Written Answers Nos. 488-507
488. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the measures the Government plans to take in defence of the rights of the Rohingya people in Myanmar in view of recent reports (details supplied) of 18,500 persons fleeing to Bangladesh and the widespread burning of Rohingya villages; his views on whether this amounts to ethnic cleansing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37910/17]
View answer491. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the recent events in Myanmar; the efforts being made by the European Union and the international community to protect the Rohingya; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37979/17]
View answer545. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the efforts he is making to encourage the international community to challenge the government of Myanmar and if necessary to take action against it in respect of the ongoing genocide of the Rohingya people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38987/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 488, 491 and 545 together.
I am very concerned by the recent escalation of violence in Rakhine State, Myanmar/Burma, and the plight of the Rohingya people. I condemn the attacks on 25 August by militants and the subsequent violence which has taken place. I am also deeply concerned by the reports of excesses during the security operations conducted by Myanmar's security forces, leading to a massive flow of refugees, and call on security forces to exercise restraint and to protect civilians.
It is also critical that access to humanitarian aid and media personnel is fully restored in this region. It is also important that an impartial, independent investigation into recent events in Rakhine State should be carried out. Ireland supported the inclusion of a reference to the establishment of a UN fact-finding mission in the last resolution on Myanmar/Burma at the UN Human Rights Council; such an investigation will help to ascertain the facts on the ground.
This Government is actively raising its concerns both through our bilateral contacts with the Government of Myanmar and via participation in the EU and UN. Ireland’s Embassy in Bangkok, which is accredited to Myanmar/Burma, is monitoring the situation closely. The Ambassador raised our concerns with Minister of State for Foreign Affairs U Kyaw Tin during a visit to the country in January.
Ireland has also provided development assistance and humanitarian aid to address the needs of people in Rakhine State, including the Rohingya community. Ireland has provided a total of just over €2.7 million in humanitarian assistance to Myanmar since 2012. Our humanitarian response has been channeled through trusted NGO partners, including Trócaire and Plan International Ireland. Ireland continues to monitor this protracted humanitarian situation closely and may allocate additional humanitarian assistance in the coming months, in line with humanitarian needs.
The EU is also working to find a solution both in its bilateral contacts with Myanmar/Burma such as the EU-Myanmar Human Rights Dialogue and via its participation in international fora, including the Human Rights Council, where it has continued to present a resolution on Myanmar/Burma, renewing the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur by another year. Last week High Representative Federica Mogherini issued a statement on the situation, noting that the EU stands in solidarity with the Bangladeshi authorities, who have played a crucial humanitarian role in welcoming the refugees who have arrived as a result of the crisis.
The UN has also been active, particularly the office of the United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights, despite the limited access it has been afforded to the conflict region by the Myanmar Government.
Ireland, the EU and the UN all welcome the recommendations of the recently-published final report of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State. We urge the Government of Myanmar to begin implementing these recommendations as soon as possible. Addressing the underlying causes, including the elimination of discrimination and statelessness, forms a critical basis for lasting peace and socio-economic development for all the communities of Rakhine State.
We also support the democratic transition which is currently underway in Myanmar/Burma following elections in November 2015. We recognise the positive steps that the new Government of Myanmar/Burma has taken in pursuit of peace and reconciliation, democratic reforms and economic growth.
489. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the supports his Department provides to Irish citizens with children holding Irish citizenship who are involved in custody battles involving ex partners in other jurisdictions within the EU and outside the EU; and his plans to improve these support services. [37931/17]
View answerMy Department and our Embassy network is available to provide consular assistance to all Irish citizens. I attach particular importance to the protection of children and their welfare.
Child custody disputes are difficult and distressing, and are often more difficult if there is an international or cross-border dimension, and my Department is regularly contacted and asked to assist in such cases. Because of the complex legal issues often involved in such cases, my Department’s role is usually quite constrained and limited. When contacted in such cases, my officials can, for example, discuss the issues involved with the Irish parent and the relevant Irish Embassy and seek to establish what mediation services or options are available locally. They can also provide lists of English-speaking lawyers and lawyers with expertise in relevant areas of family law in the country where the child or children are located. They can, on request, seek to facilitate a welfare check on the child or children concerned through the local authorities.
In cases where parental child abduction is alleged to have occurred, the nature of the support that can be offered depends on whether or not the country to which the child or children have been taken is a party to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. In a case where the child or children are located in a country which is a party to the Hague Convention, then that case would be handled within the framework provided by that Convention, with a clear role for the Central Authority for Child Abduction, which falls under the remit of the Department of Justice and Equality.
Parents in cases where a child or children are suspected of having been unlawfully abducted to a country which is not a signatory to the Hague Convention have recourse to the criminal justice system and should report the matter to An Garda Síochána. They may also wish to consider or seek legal advice on pursuing legal proceedings in Ireland and/or the jurisdiction to which the child or children have been taken to seek to have them returned. They are also, of course, entitled to seek information or consular assistance from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and my Department can assist in the ways outlined earlier.
My Department cannot provide legal advice or financial assistance towards legal advice or representation, and this is always made very clear including in my Department’s Consular Assistance Charter and on its Website.
490. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to recognise the deaths of a very large number of Armenian persons in 1915 as genocide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37972/17]
View answer502. Deputy Seán Barrett asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if there is a proposal for Dáil Éireann to recognise the Armenian genocide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38155/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 490 and 502 together.
The Irish Government has expressed its deepest sympathy for the enormous suffering of the Armenian people during the terrible events of 1915 which resulted in the tragic deaths of very large numbers of the Armenian population in the Ottoman Empire.
No Irish Government has taken a position on the recognition of the events of 1915 as genocide, believing that it is not in a position to adjudicate on this contentious matter, involving the consideration of a number of legal issues and an assessment of the actions and intentions of many parties during that time. It is Ireland’s general practice to recognise genocide only where this has been established by a judgment of an international court or where there is international consensus on the matter.
A Notice of Motion on this issue was received on 31 August 2017.
492. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if there is a senior official with designated responsibility for Brexit matters in his Department; if so, the grade of the designated official; the funding allocated to the Brexit unit; the cost to date; the anticipated cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37993/17]
View answerAdditional capabilities and resources have been assigned across my Department to address issues arising from the complex process of the UK exit from the EU. At Headquarters the key Divisions are the European Union (EU) Division and the Ireland, UK and Americas (IUKA) Division. The EU Division is headed at Second Secretary General level and IUKA Division is headed at Assistant Secretary General level. Both divisions have been assigned additional resources.
The European Union Division has a dedicated team focused exclusively on the EU-UK negotiations, led by a senior officer at Counsellor level. Within the IUKA Division, there is a Brexit-specific policy co-ordination function in place and there are teams focused on Northern Ireland and on wider British-Irish Relations; their duties include Brexit-related issues.
There is also an intra-Departmental senior management group focusing on issues relating to the UK exit, chaired by the Secretary General and comprising senior officials from across all relevant business units of the Department.
To support the complex and intensive negotiation process, my Department received an additional €3.2 million as part of the 2017 allocation. This facilitated the transfer back to my Department from the Department of the Taoiseach of 14 staff to a new, enlarged, European Union Division.
The Department has also allocated an additional budget of €2 million. This budget will be used to increase the number of staff assigned to the management and support of the negotiations and to increase the level of support provided to our colleagues across all Government Departments and agencies.
The measures my Department put in place to manage the initial phase of our response to the UK decision to leave the EU remain under review. The Department will allocate additional staff resources as deemed necessary to further augment our level of support across Government and across our network.
493. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of staff deployed full-time in his Department in respect of Brexit; if there is a designated section or unit to deal with Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38009/17]
View answerManaging our response to Brexit has impacted on the work of many staff at Headquarters and a significant number of those overseas. Additional staff have been assigned to the key Divisions with responsibility for Brexit matters, the European Union Division and the Ireland, UK and Americas (IUKA) Division, to cover the issues arising from the UK exit process.
The European Union Division has a dedicated team focused on the EU-UK negotiations, led by a senior officer at Counsellor level. Within the IUKA Division, there is a Brexit-specific policy co-ordination function in place and there are teams focused on Northern Ireland and on wider British-Irish Relations; their duties include Brexit related issues.
For operational and service oriented units like the Passport Office and Consular service, there has been a marked increase in demand for passports and citizenship via foreign birth registration from applicants in Northern Ireland and in Britain. We have responded by recruiting over 230 temporary and fulltime clerical officers assigned to our Dublin, Cork and London operations.
Many business units of my Department at headquarters in Dublin are involved in some way as part of the response to the UK exit, for example, the Legal Division, the Trade Division and the Policy Planning Unit.
There is also an intra-Departmental senior management group focusing on issues relating to the UK exit, chaired by the Secretary General and comprising senior officials from across all relevant business units of the Department.
Overseas, additional posts dedicated to issues relating to the UK exit have been assigned to our Embassies in London, Berlin, and Paris as well as the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the European Union in Brussels, which has a unit dedicated to managing our response to this issue.
It is important to emphasise that our approach has not been merely to recruit or assign additional staff, but rather also to prioritise Brexit in the work of our entire network. The Department may require additional staff resources if it is deemed necessary to further augment our level of support across Government and across our network.
494. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the level of construction inflation that has been experienced by his Department in the 18 months to September 2017 in respect of construction projects; the way in which he monitors construction inflation and the mechanisms his Department employs to tackle this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38025/17]
View answerThe Office of Public Works provides my Department with office accommodation for its offices in Ireland. They also provide a shared service for the maintenance of these buildings and management of construction projects on the Department’s behalf.
In the case of our offices abroad, the Department undertakes construction projects to maintain those properties which the State owns and, in the case of leased properties, carries out necessary maintenance to ensure lease requirements are adhered to.
These projects would be smaller, short term and in conjunction with national procurement guidelines, openly tendered in the local market for the work as required. As the cost of construction is at the current market rate the impact of construction inflation is not materially significant. Most construction projects overseas are on a fixed cost basis and cost control is a major element of project management.
495. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding the Stormont talks to restore power sharing in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38086/17]
View answer504. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of recent efforts to restart the power sharing Executive in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38347/17]
View answer539. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his visit to Stormont on 5 September 2017; the meetings he attended; the issues that were discussed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38952/17]
View answer541. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update on the most recent attempts to reinstate the Northern Ireland Assembly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38954/17]
View answer543. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when formal talks will resume on reinstating the Northern Ireland Assembly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38956/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 495, 504, 539, 541 and 543 together.
The Government is determined, as a co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, to do everything that we can to see all of its institutions operating effectively, including the devolved Assembly and power-sharing Executive in Northern Ireland.
I met with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in Dublin on 22 August to discuss the best way forward for the Irish and British Governments to support the formation of a new Executive in the period ahead. I remain in regular contact with Secretary of State Brokenshire, to identify where and how we can continue to support and encourage the parties in achieving that essential objective.
In the first instance, it is the parties who have the enabling electoral mandates that need to reach the necessary agreement to form a new Executive. I visited Belfast on 5 September to discuss with each of the political parties the prospects and the process for achieving that. I was encouraged that all of the parties want to see devolution working and they are all agreed that locally accountable power-sharing government is in the best interests of Northern Ireland. The parties have also had various bilateral contacts and this continued engagement is important to acknowledge.
In this regard, I welcome the statements made on 6 September by the DUP leader, Arlene Foster, and by Sinn Féin’s leader in the Assembly, Michelle O’Neill, referring to the recent intensified engagement between both parties and their intention to continue their discussions and with the other parties, with a view to reaching an agreement on a new Executive.
I believe that all parties are conscious that time cannot be unlimited in seeking this outcome and that Northern Ireland has been without an Executive for several months, including the period when the Article 50 negotiations between the EU and the UK are focussed on the unique issues relating to the island of Ireland.
There remain challenges and differences between the parties on specific issues, but I do not believe that these are insurmountable. I will continue to work with the Secretary of State and each of the political parties in Northern Ireland to support an agreement on the formation of a new power-sharing Executive for Northern Ireland within the mandate of the current Assembly.
496. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the advice and actions his Department has taken in respect of the military stand off in Bhutan between the People’s Republic of China and India; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38095/17]
View answerI am aware of recent developments involving the People’s Republic of China and India in Bhutan. The Irish Embassies in New Delhi and Beijing have monitored the situation closely, which has now deescalated.
It is our strong wish to see such disputes resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law, and we urge the parties involved to refrain from actions that could lead to increased tensions in the region.
497. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the action his Department has taken in respect of the tensions in the Korean peninsula and the threat to civilians in Japan posed by ongoing North Korean missile tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38096/17]
View answerI am deeply worried by the deterioration of the situation on the Korean peninsula. North Korea’s recent actions have raised tensions and present a real threat to peace and security in the entire North East Asia region and beyond. I have expressed my condemnation of these actions in recent statements, including after North Korea’s ballistic missile test which flew over Japanese territory on 29 August 2017, and most recently following North Korea’s sixth nuclear test conducted on 3 September 2017.
These actions are an unacceptable and provocative violation of North Korea’s international obligations not to conduct such tests and I have unreservedly condemned such actions. I have called on North Korea to abandon its programmes to develop ballistic missiles, nuclear capabilities and weapons of mass destruction in a manner that is complete, verifiable and irreversible.
The latest nuclear test highlights the need for immediate entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). I have urged all states who have not already done so to ratify the Treaty without delay so that the global disarmament and non-proliferation architecture can be strengthened and the global norm against testing reinforced.
Urgent engagement on nuclear disarmament by all stakeholders is now needed. I have called on the North Korean authorities to cease all nuclear testing and re-engage with the Six Party Talks on the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, immediately and without pre-conditions.
Ireland strongly supports the international sanctions regime against North Korea, and has called for greater emphasis to be placed on effective implementation of the sanctions regime. New sanctions against North Korea, including additional EU autonomous restrictive measures, should not be ruled out.
498. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the meeting with the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce on 29 August 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38097/17]
View answerAs part of my ongoing engagement with stakeholders across the island of Ireland, I spoke at a breakfast briefing for the members of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, 29 August 2017, in Belfast. The event was attended by over 60 representatives of businesses from all across Northern Ireland, many of whom have cross-border operations.
The event was an important opportunity for me to hear the key concerns in the context of Brexit from businesses operating in Northern Ireland and to inform and update them on developments in the Brexit negotiations and the efforts being made by the Government to protect the hard-won peace and prosperity that is underpinned by the all-island economy made possible through the Good Friday Agreement and the Peace Process.
I strongly encouraged the business representatives present to use the window of opportunity of this current phase of negotiations, while the focus is on the issues unique to the island of Ireland, to ensure their voices are heard.
I reiterated the Government’s position that the current border arrangement has been a vital part of our shared peace and prosperity and the Government’s conviction that the best way to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland is for the UK to remain in the Customs Union and Single Market.
My remarks delivered at the breakfast briefing are available publicly at www.dfa.ie/news-and-media/speeches/speeches-archive/2017/august/minister-coveney-remarks-to-ni-chamber-of-commerce/.
499. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the work his Department has undertaken in engaging with and studying the policy positions of business and political groupings in Britain advocating that the United Kingdom remain in the customs union and Single Market, including the British Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38098/17]
View answerOfficials of my Department are engaged in this work on an ongoing and continuing basis. This work covers the broad spectrum of political and policy positions on all matters relating to Brexit across the UK, including those articulated in Westminster debates, committee hearings and through the media.
Our Embassy in London and our Consulate in Edinburgh report on policy developments and commentary on a regular basis from across the UK.
My Department, through the responsible officials in Dublin and in the Embassy in London, is in regular contact with business representatives, including the British Irish Chamber of Commerce. I met with representatives of the Chamber myself during my visit to London in July.
I, my Government colleagues, and officials across Government continue to be actively engaging with stakeholders across the island of Ireland to hear their concerns and perspectives, including through the All-Island Civic Dialogue. Most recently I met with members of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce in Belfast and with Irish MEPs in Brussels.
Our Embassies across the EU Member States also actively report on developments of note in the context of Brexit in their countries of accreditation.
500. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he has taken to help the family of a person (details supplied) in view of the fact that Egypt is not party to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38099/17]
View answerThe person referred to by the Deputy was first brought to the attention of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 2009, and officials from the Consular Assistance Section in Dublin and from our Embassy in Cairo have provided extensive consular assistance to the family since then. Cases of this nature are very difficult and complex and are complicated by the fact that Egypt is not a party to the Hague Convention on International Child Abduction.
This case has consistently been raised with the Egyptian authorities at the highest levels through Ministerial and diplomatic channels on a number of occasions since 2009. I wish to assure the Deputy that my Department and the Embassy of Ireland in Cairo stands ready to provide any possible further consular assistance that they can to this family concerned.
Officials from my Department’s Consular Directorate are available to meet with the family at any time, and this was confirmed to them in recent correspondence.
501. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he, or bodies and agencies under the remit of his Department, plans to make services or payments dependent on the mandatory use and production of the public services card; if so, the services and payments which will now be dependent on the mandatory use of the public services card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38149/17]
View answerThe Passport Service currently requires a photocopy of the Public Services card (“PSC”) for first time adult applicants and for applicants seeking to replace lost, stolen or damaged passports that were issued prior to 2005. This measure has been an important step in protecting against fraud and identity theft and in upholding the integrity of the Irish passport.
The Government decided on 17 July that the PSC would be required for all passport applications made in the State by the end of 2018.
This requirement is being introduced due to the robust assurances provided by the SAFE 2 standard in protecting against fraud and identity theft. The SAFE 2 process, which includes the Public Services Card and MyGovID, represents the most secure and robust means available to the State for physically or digitally verifying applicants for public services. This measure will therefore assist in upholding the integrity of the Irish passport.
My Department will ensure that any changes to the passport application process are communicated to the public well in advance and will work with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Department of Social Protection on the practicalities involved.
503. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of the progress made to date in 2017 in the Brexit negotiations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38346/17]
View answerThere have been three rounds of negotiations to date, with the most recent round concluding on 31 August. As this is the first phase of negotiations, and in line with the agreed sequencing of negotiations, the focus has been on the withdrawal issues of citizens’ rights, the financial settlement, other separation issues and the unique Irish issues. Both the EU and UK have used these early rounds of negotiations to clarify their respective positions, highlighting the areas of agreement and divergence.
Discussions on most of the issues have been constructive to date, with some progress being made in the areas of citizens’ rights and the other separation issues. However, it is clear that many difficult and complex issues remain, above all in regard to the financial settlement. It is the area in which the least amount of progress has been made. Although the UK has accepted that it will have financial obligations to honour on its departure, it has not yet advanced a more concrete position on the issue.
It is imperative that sufficient progress is made on this issue, as well as on all of the other withdrawal issues, in order for the European Council to be able make a decision regarding the opening of parallel discussions on the framework for future relations. It will be in the second phase that trade and sectoral issues, including the question of transitional arrangements, will be discussed. Given that these issues are of crucial importance to Ireland and our economy, the Government wants to see phase two to begin as soon as possible. However, unless the UK demonstrates greater and more constructive engagement on these issues in the next two rounds of negotiations, it is unlikely that the European Council on 19-20 October will be in a position to decide on whether sufficient progress has been achieved in the first phase of the negotiations.
Michel Barnier, EU Chief Negotiator, and his Taskforce are well prepared for these negotiations, based both on the European Council guidelines and the more detailed negotiating directives agreed in the spring and the extensive and ongoing consultations they are holding with all Member States. I am appreciative of the level of support that both the Taskforce and our EU partners have shown for Ireland’s unique concerns, with Mr Barnier reiterating after our meeting last week that Ireland’s interests are the EU’s interests. My officials and I have been working very closely with Mr Barnier and his team to ensure that Ireland’s positions are fully reflected in the negotiations and we will continue to engage closely with them in the weeks and months ahead.
On the Irish specific issues, I am satisfied with the direction the High Level Dialogue between the UK and EU teams is taking. Good progress has been made on the Common Travel Area and there is a common objective to protect the Good Friday Agreement and the gains of the peace process. However, while some progress is being made on the protection of the Good Friday Agreement and the gains of the peace process, including the avoidance of a hard border, a lot more work is required on ensuring that the full implications of the UK’s decision to leave the EU is understood, including on North South cooperation. In the last round of negotiations which concluded on 31 August, the UK presented its paper on Ireland and Northern Ireland. While the publication of this paper is welcome, the UK’s aspirations and statements of principle need to be backed by substantive commitments and clear links to workable solutions by the UK.
The Government welcomes and supports the Taskforce’s own paper on the “Guiding Principles for the dialogue on Ireland/Northern Ireland” on 7 September. The paper builds on the European Council Guidelines agreed earlier this year and reflects the priority Irish issues identified by the Government: protecting the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts, and the peace process, including avoiding a hard border, and maintaining the Common Travel Area and sets out the principles on which solutions will have to be based. The EU will now seek to agree these principles with the UK as the basis for the future discussions on detailed solutions. I and my officials will continue to work closely with Mr Barnier and his team to advance Ireland’s concerns in these negotiations.
505. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of the situation in Kenya in view of the fact that the August 2017 election results have been annulled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38348/17]
View answerI wish to commend the people of Kenya who on 8 August turned out in great numbers to vote in their presidential, parliamentary and county level elections. On 11 August, the incumbent, Uhuru Kenyatta of the Jubilee coalition, was declared winner of the Presidential election, defeating Raila Odinga, leader of the National Super Alliance (NASA) opposition coalition, and other candidates.
Two Irish observers participated as election observers through the EU Election Observation Mission. The general consensus of international observers was that while the elections were a broadly positive exercise in democracy there were a number of shortcomings in the electoral process, including with the implementation of election technology.
The outcome of the election was subsequently disputed by the opposition. Some sporadic violence occurred, resulting in the deaths of a reported 24 people. The decision of the opposition to bring a petition to the Kenyan Supreme Court calmed the situation. On 1 September, the Supreme Court declared the Presidential result invalid, citing issues with the conduct of the election, and called for a fresh Presidential election. That new election is scheduled to be held on 17 October.
Ireland acknowledges the work of the Supreme Court in analysing the electoral process. The judgment underlines the institutional strength and independence of the Supreme Court and the robust nature of Kenyan democracy. The full judgment will be published in the coming weeks.
The EU has called on political leaders in the country to use their authority to promote peace and calm on all sides, and to ensure adherence to the fundamental democratic principles of transparency and rule of law. The EU Election Observation Mission will stay in the country until the completion of the electoral process.
Kenya is an important partner of Ireland in Africa, with whom we have strong trade, development and cultural links. Together with our EU partners, we will continue to promote a transparent, credible, inclusive and peaceful election re-run in the country and will continue to actively monitor developments in the lead up to the re-run of the election, including through the work of the Embassy of Ireland in Nairobi.
506. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on reports that the United States graduate visa programme may be discontinued; the number of graduates currently availing of the visa; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38349/17]
View answerThe J1 programme has been a tremendously successful part of the Irish-US bilateral relationship for almost 50 years, with 150,000 Irish third level students and young people having participated in the programme over that time.
The J1 programme offers a suite of more than a dozen options for participants wishing to experience life in the US while providing opportunities to work while doing so, one of which options is the graduate visa programme.
The Irish Government does not have a role in administering the J1 programme, 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 agencies here in Ireland.
Nevertheless, officials at the Embassy of Ireland in Washington DC are in regular contact with the US State Department regarding the J1 programme, while officials from my Department are also in regular contact with the US Embassy in Dublin.
I am aware of media reports that the J1 programmes are being reviewed by the US administration, in the context of President Trump's "Hire American" Executive Order.
In the year ended 30 September 2015, more than 8,000 J1 visas were issued to Irish citizens in various categories.
The J1 programme remains, therefore, an important component of our bilateral relationship with the United States.
Any cuts to the programme would be of serious concern and my officials in Washington and Dublin have made our position clear to the US Administration.
I can assure the Deputy of the Government’s commitment to the continued success of all the J1 programmes.
507. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of recent efforts to resolve the situation of the undocumented Irish in the United States; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38350/17]
View answerThe Government’s objectives regarding undocumented Irish citizens in the United States remain constant, namely, to achieve relief for the undocumented and facilitate greater pathways for legal migration to the United States.
In pursuit of these objectives, Ireland’s diplomatic representatives in the U.S. systematically avail of all opportunities to raise immigration, including the prospects for immigration reform and the situation of the undocumented Irish, with representatives of the Administration and Congressional members.
Last March the then Taoiseach, Mr. Enda Kenny, TD, used the opportunity of the Speaker’s Lunch, as well as his meetings with President Trump, Vice-President Pence, Speaker Ryan and other senior US leaders during the St. Patrick’s Day engagements in Washington DC, to raise immigration-related issues and to convey the continuing importance which we attach to them.
Subsequently, Taoiseach Varadkar spoke by phone with President Trump on the afternoon of Tuesday 27 June. During their conversation, the Taoiseach raised a number of issues, including the situation of the undocumented Irish in the US. The Taoiseach looks forward to having an opportunity to discuss this important issue with President Trump in more detail in due course.
The Government’s commitment to supporting the undocumented and engaging with the US administration on the issue has recently been reinforced by the appointment by the Taoiseach of Deputy John Deasy as Special Envoy to the United States Congress to work for the undocumented Irish.
Since being appointed as Special Envoy, Deputy Deasy has engaged with key congressional and senate members on both sides of the aisle, as well as with representatives of the Administration. Working closely with the Embassy and with the Consulates, Deputy Deasy visited Washington and New York from 23-to-28 July last and, just last week, he was in the US again for another series of meetings and consultations. Deputy Deasy has also visited a number of Irish immigration advice centres during these visits.
I am acutely aware of the very understandable concerns which exist among members of the Irish community in the US in light of recent developments in the immigration field under the new US Administration.
With this in mind, my Department has, through the Irish Embassy in Washington DC, obtained legal advice on the implications of those developments for undocumented Irish citizens in the US. This advice has been disseminated amongst Irish immigration centres in the United States and is available online.
The issues of immigration reform and the welfare of undocumented Irish citizens in the US. are a central plank of the work of Ireland’s diplomatic representatives in the US. The Embassy in Washington DC and our six Consulates across the US continue to work with Irish immigration centres to provide support to undocumented Irish citizens.
I can assure the Deputy of the Government’s continued commitment to pursuing these matters on behalf of our affected citizens in the U.S.
