Tuesday, 5 Dec 2017

Written Answers Nos. 118-131

Departmental Functions

Questions (118)

Micheál Martin

Question:

118. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach the role his Department has in respect of the Central Statistics Office. [51713/17]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) is established by Section 8 of the Statistics Act 1993 and is an independent office under the aegis of the Taoiseach. The Office operates under the terms of the Statistics Act and EU Regulation 223/2009 on European Statistics. Both the national and EU statistical legislation specify that the Director General is independent in relation to professional statistical matters. This is a core principle of official statistics which is specified in the UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics and in the European Statistics Code of Practice.

Under the Statistics Act, the Director General of the CSO is appointed by the President and is a corporation sole. The Statistics Act also prescribes the interaction between the CSO and the Taoiseach in relation to administrative matters. The Taoiseach has no role in the production of statistics, statistical methodology, the content of releases, or the timing and method of dissemination of statistics.

The CSO takes a number of additional steps to ensure public trust in statistics. In line with the European Statistics Code of Practice the Office publishes an advance calendar of releases for the year ahead and a more detailed weekly release schedule. Releases are published at the same time each day, 11.00 am, and pre-release access is strictly controlled in an open and transparent manner. Each individual who has pre-release access is named on the CSO website and they normally only receive the release one hour ahead of the specified release time .

The Taoiseach is the appropriate authority regarding staffing matters for certain grades in accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners Act 1956, and the Civil Service Regulations Acts 1956 and 1958.

The CSO’s budget is approved as part of the Taoiseach’s Vote Group. This group also includes the Department of the Taoiseach, the President’s Establishment, the Office of the Attorney General, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the Chief State Solicitor’s Office.

Section 25 of the Statistics Act empowers the Taoiseach to prescribe by order statistical surveys that persons or businesses must complete.

In practice the above responsibilities have been delegated to the Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach. S.I. No. 298 of 2017 delegates these responsibilities to Minister of State McHugh.

The National Statistics Board provides strategic direction to the CSO. The Board members are appointed by the Taoiseach under Section 18 of the Statistics Act. Under the Act, the Board’s membership includes a senior official from the Department of the Taoiseach.

European Council Meetings

Questions (119)

Micheál Martin

Question:

119. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach the agenda of the December 2017 European Council meeting. [51714/17]

Written answers

The Taoiseach

The European Council will meet in Brussels on 14 and 15 December.

The draft agenda for the main meeting consists of security and defence - including Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) - and social, educational and cultural matters - where we expect a report on the recent Gothenburg Social Summit, and the proclamation of the European Pillar of Social Rights. Foreign policy issues might also be raised.

President Tusk will also chair further discussions on the Future of Europe as part of his 'Leaders' Agenda'.The first discussion, on education and culture, took place in Gothenburg where we discussed how to deepen cooperation in these areas, while respecting the limits of the Union's competence. Next week we will discuss migration.

In addition, we will discuss the future of Economic and Monetary Union in a meeting of the Euro Summit in an inclusive format, with all 27 remaining Member States represented.

Ireland is very supportive of President Tusk's efforts to drive forward the debate on the Future of Europe, and I look forward to a constructive exchange of views.

The European Council will also meet in Article 50 format, on 15 December, to consider progress in the Brexit negotiations, including whether sufficient progress has been achieved to move to the second phase of the negotiations, in which the framework of the future relationship between the EU and the UK will be considered along with possible transitional arrangements.

Departmental Funding

Questions (120)

Mattie McGrath

Question:

120. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Taoiseach the funding provided by his Department to each member of a group (details supplied). [51444/17]

Written answers

The Taoiseach

My Department has provided no funding to the groups in question.

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Questions (121)

Brendan Smith

Question:

121. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach if he has had recent contact with the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission and other members of the European Council. [51767/17]

Written answers

The Taoiseach

I met President Tusk in Dublin on Friday 1 December, when we discussed progress on the Brexit negotiations. I reiterated the need to ensure sufficient progress on the Irish-specific issues - maintaining the Common Travel Area, protecting the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts and the gains of the peace process, and avoiding a hard border - before moving to phase two of the negotiations. I noted that shared membership of the Single Market and the Customs Union has been key to facilitating the invisible border and that, as the UK says it intends to leave the Single Market and the Customs Union, we need firm commitments from them that a hard border will be avoided, recognising the unique circumstances on the island of Ireland.

As was made clear in his public remarks after the meeting, President Tusk was unequivocal in his support for Ireland and the need to ensure that there will be no hard border on the island. I took the opportunity at the meeting to thank President Tusk sincerely for his strong and unwavering solidarity since the very beginning of the process. I also outlined my support for his work in progressing the debate on the Future of Europe under the Leaders' Agenda.

I have spoken with both President Tusk and President Juncker by phone on a number of occasions over the past week. I met informally with my EU counterparts in the margins of the Social Summit in Gothenburg in November, and the European Council in Brussels in October. Separately I met with the leaders of the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in advance of the October meeting. I also had a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister May in Gothenburg in November, further to earlier such meetings in September and June.

Ongoing political engagement with our EU and international partners remains crucial, especially as negotiations on Brexit proceed. I will continue to take advantage of every opportunity to advance Ireland's interests with my fellow members of the European Council. With this in mind I am due to meet Prime Minister Rutte of the Netherlands on Wednesday, 6th December, in Government Buildings.

Freedom of Information Data

Questions (122, 123)

John McGuinness

Question:

122. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Taoiseach the number of freedom of information requests received by his Department to date in 2017; the number that were fully or partially granted; and the number that were refused. [51859/17]

John McGuinness

Question:

123. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Taoiseach the number of freedom of information requests received by his Department to date in 2017; the number of which the period of consideration was completed within four weeks of the receipt of the request; and the number of which the period of consideration was extended by up to four weeks in view of the fact that the necessary resources to complete the request within the original timeframe were not available, in tabular form. [51876/17]

Written answers

The Taoiseach

I propose to take Questions Nos. 122 and 123 together.

From the beginning of this year to 29 November, my Department received 325 requests under the Freedom of Information Act of which 50 were fully granted, 117 were partially granted, 87 were refused (including 60 where no records were held), 8 were transferred to other public bodies, 10 were withdrawn and 5 were handled outside of FOI. 48 requests are currently ongoing and replies will issue in due course.

A total of 160 requests were completed within four weeks of receipt. Replies issued outside the normal four week deadline in the remaining 117 requests for a variety of reasons. Some cases involved a large number of records, third party consultation was necessary in some cases and in some instances the deadline was extended by short periods by agreement with the requesters. My Department is committed to meeting its obligations under the FOI Act 2014, including responding to FOI requests within the specified timeframes, and makes every effort to ensure that the level of late replies is kept to the minimum.

Taoiseach's Communications

Questions (124)

Pat the Cope Gallagher

Question:

124. Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher asked the Taoiseach the submissions he made to the British Government concerning the A5 project, in particular the phase 1a section of the road project beyond Sion Mills that will facilitate the County Donegal connection to the A5; and when these submissions were made (details supplied). [51982/17]

Written answers

The Taoiseach

Under the Fresh Start Agreement concluded in 2015 between the British and Irish Governments and the main political parties in the North, the Irish Government reaffirmed its existing commitment to providing funding of £50 million for the A5 Western Transport Corridor serving the North West and also committed an additional £25m to the project.

A Senior Officials Group was subsequently established to monitor progress in taking forward the range of infrastructure commitments contained in Fresh Start including the A5 Western Transport Corridor. This group is co-chaired by senior officials from the Department of Infrastructure Northern Ireland and the Department of the Taoiseach. This group meets on a regular basis throughout the year; it has met 7 times in total with its last meeting on 7 November 2017.

On 28 November 2017, the Department of Infrastructure Northern Ireland announced the decision to proceed with the A5 Western Transport Corridor scheme and it is currently finalising preparations to enable work to start in 2018.

As part of the work of the Senior Officials Group, the Department of the Taoiseach has been in contact at official level with key stakeholders in the A5 project including the Department of Infrastructure Northern Ireland, Derry City and Strabane District Council and other UK Government Officials. These contacts have referenced phase 1 of the project in recent weeks once it became clear that a start date was envisaged in 2018. A final decision in respect of the A5 alignment is a matter for the Northern Ireland authorities.

Brexit Negotiations

Questions (125)

Brendan Smith

Question:

125. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the meetings he has had with his counterparts regarding the need to definitively conclude all issues relating to the need to avoid a Border on this island prior to the EU-British negotiations moving to the next stage and dealing with trade issues. [51767/17]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Deputy Simon Coveney)

I attended the General Affairs Council (Article 50) on Monday 20 November, at which the EU’s Chief Negotiator, Michel Barnier, provided an update to the EU27 Member States on the state of play with regard to the EU-UK negotiations.

This provided an important opportunity to take stock of progress in light of the forthcoming decision by the European Council in December on whether or not sufficient progress has been made on the exit issues in order to enable discussions on the framework for a future EU-UK relationship and transitional arrangements to begin.

In this regard, Mr Barnier reported that, while some progress was made in the latest round of negotiations on 9-10 November, there is a lot of work remaining in order to achieve sufficient progress across all of the exit issues - citizens’ rights, the UK’s financial settlement and the issues unique to Ireland.

I will meet collectively again with all my EU27 counterparts at the General Affairs Council (Article 50) on Tuesday 12 December, shortly before the European Council on 14-15 December.

In the meantime, I have been undertaking an intensive round of bilateral contacts with my EU counterparts, to reaffirm the importance of making sufficient progress across all three exit issues, including the Irish-specific issues. I met with Michel Barnier again in Brussels on 24 November and also met with my counterparts from Poland, Hungary and Spain on the same day, in the margins of the Eastern Partnership Summit. I have spoken to a number of my counterparts by telephone over the past week, including with my colleagues from Germany, Luxembourg and Slovakia, and will continue to do so in the coming days. I also joined the Taoiseach in his meeting with the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, in Dublin on Friday 1 December.

During all of these contacts, I have been underlining that the negotiations have reached the point where firm, explicit commitments are required from the UK, which will need to be reflected in the Withdrawal Agreement. The achievement of sufficient progress does not mean that all issues need to be definitively settled and the detail worked out. But what is essential is that the path to the final outcome is mapped out.

This includes protecting the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts, and the gains of the peace process, including avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland. In this regard, I have recalled that Ireland continues to believe that the optimal solution would be for the UK to remain in the Customs Union and the Single Market. But this is ultimately a decision for the UK Government to make. If the UK continues to rule out this option, the solutions that it offers must be concrete and workable. This should include an acceptance by the UK that the risks posed by the emergence on the island of Ireland of regulatory divergence from the rules of the Internal Market and the Customs Union must be avoided.

I have also taken the opportunity to express Ireland’s strong support for the work of Michel Barnier and his team and to acknowledge the continuing solidarity and support we are enjoying from our EU partners in relation to the Irish specific issues, which has been further reaffirmed in all of my meetings and contacts with partners over recent days and weeks.

I have also been stressing Ireland’s commitment to continue working closely with the Commission Task Force to advance these issues and our hope that, with hard work and political will, the European Council will be able to take a positive decision next month.

Departmental Funding

Questions (126)

Mattie McGrath

Question:

126. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the funding provided by his Department to each member of a group (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51438/17]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

The Department is responsible for two votes - Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs and Trade) and Vote 27 (International Cooperation). The Department administers a number of funding schemes including under Ireland's official overseas development programme, Irish Aid. Between 2016 and 2017, Irish Aid provided €240,000 from its Civil Society Fund to the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) for a project to provide sexual reproductive health services (i.e. contraception, HIV and STI tests and counselling) and training in Bolivia through IFPA’s local partner. The focus of the project is on migrant youth in the cities of Cochabamba and Santa Cruz who are at risk of falling into a cycle of urban destitution in slum areas. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) is also due to receive a grant of €10,000 from the Civil Society Fund in 2017 to improve the labour protection legal environment and ensure that the market based economic reforms of the government of Myanmar are inclusive and benefit workers by creating decent jobs.

Amnesty Ireland received an Irish Aid Development Education grant of €40,000 in 2016 for a project to build the capacity of primary school teachers to identify human rights and global justice issues (such as migration, homelessness, hunger and poverty) through the new primary school literacy programme.

The Department's Emigrant Support Programme supports Irish communities overseas by funding non-profit organisations and projects. From time to time funding is granted to an organisation based in Ireland for projects overseas to foster more strategic links with the global Irish and to support frontline welfare services. Since 2015, my Department has contributed to the printing and distribution of the J1 Visa Guide by the Union of Students in Ireland (USI). The guide was written in conjunction with the Consular Division of my Department, and includes information on the Department's TravelWise App. It covers a range of topics including carrying ID and passport safety, anti-social behaviour and mental health. The Guide aims to support and empower Irish third-level students with relevant information while overseas.

The Reconciliation Fund administered by my Department awards funding to organisations and projects aimed at advancing peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland, on a cross-border basis and between Ireland and Britain. In 2016 the Fund made a grant of €30,000 to the Northern Ireland branch of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU). The grant supports ICTU's work with community groups and organisations to promote reconciliation and combat sectarianism in Northern Ireland.

The following table lists funding provided, or to be provided, in 2016 and 2017.

Organisation	2016 -  €	2017 - €
USI	2,021	2,000
ICTU	30,000	10,000
Amnesty Ireland	40,000
IFPA	120,000	120,000

Passport Controls

Questions (127)

Marc MacSharry

Question:

127. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the fact that at Faro Airport in Portugal Irish tourists are required to go through separate passport control from those of other EU countries; the reason for same; if his attention was not drawn to the fact, if inquiries will be made with the Portuguese authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51513/17]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

I am aware of certain technical issues that have arisen for Irish passport holders going through the ‘Rapid’ self-service system at Faro. Following inquiries, authorities at Faro Airport have confirmed to the Irish Embassy that Irish citizens are not required to go through separate passport control at Faro airport and that they can use EU queues like all other holders of EU passports.

Passport Applications

Questions (128)

Tom Neville

Question:

128. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the criteria required for a UK citizen to obtain an Irish passport (details supplied). [51620/17]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

As the Deputy may be aware, all passport applications are subject to the provisions of the Passports Act, 2008 which provides, among other things, that a person must be an Irish citizen before a passport can be issued to him/her. In order to meet this legal requirement, each person must demonstrate an entitlement to Irish citizenship before an Irish passport can be issued to them. As only limited details have been supplied about the UK citizen in question, it is not possible to provide specific guidance on their case. Nonetheless, we can still advise on the general rules and procedures that apply to cases such as these. Entitlement to Irish citizenship is governed by Irish law and in particular the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, under which and in general, Irish citizenship may be obtained by birth in Ireland to parents meeting specified requirements, by descent, or by naturalisation.

An individual born abroad is automatically an Irish citizen if one of their parents was an Irish citizen born in Ireland. There is an additional requirement of registration in the Foreign Births Register for a person born outside Ireland where his/her Irish citizen parent had also been born outside the island of Ireland. In such cases, Irish citizenship commences after inclusion on the FBR. Further details regarding the process can be consulted at: http://www.dfa.ie/passports-citizenship/citizenship/born-abroad/

Individuals who are unable to establish an entitlement to citizenship by descent may still be able to apply for citizenship through naturalisation. Naturalisation comes under the auspices of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service within the Department of Justice and Equality. Details of how to apply for citizenship through naturalisation can be found at: http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/citizenship

Brexit Issues

Questions (129)

Brendan Smith

Question:

129. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the recent proposals outlined by an organisation (details supplied) regarding the establishment of a new customs arrangement between Britain and the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51755/17]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

The Article 50 negotiations between the EU and the UK are proceeding on the basis of the phased approach set out in the European Council Guidelines of 29 April 2017. Ireland fully supports this approach, which foresees that discussions on the future EU-UK relationship, including trade, will get underway as soon as sufficient progress has been made on the EU’s key priorities under the withdrawal process – notably citizens’ rights, the UK’s financial settlement and the Irish specific issues. At its meeting on 20 October, the European Council welcomed the progress made in the EU-UK negotiations to date but agreed that further work was needed before it can agree that sufficient progress has be made on all of the exit issues. The European Council called for work in the negotiations to continue, and committed itself to reassessing progress at its next meeting in December. I very much hope that it will be able to make a positive assessment.

The October European Council also agreed to begin internal preparatory discussions on priorities for the future framework for the EU-UK future relationship, and for transitional arrangements. The aim of such discussions, which are now underway at official level, is to ensure that the EU is ready to begin phase 2 negotiations with the UK as soon has sufficient progress has been recorded. Ireland's approach to these discussions is being prepared through cross-Departmental coordination structures, chaired by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. This work is building upon the extensive cross-Government research, analysis and consultation with stakeholders that has already been undertaken, including as reflected in the comprehensive document “Ireland and the negotiations on the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union: The Government’ Approach” published on 2 May.

In this regard, the views and analyses of business representative groups such as the British Irish Chamber of Commerce will continue to be important as we further elaborate our position going forward. The British Irish Chamber of Commerce is the leading business group representing the interest of businesses with interests in Britain and Ireland, and is an important voice to be heard in the context of solutions to the unique challenges facing Ireland and Northern Ireland. As such, their contribution is always valuable and deserves thorough consideration.

The precise customs arrangements that will apply after Brexit will depend on the outcome of negotiations of the future relationship between the EU and the UK. Ireland’s overriding position is that a future EU-UK Free Trade Agreement should be comprehensive and ambitious and as wide as possible in its scope, while ensuring a level playing field and protecting the integrity of the Single Market. This is an outcome that I will be working hard to achieve with my EU27 counterparts.

Freedom of Information Data

Questions (130, 131)

John McGuinness

Question:

130. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of freedom of information requests received by his Department to date in 2017; the number that were fully or partially granted; and the number that were refused. [51853/17]

John McGuinness

Question:

131. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of freedom of information requests received by his Department to date in 2017; the number of which the period of consideration was completed within four weeks of the receipt of the request; and the number of which the period of consideration was extended by up to four weeks in view of the fact that the necessary resources to complete the request within the original timeframe were not available, in tabular form. [51870/17]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 131 together.

The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table.

It is not possible in the time available to provide the number of requests for access to records which were decided within twenty working days or the number of requests for which the period of consideration was extended. When, due to the nature and/or number of relevant records, it is not reasonably possible to respond to a request for access within twenty working days the period of consideration is typically extended in consultation with the requester.

FOIs	Amount
Number of FOI requests received*	251
Number of completed requests granted	62
Number of completed requests part-granted	54
Number of  completed requests refused	23

*Total requests received to 30 November 2017 includes requests under consideration; requests on hold awaiting supporting documentation; requests withdrawn; requests withdrawn and answered outside of the FOI Act and requests subsequently transferred to another FOI body for response.