Written Answers Nos. 151-160
151. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the various procedures governing the application for and issuing of passports including emergency standard application or other categories; if adequate resources are available to meet the demand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12373/16]
View answerAll passport applications are issued in accordance with the Passport Act 2008. In processing the application, the Passport Service has to establish the identity of the applicant and their entitlement to citizenship under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act.
The Passport Service offers a number of ways for applicants to submit their application. The applicant must select the service which will ensure their passport will be returned in time for any planned travel. Applicants with no immediate travel plans should submit their application through the An Post Passport Express Service. The Passport Express channel is the cheapest and most convenient option for applicants and is available at post offices nationwide.
Applicant travelling in three weeks or less must make an appointment to attend the Passport Office in Dublin or Cork in person. Appointments can be made online using www.passportappointments.ie.
Applicants with urgent travel within three days, can use the Rapid Renewal Service at the Dublin Passport Office. Appointments for this service are made using the online appointments system. Appointments for this service become available online at 12.30 pm the day before the appointment. Passports using this service are usually ready for collection after 3pm on the same day.
Terms and conditions for using the appointments system are contained online and applicants should ensure they are familiar with them before presenting at their appointment.
In the event of sudden bereavement or serious illness of a family member abroad, the applicant should contact the Passport Office and advise them of the issue. The Passport Service gives top priorities to these application. They will make arrangements for the applicant to attend the relevant Passport Office. In all such cases, the Passport Service will require proof of the emergency. In the event that such an occurrence should happen out of office hours, the applicant should contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on +353 1 4082000 and request to speak to the Duty Officer. The Duty Officer will advise the applicant in full of the correct procedure.
Overall passport applications are up almost 13% this year so far over last year which is exceptional, with over half of all applications for passports being received in the busy season between April and July.
A total of 223 Temporary Clerical Officers have been recruited so far this year which is an increase of 39 officers on last year. In view of the sustained increase in applications over last year processing work has been redistributed across passport offices in recent months and staff re-deployed from other areas of the Department as needed to respond to the increased workload. The Passport Service will continue to closely monitor the situation to ensure the effective deployment of staff resources. Clearly, if the increase in demand is sustained at current levels, we will need to review resources.
I strongly recommend that citizens check their passport validity before booking holidays or business travel and apply for the service which will ensure passports arrive in good time. The key points for citizens, are to:
- check the validity of passports before booking a holiday,
- to remind that children’s passports vary in length of validity
- follow best practice and apply at least six weeks before the intended date of travel
- choose the most appropriate application channel depending on the date of travel.
152. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the efforts of the international community to set up safe havens for persons displaced by war in the Middle East region, given the urgent need to address this in a positive way; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12374/16]
View answer156. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the European Union and the United Nations are addressing the refugee crisis in Syria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12379/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 152 and 156 together.
I have long made clear that the best means of protecting the Syrian people from the effect of violence is to reach a sustainable political agreement, based on the principles of the 2012 Geneva communique. I have repeatedly made clear, including to UN Secretary-General Ban and UN Special Envoy de Mistura, that Ireland strongly supports the efforts of the UN to reach a negotiated agreement. I call for all parties to return to the UN-sponsored talks and work sincerely for a comprehensive agreement to end the conflict.
I share the views expressed by UN Under-Secretary General Stephen O’Brien in his statement of 4 May 2016, specifically concerning Syria, in which he stated that all parties must finally and unequivocally live up to their obligations under international humanitarian law and the demands of the Council’s resolutions.
It is my position that the United Nations, and in particular the UN Security Council, has the authority to act to protect civilians from violence. I have welcomed efforts by the UN and UN Security Council resolutions, including resolution 2254 of December 2015, to promote a political solution to the Syrian conflict, ensure humanitarian access for those in need and end the violence. The UN has also set out a basis for international action to counter the threat to the populations of Syria and Iraq from Daesh and Al-Qaeda terrorism under Security Council resolution 2249.
I reiterate Ireland’s call for an end to impunity for those committing war crimes and our support for referral of the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court by the UN Security Council. The International Criminal Court is the only means to ensure accountability for such crimes against civilians.
With regard to the issue of addressing the wider refugee crisis globally in a more positive way, the UN General Assembly will host a high level summit meeting to address large movements of refugees and migrants on 19 September 2016, with the aim of bringing countries together behind a more humane and coordinated approach. It is widely acknowledged that large forced displacements of populations is now a global crisis that requires a collective effort by the international community. In February the president of the UN General Assembly appointed Ireland’s Ambassador to the UN David Donoghue and his Jordanian counterpart to serve as co-facilitators of the 19 September meeting.
Ireland will engage constructively in the forthcoming inter-governmental negotiations to agree an outcome for the Summit, which we are confident will be a strong statement of the collective will of the international community to address the ongoing crisis in a humane and effective manner.
On 18th March the European Union reached a political agreement designed to end the irregular migration from Turkey to the EU in the form of an EU-Turkey statement agreed by the Heads of State or Government. Turkey agreed to readmit from Greece all irregular migrants and to protect them in accordance with international standards; to tackle people smugglers and to help prevent new migratory routes to the EU opening up. For its part, the EU agreed to resettle Syrians currently in Turkey on a “one-for-one” basis where other Syrians are returned from Greece. The core intention of the agreement is to break the business model of the people smugglers who are profiting from the suffering of the vulnerable, and to stop migrants attempting the treacherous journey across the Aegean Sea. The need to comply with international humanitarian law on the protection of refugee rights was a key aspect of the agreement with Turkey. The legal advice received by the EU institutions is that there is such compliance.
Accordingly, any irregular migrant coming from Turkey who applies for asylum in Greece will have their application processed on a case by case basis in line with international and EU law. Under the Statement there will be no blanket and no automatic returns of asylum seekers. New national legislation has recently been adopted in Greece and in Turkey to support the implementation of the agreement.
As part of the EU-Turkey agreement, the EU has established the Turkey Refugee Facility (TRF), which will be used exclusively to provide support to Syrian refugees in Turkey. It will focus on six main priorities for support: humanitarian assistance, migration management, education, health, municipal infrastructure, and socio-economic support (e.g. supports to enter the labour market). Ireland’s contribution to the Turkey Refugee Facility from 2016-2018 has been set at €22 million.
153. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if Turkey’s application for membership of the European Union is being progressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12375/16]
View answerIreland has long been a supporter of the enlargement policy of the EU, which is widely regarded as one of the most successful policies of the EU in promoting stability, peace and prosperity.
Turkey was granted Candidate status by the European Council in December 1999 and the European Council agreed to begin accession negotiations in December 2004. Progress has been slow, due in part to Turkey’s relationship with Cyprus. To date, fourteen out of thirty-five Chapters have been opened for negotiation, of which one has been provisionally closed. Ireland takes the view that the accession process is also important to drive forward the country’s reform agenda, and welcomed the opening of Chapter 17 on Economic and Monetary Policy on 14 December 2015.
Ireland supports the ultimate accession of Turkey to the EU, and is open to intensifying engagement on Turkey’s accession. We remain clear, however, that all benchmarks and criteria must be met, and no shortcuts are possible.
We are concerned about several recent developments in Turkey, particularly with regard to fundamental rights, the freedom of expression and the rule of law. These issues are, of course, an integral part of the EU accession process and this was highlighted in the most recent Progress Report on Turkey, published by the European Commission in November 2015.
154. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the United Nations has been side-lined in the various conflicts in the Middle East and Africa; if provision is needed to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12376/16]
View answerSince its inception over seventy years ago the United Nations has played a critical role in the resolution of conflicts and the maintenance of international peace and security. It does this primarily through the UN Security Council which has, under the UN Charter, ‘primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security’. The Council’s ability and political will to fulfil this responsibility is dependent on the degree of common approach to conflict situations displayed by its fifteen members. The Security Council has a variety of tools at its disposal to address threats to international peace and to contribute towards the settlement of disputes and conflicts. It has the power to authorise military action, deploy peacekeeping and political missions, and to impose sanctions against non-compliant States.
The most tangible expression of UN’s role in addressing conflict is the deployment of peacekeeping operations. Peacekeeping operations receive their mandate directly from the UN Security Council and there are currently sixteen peacekeeping missions deployed worldwide. The UN also invests significant resources in conflict prevention and mediation. The UN Department of Political Affairs’ Mediation Support Unit (MSU) is an instrument which works across the spectrum of conflict-affected countries, with local and national governments, as well as with other organisations to plan and support mediation efforts in the field. The Unit works to identify key mediation challenges in a particular country setting and to ensure that the right expertise is provided at the right time.
In recent years however it is true to say that the United National Security Council has been divided over responses to various conflicts, ranging from Syria and Israel/Palestine in the Middle East, to Burundi and South Sudan in Africa. Even when the Council has agreed to authorise intervention, for example in Libya in 2011, the results have not always been positive. While the UN undoubtedly has a central role to play in addressing conflict, ongoing crises in the Middle East and Africa serve to underscore the need for the UN to be much more effective. UN structures and systems are in need of reform and Ireland has been a strong supporter of efforts to improve them.
In 2015, the UN Secretary General initiated three major review exercises which were aimed at improving the overall effectiveness of the UN’s response to conflict. The findings from the high level policy reviews on (1) UN Peace Operations, (2) Peacebuilding Architecture and (3) Women, Peace and Security were published and are in the process of being implemented. Each of the reviews offered recommendations on how the UN can improve and reform its functions and structures particularly in relation to the global challenge presented by conflict and war. Ireland engaged fully with all three reviews, calling for the recommendations to be discussed and implemented as part of our broader calls for UN reform.
Ireland has also called for UN Security Council reform and has consistently stated that the Council needs to become more representative, more transparent and more efficient. In New York, Ireland has called for an expansion of Security Council membership and for the veto of the five permanent members of the Council to only be used in very extreme situations. Ireland is a member of ACT, the ‘Accountability, Coherence and Transparency’ group in the UN, that calls for a more accountable and transparent UN system. We are a strong supporter of the ACT Code of Conduct which calls on all member states, including the permanent members, to support timely and decisive action by the Security Council aimed at preventing or ending genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes.
Ireland will continue to advocate for reform of the UN to ensure that it is equipped to respond to the challenges of the twenty-first century and fulfil its critical role in the maintenance of international peace and security.
155. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if demands for humanitarian aid continue to rise at various locations globally; if the international community is adequately addressing the cause in all cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12378/16]
View answerThe international community is currently challenged by an unprecedented scale of humanitarian need globally. Conflict is a major driver of humanitarian need, and 80 per cent of humanitarian work is now in countries affected by conflict. Over 60 million people have been forcibly displaced from their homes, the highest number since the Second World War. This year the El Niño weather effect has also had a significant impact in many countries, most notably in Africa, leading to a spike in humanitarian need.
In announcing its 2016 global appeal in December 2015, the United Nations requested $20.1 billion in humanitarian funding to meet the needs of over 87 million people, a significant increase on its request for $16.1 billion in 2015. With no sign of an end to many of the largest humanitarian crises – in Syria, in South Sudan, in Yemen – the gap between needs and funding is a matter for serious concern. Ireland continues to work with our partners to respond actively and effectively to global crises, providing some €140 million in humanitarian assistance last year. Ireland’s largest humanitarian response is to the Syria crisis, and by the end of 2016, Ireland's funding will total €62 million. Ireland also provides humanitarian support to protracted crises in Africa. Last year, after Syria, Ireland’s biggest responses were to crises in South Sudan, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic and Sudan.
In recognition of the scale of the challenge facing the humanitarian system, earlier this week world leaders, civil society and representatives of the private sector gathered at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul. They discussed how to respond more effectively to humanitarian challenges, and how to better prepare to meet the challenges of the future. President Higgins and my colleague, Minister of State McHugh, spoke strongly on Ireland’s commitment to humanitarian action.
A major theme for many at the Summit was the need to resolve conflicts and promote peace and security, so as ultimately to bring an end to humanitarian need. This will require action far beyond the humanitarian realm, and I believe that all at the Summit were united behind that message. However, it will require strong, sustained political leadership, including by the UN Security Council, to bring about a reduction in conflict globally.
157. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if applications for J1 visas will be processed on time to facilitate the applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12380/16]
View answerThe US J1 Summer Work and Travel programme has been a tremendously successful part of the Irish-US bilateral relationship for almost 50 years, with 150,000 Irish third level students taking the opportunity to experience life and work in the US over that time.
The Government of Ireland does not have any role in administering the J-1 scheme, which is a programme of the US Department of State run by a number of not-for-profit US sponsoring bodies, who in turn work with commercial agencies here in Ireland. However, I am aware of issues affecting a relatively small number of applicants in relation to the processing of their pending applications.
I understand that the US Embassy in Dublin is in touch with the agencies involved and is seeking to determine the best course of action to ensure that Irish students who are eligible and qualified to participate in the J-1 program this year will be able to do so.
Officials from my Department are in ongoing contact with the US Embassy in relation to this issue and I can assure the Deputy of the Government’s commitment to the continued success of the J-1 programme.
158. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he and his colleagues at European Union and United Nations level are aware of the systematic persecution, abduction and killing of innocent women, girls and Christians by Boko Haram, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, Al-Shabaab and associated groups; if a particular initiative can be taken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12381/16]
View answerThe atrocities perpetrated by Boko Haram in Nigeria and the wider region, which have resulted in thousands of deaths and the displacement of an estimated 2.2 million people, have been discussed and condemned at numerous EU and UN fora. These brutal activities continue to represent a serious threat to the peace and security of the region, and involve the clear and persistent abuse of human rights, especially of women and girls.
Together with our EU partners Ireland has continued to reiterate the need for a regional approach to this challenge. At the Security Summit in Abuja on 14 May, High Representative Mogherini announced, with the African Union Commission, €50 million to further the operationalisation of the Multinational Joint Taskforce (MNJTF), to which Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad are contributing a total of 8,700 troops. The EU has also responded to the humanitarian consequences of Boko Haram activities, providing €21 million in humanitarian funding in June 2015 to the four main countries concerned. The EU Trust Fund will also support projects in the region while Ireland last year provided €500,000 in humanitarian support for Nigeria through the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Boko Haram has also been discussed regularly at the UN with the Security Council issuing a further condemnation earlier this month. The Council commended territorial advances made by the MNJTF and called on it to enhance regional military cooperation and coordination.
In the last number of months the Government of Nigeria has made substantial progress in combatting Boko Haram, progress that has been verified by a number of independent sources. The security situation has improved in many parts of the North East allowing much needed humanitarian assistance to reach isolated communities for the first time.
The Government fully supports the removal of the threat to international peace and security posed by Daesh, consistent with international law. Ireland supports a coordinated regional response and political solution to the crisis in Syria. Our approach is fully in line with relevant UN Resolutions.
UNSCR 2249 grants authority for States to take all necessary measure to suppress and eradicate terrorist acts by Daesh in territory under its control within Syria and Iraq and to eradicate the safe haven they have established inside Syria and Iraq. Any action undertaken under this resolution must be in compliance with international law, in particular the UN Charter, as well as international human rights, refugee, and humanitarian law.
At the UN Human Rights Council in September 2015, Ireland made a number of statements in which we condemned Daesh's barbarous treatment of civilians, its campaign of violence against religious and ethnic minorities in Syria and Iraq, and its treatment of women and girls.
Daesh has also regularly featured in discussions at EU level, most recently at the Foreign Affairs Council on 23 May at which detailed conclusions on the Regional Strategy for Syria and Iraq as well as the Daesh threat were adopted.
The conflict in Syria has had immense humanitarian consequences and Ireland is playing its part in alleviating the suffering of those affected. This year Ireland will provide a total of €20 million in humanitarian support for the Syrian people, bringing the total Irish contribution for the Syrian crisis since 2012 to €62 million.
Al-Shabaab continues to pose a serious threat in Somalia, with frequent attacks against peacekeepers, security forces and civilians, with the latter often specifically targeting Christians. It is also responsible for perpetrating sexual attacks on women and girls, particularly those that are internally displaced.
The EU provides funding to the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia, AMISOM; and supports the Somali National Army through the EU Military Training Mission. The EU is also supporting programmes that aim to address the root causes of violent extremism through the EU Trust Fund for Africa.
Members of the UN Security Council visited Somalia in May 2016. The UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) supports peace and reconciliation and the state formation process in Somalia. A number of UN agencies also respond to the humanitarian challenges created by the actions of Al Shabaab and other militant groups in the region, and Irish humanitarian funding to Somalia last year totalled over €5.5 million.
More generally on human rights, Ireland strongly condemns all forms of persecution on the basis of religion or belief. We attach great importance to combatting all forms of discrimination based on religion or belief and incitement to religious hatred. Ireland and the EU consistently press for effective action to counter the persecution of minorities in all relevant international fora, including at the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council.
In my address to the UN General Assembly last October I highlighted the alarming rise in attacks on Christians. More recently, Ireland delivered statements addressing the importance of freedom of religion or belief during the thirty-first session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in March 2016. We will continue to raise the issue of the persecution of Christians at the United Nations and as part of EU efforts to support and promote freedom of religion or belief.
159. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if Ireland has a permanent office in Brussels to handle engagements with NATO's partnership for peace programme; and the cost of running this office in 2015. [12413/16]
View answerIreland has been a member of the Partnership for Peace since 1999. Our engagement with the programme is carried out via a Liaison Office in Brussels.
Ireland’s participation in the Partnership aims to ensure that our Defence Forces have the necessary capabilities to continue to partner effectively and securely with other nations in UN-mandated peacekeeping operations.
The cost of running the Liaison Office in 2015 was €419,767. This figure includes staff costs, office costs, building rental and maintenance and other overheads.
160. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views that pay inequality in the public service is contrary to the principle of equal pay for equal work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12253/16]
View answer163. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when he will end the pay inequality to which teachers who qualified after 2011 are subject, given five years of unequal pay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12251/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 160 and 163 together.
The issue of addressing the difference in incremental salary scales between those public servants, including Teachers, who entered public service employment since 2011 and those who entered before that date was addressed with the relevant union interests under the provisions of the Haddington Road Agreement (HRA). Any further consideration of remuneration for any group of public servants, including issues related to more recently recruited public servants, will fall to be examined within the provisions of the Public Service Stability Agreement 2013-2018 (Lansdowne Road Agreement). It will also of course have to comply with the terms of the Financial Emergency in the Public Service Acts 2009-2013 (FEMPI) as well as its affordability being underpinned through delivering enhanced work place practices and productivity.
