Written Answers Nos. 91 - 114
91. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health the current waiting list for lower limb amputations on diabetic patients; the arrangements made to carry out these procedures in a timely fashion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16864/15]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
92. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health when a refund will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Meath regarding a payment of prescription charges despite the person holding a long-term illness card in the period October 2010 to December 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16872/15]
View answerUnder the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for the administration of the primary care schemes, therefore the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to you.
If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
93. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the reason an autistic child (details supplied) in Dublin 7 has not been offered child and adolescent mental health services despite multiple referrals from the child's general practitioner; and if he will ensure that an appropriate package of services is put in place for this child as a matter of urgency. [16876/15]
View answerAs this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my private office and they will follow up the matter with them.
94. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on a medical card application in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Limerick; when a decision is likely to be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16878/15]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.
If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
95. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of persons in receipt of home help and the number of hours involved in the Dublin Bay North constituency in 2014 and in 2015 to date. [16888/15]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
97. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Health the reason the information provided regarding a property valuation requested for a medical card application (details supplied) is not accepted by the primary care reimbursement scheme, yet the same information is accepted by the Department for Social Protection, regarding a property valuation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16913/15]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.
If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
98. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the cost of a project (details supplied) in North Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16916/15]
View answerThe project at this location is one of 14 to be delivered as a single project. Tenders from the preselected candidates, submitted in early February, are currently being assessed and analysed. Therefore the finance agreement for the project has not been signed. In addition the financial and legal negotiations for the recently announced EIB loan are scheduled for completion over the coming months. Commercially sensitive financial information will not be disclosed.
99. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if he will have surgical intervention prioritised in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who is a full-time carer for his spouse; his views that a full year wait in such circumstances is unacceptable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16930/15]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
I understand that the HSE wrote to you on 22 April in relation to this matter. In relation to your further query, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
100. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health the progress to date in building capacity within emergency departments for 24/7 contact and response, as committed to in the Health Service Executive mental health division operational plan 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16932/15]
View answerAs this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my private office and they will follow up the matter with them.
101. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Health when the wheelchair of a child (details supplied) in County Clare who suffers from cerebral palsy will be repaired, as the child currently has no working wheelchair; when the wheelchair, which is over one year old, will be fitted with the correct back; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16933/15]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
102. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if home help hours will be reinstated in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16938/15]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
103. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the yearly cost of extending free general practitioner care to the population over six years of age and under 70 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16939/15]
View answerThe Government is committed to introducing a universal GP service without fees on a phased basis. The first phase will be for all children aged under 6 years. This service will commence during the summer. In parallel with this, the second phase will extend universal GP care without fees to all persons aged 70 years and over, subject to the passing of the necessary legislation. These measures represent a major step on the way to universal health care. By this summer, approximately 800,000 people in Ireland will benefit from universal access to GP services.
The introduction of a universal GP service constitutes a fundamental element in the Government's health reform programme. The current Government is the first in the history of the State to have committed itself to implementing a universal GP service for the entire population. The principles of universality and equity of access mean that all residents in Ireland should be entitled to access a GP service.
Children under 6 will benefit from a new enhanced service under the proposed GP contract. This will involve age-based preventive checks focused on health and wellbeing and the prevention of disease. The contract will also cover an agreed cycle of care for children diagnosed with asthma. The costs of the enhanced GP service for all children under 6 years of age will be approximately €67 million. The annual cost of the over-70 year old phase, based on existing GMS GP costs, is estimated at €18 million.
The additional cost of providing a universal GP service to the entire population was previously estimated at €330m-€365m on the basis of the existing scope of the service, rates of payments to GPs and eligibility. In the absence of specific changes to the scope and content of the GP service, the relevant fee structure or the eligibility rates, it would not be possible for an additional exercise to yield a more valid estimate in respect of the remainder of the population at this point in time.
104. Deputy Regina Doherty asked the Minister for Health the full extent of the cost of litigation to the State, to date, with regard to a case (details supplied). [16942/15]
View answerThe State Claims Agency, which is managing this case on behalf of the HSE, has advised that this particular case is on appeal to the Court of Appeal and therefore the issue of legal costs has not arisen at this point. The issue of legal costs will only arise on the determination of the appeal.
105. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health further to his comments in Dáil Éireann on 25 March 2015, the progress achieved by the Health Service Executive in its engagement on the issue of unsocial hours or twilight payments and section 38 and 39 organisations, which was to be concluded by 17 April 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16955/15]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
106. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the case of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford who was first seen by an orthopaedic consultant in 2008 and had to wait six years for a follow-up appointment, despite numerous referral letters from the person's general practitioner; that having been seen by a consultant orthopaedic surgeon in Waterford regional hospital on 12 August 2014 after a six-year delay, the person was referred by that consultant to another consultant orthopaedic surgeon, whose waiting list is up to one year; that the Health Service Executive subsequently notified the person by letter dated 17 December 2014 that the person's name had been removed from the Waterford orthopaedic outpatients waiting list for failure to respond to a validation exercise inquiry; that despite numerous requests the Health Service Executive has failed to provide an update regarding this person's prospects of treatment for the person's complaint; if he will determine the position in this case as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16956/15]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. In relation to the specific case raised, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
107. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the transfer of pancreas transplant services from Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, to St. Vincent's Hospital, Dublin 4 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16967/15]
View answer108. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the length of time the transfer of pancreas transplant services from Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, to St. Vincent's Hospital, Dublin 4, is expected to take; the plan in place for the treatment of patients in the interim and until the move is fully completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16968/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 107 and 108 together.
At the end of 2014, two consultant transplant surgeons left the renal and pancreas transplant programme at Beaumont Hospital, one on retirement and the second on leave of absence for professional development purposes. Given the limited number of surgeons who specialise in transplantation, the filling of any vacancies poses a challenge. Every effort is currently being made to fill these vacancies.
Beaumont Hospital is collaborating with St Vincent’s University Hospital in relation to a combined approach to kidney/pancreas transplants, as well as the development of an intra-abdominal organ retrieval service. It is proposed that pancreatic transplants, of which 6 were performed in 2014, will move to St Vincent’s University Hospital this year. While the transfer of such transplants to St Vincent’s has been agreed in principle, it will take some time to make the detailed arrangements to facilitate the commencement of this work. Most pancreas transplants are combined with a kidney transplant. The arrangements being put in place for such cases will involve transplant surgeons from both St Vincent’s Hospital and Beaumont Hospital working together on the St Vincent’s campus.
The 9 patients who are on the waiting list for a pancreas transplant are being contacted to reassure them that the pancreatic transplantation programme will continue.
109. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to correspondence received by a company (details supplied), in which it is stated that a hospital is bound by all national contracts, when that hospital had continued to contract services from a company for a period of four years after it ceased to function as a voluntary hospital and joined the Health Service Executive system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16969/15]
View answerAll Government Departments and Agencies funded from the Exchequer must comply with EU Directives and national guidelines on procurement. Procurement in the health care sector is a service matter. Therefore your question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office who will follow up.
110. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update on the list of professions which are approved for section 7 of the passport application process; if there has been any update on the status of engineers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16881/15]
View answerThe Passports Act 2008 requires the passport service, to be satisfied on application, each person who is a guardian of the child has consented to the issuing of a passport to that child, before the passport can be issued. To address this requirement, Section 7 of the passport application form requires all guardians to confirm their consent in writing in the presence of a witness.
As advised in this House last December the list of the categories is kept under regular review and one such review is currently taking place. I anticipate this will be completed in the next fortnight and the Director of Passport Services has undertaken to contact the Deputy with the outcome of the review.
111. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the assistance the State is giving at European Union and United Nations levels to combat the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and its attacks against children and members of religious minorities; the steps he is taking to highlight and stop murderous attacks on Christian communities in the Middle East and Africa; if he has raised this matter at European Councils and in the United Nations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16897/15]
View answerThe international community is responding to the very considerable threat which ISIS poses, not just to the Middle East but to us all. In Ireland’s case, we are working closely with our partners in the EU and through the United Nations to coordinate our efforts and to strengthen the tools at our disposal.
A special meeting of the European Council on 30 August 2014 called for accelerated implementation of a package of measures agreed in June 2013 concerning four priority areas: prevention of radicalization, detection of suspicious travel, investigation and prosecution and cooperation with third countries.
Counter-terrorism was most recently discussed by Foreign Affairs Council on 19 January and 9 February 2015. The February Council called for comprehensive action against terrorism in full compliance with international law, fundamental values and international human rights standards. It decided to step up, as a matter of urgency, external action on countering terrorism and to this end it agreed detailed conclusions under five headings. These headings concerned: strengthening partnerships with key countries, supporting capacity building, countering radicalisation and violent extremism, promoting international cooperation and addressing underlying factors and ongoing crises.
Discussions by Foreign Ministers on external measures are complemented by those of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers on internal EU security. The issue has featured regularly on the agenda of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers. Following their meeting in Riga on 29 and 30 January 2105, JHA Ministers issued a joint statement with wide ranging conclusions on measures to prevent and combat terrorism.
The informal European Council on 12 February 2015 took account of the discussions and conclusions of the February FAC and the Riga statement. In their statement, EU Heads of State and Government set out a range of priorities to guide further work by both Council formations. These priorities were set out under three headings: ensuring the security of citizens, preventing radicalisation and safeguarding values, and cooperating with our international partners.
These measures at EU level are consistent with the approach set out in UN Security Council Resolution 2178 (2014) which 104 States, including Ireland, co-sponsored last September in New York. This Resolution urges that all countries actively commit to countering the radicalisation, recruitment and participation of their citizens as foreign terrorist fighters in the conflict zones of Syria and Iraq.
The Resolution takes a comprehensive, human rights compliant approach to tackling the foreign fighters problem in accordance with international law. It highlights the need to tackle the underlying causes of radicalisation through community outreach initiatives, while at the same time focusing on strengthening legal and security measures. This comprehensive strategy in the Resolution is very much in line with Ireland’s approach to the issue.
Ireland also participated actively in New York in June 2014 in the Fourth Review of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which reiterated that terrorism is unacceptable in all its forms, requiring practical steps to prevent and combat it. Those practical steps include measures ranging from strengthening state capacity to counter terrorist threats to better coordinating United Nations system’s counter-terrorism activities.
Where possible, Ireland raises the issue of the safety of Christians through its official bilateral contacts with the countries in question, stressing the responsibility of the government to protect all citizens and minorities. We consistently press for effective action to counter the persecution of minorities in all relevant international fora, including the EU and UN. I highlighted the issue when I addressed the UN General Assembly in New York on 29 September 2014. I also raised it during my meeting with UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon.
Ireland works within and alongside the EU to address the persecution of Christians and other religious minorities, notably with the EU Guidelines on Freedom of Religion or Belief adopted during Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2013. These Guidelines provide EU officials with an overview of the legal and policy framework within which the right to freedom of religion or belief is protected. They also elaborate an EU strategy on how to engage with third countries on the right to freedom of religion or belief, a strategy which we hope to see bear fruit as we assess the implementation of the Guidelines.
112. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of staff in each Irish Embassy in the years 2013 and 2014 and to date in 2015. [16898/15]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is in the table.
|
MISSION |
Mid 2013 |
Mid 2014 |
2015 |
|
Abu Dhabi |
6 Staff posted from HQ 5 locally recruited staff |
6 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
6 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
|
Abuja |
6 Staff posted from HQ 5 locally recruited staff |
6 Staff posted from HQ 5 locally recruited staff |
6 Staff posted from HQ 5 locally recruited staff |
|
Addis Ababa |
5 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
5 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
5 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
|
Ankara |
3 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
6 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
5 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
|
Athens |
2 Staff posted from HQ 5.3 locally recruited staff |
3 Staff posted from HQ 4.5 locally recruited staff |
3 Staff posted from HQ 4.3 locally recruited staff |
|
Atlanta CG |
1 Staff posted from HQ 1 locally recruited staff |
1 Staff posted from HQ 1 locally recruited staff |
1 Staff posted from HQ 1 locally recruited staff |
|
Austin CG |
Opened in August 2014 |
1 Staff posted from HQ 2 locally recruited staff |
|
|
Bangkok |
Opened in September 2014 |
2 Staff posted from HQ 2 locally recruited staff |
|
|
Beijing |
8 Staff posted from HQ 12 locally recruited staff |
9 Staff posted from HQ 11.5 locally recruited staff |
9 Staff posted from HQ 11 locally recruited staff |
|
Berlin |
6 Staff posted from HQ 6 locally recruited staff |
6 Staff posted from HQ 7 locally recruited staff |
6 Staff posted from HQ 7 locally recruited staff |
|
Berne |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
|
Boston CG |
1 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
|
Bratislava |
1 Staff posted from HQ 2 locally recruited staff |
1 Staff posted from HQ 2 locally recruited staff |
1 Staff posted from HQ 2 locally recruited staff |
|
Brasilia |
2 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
|
Brussels Embassy (including PfP) |
10 Staff posted from HQ 5 locally recruited staff (including 1 Presidency staff) |
10 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
10 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
|
Brussels PR |
89 Staff posted from HQ (including 7 additional Presidency staff) 19 locally recruited staff (including 13 additional Presidency staff) |
76 Staff posted from HQ 6 locally recruited staff |
76 Staff posted from HQ 6 locally recruited staff |
|
Budapest |
2 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
|
Bucharest |
2 Staff posted from HQ 5 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 5 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 5 locally recruited staff |
|
Buenos Aires |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
|
Cairo |
3 Staff posted from HQ 6 locally recruited staff |
3 Staff posted from HQ 6 locally recruited staff |
3 Staff posted from HQ 6 locally recruited staff |
|
Canberra |
2 Staff posted from HQ 7.1 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 7.1 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 7.1 locally recruited staff |
|
Chicago CG |
1 Staff posted from HQ 4.4 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3.4 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3.4 locally recruited staff |
|
Copenhagen |
2 Staff posted from HQ 4.4 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 4.4 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 4.4 locally recruited staff |
|
Dar-es-Salaam |
6 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
5 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
6 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
|
Edinburgh |
2 Staff posted from HQ 1 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 1 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 1 locally recruited staff |
|
Edinburgh BIC |
1 Staff posted from HQ |
1 Staff posted from HQ |
1 Staff posted from HQ |
|
Freetown |
3 Staff posted from HQ 1 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 1 locally recruited staff |
3 Staff posted from HQ 1 locally recruited staff |
|
Geneva PMUN |
13 Staff posted from HQ (including 1 additional Presidency staff) 4.5 locally recruited staff |
14 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
14 Staff posted from HQ 3.5 locally recruited staff |
|
Hanoi |
5 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
6 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
6 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
|
Helsinki |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
|
Holy See |
Re-opened in September 2014 |
1 Staff posted from HQ 1 locally recruited staff |
|
|
Hong Kong |
Opened in August 2014 |
2 Staff posted from HQ 1 locally recruited staff |
|
|
Jakarta |
Opened in August 2014 |
2 Staff posted from HQ 2 locally recruited staff |
|
|
Kampala |
5 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
3 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
4 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
|
Kuala Lumpur |
2 Staff posted from HQ 5.5 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 5.5 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 4.5 locally recruited staff |
|
Lilongwe |
3 Staff posted from HQ 1 locally recruited staff |
4 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
4 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
|
Lisbon |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
|
Ljubljana |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
|
London |
37 Staff posted from HQ 12.5 locally recruited staff |
37 Staff posted from HQ 17.5 locally recruited staff |
36 Staff posted from HQ 15.5 locally recruited staff |
|
Lusaka |
4 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
4 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
4 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
|
Luxembourg |
1 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
1 Staff posted from HQ 3.5 locally recruited staff |
1 Staff posted from HQ 3.5 locally recruited staff |
|
Madrid |
4 Staff posted from HQ 10 locally recruited staff |
4 Staff posted from HQ 9 locally recruited staff |
4 Staff posted from HQ 9 locally recruited staff |
|
Maputo |
6 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
5 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
5 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
|
Maseru |
2 Staff posted from HQ 2 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ |
Closed in October 2014 |
|
Mexico |
3 Staff posted from HQ 5 locally recruited staff |
3 Staff posted from HQ 5 locally recruited staff |
3 Staff posted from HQ 5 locally recruited staff |
|
Moscow |
10 Staff posted from HQ 9 locally recruited staff |
10 Staff posted from HQ 9 locally recruited staff |
10 Staff posted from HQ 9 locally recruited staff |
|
Nairobi |
Opened in October 2014 |
3 Staff posted from HQ |
|
|
New Delhi |
7 Staff posted from HQ 6 locally recruited staff |
7 Staff posted from HQ 7 locally recruited staff |
7 Staff posted from HQ 7 locally recruited staff |
|
New York CG |
4 Staff posted from HQ 12 locally recruited staff |
4 Staff posted from HQ 12 locally recruited staff |
4 Staff posted from HQ 12 locally recruited staff |
|
New York PMUN |
10 Staff posted from HQ 10 locally recruited staff |
10 Staff posted from HQ 6 locally recruited staff |
10 Staff posted from HQ 6 locally recruited staff |
|
Nicosia |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
1 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
1 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
|
Oslo |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
|
Ottawa |
2 Staff posted from HQ 6 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 6 locally recruited staff |
3 Staff posted from HQ 6 locally recruited staff |
|
Paris |
7 Staff posted from HQ 11 locally recruited staff |
8 Staff posted from HQ 12 locally recruited staff |
8 Staff posted from HQ 11 locally recruited staff |
|
Paris OECD/UNESCO |
3 Staff posted from HQ 2 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 1 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 1 locally recruited staff |
|
Prague |
2 Staff posted from HQ 6 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 5 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 5 locally recruited staff |
|
Pretoria |
4 Staff posted from HQ 8 locally recruited staff |
4 Staff posted from HQ 8 locally recruited staff |
4 Staff posted from HQ 8 locally recruited staff |
|
Ramallah |
2 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
3 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
|
Riga |
1 Staff posted from HQ 2 locally recruited staff |
1 Staff posted from HQ 2 locally recruited staff |
1 Staff posted from HQ 2 locally recruited staff |
|
Riyadh |
2 Staff posted from HQ 8 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 8 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 7 locally recruited staff |
|
Rome |
4 Staff posted from HQ 9.8 locally recruited staff |
4 Staff posted from HQ 8.8 locally recruited staff |
4 Staff posted from HQ 8.8 locally recruited staff |
|
San Francisco CG |
1 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
|
Sao Paulo |
Opened in December 2014 |
2 Staff posted from HQ |
|
|
Seoul |
2 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
|
Shanghai CG |
3 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
3 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
3 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
|
Singapore |
3 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
|
Sofia |
2 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
|
Stockholm |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
|
Strasbourg COE |
3 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
4 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
4 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
|
Sydney CG |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
|
Tallinn |
1 Staff posted from HQ 2 locally recruited staff |
1 Staff posted from HQ 2 locally recruited staff |
1 Staff posted from HQ 2 locally recruited staff |
|
Tel Aviv |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3.5 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3.5 locally recruited staff |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
|
The Hague |
4 Staff posted from HQ 5 locally recruited staff |
4 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
4 Staff posted from HQ 4 locally recruited staff |
|
Tokyo |
3 Staff posted from HQ 7 locally recruited staff |
3 Staff posted from HQ 7 locally recruited staff |
3 Staff posted from HQ 7 locally recruited staff |
|
Valetta |
1 Staff posted from HQ 2 locally recruited staff |
1 Staff posted from HQ 2 locally recruited staff |
1 Staff posted from HQ 2 locally recruited staff |
|
Vienna Embassy |
4 Staff posted from HQ (including 1 additional Presidency staff) 8 locally recruited staff (including 3 Presidency staff) |
3 Staff posted from HQ 5 locally recruited staff |
3 Staff posted from HQ 6 locally recruited staff |
|
Vienna OSCE |
5 Staff posted from HQ 6 locally recruited staff (including 3 Presidency staff) |
3 Staff posted from HQ 2 locally recruited staff |
3 Staff posted from HQ 2 locally recruited staff |
|
Vilnius |
2 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
1 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
1 Staff posted from HQ 3 locally recruited staff |
|
Warsaw |
2 Staff posted from HQ 6 locally recruited staff |
3 Staff posted from HQ 5 locally recruited staff |
3 Staff posted from HQ 5 locally recruited staff |
|
Washington |
11 Staff posted from HQ 8 locally recruited staff |
11 Staff posted from HQ 8 locally recruited staff |
10 Staff posted from HQ 8 locally recruited staff |
|
Zagreb |
Opened in August 2014 |
1 Staff posted from HQ |
113. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding debt justice at the United Nations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16977/15]
View answer114. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will be attending a meeting (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16981/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 113 and 114 together.
Ireland, in common with all other EU Member States, was unable to support the UN General Assembly Resolution last September on the modalities for the implementation of General Assembly Resolution 68/304 on the establishment of a multilateral legal framework for sovereign debt restructuring processes. The main focus of the resolution was the establishment of an ad hoc committee to elaborate a binding debt resolution mechanism.
At the time of the vote, the EU set out the position agreed by all Member States, explaining that it had made extensive efforts and engaged in the process in good faith. The EU reiterated the considerations outlined at the outset of negotiations, as follows:
“The ad-hoc committee must be limited to the elaboration of a non-binding 'set of principles' which builds upon a market-based voluntary contractual approach to sovereign debt restructuring and aims at furthering its implementation and use. Neither the EU nor Member States will participate in discussions aiming at the establishment of a binding multilateral legal framework for sovereign debt restructuring processes.
The ad-hoc committee should reflect the recent and ongoing work on sovereign debt restructuring undertaken in the IMF, subject to the previous considerations, and should take place in close coordination with and with technical support from the Fund. Discussions should also make reference to the work in other fora on these issues, such as the Paris Club, which has a history of discussing sovereign debt restructuring issues.”
In the event, the resolution continued to propose the elaboration of a new legal framework. In these circumstances, the agreed EU position is that we will not be participating in the work of the committee, which takes place at official level.
Ireland together with our EU partners and other UN member States is actively engaged in ongoing processes to address the issue of sovereign debt restructuring. We consider that the work being undertaken at other levels, including in the IMF and at the Third International Conference on Financing for Development to be held in Addis Ababa in July, offers more appropriate and established means for meaningful dialogue on the matter. We will play our full role in working for the success of the Financing for Development Conference in Addis, which is central to the ongoing negotiations on a new framework for global development to follow on from the Millennium Development Goals. These major international negotiations at the UN are being co-chaired by Ireland and Kenya.
Ireland continues to support processes aimed at resolving global debt issues through dialogue, in the most appropriate forum and using the most appropriate and effective mechanisms to support the countries most seriously affected.
