Wednesday, 17 Sep 2014

Written Answers Nos. 1184-1211

Passport Data

Questions (1184)

Joe Higgins

Question:

1184. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of passports that were issued to citizens resident outside the State in the years 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; and the states in which they were resident and in the figure for the United Kingdom to distinguish Northern Ireland from the overall UK figure. [33383/14]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

It is not possible to provide figures prior to 2006. The following figures detail the number of passports issued to Irish citizens, adults and minors, from 2006 – 2014 by Embassy-Country Location. It should be noted that the country reflects the location through which the application was lodged and not necessarily the country of residence of the citizen at the time of application.

COUNTRY	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014 (YTD)
Argentina	174	183	167	155	125	162	128	148	104
Australia	6113	6436	6177	6626	7150	7475	8357	8922	6722
Austria	130	148	127	141	149	124	171	173	143
Belgium	622	498	540	591	572	665	509	552	467
Brazil	28	75	94	76	79	108	96	125	74
Bulgaria	13	15	18	29	28	32	31	39	29
Canada	2226	2299	2311	2082	2129	2149	2103	2580	1892
China	494	526	515	512	575	634	692	719	468
Cyprus	108	78	82	110	101	105	98	123	57
Czech Republic	88	81	62	99	66	87	90	75	63
Denmark	164	154	179	140	180	164	155	140	123
Egypt	146	173	172	208	200	227	253	258	156
Estonia	16	3	11	6	7	8	7	14	10
Ethiopia	7	12	21	5	5	11	16	18	7
Finland	57	41	62	60	65	57	70	65	47
France	1354	1355	1339	1465	1522	1527	1473	1489	1069
Germany	1135	1239	1170	1249	1306	1245	1244	1246	977
Greece	119	137	105	141	145	116	144	112	102
Holland	695	647	617	635	679	719	647	651	454
Hungary	31	52	34	48	45	56	53	47	30
India	91	82	84	86	103	117	132	150	112
Iran	6	11	12	15	8	10	3
Israel	126	168	123	141	124	178	167	165	154
Italy	410	347	372	378	419	458	384	411	305
Japan	188	177	167	157	164	146	155	179	108
Latvia		1	5	8	6	4	11	11	4
Lesotho	5	3	8	3	6	3	4	7	9
Lithuania		1	13	13	6	19	16	30	18
Luxembourg	245	225	178	212	207	205	212	212	181
Malawi				5	15	10	11	9	10
Malaysia	315	298	332	398	370	370	435	403	289
Malta		57	33	40	50	45	65	66	37
Mexico	148	165	129	120	150	157	124	154	125
Mozambique	24	51	47	56	42	53	30	39	30
New Zealand	2144	2170	2176	1684	1737	1933	1738	1765	1314
Nigeria	123	176	173	192	206	198	248	318	194
Northern Ireland	30303	36047	38234	37664	37255	33885	41438	44139	39183
Norway	91	85	83	97	106	99	98	120	81
Poland	58	58	50	53	72	109	79	96	83
Portugal	136	133	127	106	147	140	127	126	73
Romania	12	21	38	35	45	49	59	46	41
Russia	85	95	77	84	80	83	87	76	69
Saudi Arabia	584	643	677	773	555	297	322	316	220
Singapore	292	269	302	366	395	426	396	432	347
Slovakia	12	9	7	14	25	22	16	19	18
Slovenia	15	17	27	17	33	31	28	32	24
South Africa	2727	3188	3243	2811	2700	2656	2568	2377	1751
South Korea	50	58	54	66	61	75	78	93	76
Spain	1159	1143	1125	1208	1174	1161	1256	1140	846
Sweden	180	194	179	208	215	231	224	170	152
Switzerland	652	540	623	648	697	732	710	718	627
Tanzania	36	18	23	28	43	37	39	29	17
Turkey	82	46	75	73	79	85	76	82	78
Uganda	45	33	36	32	23	28	37	26	21
UK (exc. NI)	48032	43201	41681	43924	41525	39807	43706	40564	29313
UAE					318	788	862	930	807
USA	12641	13625	13809	12494	12126	11636	11991	11961	8578
Vietnam		9	49	56	61	66	74	61	71
Zambia	122	109	89	65	77	82	67	59	39
Grand Total	114859	117625	118263	118708	116553	112102	124410	125027	98399

Departmental Records

Questions (1185)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

1185. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of documents his Department has authenticated, apostilled and legalised in the years 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; the amount of money received in fees by his Department for these services in those years. [33384/14]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

Authenticating a document means verifying that the signature, stamp or seal is genuine. An Apostille is another form of authentication which is required for countries which are party to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement for Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents. The following table details the number of documents Apostilled and Authenticated by my Department and the fees received from 2009 to the end of August 2014. The apparent drop in number of documents Apostilled after 2011 relates in the main to a change in procedures regarding authentication of documents relating to adoptions abroad. My Department will be happy to provide the Deputy with further information in this regard, if necessary.

On 1 January 2013 the fee was increased from €20 per document to €40 per document.

Year	No of Apostille Stamps	No of Authentication Stamps	Revenue
2009	72,649	15,748	€872,116
2010	81,858	12,736	€885,564
2011	56,327	12,732	€902,976
2012	39,299	13,946	€882,710
2013	41,158	16,465	€1,680,069
01 January to 31 August 2014	28,062	13,753	€1,313,780

Human Rights Issues

Questions (1186, 1229)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

1186. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the actions of the Ambassador to the United Nations in relation to the Israeli bombing of Gaza; if he made any representations regarding possible human rights violations and war crimes in that conflict. [33411/14]

Brendan Smith

Question:

1229. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason Ireland abstained on a vote at the UN Human Rights Council in relation to the need to establish a commission of inquiry into human rights violations in Gaza and the violations of international law by Israel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34843/14]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1186 and 1229 together.

On 23 July there was a vote at the UN Human Rights Council on a resolution entitled: “Ensuring respect for international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem”. Ireland, together with our EU partners, abstained on the resolution.

There has been much misinterpretation of this vote, and I have previously explained the context in a debate in Seanad Éireann on 31 July. I am glad now of the opportunity to clarify the matter also on the record of the Dáil.

It is important to stress two points. Firstly, all Irish diplomats, whether posted at the UN or elsewhere, act in accordance with instructions from the Minister or the Department, and it is invidious to attempt to personalise their actions. Secondly, Ireland did not oppose the resolution at the HRC, or the establishment of an investigation into breaches of international law in the recent conflict in and around Gaza.

On the day before the HRC vote, EU Foreign Ministers had met in Brussels and, following a lengthy discussion on Gaza, had agreed a set of Conclusions with regard to Gaza and the wider Middle East Peace Process which took substantial account of my own intervention in the debate.

At the Human Rights Council, Ireland made a very clear statement in the debate on the resolution, including the following:

“ Irish people have been appalled by the upsurge of violence in Gaza, and especially the very high and unacceptable level of civilian casualties. Ireland condemns both the firing of missiles from Gaza into Israel by Hamas and other militant groups, and the killing of

hundreds of civilians in military attacks by Israel on targets in Gaza which fail to respect the requirement under international law for any military action to be proportionate and

discriminate. It is clear to us that neither side is paying adequate regard to the cost of their actions on innocent civilians.”

Ireland further stated that it agreed that any breaches of international law should be investigated.

The EU group at the HRC, including Ireland, had however signalled a number of problems with the resolution, and had negotiated with the Palestinian delegation to try and resolve these. These reservations were not about the general thrust of the text, but about the precise terms of the resolution we were being asked to agree with – which is something we must always take into account.

The specific issues included: that the resolution should clearly condemn all relevant actions, including firing of rockets at Israeli civilian targets; that any investigation should cover all alleged breaches of international law, by either side; and that the existing UN mechanisms should be used to carry out the investigation, rather than setting up a new mechanism.

The last point related both to our desire to see a speedy and effective investigation – the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights was already established on the ground in the West Bank, ready to go – and to a long standing concern which has arisen a number of times at the HRC of establishing new bodies to investigate specific issues rather than using the mechanisms which are already established for the purpose. We had expressed these concerns before, and the sponsors of the resolution were fully aware of them when they drafted their text.

Ireland and the EU group worked hard in negotiations to try and improve the resolution on these points. We hoped until a late point that these negotiations would result in a text that we could vote in favour of. Unfortunately this didn’t happen – at a very late stage the Palestinian delegation received new instructions which terminated the ongoing negotiations, and possible compromise solutions which had been discussed were taken off the table. This left us with little choice. The problems with the text were not resolved, and so the EU group took a common decision to abstain.

It is important to be aware that abstention on a resolution in an international forum is not the same as a ‘no’ vote, and nor is it simply ‘sitting on the fence’. Countries who abstain are, in most cases, signalling that they are not trying to block the resolution, but they have specific difficulties with its terms which prevents them supporting it. This was stated directly by the EU at the session, and was fully understood by other countries present. It was also always clear to us that the resolution was going to pass – it did not depend on Ireland’s vote.

EU members at the HRC try to vote together where possible, to maximise our influence there. In this case, had the EU not decided on a common abstention, the indications were that no other EU partner was considering a ‘yes’ vote, while perhaps four of the nine EU members might have voted ‘No’ instead. This would have resulted in a worse voting outcome for the resolution and in the longer term would have weakened the influence of the EU, which Ireland seeks to leverage, at the HRC.

It is also clear that, having negotiated at great length to try and achieve certain improvements, only to have the other side terminate negotiations, if we had then nonetheless proceeded to vote in favour of the unchanged text notwithstanding the unresolved problems, our own credibility in all future negotiations would have been seriously damaged.

Once the resolution was passed, as we knew it would be, Ireland made clear that we will fully support the Commission of Inquiry in fulfilling its mandate. This remains the case and I look forward to receiving and considering the report of the Commission in due course.

Consular Services Provision

Questions (1187)

Brendan Ryan

Question:

1187. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to open an embassy or mission in Algeria, North Africa in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33464/14]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

Any decision to adjust the State’s external representation is made by the Government based on national priorities, including our political, economic and trade priorities and the needs of Irish communities abroad. The availability of resources is also an important factor in any decision. The Government has this year approved an expansion of the network to provide for eight small-scale new missions in locations across Europe, South East Asia, Africa and the Americas. The current expansion of the network takes account of the Review of the Government’s Trade, Tourism and Investment Strategy. Algeria was not identified as a priority market in that Review and, taken together with the other criteria, the Government did not consider that there was justification at this time to establish a resident diplomatic presence there, given the many competing priorities and limited resources available. The scale and deployment of our diplomatic network is kept under ongoing review and the question of opening a resident diplomatic mission in Algeria will continue to be considered in that context.

Consular Services Provision

Questions (1188)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

1188. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will assist in obtaining medical records from a Spanish hospital in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33467/14]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

The Embassy of Ireland in Madrid and the Honorary Consulate in Malaga provided consular assistance to the family of the named individual in the days following his death. The person named by the Deputy died on 14 April 2014 and his remains were repatriated to Ireland on 17 April. A consular official at our Embassy has spoken to the hospital where the person died and has been provided with information about the procedure to request his medical records. This information has been passed to his wife. Our Embassy will assist with the process by sending the hospital a covering letter with the request.

Question No. 1189 answered with Question No. 1166.

Foreign Conflicts

Questions (1190, 1198, 1230)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

1190. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps his Department have taken unilaterally and at a European Union and United Nations level to assist persecuted minorities inside Iraq; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33522/14]

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

1198. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the persecution of minority groups in Iraq and Syria; the steps he has taken, and will take to give assistance and support to victims of the conflict in those states; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33991/14]

Brendan Smith

Question:

1230. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the proposals he put forward at recent EU Foreign Affairs Council meetings in relation to the conflict in Iraq and adjoining areas and the persecution and murder of Christians; the assistance the EU is providing to that general region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34865/14]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1190, 1198 and 1230 together.

Ireland regularly raises the protection of minority communities through its official bilateral contacts with many countries, stressing the responsibility of all governments to protect all its citizens and minorities. Recent events have demonstrated the acute risks faced by religious minorities from terrorist groups such as ISIS and others.

The extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council on 15 August 2014 which I attended adopted conclusions which condemned all violence against minorities in Iraq and called for the urgent formation of a unity Government which would address the needs and legitimate aspirations of all Iraqi citizens. I welcome the fact that such a unity government has now been agreed in Iraq, led by Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi. The Council at its 15 August meeting also undertook to cooperate with the Iraqi and Kurdish regional authorities in combatting terrorism. The EU is the leading provider of humanitarian and development assistance to the countries affected by the Syrian and Iraqi crises.

Ireland co-sponsored the request for the recent special session of the UN Human Rights Council on Iraq, which condemned the widespread violation of human rights, including murder, abduction, displacement, torture and sexual violence against religious minorities by ISIS, and called on the Iraqi authorities to promote and uphold human rights laws and international humanitarian law and to promote religious freedom and pluralism and to protect Iraqis from sectarian violence.

Ireland as a current UN HRC member has also fully supported UN efforts, and in particular the work of the HRC Commission of Inquiry, to investigate the very many human rights violations and atrocities which have been perpetrated throughout the last three-and-a-half years of conflict in Syria. Ireland has also repeatedly supported all calls for the situation in Syria to be referred by the UN Security Council to the ICC.

Ireland attaches great importance to combatting all forms of discrimination based on religion or belief and incitement to religious hatred. This is a priority for Ireland as a current member of the UN Human Rights Council and we have played a central role in the negotiation of two important resolutions on this issue in the past year.

I have raised the possibility of providing protection for some refugees from the recent violence in northern Iraq with Minister Frances Fitzgerald, and this is being advanced by officials in my Department and the Department of Justice and Equality. Ireland is already accepting 90 Syrian refugees in 2014 under its refugee resettlement programme with the UN High Commission for Refugees. Ultimately, asylum in Ireland or in Europe cannot provide the solution to this problem, because the numbers are too great and because this would in practice spell the end for many religious communities who have survived in the region for centuries.

Since the beginning of the conflict in Syria, Ireland has provided over €28 million in humanitarian assistance to Syria and the Syrian refugee population in neighbouring countries. Ireland has provided a further €1.155 million in assistance to Iraq this year, most of which has been provided for humanitarian relief in Northern Iraq to assist the population displaced by ISIS.

Passport Services

Questions (1191)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

1191. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding the Ombudsman's investigative report on passports for Irish-born children of non-EEA-EU-Swiss citizen; and the steps his Department have taken and will take following its publication. [33571/14]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

In July 2014 the Ombudsman published a report ‘Passports for Irish-born children of non–EEA parents’ following his investigation into complaints that some non-EEA workers had faced difficulties in obtaining passports for their children born in Ireland.

In the cases under investigation, the children were all born in Ireland after 1 January, 2005 to parents who were non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals. This meant that their entitlement to Irish citizenship was subject to the 2004 amendment of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956 (the Act). The Act provides that at least one parent must be lawfully resident in the State for 3 of the 4 years preceding to and including the child’s date birth. In these cases, the evidence of the parents’ lawful residence in the State, which was submitted with the children’s passport applications, did not meet the statutory requirement as determined by the Department of Justice and Equality, the department with responsibility for citizenship policy. As their entitlement to Irish citizenship had been not demonstrated at the time of submission of the passport applications, the passports could not be issued to them in accordance with the provisions of the Passports Act, 2008.

In his report, the Ombudsman stated that while the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade had been correctly applying the law in relation to the processing of this category of passport application, the administrative processes of the agencies involved in this policy area were likely to cause difficulties for members of the public that could amount to unfairness and unnecessary delay in individual cases. In his report only one finding against the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was made and that was to the effect that the Department’s contacts with the Department of Justice, whereby it seeks advice and direction are, in the absence of a protocol with agreed deadlines for responses, the cause of delays and uncertainty for passport applicants. The lack of such a protocol was found to be contrary to fair or sound administration.

Arising from this, the Ombudsman recommended in his report that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade should –

(i) obtain clarification on a number of outstanding issues relating to citizenship policy from the Department of Justice and Equality; and

(ii) set up a consultative framework with the department of Justice and Equality that would see the appointment of liaison officers in both Departments who will be responsible for dealing with cases/correspondence on citizenship and passport policy matters within a six week timeframe.

These recommendations were accepted by the Department last June.

On foot of the investigation, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has now received clarification on a number of related citizenship policy matters from the Department of Justice and Equality. Additionally, a consultative process between the Departments with appointed liaison officers has now been established. The first meeting of liaison officers occurred on 28 August, 2014 and a second is scheduled over the coming weeks. It is intended to hold meetings every four to six weeks thereafter. These are in addition to the weekly contacts that are made to follow up on any outstanding issues and/or to discuss new issues that may require immediate attention of the Departments.

Passport Application Refusals

Questions (1192)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

1192. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of passport applications for children of non-EEA-EU-Swiss parents rejected in the years 2007 to date in 2014 as the reckonable residency of their parents was not sufficient. [33577/14]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

The number of applications for children, born since 1 January, 2005, which were rejected and referred back to the applicant or those which were cancelled under the Passports Act, 2008 on the grounds that they were not Irish citizens, is as follows:

Year	Rejected back to the applicant	Cancelled
2007	786	276
2008	935	516
2009	1,031	622
2010	970	448
2011	1,155	586
2012	1,208	600
2013	1,081	504
2014	840	157
Total	8,006	3,709

The preceding table shows that 8,006 applications were referred back to the applicant for additional evidence of citizenship. The Department does not keep records that would break down this amount to children with non-EU/EEA/Swiss parents, who had not sufficient residence to meet the requirements of Section 6A of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956 as amended.

Of the total referred back to the applicants and their parents, 3,709 were eventually cancelled usually because

(i) no reply was received;

(ii) the application was out of date; or

(iii) additional information was received but was insufficient to progress the application to passport issue under the Passports Act, 2008.

From the figures above, a balance of 4,297 applications remain to be finalised. Those applications, which were submitted in 2014, may yet result in passport issue. However, as the validity of a passport application is for six months, those pre-2014 applications are now out of date and will be cancelled.

Question No. 1193 answered with Question No. 1166.

Overseas Development Aid Provision

Questions (1194)

Eric J. Byrne

Question:

1194. Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide in tabular form the number of projects, groups and other bodies that have been funded so far this year by Irish Aid under the Development Education and Civil Society Section; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33703/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

The Government's main funding to development NGOs under the aid programme is managed by the Civil Society and Development Education Unit of the Development Cooperation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. This includes grant funding for long-term overseas development work, implemented primarily by Irish Non-Governmental Organisations, and for development education work in Ireland by civil society organisations. Grant funding is provided specifically under three main areas: Programme Grants, the Civil Society Fund and Development Education. In addition, grants are provided to support volunteering, development work by missionaries, and, for small scale projects, through some of our missions abroad.

The following table sets out the grants made under these schemes to date in 2014:

Funding Source	Name of Grant Partner	Value of Grant € in 2014
Programme Grant	ACTION AID	861,072
Programme Grant	AIDLINK	538,148
Programme Grant	CHILDFUND IRELAND	607,493
Programme Grant	CHILDREN IN CROSSFIRE	545,855
Programme Grant	CHRISTIAN AID IRELAND	2,999,162
Programme Grant	CONCERN WORLDWIDE	19,620,585
Programme Grant	FRONT LINE	494,966
Programme Grant	GOAL	12,221,400
Programme Grant	HELPAGE INTERNATIONAL	614,766
Programme Grant	OXFAM IRELAND	1,920,164
Programme Grant	PLAN IRELAND	1,105,007
Programme Grant	SELF HELP AFRICA	2,527,080
Programme Grant	SERVE IN SOLIDARITY IRELAND	285,142
Programme Grant	SIGHT SAVERS IRELAND	1,543,508
Programme Grant	TRÓCAIRE	15,430,547
Programme Grant	WORLD VISION IRELAND	1,455,104
	Total Programme Grants ytd	62,769,999
Civil Society Fund	ANTI-SLAVERY INTERNATIONAL	185,100
Civil Society Fund	CAMARA EDUCATION LTD.	58,692
Civil Society Fund	CAMFED INTERNATIONAL	100,000
Civil Society Fund	CHRISTIAN BLIND MISSION IRELAND	100,000
Civil Society Fund	CORK OMDURMAN PARTNERSHIP	20,000
Civil Society Fund	FRIENDS OF LONDIANI	150,000
Civil Society Fund	GLOBAL SCHOOLROOM	40,000
Civil Society Fund	HABITAT FOR HUMANITY IRELAND	144,034
Civil Society Fund	ORBIS IRELAND	100,000
Civil Society Fund	SAFERWORLD	90,000
Civil Society Fund	SKILLSHARE INTERNATIONAL IRELAND	63,772
Civil Society Fund	THE HAVEN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION	70,000
Civil Society Fund	TOOLS FOR SOLIDARITY	35,900
Civil Society Fund	UCC DEPT FOOD BUSINESS & DEVELOPMENT	40,000
Civil Society Fund	UPR INFO	60,000
Civil Society Fund	VITA	350,000
	Total Civil Society Fund Grants ytd	1,607,498
Development Education	80:20 EDUCATING+ACTING FOR A BETTER WORLD	80,000
Development Education	AFRI	35,000
Development Education	AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL IRISH SECTION	50,000
Development Education	AN TAISCE - GREEN SCHOOLS	50,000
Development Education	CENTRE FOR GLOBAL EDUCATION NORTHERN IRELAND	50,000
Development Education	CHURCH OF IRELAND BISHOPS APPEAL	16,900
Development Education	DEBT & DEVELOPMENT COALITION	25,000
Development Education	DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES	45,000
Development Education	DUBLIN & DUN LAOGHAIRE ETB	35,000
Development Education	ECO-UNESCO	70,000
Development Education	EIL INTERCULTURAL LEARNING	35,000
Development Education	FRIENDS OF THE EARTH IRELAND	15,000
Development Education	GALWAY ONE WORLD CENTRE	25,000
Development Education	INISHOWEN DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP	40,000
Development Education	IRISH DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION ASSOCIATION	230,000
Development Education	KERRY ACTION DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION (KADE)	20,000
Development Education	LATIN AMERICA SOLIDARITY CENTRE	60,000
Development Education	LOURDES YOUTH & COMMUNITY SERVICES	65,000
Development Education	NATIONAL COUNCIL OF YMCAS IN IRELAND	15,000
Development Education	NATIONAL YOUTH COUNCIL OF IRELAND	80,000
Development Education	WORLD WISE GLOBAL SCHOOLS -SELF HELP AFRICA	580,500
Development Education	SHOW RACISM THE RED CARD	10,000
Development Education	SUAS EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT	220,000
Development Education	THE IRISH GIRL GUIDES	10,000
Development Education	UCD SCHOOL OF SOCIAL JUSTICE	25,000
Development Education	UCD VOLUNTEERS OVERSEAS	25,000
Development Education	UNICEF IRELAND	30,000
Development Education	UBUNTU	140,000
Development Education	VALUE ADDED IN AFRICA	30,000
Development Education	WATERFORD ONE WORLD CENTRE	30,000
	Total Development Education Grants ytd	2,142,550
Other	MISEAN CARA	16,000,000
Other	DÓCHAS	250,000
Other	IRISH FAIR TRADE NETWORK	600,000
Other	KIMMAGE DEVELOPMENT STUDIES CENTRE	285,000
Other	IN-COUNTRY MICRO PROJECTS SCHEME	205,445
Other	COMHLÁMH	395,916
	Total	84,256,408

International Agreements

Questions (1195)

Brendan Smith

Question:

1195. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to ratify the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33796/14]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

The Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights opened for signature by UN Member States in New York in September 2009. To date, 45 states have signed the Optional Protocol. This includes 11 of the 28 European Union Member States. 15 states have ratified the Optional Protocol: Argentina, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cap Verde, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, Gabon, Mongolia, Montenegro, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, and Uruguay.

The Optional Protocol entered into force on 5 May 2013, three months after the deposit with the United Nations Secretary-General of the tenth instrument of ratification or accession.

Ireland signed the Optional Protocol on 23 March 2012.

Ratification of the Optional Protocol is a separate step, which will be preceded by a thorough screening of the obligations to be assumed. This will require extensive consultation with all Departments involved and consideration by the Government in due course.

Human Rights Issues

Questions (1196)

Joanna Tuffy

Question:

1196. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding steps taken to raise the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33900/14]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

The Government remains concerned about the case of Mrs. Bibi. The Irish Ambassador accredited to Pakistan called upon the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad in 2013 to convey our concern at the conviction and sentence. He also expressed our disquiet at the nature of Pakistan’s blasphemy law. Officials in my Department keep in regular contact with the Embassy of Pakistan on this, and a number of other issues. Pakistan underwent a ‘Universal Periodic Review’ of the human rights situation in the country at the United Nations in October 2012. At this review, concern was expressed about the case of Mrs. Bibi and calls for Pakistan to consider adopting an official moratorium on the death penalty. During the process, Ireland recommended that Pakistan take all appropriate measures to combat and prevent discrimination against religious and other minority groups, including by removing educational material which could serve to perpetuate discrimination.

At EU level, freedom of religion or belief and freedom of opinion and expression plays a central role in the EU’s dialogue with Pakistan. The High Representative for Foreign Affairs of the European Union, Catherine Ashton has expressed her concerns at the Bibi judgment, and others like it, on numerous occasions, and has called on Pakistan to respect human rights as guaranteed under international conventions. In June 2014, the EU issued a Declaration on violence against women in Pakistan, expressing deep concern at the wide-spread violence perpetrated against women there.

The fifth meeting of the EU-Pakistan Joint Commission, which reviews EU-Pakistan bilateral relations annually, met in Islamabad on 24 June 2014 under the Co-chairmanship of Mr Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Foreign Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Mr David O'Sullivan, Chief Operating Officer of the European External Action Service. On human rights, the EU, while acknowledging efforts of the Government of Pakistan to strengthen human rights infrastructure in the country, expressed its concern on a number of issues including freedom of the media, freedom of religion and belief and the situation of women.

Ireland attaches great importance to the fundamental human rights of freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief. We are well aware of the vulnerable situation of persons belonging to religious minorities in Pakistan and will continue to raise the case of Asia Bibi and others bilaterally with the Pakistan Government as well as through the framework and mechanisms of the European Union and the United Nations.

Foreign Policy

Questions (1197)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

1197. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the role his Department had in permitting two F16 fighter jets from the United States of America military enter Irish airspace and fly over Croke Park and Dublin city on 30 August 2014; if he will report on the correspondence his Department had with the Embassy of the United States, the Gaelic Athletic Association, other Government Departments and aviation authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33988/14]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

The Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order 1952 gives the Minister for Foreign Affairs primary responsibility for the regulation of activity by foreign military aircraft in Ireland. The procedure for dealing with all requests of this nature is that the Embassy of the country in question submits a request for permission to my Department. As part of the decision-making process the Department circulates these requests to relevant government Departments and agencies; input received is reflected in the responses issued by my Department. In this case, the US Embassy submitted a diplomatic note to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade seeking approval for the two aircraft to enter Irish airspace in the context of the Croke Park Classic opening ceremonies. The request was processed in accordance with these established procedures. In addition, my Department also consulted with the Gaelic Athletic Association.

The request was approved subject to a number of conditions which were outlined in the reply that issued to the Embassy. Clearance was granted on the basis that the aircraft would carry no arms, ammunition or explosives, would not engage in intelligence gathering and would not form part of any military exercise or operation.

Officials separately informed the Embassy of a number of technical and operational matters which had been brought to the Department’s attention by the Irish Aviation Authority and they directed the Embassy to contact the Safety Regulator of the Irish Aviation Authority to follow up on the technical arrangements for the flyover.

The decision to grant permission for this flyover is consistent with past practice. Permission for this category of aircraft to enter Irish airspace has previously been granted with a view to facilitating their participation in public events such as airshows.

Question No. 1198 answered with Question No. 1190.

Foreign Conflicts

Questions (1199)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

1199. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the Israeli plans to expand settlement at Gush Etzion near Bethlehem in the occupied Palestinian territories; the steps he has taken, or will take, to express the view of the Irish Government to the Israeli Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33993/14]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

I expressed my views on this plan in a statement issued on 1 September, which was as follows:

I strongly condemn the appropriation yesterday by Israel of a large block of Palestinian land in the West Bank, which is expected to be used for the creation of a major new Israeli settlement in this highly sensitive area. Ireland has repeatedly made clear that settlements are illegal under international law and their presence and continued expansion in the occupied Palestinian territory is incompatible with the aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians for peace and the realisation of the two-state solution. This remains the only viable framework for the achievement of a sustainable, democratic and peaceful future for Israelis and Palestinians alike. I call upon the Israeli Government to reconsider this decision as a matter of urgency. This announcement represents a serious threat to the viability of the two-state solution to which Ireland is fully committed.

Further to that statement, I wrote directly to the Ambassador of Israel and asked him to convey to his authorities my serious concern at their action, and calling for it to be reversed.

I will also be raising this decision, and the wider settlement programme, in discussions at EU level and elsewhere.

Departmental Contracts

Questions (1200)

Seán Fleming

Question:

1200. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of administrative arrangements, as opposed to contracts for service his Department is a party to; if he will provide in tabular form the party or parties to the administrative arrangement; the duration of these administrative arrangements; the cost recovery value of these administrative arrangements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34004/14]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

My Department is not party to any administrative arrangements of the type referred to by the Deputy.

Question No. 1201 answered with Question No. 1164.

Consular Services Provision

Questions (1202)

Tom Fleming

Question:

1202. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the issues regarding reinstating the Irish embassy in Rome to its former structure, in particular the reinstatement of Villa Spada (details supplied). [34057/14]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

The process of re-establishing a resident Embassy to the Holy See is ongoing. I am happy to confirm that the Ambassador Designate will travel to Rome in the coming days to take up duty. In preparation for this, my officials are addressing a variety of logistical, protocol and other tasks, including securing accommodation appropriate to the objectives of the Embassy, the staffing level and the available budget. A range of options are under consideration. However, I can advise that the Embassy to the Holy See will not be located in the Villa Spada, as that accommodation is now in use as our Embassy to the Italian Republic, housing both the Embassy offices and the official residence of the Head of Mission.

Foreign Policy Review

Questions (1203, 1205)

Michael McGrath

Question:

1203. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has prepared a memorandum on the implications here of a "Yes" vote in the Scottish independence referendum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34119/14]

Joe Costello

Question:

1205. Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will prepare a memo for Cabinet on the outcome of the Scottish referendum taking place on 18 September 2014; the implications of the result here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34176/14]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1203 and 1205 together.

This issue of Scottish independence is a matter for decision by the people of Scotland tomorrow. The Government has adopted a strictly neutral approach to the debate in Scotland and has avoided being drawn into speculation on, or anticipation of, various potential outcomes.

Our impartiality should not however be mistaken for indifference or lack of interest. We fully recognise the importance of developments in Scotland and are monitoring developments and their implications in light of our interests and policy objectives. The Government accords high priority to the maintenance and development of strong relations with all our neighbours in these islands and will continue to do so regardless of the referendum outcome.

Our Embassy in London and Consulate General in Edinburgh are monitoring the debate very closely and my Department is assessing the issues arising and the policy implications for Ireland on an ongoing basis. The government will of course consider carefully the implications of the referendum when the people of Scotland have decided.

Question No. 1204 answered with Question No. 1181.

Question No. 1205 answered with Question No. 1203.

Diaspora Issues

Questions (1206)

Pádraig MacLochlainn

Question:

1206. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of any negotiations with the Canadian Government regarding the extension of the current time limit of two years on visas for Irish citizens working in Canada. [34196/14]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

The Working Holiday Programme with Canada gives young people from Ireland and Canada the opportunity to live and work in the other country. The agreement reflects the excellent relationship we enjoy with Canada and contributes further to that relationship by fostering increasing personal, cultural and professional ties between our people. The arrangements for the Working Holiday Programme are outlined in a Memorandum of Understanding which was agreed between Ireland and Canada in 2003 and amended in 2012 and 2014. Negotiations on the second amendment to the MOU were conducted earlier this year and the Agreement was signed on 6 March 2014, in Ottawa. The latest amendment to this reciprocal agreement will allow more young Irish professionals and students to gain valuable work experience in Canada. The total number of visas available to young Irish citizens this year was 10,700, the largest ever quota for Irish applicants.

I am not, however, aware of any current plans to further alter the terms of the WHA.

Consular Services Provision

Questions (1207)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

1207. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the particulars of the case of an Irish citizen currently held in custody in Spain (details supplied) without charge; if consular assistance has been provided to the person; if he has sought assurances from his Spanish counterpart that every effort to establish the facts of the case to reach a conclusion is being undertaken by the Spanish police; if not, if he will commit to raising the matter with his Spanish counterpart; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34197/14]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

My Department is aware of this individual’s case and has been offering consular assistance to the individual from the outset. I am informed that the Consular Manager from the Embassy of Ireland in Madrid has been in direct contact with the individual and, in addition, that assistance has been provided from the Honorary Consul in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, including a personal visit by the Honorary Consul to the individual in prison. My Department and our Embassies abroad are generally precluded from becoming directly involved in legal matters of this kind, which concern the judicial processes of another country. Any concerns regarding the conduct of the legal case against the individual are a matter for his solicitors to address with the competent authorities.

My Department and in particular the Embassy of Ireland in Madrid will continue to offer the individual appropriate consular assistance.

Foreign Conflicts

Questions (1208)

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

1208. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will be liaising with counterparts in the UN Human Rights Council to seek a referral of the conflict in Gaza to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court for its investigation. [34285/14]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has recently confirmed that it does not, at present, have jurisdiction in relation to Gaza. Neither of the relevant parties has taken the necessary steps under the Rome Statute to allow the ICC to have jurisdiction in regard to this situation, nor has the UN Security Council chosen to refer this situation to the ICC. The UN Human Rights Council does not have a role under the Rome Statute in referring cases to the International Criminal Court. However, the HRC has established its own investigation into alleged human rights violations or abuses in the recent conflict in Gaza. The Government fully supports this investigation, and will extend to it any assistance required.

Question No. 1209 answered with Question No. 1166.

Foreign Conflicts

Questions (1210)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

1210. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is satisfied that the current Government in the Ukraine was duly elected by the people; if it is intended to press that international observers monitor the forthcoming elections in the Ukraine to ensure that they are open, fair and transparent and all citizens get their full rights to vote right across the whole country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34503/14]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

In February 2014, following the departure from office of President Yanukovych, the Ukrainian Parliament appointed an interim President. At the same time, the Parliament duly approved a new interim coalition Government, headed by Prime Minister Yatsenyuk. The government took office on 27 February 2014. On 25 May 2014, Petro Poroschenko was elected President of Ukraine with an absolute majority, having secured 54% of the vote. Ireland was represented at his inauguration on 7 June 2014 by then Minister Phil Hogan. Last month, President Poroschenko dissolved the Ukrainian Parliament and set 26 October 2014 as the date for fresh parliamentary elections. The move to call new elections had been expected and followed the decision in late July by a number of political parties, on which the Government depended to enact legislation, to withdraw Parliamentary support for the Government.

It is expected that a large number of international observers will monitor the upcoming election. The OSCE has confirmed that it will send an Election Observation Mission, comprising 80 long-term and 600 short-term observers, to oversee the election. The EU has agreed to cover the cost of 105 short-term observers, three from each of the 28 Member States as well as from EU candidate and potential candidate countries.

The question of Ireland’s participation in the OSCE mission is currently under consideration.

UN Committees

Questions (1211)

Terence Flanagan

Question:

1211. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding financial assistance to NGOs attending a conference in July 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34615/14]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

Ms Frances Fitzgerald TD., Minister for Justice and Equality, represented the Government at a meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Committee on 14–15 July 2014 in Geneva. The purpose of the meeting was to examine Ireland’s Fourth Periodic Report under the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) which Ireland submitted in July 2012. The hearing allowed for dialogue between the Minister and her officials and Human Rights Committee members. As part of the reporting procedure, the Human Rights Committee invited submissions from Irish civil society representatives, and civil society representatives travelled to Geneva to attend Ireland’s hearing. It is understood that there was private engagement between the Human Rights Committee and representatives of Irish civil society. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade did not provide funding to any civil society representatives to attend.