Written Answers Nos. 94-115
94. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on Ireland's trading relationship with Israel in view of the ongoing abuses of human rights with regard to the Palestinian population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25612/17]
View answerThe Government actively seeks to expand and develop trade with Israel, as it does with other trading partners around the world.
Trade with other countries is not an optional activity, nor a reward for good behaviour by other governments. It is the means by which the jobs and livelihoods of the Irish people are supported, and the goods and raw materials which we need are obtained.
The Government does not support a ban on trade with Israel, and this has been the position of every Irish Government.
Ireland is strongly critical of some policies of the Israeli Government, in relation to the occupation exercised over the Palestinian people, and we make those criticisms clearly and directly to the Israeli authorities, and in discussions in the EU and other relevant international fora. We do the same in relation to other countries.
There are very many countries around the world with which we have serious human rights concerns, many of them at least as strong as we do with Israel. We do not seek to prevent trade with those countries, except in very rare circumstances in accordance with decisions at EU or UN level. If we did so, the list of countries with whom Ireland could trade might be a short one.
Merchandise trade with Israel in 2016 amounted to over €1.5 billion, of which over €1.4 billion were Irish exports to Israel.
95. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the impact of Brexit on protections outlined and agreed in the Good Friday Agreement and its human rights provisions as outlined in the Government's publication, Ireland and the negotiations on the UK's withdrawal from the European Union. [21849/17]
View answerAs a co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, the Government is determined to ensure that all aspects of the Agreement are fully respected through the process of the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union, and thereafter. Our priority is to ensure that the Good Friday Agreement and the overall integrity of the settlement is not in any way disturbed by the UK’s exit from the European Union. All provisions of the Agreement must be respected, including those relating to human rights.
As a result of intensive political and diplomatic engagement by the Government, our EU partners and the EU institutions are fully aware and supportive of the importance of respecting the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts and protecting the gains of the peace process. On 29 April the European Council adopted Guidelines for the EU-UK negotiations which include a strong acknowledgment of the unique circumstances of the island of Ireland and explicitly recognise the importance of preserving the achievements, benefits, and commitments of the Good Friday Agreement. This is further strengthened by the statement agreed by the European Council on the same day, acknowledging that the Good Friday Agreement provides for an agreed mechanism whereby a united Ireland may be brought about and that, in accordance with international law, the entire territory of such a united Ireland would thus be part of the European Union. Therefore, the EU approach in the negotiations will be to ensure that the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement will not be negatively impacted by the Article 50 process and the UK’s withdrawal from the EU and that the primacy of the Good Friday Agreement is fully taken into account.
Under the Good Friday Agreement the people of Northern Ireland have the right to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British or both. The protection of the unique status of Irish citizens in Northern Ireland is one of the Government’s objectives in the EU-UK negotiations, and importantly this has been explicitly referenced in the EU’s negotiating directives that were adopted by the General Affairs Council on 22 May, which state that “full account should be taken of the fact that Irish citizens residing in Northern Ireland will continue to enjoy rights as EU citizens.”
The withdrawal agreement should therefore contain no impediment to Irish citizens in Northern Ireland accessing programmes and services across the EU to which they are eligible, including those as may be provided for in any arrangements on the future relationship between the EU and the UK.
The protection of human rights in Northern Ireland law, including through the incorporation into law of the European Convention on Human Rights, is one of the key principles underpinning the Good Friday Agreement. It is important to be clear that the European Convention on Human Rights is separate and distinct to the European Union. The UK’s decision to leave the EU has no impact on its obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights. Even after the UK leaves the EU, there remains a continuing obligation on the British Government to incorporate the European Convention on Human Rights into Northern Ireland law, as provided for in the Good Friday Agreement. In this regard, I welcome the clarification in the UK Government’s White Paper on withdrawal from the EU that it has no plans to leave the European Convention on Human Rights.
On 13 February, I convened a Sectoral Dialogue on Human Rights under the Good Friday Agreement to hear the views of civil society, North and South, on the possible implications of Brexit for this pivotal chapter of the Agreement. This was a very valuable exchange and a number of key themes emerged, which have been communicated publicly, and which will inform the Government’s approach in this area. Further detailed work will be needed, with the committed support of all with responsibilities in this area, to ensure that the UK departure from the European Union does not adversely affect the human rights provisions of the Good Friday Agreement.
Finally, I would also note that the avoidance of a hard border on the island of Ireland is a headline priority for the Government in the EU-UK negotiations. As the most tangible symbol of the peace process, the open border is essential to social and economic well-being on both parts of the island and to the further normalisation of relationships, following the difficult decades of the Troubles. The avoidance of a hard border will require flexibility and creativity on the part of both the UK and the EU, and this is acknowledged in the Guidelines agreed by the European Council on 29 April. As provided for in the Guidelines, the EU’s approach will provide for the objective of avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland, consistent with Ireland’s obligations as an EU Member State and fully respecting EU law.
The inclusion of the specific references to Ireland’s key priorities in the EU negotiating guidelines highlights their acceptance by our EU partners as shared priorities for the European Union in the negotiation process with the UK. We are not under any illusions about the challenge and complexity of these negotiations and have engaged in detailed and ongoing planning in order to prepare for them.
In the forthcoming negotiations, the Government will pursue, together with our EU partners, an outcome that protects our headline priorities and Ireland’s fundamental interests, including to ensure respect for all aspects of the Good Friday Agreement.
97. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the State's position on the disputed western Sahara region, particularly in view of the European Court of Justice ruling in December 2016 that EU agreements on closer ties and trade with Morocco should not apply to the disputed region. [25452/17]
View answerIreland categorises Western Sahara as a non-self-governing Territory. Ireland supports the right to self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, but does not have a view on the outcome of that decision – be it independence, integration, autonomy, or some other solution – so long as it is decided in a genuine exercise of self-determination.
Ireland has taken careful note of the decision of the Court of Justice of 21 December 2016, in which it set aside the decision of the General Court to annul the EU – Morocco Agricultural deal. The judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union of 21 December 2016 upheld the validity of the EU’s Association Agreement with Morocco, but stipulated that it does not apply to the territory of Western Sahara. The Court’s ruling is consistent with Ireland’s long-standing position in support of the right to self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.
The possible renegotiation of the Association Agreement, or modification of its protocols, to provide for treatment of goods coming from Western Sahara, is currently under discussion at EU level.
Given the circumstances, this is obviously a complex issue which will involve finding a way of reconciling practical issues such as certifying the origin of goods and the monitoring of implementation, with matters of principle relating to the consent of the people of Western Sahara.
Clearly, any agreement entered into by the EU will have to be consistent with EU law, including the Court’s judgment of 21 December 2016.
98. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the communication he has had with the British Government and Ministers regarding the savage bomb attack in Manchester in recent days; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25641/17]
View answerLet me first reiterate my absolute horror at the callous attack on the people of Manchester and the United Kingdom last Monday night. On Tuesday I spoke with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and conveyed the heartfelt sympathy of the people of Ireland for our nearest neighbours. I also visited the British Embassy in Dublin to sign the Book of Condolences there, as did President Higgins and the Taoiseach. At my request, our Ambassador in London, Dan Mulhall, was also in contact with the Mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham, and conveyed sincere condolences to him and to the citizens of Manchester.
My colleague Joe McHugh is due to travel to Manchester next week and, while there, will in person convey our sympathy and solidarity directly to the people of Manchester, a city with close and long-standing ties to Ireland.
100. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the efforts currently being made at EU level to address the migration and refugee crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25616/17]
View answerThe migration crisis has been one of the greatest challenges facing the EU for the past two years. Migration has featured on the agenda of almost every European Councils in the same period and will be on the agenda of next month’s European Council too. It has also featured prominently on the Foreign Affairs and Justice and Home Affairs’ Council agendas.
The EU has responded to the crisis by adopting a range of measures to deal with this mass movement of people. These have included engaging with countries of origin and transit to address the root causes of migration including through bespoke Migration Compacts; agreeing a plan to relocate migrants from Italy and Greece across the Union; the launching of Operation Sophia to disrupt people smuggling in the Mediterranean; and substantial financial assistance to countries hosting large numbers of migrants. EU Heads of State and Government concluded a landmark migration deal with Turkey in March 2016, which has resulted in a very substantial reduction in the number of migrants risking their lives at sea to enter the EU from Turkey.
In the past year the focus has shifted from Turkey to the so-called Central Mediterranean Route, with some 181,000 migrants crossing from Libya to Italy in 2016. In March 2017, EU leaders issued the Malta Declaration, which sets out the EU’s commitment to assist Libya, with a strong focus on capacity building. This includes training, equipment and support for the Libyan national coast guard and other relevant agencies, as well as seeking to ensure adequate reception capacities and conditions in Libya for migrants, including through working with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organisation for Migration.
The migration crisis is being driven variously by war, political instability, corruption, economic deprivation and human rights abuses. These need to be addressed in a holistic and strategic way incorporating immediate and long-term measures, both of which are part of the EU’s ongoing migration strategy.
102. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has raised the subject of Irish citizens' eligibility to vote in UK elections with the Foreign Secretary since July 2016. [25447/17]
View answerThe position regarding eligibility to vote, as set out by the UK Electoral Commission in the context of the current UK general election, is as follows: a person must be registered to vote; must be 18 years of age or over on polling day; must be a British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen; must be resident at an address in the UK; and must not be legally excluded from voting (i.e. certain convicted persons in detention, etc.).
EU citizens - other than from Ireland, Cyprus, and Malta – cannot vote in UK elections, even if they are resident in the UK.
Irish citizens’ eligibility to vote in UK elections is not linked to the UK’s EU membership and should not be affected by the UK’s exit from the European Union. We do not see this matter being reviewed or changed as part of the exit process.
103. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the discussions he has had with leaders of political parties in Northern Ireland regarding Brexit and the formation of a new administration following the latest assembly elections. [25654/17]
View answerFollowing the Assembly election, I spoke on 5 March with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and the Taoiseach spoke with Prime Minister May. Both Governments agreed on the need for intensive engagement to address outstanding issues and commitments to ensure the early establishment of an Executive. As co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement, both Governments have a role to play in supporting the effective operation of the devolved institutions, and in upholding both the letter and the spirit of the Agreement as a whole, in the interests of all in Northern Ireland.
In this context I am representing the Government in the currently paused talks process in Belfast. The talks have two objectives. Firstly, to allow the political parties to reach an agreement on the formation of a new Executive. Secondly, to address the implementation of outstanding issues from previous Agreements.
Since the talks began in early March, good work has been done collectively by the five parties and there has been encouraging movement across a range of areas, but a number of key issues remain still to be resolved. As part of my engagement with the Secretary of State and with each of the parties over eight weeks of talks so far, I have strongly emphasised the critical importance of forming a new Executive so that Northern Ireland’s interests can be effectively represented, as part of the process of the EU-UK negotiations which are about to commence. I very much hope that the necessary agreement between the parties will be reached on the formation of the Executive as soon as possible, so that it can directly represent the interests of Northern Ireland in these negotiations which are of major significance to its citizens.
Following the announcement of the general election in the UK, I held further contacts with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the political parties. There was a widespread view that given the demands and constraints of the election campaign, the best course would be to pause the talks until after the general election takes place on 8 June. This pause was agreed on 27 April.
The new legislative deadline for forming the Executive is 29 June. There will therefore be a sufficient opportunity after June 8 for the talks to resume and for the parties, with the appropriate support and involvement of the two Governments, to re-engage on the urgent task of forming a new Executive and taking forward the implementation of outstanding commitments from previous Agreements.
I believe there is a shared determination on the part of all parties to renew their engagement on the key issues in the talks, once the UK general election has taken place. The Irish Government will continue, in cooperation with the British Government, to support and facilitate the parties in their efforts to reach agreement. It is critically important to see devolved Government restored and working effectively in the interests of the people of Northern Ireland, in particular in the context of the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.
104. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the commitments in the programme for Government on the North-South Ministerial Council; when it last met; and the particular areas of Brexit that were discussed. [25673/17]
View answerThe Programme for a Partnership Government includes a commitment to continue to advance North South cooperation, particularly through cross-border bodies and the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) and to harness the potential of the Stormont House Agreement to develop new areas of cooperation in areas such as trade, health, tourism, sport and security.
In the current absence of a Northern Ireland Executive, and specifically a First and deputy First Minister, the North South Ministerial Council cannot meet.
The most recent NSMC Plenary meetings on 4 July 2016 in Dublin Castle and on 18 November 2016 in Armagh saw the Government and the Executive agree on a number of important common principles for dealing with Brexit on an all-island basis, scoping out the sectoral implications of Brexit for Ireland, North and South, and agreeing to work together to optimise North-South planning in the phases preceding and following Brexit.
It was agreed that this work would be taken forward through continuing bilateral discussions within the NSMC at sectoral level, as well as through a high-level working group comprising senior officials from the Government and from the Northern Ireland Executive Office.
Discussions on sectoral priorities and on new and expanded areas of cooperation have been taking place within the NSMC. While there is always scope for exploring the expansion of areas of cooperation and the work of the North South Bodies, in line with the Good Friday Agreement, such expansion must of course obtain the agreement of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
All the North South Bodies are continuing to operate effectively, making a considerable contribution towards economic growth right across the island and demonstrating what can be achieved when we pool our resources in key strategic areas. For instance, Tourism Ireland and InterTradeIreland are playing continuing and central roles in supporting the all island economy.
Tourism Ireland is driving record tourism numbers and spend to this island. InterTradeIreland is building vital exporting capacity among our small and medium enterprises and assisting SMEs in navigating the challenges of Brexit through its new advisory service and is carrying out important research into various trade scenarios.
We are already seeing greater cooperation in term of working on sporting events, such as the 2023 Rugby World Cup bid and both parts of the island are jointly hosting the Women’s tournament this year.
The Radiotherapy Unit at Altnagelvin Hospital is now operational and is a flagship examplar of the benefits to citizens of North South cooperation. This jointly funded Unit is now providing access to Radiotherapy Services to over a half million people across the north west of the island. Paediatric cardiac care on the island is also benefitting from strong collaboration between the respective Health Departments, North and South.
The Government remains engaged with the political parties in Northern Ireland. I am hopeful that, after talks resume following the UK General Election on 8 June, a new Northern Ireland Executive can be put in place by 29 June and that North South Ministerial Council meetings will recommence at the earliest opportunity thereafter to enable further important engagement on progressing all-island cooperation in general and on addressing the challenges of Brexit.
105. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Taoiseach the percentage and number of SMEs based on latest figures that are active in manufacturing, by category (details supplied), in tabular form; and the equivalent figures for the EU from the latest available data. [25366/17]
View answerSmall and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are defined as having fewer than 250 persons employed. In 2014, the latest year for which data is available, Ireland had 14,484 SMEs in manufacturing. The EU-28 total was 2,097,000 SMEs in manufacturing. Irish figures for 2015 will be available in June 2017.
The table gives a breakdown of SMEs in manufacturing in each EU Member State, together with figures for micro-enterprises (less than 10 persons employed), small enterprises (10 to 49 persons employed), medium enterprises (50 to 249 persons employed), and large enterprises.
Number of Manufacturing Enterprises by Size Class and Member State, 2014
Size of enterprise (persons employed)
|
Micro (<10) |
% |
Small (10-49) |
% |
Medium (50-249) |
% |
SMEs (<249) |
% |
Large (250 or more) |
% |
All Manu- facturing Enterprises |
|
|
EU - 28 |
1,750,000 |
82.8 |
276,000 |
13.1 |
71,000 |
3.4 |
2,097,000 |
99.2 |
16,000 |
0.8 |
2,113,000 |
|
Belgium |
29,944 |
83.8 |
4,323 |
12.1 |
1,169 |
3.3 |
35,436 |
99.1 |
311 |
0.9 |
35,747 |
|
Bulgaria |
22,785 |
75.0 |
5,553 |
18.3 |
1,747 |
5.8 |
30,085 |
99.0 |
289 |
1.0 |
30,374 |
|
Czech Republic |
157,909 |
92.9 |
8,293 |
4.9 |
3,045 |
1.8 |
169,247 |
99.5 |
794 |
0.5 |
170,041 |
|
Denmark |
10,686 |
71.2 |
3,174 |
21.2 |
955 |
6.4 |
14,815 |
98.7 |
192 |
1.3 |
15,007 |
|
Germany |
138,436 |
65.1 |
53,430 |
25.1 |
16,484 |
7.8 |
208,350 |
98.0 |
4,252 |
2.0 |
212,602 |
|
Estonia |
4,984 |
75.4 |
1,137 |
17.2 |
429 |
6.5 |
6,550 |
99.0 |
63 |
1.0 |
6,613 |
|
Ireland |
12,503 |
85.5 |
1,487 |
10.2 |
494 |
3.4 |
14,484 |
99.0 |
144 |
1.0 |
14,628 |
|
Greece |
55,447 |
95.3 |
2,068 |
3.6 |
581 |
1.0 |
58,096 |
99.8 |
115 |
0.2 |
58,211 |
|
Spain |
140,164 |
84.1 |
21,573 |
12.9 |
4,124 |
2.5 |
165,861 |
99.6 |
728 |
0.4 |
166,589 |
|
France |
205,876 |
87.6 |
22,315 |
9.5 |
5,545 |
2.4 |
233,736 |
99.4 |
1,357 |
0.6 |
235,093 |
|
Croatia |
16,784 |
83.6 |
2,526 |
12.6 |
633 |
3.2 |
19,943 |
99.3 |
144 |
0.7 |
20,087 |
|
Italy |
328,486 |
82.9 |
58,390 |
14.7 |
8,349 |
2.1 |
395,225 |
99.7 |
1,197 |
0.3 |
396,422 |
|
Cyprus |
4,570 |
.. |
.. |
.. |
.. |
.. |
5,070 |
.. |
.. |
.. |
.. |
|
Latvia |
7,859 |
80.2 |
1,411 |
14.4 |
476 |
4.9 |
9,746 |
99.4 |
59 |
0.6 |
9,805 |
|
Lithuania |
15,006 |
83.5 |
2,138 |
11.9 |
699 |
3.9 |
17,843 |
99.3 |
132 |
0.7 |
17,975 |
|
Luxembourg |
.. |
.. |
.. |
.. |
.. |
.. |
.. |
.. |
.. |
.. |
.. |
|
Hungary |
40,097 |
84.2 |
5,491 |
11.5 |
1,623 |
3.4 |
47,211 |
99.2 |
403 |
0.8 |
47,614 |
|
Malta |
.. |
.. |
.. |
.. |
.. |
.. |
.. |
.. |
.. |
.. |
.. |
|
Netherlands |
53,105 |
86.5 |
6,039 |
9.8 |
1,924 |
3.1 |
61,068 |
99.5 |
326 |
0.5 |
61,394 |
|
Austria |
18,576 |
72.8 |
5,024 |
19.7 |
1,456 |
5.7 |
25,056 |
98.2 |
468 |
1.8 |
25,524 |
|
Poland |
157,056 |
86.9 |
15,907 |
8.8 |
6,131 |
3.4 |
179,094 |
99.1 |
1,545 |
0.9 |
180,639 |
|
Portugal |
54,420 |
82.2 |
9,470 |
14.3 |
2,061 |
3.1 |
65,951 |
99.6 |
250 |
0.4 |
66,201 |
|
Romania |
34,577 |
71.9 |
9,612 |
20.0 |
3,118 |
6.5 |
47,307 |
98.4 |
784 |
1.6 |
48,091 |
|
Slovenia |
16,452 |
88.6 |
1,525 |
8.2 |
477 |
2.6 |
18,454 |
99.4 |
107 |
0.6 |
18,561 |
|
Slovakia |
60,348 |
92.9 |
3,388 |
5.2 |
964 |
1.5 |
64,700 |
99.6 |
275 |
0.4 |
64,975 |
|
Finland |
17,035 |
81.0 |
2,986 |
14.2 |
822 |
3.9 |
20,843 |
99.1 |
199 |
0.9 |
21,042 |
|
Sweden |
47,482 |
88.1 |
4,824 |
9.0 |
1,284 |
2.4 |
53,590 |
99.4 |
306 |
0.6 |
53,896 |
|
United Kingdom |
95,804 |
76.1 |
22,566 |
17.9 |
6,220 |
4.9 |
124,590 |
98.9 |
1,377 |
1.1 |
125,967 |
Indicates that the data has been suppressed for confidentiality reasons.
106. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Taoiseach the number of enterprises classified as SMEs in manufacturing as classified by EUROSTAT in the data set manufacturing, NACE section C. [25367/17]
View answerSmall and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are defined as having fewer than 250 persons employed. In 2014, the latest year for which data is available, Ireland had 14,484 SMEs in manufacturing. Irish figures for 2015 will be available in June 2017.
The table gives a breakdown of SMEs in manufacturing in Ireland from 2008-2014, together with figures for micro-enterprises (less than 10 persons employed), small enterprises (10 to 49 persons employed), medium enterprises (50 to 249 persons employed), and large enterprises.
Number of Manufacturing Enterprises by Size Class, 2008-2014
|
Size of enterprise (persons employed) |
||||||
|
Micro (<10) |
Small (10-49) |
Medium (50-249) |
SMEs (<249) |
Large (250 or more) |
All Manufacturing Enterprises |
|
|
2008 |
11,807 |
1,990 |
581 |
14,378 |
135 |
14,513 |
|
2009 |
12,287 |
1,680 |
535 |
14,502 |
127 |
14,629 |
|
2010 |
12,152 |
1,545 |
493 |
14,190 |
121 |
14,311 |
|
2011 |
12,220 |
1,504 |
487 |
14,211 |
125 |
14,336 |
|
2012 |
12,455 |
1,477 |
469 |
14,401 |
132 |
14,533 |
|
2013 |
12,599 |
1,446 |
462 |
14,507 |
142 |
14,649 |
|
2014 |
12,503 |
1,487 |
494 |
14,484 |
144 |
14,628 |
107. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if the Charleton tribunal has presented a preliminary report to the Clerk of the Dáil; and the date on which this report will be made available. [25483/17]
View answerI can inform the Deputy that the Report in question is available on the Tribunal's website and may be viewed at www.disclosurestribunal.ie. In accordance with the resolutions establishing the Disclosures Tribunal the Report must be made to the Clerk of Dáil Éireann and I understand this was done on 17 May.
108. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the steps she will take to reduce the queues for passport control for passengers arriving into Dublin Airport at terminal 1, particularly in the late evenings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25498/17]
View answerI am informed that the queues to which the Deputies refers do not arise as a result of the operation of immigration controls at Dublin Airport but are rather a consequence of other factors outside the control of the service. As regards throughput generally for incoming passengers to Dublin Airport, information supplied by the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) in relation to queue times for arriving passengers at the Airport shows that over 90% of all travellers are processed through immigration control in a matter of minutes with the percentage figure being even higher for passengers of EU nationalities. This is in the context of passenger numbers at Dublin Airport reaching record levels last year with almost 28 million passengers using the Airport.
However, there are specific pressure points outside of the control of the immigration authorities that can create some delay. Typically, this arises when a very high number of flights arrive within a specific time period (which happens at Terminal 1 in the late evening period) and the consequent increased passenger numbers within these peak times, can impact on queuing times over these periods. This situation is compounded when, in addition to scheduled arrivals, delayed flights also land during these peak periods.
Additional staff have been recruited for the Airport and the allocation of immigration personnel is designed to have the maximum number of staff on duty during these peak periods so that all available immigration booths are operational at these times. The number of available booths is a function of the physical infrastructure at the Terminal. Every effort is made by immigration officers to exercise their function as speedily as possible consistent with the requirement to protect our borders and facilitate legitimate travellers.
While the immigration authorities at Dublin Airport have no control over the number of flights or their arrival times, they have an excellent relationship with the Dublin Airport Authority and air carriers and work closely together across a number of fronts to address capacity and queue management issues where they arise, to alleviate congestion and maximise passenger throughput thus ensuring that waiting times are kept to a minimum.
I might add that a procurement exercise has been recently completed for the deployment of a permanent electronic-Gate facility at Dublin Airport. The new electronic Gates are expected to be available for use by passengers in the Autumn. However, while the introduction of the electronic gates should contribute overall to increased immigration processing capacity, the facility is primarily an immigration control facility rather than a queue management tool aimed at addressing spikes in passenger arrivals.
109. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if a person (details supplied) will be permitted to bring their Filipino national child here following the death of their father; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26074/17]
View answer110. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of a case (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25329/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 110 together.
I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that a 'join family' visa application from the person referred to was created on-line on 2 October 2016. This is the first step of the visa application process.
The applicant must then print off the two page summary sheet, sign and date it, and along with all the required supporting documentation, submit the application to the appropriate office. Full contact details for the appropriate office are on the summary sheet. However, this documentation has not yet been received by the Honorary Consul in Manila and therefore the application cannot be processed.
The INIS website (http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/Join%20Family) contains comprehensive guidelines to assist the applicant with the application process. The information contained on the website is for guidance purposes only and does not limit the discretion of the Visa Officer in dealing with individual applications.
Such applications, where the sponsor is an Irish national, can normally be expected to be dealt with within 6 months of receipt of all the required documentation as set out in the Policy Document on Non-EEA Family Reunification. This is a business target which reflects the detailed assessment that is required to be carried out in relation to applications for family reunification. It does not constitute a legal obligation and such applications may take longer due to the individual circumstances of the application or to the number of applications within the visa category and the resources available to process them.
The Deputy may wish to note that queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
In addition, applicants may themselves e-mail queries directly to INIS (visamail@justice.ie).
111. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the reason child welfare services were not contacted in the case of illegal drugs seizures at an address (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25336/17]
View answer112. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the reason child welfare services were not contacted in the case of domestic disturbances and alcohol abuse at an address (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25337/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 111 and 112 together.
The Deputy will appreciate that criminal investigations are properly dealt with by An Garda Síochána in the first instance and I, as Minister for Justice and Equality, have no role in relation to the conduct of particular Garda investigations. However, to be of assistance to the Deputy, I sought a report from the Garda authorities in relation to this matter.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that An Garda Síochána is aware of the issues referred to by the Deputy and that appropriate liaison arrangements with TUSLA are activated in any cases where child protection concerns arise. However, the Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment in detail on individual cases.
113. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if all sections of the International Protection Act 2015 have now commenced; and if sections of it are aimed at tackling abuses of freedom of movement within the EU. [25338/17]
View answerAll sections of the International Protection Act 2015 are now commenced with effect from 31 December 2016.
The purpose of the International Protection Act is to provide the framework for the determination of applications for international protection and applications for permission to remain in the State within a single procedure. One of the conditions attached to an applicant being granted permission to remain in the State for the purpose of the examination of their application is that they do not leave or attempt to leave the State without the consent of the Minister for Justice and Equality. This condition is provided at section 16(3)(a) of the Act. An applicant who contravenes this condition will be guilty of an offence and will be liable on summary conviction to a class D fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month or both.
The Act is not aimed at tacking abuses of EU Free Movement per se. However, in order to protect the integrity of the Common Travel Area, Section 81 of the Act amends the Immigration Act 2004 to provide that an immigration officer may refuse permission to land to a person who had permission to be in the United Kingdom within the previous 12 months and who travelled to Ireland from there for the purpose of extending his or her stay in the Common Travel Area. Section 20(1)(e)(ii) of the Act provides that an immigration officer or a member of An Garda Síochána may arrest an applicant without warrant if the officer or member suspects, with reasonable cause, that the person has acted or intends to act in a manner that would undermine any arrangements relating to the Common Travel Area.
114. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of a prison transfer application for a person (details supplied); if recent decisions have been made regarding their applications for transfer; and the rationale for decisions made. [25343/17]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that when making decisions in relation to the transfer of prisoners, my officials consider a range of issues including the safety of the prisoner, the prisoner's behaviour, length of sentence which remains to be served, the views of local management and services and the nature and gravity of the offence.
I am advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that a recent application from the person (details supplied) was considered and refused on operational grounds.
115. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of jobs that will be created in the new courthouse in Drogheda; the type of jobs that will be made available; the way in which interested persons can apply for available jobs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25345/17]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts, including the provision of accommodation for court sittings, is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions.
However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that District Court sittings in Drogheda are currently supported by staff based in the combined court office in Dundalk. Court sittings at the new courthouse in Drogheda will continue to be supported by the same staff and it does not envisage that additional staff will be required.
The Courts Service has also informed me that a number of facilities management jobs have been created at Drogheda Courthouse including a full time Facilities Manager, a full time caretaker and a number of part-time cleaning roles. Drogheda Courthouse is one of seven new courthouses being delivered nationwide as part of a Public Private Partnership (PPP) project and, in addition to on-site staff at each location, there are several dedicated technical and facilities management jobs serving all of the courthouses in the Courts PPP Bundle. BAM FM is the facilities manager for the Courts PPP Bundle and persons interested in applying for jobs in the Courts PPP Bundle can register their interest on the website www.bamireland.ie/recruitment.htm.
