporting the current protests. The Council of Europe also noted that the label “foreign agent” is highly derogatory and it is unreasonable to oblige an organisation to assume such a label.
At its meeting on 20 January, the Foreign Affairs Council expressed deep concern about the legislation as a whole and noted that it would seriously curtail the actions of civil society organisations. Following a very strong reaction against the new laws, both domestically and internationally, the Ukrainian parliament took the decision on 28 January to cancel the measures.
At its meeting on 10 February, the Foreign Affairs Council welcomed the decision to revoke the laws while noting that further efforts are necessary to find a durable solution to the current political crisis.
