Tuesday, 12 Jul 2016

Written Answers Nos. 422-436

Humanitarian Aid Provision

Questions (422)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

422. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the level of resources being deployed to Ethiopia to offset the worst effects of the drought caused by El Niño. [21113/16]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

As a result of the El Niño weather effect, Ethiopia has experienced its worst drought in decades, with 10.2 million people in need of assistance. This is in addition to 7.9 million people already receiving food and cash transfers through the Ethiopian Government’s Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP), which Ireland funds. The humanitarian situation in the country is now considered to constitute the third largest humanitarian crisis in the world.

This year, Ireland’s bilateral aid programme in Ethiopia will provide over €27 million, over half of which will directly address the humanitarian crisis. This includes €3.5 million for the World Food Programme, which provided therapeutic supplementary feeding to 148,000 mothers and children. Ireland will also contribute €10.4 million to the Productive Safety Net Programme for food and cash transfers to 7.9 million of the most marginalised in Ethiopian society.

In addition, Irish Aid provided €577,160 to Trócaire last month for emergency nutrition services in southern Ethiopia. €100,000 was provided to Concern Worldwide in April for emergency assistance for vulnerable households in the Amhara region of Ethiopia.

Ireland has also responded to the humanitarian situation in Ethiopia through our Rapid Response Initiative. To date, Irish Aid has deployed three members of its Rapid Response Corps to our UN partners in Ethiopia for much needed surge capacity for their humanitarian response operations in the country. We have also airlifted two consignments of emergency relief items to Ethiopia in 2016, with a total value of €260,000.

Last year, Ireland also made a significant contribution to the humanitarian response in Ethiopia, with support of €16.09 million.

Our Embassy in Addis Ababa is playing a leading role in advocating for a stronger response to the crisis, on behalf of development partners, as co-chair of the Development Assistance Group. The Group has been crucial in leading dialogue with the Ethiopian Government and in advocating for a greater response from the international community, including the UN, bilateral donors and International Financial Institutions.

Foreign Conflicts

Questions (423)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

423. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the planned new settler accommodation in the occupied West Bank (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21121/16]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

I have stated consistently that I believe the relentless expansion of illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land is now a major driver of the continuing conflict. The EU and the wider international community have repeatedly identified settlements as threatening the prospects of achieving a peaceful resolution of the conflict, by making the establishment of a coherent Palestinian state physically impossible. As I have stated before, these actions are incompatible with a genuine commitment to reach a peace agreement, and call into question the intentions of the Israeli Government.

I condemn this latest announcement, and call for it to be reversed.

The Government’s views on settlements have been consistently and clearly conveyed to the Israeli authorities, including directly by myself in my meetings during my visit to the region last month. We have also stressed this issue in discussions at EU level and at the UN. The European Union issued a statement on 5 July on this case, on similar lines.

Ministerial Meetings

Questions (424)

Micheál Martin

Question:

424. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the detail of his attendance at a meeting hosted by the French Government on 30 June 2016 where 29 representatives from different countries and organisations were trying to relaunch the Israeli-Palestine peace talks through international support and engagement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21123/16]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

The conference held in Paris on 3 June was the first part of an initiative by the French Government based on their concern at the worsening prospects for the achievement of a two state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and their strong feeling that the international community had to act to try and retrieve the situation. These are views which Ireland has also consistently stressed, under a succession of Ministers, and so I strongly welcomed this initiative by France.

EU attendance in Paris was necessarily restricted, to avoid unbalancing the meeting, and Ireland was one of ten EU member States present. Other attendees included the United States, Russia, China, Japan, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Nations and the Arab League, and others.

In my intervention at the conference, I commended France on their initiative, which they have taken forward despite all the manifest difficulties. I strongly supported the necessity and importance of international engagement, not just to jump-start a process but throughout it. My view on this is informed by the experience on this island, as well as my assessment of the situation on the ground.

I recalled that the action of destructive policies on the ground meant that the status quo was not an option. And I supported the intention in the French plan to hold a larger conference in the autumn, to which the parties would be invited, to try and restore the conditions for negotiations.

I would have preferred the conference to be able to reflect these points more strongly in its final communiqué, but France professed itself satisfied that the meeting had started the preparations for the main conference later in the year. I assured France of Ireland’s support in this work.

Ministerial Meetings

Questions (425)

Micheál Martin

Question:

425. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians were invited to a meeting hosted by the French Government on 30 June 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21124/16]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

It was for the French hosts to decide who to invite to the conference in Paris on 3 June. Ireland was one of only ten EU member States invited, and I participated on behalf of the Government.

The French initiative on the Middle East is aimed toward a broad conference towards the end of the year, to which I understand France intends to invite both Israeli and Palestinian participation. The meeting on 3 June was a preparatory meeting, whose main purpose was to re-enlist the engagement of the wider international community in the peace process.

Given their expressed opposition to the conference, it seems unlikely that the Israeli Government would have agreed to attend on 3 June. In my meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu on 14 June I encouraged a more positive response to the process, and I hope both parties will attend the second conference.

Foreign Conflicts

Questions (426)

Micheál Martin

Question:

426. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the response of the Prime Minister of Israel, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, after a meeting on 30 June 2016 called for direct talks with the Palestinians without preconditions; if he considers this a reasonable request; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21125/16]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

Prime Minister Netanyahu has called on many occasions for direct negotiations without preconditions. Indeed he repeated this to me when I met him in Jerusalem on 14 June. As a principle this, of course, sounds positive and reasonable. However, all peace processes are unique, and what is said must be understood in context.

It is clear to all that a final agreement in the Middle East can only be reached in direct talks between the parties. Only they can make the deal. However, by ‘direct’ Mr. Netanyahu also implies that there should be no international presence in the talks, only the two parties. The Palestinians have made clear that they need an international presence, because they are by far the weaker party and as a guarantee that the talks will be serious.

Mr. Netanyahu makes his remarks knowing that important preconditions for Israel have already been met earlier in the process. The mainstream Palestinian movement represented in the PLO and the Palestinian Authority have recognised and accepted the existence of Israel, occupying more than three quarters of historic Palestine, and have renounced armed struggle. Nonetheless, Mr. Netanyahu does also sometimes add new preconditions himself.

On the Palestinian side, they have not demanded prior recognition by Israel of a Palestinian state. They have however insisted that they can only enter negotiations if these are going to be a genuine attempt to reach peace, and not just a process for its own sake. They have also demanded that seizure of Palestinian land, and construction of settlements, cannot continue while talks proceed. When this demand has been refused they have sought alternative confidence building measures, such as release of prisoners.

These Palestinian demands – preconditions or confidence building measures, depending on one’s perspective – arise from the political necessity of reassuring their people that, in entering negotiations with Israel, they are not simply being strung along to occupy time, while the seizure of their land continues unabated.

Regrettably, experience has shown that these fears are justified. Mr. Netanyahu is now leading his fourth government, and international confidence in his commitment to a genuine peace negotiation is low. Only he can confound that judgement.

Patent Applications

Questions (427)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

427. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to reinstate the entitlement to free passports for senior citizens that was withdrawn in 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21133/16]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

A decision was taken in the 2005 budget to exempt applicants aged 65 and over from the passport fee. In 2011 the Government decided in light of the budgetary situation to discontinue the exemption and to apply the same ten-year passport fee to all applicants aged 18 years or over.

The annualised fee for a standard ten year Irish passport compares favourably with many other jurisdictions. At €8 per year, the Irish passport fee compares with approximately €9.60 for a French passport, €9.40 per year for a British passport, €9.90 per year for an American passport and €16.70 per year for an Australian passport.

Given that the shortfall in revenue would have to be met by the taxpayer I do not have any plans at this time to reduce the fee charged to older applicants.

Visa Data

Questions (428)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

428. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of a person (details supplied) who has overstayed a visa in Thailand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21216/16]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

The Embassy of Ireland in Thailand and Consular Assistance section at HQ in Dublin are aware of the case and are providing assistance to this Irish citizen.

Military Aircraft Landings

Questions (429)

Clare Daly

Question:

429. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to ascertain from the United States Government if any of the US military aircraft that transited through Shannon Airport during the month of June 2016 were involved in any capacity in supporting military exercises in Poland or elsewhere. [21243/16]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

The US Embassy has reconfirmed details which it had provided previously in relation to the aircraft that transited through Shannon Airport last month.

The Embassy has reconfirmed that the aircraft were unarmed, carried no arms, ammunition or explosives and did not engage in intelligence gathering.

The Embassy further reconfirmed that the aircraft were not part of a military operation or exercise.

Permission for landings by these aircraft was granted subject to these conditions.

Departmental Staff

Questions (430)

David Cullinane

Question:

430. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the cost of agency and-or locum staff hired by his Department for each of the years from 2011 to 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21669/16]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

There are no such staff working in my Department; there are no agencies under the aegis of my Department.

Architectural Heritage

Questions (431)

Pat Deering

Question:

431. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for a progress report on the essential work required and planned to be carried out on Altamont House in County Carlow; the progress made; the amount the work will cost and if the funding will be made available. [20716/16]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Following the transfer of Altamont House into State care the Office of Public Works commenced work to upgrade security and to protect the fabric of this historic property. These works to date have cost in the region of €43k. The roof of the house requires refurbishment and a planning application was lodged with the Local Authority recently. It is also necessary to upgrade toilet and sewage treatment facilities at the site and planning is at an advanced stage in this respect. While overall estimates of cost are not yet available for the works, technical surveys and site investigation have been undertaken.

The advancement of any significant works at this site is dependent on identifying appropriate funding. Consultation in this regard will be required with the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and other appropriate funding agencies.

Architectural Heritage

Questions (432)

John Brassil

Question:

432. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the provisions in place to facilitate the opening of the castle at Gallarus, Dingle, County Kerry to facilitate a guided tour on 23 July 2016 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20473/16]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

I am pleased to inform you that following a review of this request the Office of Public Works will facilitate access to Gallarus Castle on 23rd July subject to the usual terms and conditions that apply to such events. The Office of Public Works will be in contact with the organisers to finalise the details.

EU Funding

Questions (433)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

433. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount of pre-financing by programme his Department has applied for with regard to the current phase of EU funding programmes; the amount that is likely to be reimbursed to the European Commission; the reasons this money will be reimbursed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20584/16]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

Under the European Regional Development Fund a total of €21.2 million of pre-financing has been provided: €8.3 million for the Border, Midlands & West Operational Programme and €12.9 million for the Southern & Eastern Operational Programme.

In relation to the PEACE and INTERREG Cooperation Programmes, which are also funded under the European Regional Development Fund, a total of €6 million in pre-financing has been provided: €3.5 million for the INTERREG VA Programme and €2.5 million for the PEACE IV Programme.

It is not envisaged that this funding will be reimbursed to the EU Commission but will be spent on projects and funded under ERDF over the course of the programmes.

Departmental Agencies Board Appointments

Questions (434)

Dara Calleary

Question:

434. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of positions on the boards of bodies and agencies under the aegis of his Department; the number of vacant positions; when each vacancy occurred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20689/16]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

In response to the Deputy's question the table outlines the current position with regard to boards under the aegis of my Department:  

Name of board	Number of positions	Number of vacant positions
Public Appointments Service	9	0
Institute of Public Administration	14	1 vacancy occurred in June and is expected to be filled over the next month

State Bodies Abolition

Questions (435)

John Deasy

Question:

435. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of State or quasi-non-Governmental agencies which have been abolished or merged since 2011; the number of new agencies created during the same period; and the current total number of such agencies. [20710/16]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

I refer the Deputy to the Report on the Implementation of the Agency Rationalisation Programme, which is published on my Department's web site at http://www.per.gov.ie/en/reports/. The Report provides information on what was achieved under the previous Government's objective of reducing the number of state bodies.

The Report published in December 2014 and based on information provided by Government Departments shows that measures involving more than 90 percent of the bodies to be rationalised and merged were completed by the end of that year. Since the Report was published, further measures have been implemented.  As of July 2016 there are 176 fewer bodies. Those bodies remaining to be rationalised/merged are: the Valuation Office, the Property Registration Authority and Ordinance Survey Ireland which are due to be brought together to form Táilte Éireann; the Pensions Ombudsman, which is due to be absorbed into the Financial Services Ombudsman; the merger of the Digital Hub Development Authority into Dublin City Council; and the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioners, which will be subsumed into Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (Department of Justice and Equality) once the International Protection Act 2015 is fully commenced.

Some new bodies have been established to address matters that the Government decided were urgent, including the Pyrite Resolution Board, Microfinance Ireland, Insolvency Service of Ireland, the Charities Regulatory Authority and the Policing Authority.

For further information, I refer the Deputy to a summary table of non-commercial state agencies and their related expenditure, which is presented in the annual revised estimates publication and which can be found at http://www.per.gov.ie/en/rev/. The CSO also publishes a separate register of all general government bodies including both the commercial and non-commercial state agencies. This report is available at:

http://www.cso.ie/en/media/csoie/surveysandmethodologies/documents/pdfdocs/Regofpublicsectorbodies2015April.pdf

Departmental Websites

Questions (436)

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony

Question:

436. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department’s website is accessible to persons with a disability; if the accessibility of this website is regularly reviewed to take account of new and emerging technologies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20733/16]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

My Department's website has been designed with accessibility considerations and includes elements that assist in the site's user experience.  There are an increasing number of internet enabled devices that access our website, and these are catered for as resourcing permits. My Department is committed to reviewing and improving the user experience on our website in line with technological developments.

The Deputy may wish to note that my Department is also aware of developments regarding the proposed EU directive on the accessibility of the websites and mobile applications of public sector bodies, which is being tracked by my colleague Minister Naughten's Department.