Written Answers Nos. 28-46
28. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is satisfied that sufficient resources are in place to deal with increased volume in passport applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9743/19]
View answerThe Passport Service has seen significant increases in passport applications received in recent years. The increase in demand is driven by a number of factors including a general increase in the number of Irish residents travelling abroad, a growing population, as well as a rise in passport applications from Irish citizens residing in Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
The Passport Service monitors the volume of applications on an ongoing basis to ensure that resources are available to meet demand. Measures taken to address to address anticipated application increases and seasonal demand include increased staff allocation and a number of technology and customer service initiatives.
Staffing needs in the Passport Service are assessed on the basis of a number of factors including forecasted demand, the balance between more complex first-time applications and renewals as well as the uptake of online services and associated productivity gains. The Passport Service has received approval to recruit over 230 Temporary Clerical Officers (TCOs) in 2019 to assist in processing passport applications and to deal with the queries from the general public.
At the end of 2018, the Passport Service employed 363.2 Full Time Equivalent staff. This is an increase of over 40 staff since the same point in 2017. Already this year, 60 additional Full Time Equivalent staff have taken up roles in the Passport Service. Targeted overtime has been sanctioned for both permanent and temporary staff when required.
A dedicated Customer Service Hub has been established to deal with queries from the public. The number of staff that will be answering Customer Service queries will have trebled since 2016.
The Passport Reform Programme continues to deliver major upgrades to the Passport Service technology platforms and business processes as well as significant customer service improvements. The award winning Online Passport Renewal Service has been the most significant project launched under the Programme to date. Other projects that will advance in 2019 include the development of business process automation, document management systems and the acquisition of mailing machines.
The Online Passport Renewal Service, which was launched in March 2017 has recently been expanded to accommodate additional categories of applications including child renewal applications. This expansion means more than half of all passport applicants are now eligible to renew online. The Online Passport Renewal Service bring benefits for customers with faster turnaround times of 10 working days, excluding postage time. In addition to this, the costs of renewing a passport online is cheaper than alternative methods. Fees for all online applications have been reduced by €5 across all application types.
Over 70% of eligible applicants are now utilising the online renewal service instead of paper applications. A strong take-up for online services will improve the capacity of the Passport Service to manage increasing application volumes. Efficiencies gained mean that staffing resources can be redeployed towards the processing of more complex applications, to protecting the integrity of the passport and to enhancing our customer service.
29. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he can encourage the international community to take a greater interest in the humanitarian effort in Yemen, the horn of Africa and Venezuela; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9698/19]
View answerThe number and complexity of humanitarian crises globally has increased in recent years, with the UN estimating that over 134 million people are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance and protection. Conflict is the most significant driver of this increased need.
Ireland works closely with partners around the world to address these needs. We are committed to the UN system, and have a strong relationship with the UN's Office for the Coordinator of Humanitarian Affairs, which leads and coordinates humanitarian response efforts in the most severe crises around the world. In 2018 Ireland assumed the Chair of OCHA's Donor Support Group, and in this role we discuss with OCHA and other major donors the response to these humanitarian crises.
Humanitarian needs have never been greater, with the UN estimating total global requirements at almost $22 billion. Ireland is a committed humanitarian donor, and in 2017 provided over €180 million in humanitarian assistance.
The humanitarian crises in Yemen, the Horn of Africa and Venezuela are deeply concerning, and demand a strong response from the international community.
In Yemen, over 24 million people, around 80 per cent of the population, are in need of humanitarian assistance. Yesterday I attended an international pledging conference in Geneva, where I committed Ireland to providing €5 million to the Yemen Humanitarian Fund in 2019. This will bring our total contributions to Yemen to over €22.5 million since 2012. In my statement, I called for increased efforts to address the underlying causes of the crisis, in particular finding a solution to the conflict which drives so much suffering.
Conflict and displacement have caused significant humanitarian need in the Horn of Africa. Across the Greater Horn of Africa region (which includes Sudan and South Sudan), over twenty million people are food insecure, and there are over three million refugees. In 2018 Ireland provided over €30 million in humanitarian funding to this region.
The rapidly deteriorating situation in Venezuela, which has led to the displacement of over three million people, is of great concern. In 2018, Ireland provided €142,000 to support the International Rescue Committee (IRC) Gender-based Violence Emergency Response in Cucuta, Colombia - a major border crossing for Venezuelans coming into Colombia. Given the deterioration in the situation, we are examining options to increase our humanitarian support in 2019.
31. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of efforts to address the undocumented Irish in the United States of America; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9703/19]
View answerThe Taoiseach and I have prioritised the immigration issue in the US since taking office. We will continue our efforts in this regard until we secure progress – both in terms of future legal immigration opportunities for Irish citizens; and in securing a pathway for those Irish who are undocumented in order to regularise their status.
Special Envoy to the US Congress on the Undocumented, John Deasy T.D., has worked closely on these issues with my Department, and with Ireland's Ambassador to the US, Dan Mulhall, and his team at the Embassy in Washington DC in particular, since his appointment.
Building on this work, I visited the US in early February, for a series of engagements with the US Administration and Congressional leaders on the full range of issues of mutual interest. I raised immigration issues in these meetings, as I have done in all my interactions with the US Administration and US political leaders since taking office.
Additionally, I expect that the Taoiseach will have a range of engagements at the highest levels of the US Administration and with Congressional leaders over the St Patrick's Day period. Other Government Ministers will also be in the US over St Patrick's Day for one of our most ambitious ever programmes of engagement. They too are fully seized of the importance of securing relief for the undocumented Irish and will raise it, as appropriate.
My Department, including through our Embassy and Consulates in the US, work alongside the Irish Immigration Centres across the US to provide support to those Irish who are undocumented on an on-going basis. Each Irish Centre receives significant Government funding through the Emigrant Support Programme each year for its work, including support for vulnerable Irish and the undocumented. In 2018, over €3 million was allocated to 76 organisations across the US, including the Irish Centres.
32. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if regulatory alignment on agriculture matters post the UK leaving the European Union has been discussed and agreed as part of the negotiations between the EU Brexit negotiating team and the UK Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9443/19]
View answer43. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the details of his engagement with the EU Brexit negotiating team and the UK Government with a view to ensuring regulatory alignment on agriculture matters post the UK leaving the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9445/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 32 and 43 together.
Throughout the negotiations on the Withdrawal Agreement, I, as well as officials from my Department, engaged in extensive contact with representatives from EU Member States, the Commission and the Article 50 Task Force headed by Michel Barnier, as well as the UK, to advance Ireland’s priorities with the regard to the negotiations on the UK's withdrawal from the EU.
The Withdrawal Agreement, as approved by the European Council and agreed with the British Government in November, provides for a period of transition, up to December 2020, during which EU rules and regulations will continue to apply to the UK, including regulatory alignment on agriculture matters.
Under the measures included for a backstop, should it need to be invoked, a UK-wide customs territory would apply, ensuring no tariffs or quotas. This includes well established rules with regard to ensuring a level playing field. Northern Ireland would remain aligned to those rules of the Single Market that are indispensable to avoiding a hard border. As regards the movement of animals and agricultural products between North and South, this provides for complete regulatory alignment, including with respect to sanitary and pyhtosanitary (SPS) controls, and rules on agricultural production and marketing.
I should be clear that the backstop acts simply as an insurance policy, which we hope will never have to be used. It remains our priority to achieve a future relationship agreement that can resolve all these issues, and obviate the need for the backstop.
Regarding the future relationship, and as set out in the Political Declaration agreed between the EU and the UK, cooperation in the area of agriculture and trade in agri-food products have been identified as important aspects of the future trading relationship. Ireland wants the closest possible relationship between the EU and the UK, including in the area of trade, and in particular as regards agriculture and trade in agri-foods. This will be a priority for us in negotiations on the future relationship.
33. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way in which he plans to ensure that all rights afforded to persons in Northern Ireland under the Good Friday Agreement are upheld in full even in the event of a no-deal Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9705/19]
View answerThe Government remains firmly of the view that the only way to ensure an orderly withdrawal from the EU is to ratify the Withdrawal Agreement as endorsed by the European Council and agreed with the UK Government. The Protocol includes a commitment that "The United Kingdom shall ensure that no diminution of rights, safeguards and equality of opportunity as set out in that part of the 1998 Agreement. results from its withdrawal from the Union." The Protocol also confirms that Irish citizens in Northern Ireland "will continue to enjoy, exercise and have access to rights, opportunities and benefits" that come with EU citizenship.
However, under any scenario for the UK’s exit from the European Union, the obligations and commitments of the Irish and UK Governments under the Good Friday Agreement remain and the Government will continue to work with the UK Government as co-guarantor to secure the full implementation of the Agreement.
In this context, the Government has noted and welcomes the commitment by Prime Minister May in her speech in Belfast on 5 February, that the British Government "will uphold the rights enshrined in the Belfast Agreement for all the people of Northern Ireland, right across the whole community. This includes upholding commitments around mutual respect, religious liberties, equality of opportunity, tolerance and rights." The Government also noted and welcomes the Prime Minister's acknowledgement that "the birth right to identify and be accepted as British, Irish or both, and to hold both British and Irish citizenship is absolutely central to the Agreement." The Prime Minister also recognised serious concerns raised about how UK immigration rules treat citizens exercising their right under the Good Friday Agreement to be Irish and that, in some cases, people have encountered difficulties in securing their rights as Irish citizens to bring family members to reside with them. The British Prime Minister said that she has asked the Home Secretary and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to “review the issues around citizenship urgently to deliver a long term solution consistent with the letter and spirit” of the Good Friday Agreement.
These are welcome commitments and acknowledgements by Prime Minister May. I have raised with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland the need for the citizenship and identity provisions of the Good Friday Agreement to be fully taken account of in all relevant policy areas, and there has been ongoing engagement between our officials, including through the British-Irish Intergovernmental Secretariat.
The Government will continue to engage with the UK Government as a co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement on this important issue in any scenario.
35. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of negotiations, particularly those relating to the Border region of counties Cavan and Monaghan in view of Brexit and the possible reintroduction of a hard Border. [9442/19]
View answerThe negotiations on the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union are concluded. On 25 November 2018, the European Council endorsed the Withdrawal Agreement and approved the Political Declaration on the EU-UK future relationship. These were also agreed by the British cabinet. The European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council are now taking the necessary steps to ensure that the agreement can enter into force on 29 March 2019.
The EU27 Member States, including Ireland, have expressed their firm support for the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, and that repeatedly affirmed that it cannot be reopened.
The Withdrawal Agreement has yet to be ratified in the UK. Talks are ongoing in Brussels, and Prime Minister May has held numerous discussions with the EU, including with Presidents Juncker on 20 February. However, while the EU has offered to provide additional reassurances on elements of the Withdrawal Agreement that have caused concern in Westminster, any reopening of the text, including the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, has been ruled out.
The backstop is an essential part of the Withdrawal Agreement, translating the UK’s political commitment to avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland into a legal guarantee that will apply unless and until another solution is agreed. This means that there will be no hard border in any circumstances, including in Cavan and Monaghan.
The Government’s priority throughout the Brexit process has been, in keeping with our responsibilities as a co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, to ensure that the hard earned gains of the peace process are not diminished. The Withdrawal Agreement, as endorsed by the European Council and agreed with the British Government achieves this, while also ensuring that the UK’s orderly departure from the EU.
36. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is preparing a statement on Ireland's vision on Europe and in particular the reform of Europe following consultation on same. [7045/19]
View answerLast year, the Government hosted a series of Citizens’ Dialogues on the Future of Europe. My Department published a narrative report on these consultations in October and similar citizens’ consultations have taken place across the EU.
EU leaders will meet for a special informal summit in Sibiu, Romania, on 9 May. During the meeting, leaders are expected to discuss priorities for the next institutional cycle and to prepare the Strategic Agenda for 2019-2024, with a view to agreeing it at the European Council in June.
In preparation for the summit, we will publish a statement on Ireland’s strategic priorities in the EU for the next five years. This statement will be informed by what we have heard during our own public engagement process, as well as consultations with other Government Department.
37. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on an initiative (details supplied); and his plans to ensure that all Irish companies respect the business and human rights initiative in view of the fact that it was a policy led by his Department. [9692/19]
View answerI am aware of the initiative to which the Deputy refers, and also about concerns raised by non-governmental organisations regarding mining activities in Colombia. I remain concerned at reports of these activities having a negative impact on local populations, and also on the environment.
The EU Delegation in Bogotá monitors this issue closely and has met with relevant stakeholders, including representatives of affected local communities and other civil society and environmental organisations.
Ireland has just opened its first resident Embassy in Colombia, with Ambassador Alison Milton having presented her credentials last week. This significant step demonstrates this Government’s commitment to developing Ireland’s relationship with Colombia and in particular our commitment to supporting Colombia’s transition to a peaceful post-conflict society, including the vindication and protection of human and social rights. It will greatly enhance our ability to engage on issues on the ground and monitor issues such as the impact of mining activities on local communities.
As the Deputy will be aware, historic strides have been made in Colombia in recent years in the transition to a post-conflict society, and Ireland has been a committed supporter of this process. It is clear that significant challenges remain, such as those highlighted by the initiative mentioned by the Deputy, but Ireland remains committed to supporting the full implementation of the Peace Agreement, and working with all sectors in Colombia to ensure a more peaceful, stable and prosperous future for the Colombian people.
The relationship between business and human rights is fundamental to securing a society that works for all citizens, and this is a priority for me and my Department. In November 2017, my Department launched the National Plan on Business and Human Rights 2017 -2020 to give effect to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The aim of the Plan is to promote responsible business practices at home and overseas by all Irish business enterprises in line with Ireland’s commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights globally. The Plan is directed at Government and State agencies, Irish companies operating at home and overseas, and multinational enterprises operating in Ireland.
Since the launch of the Plan, my Department has established the Business and Human Rights Implementation Group, which will oversee the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles in the Irish context over the next three years. Its membership consists of representatives from civil society, the business community, Government and an independent Chairperson. The first meeting of the Implementation Group took place on 16 January 2019. The Implementation Group will be further divided into three sub-groups, which will be tasked with taking forward delivery of key action points under each of the three pillars of the UN Guiding Principles, i.e. the State duty to protect, corporate responsibility to respect and access to remedy.
Ireland is committed to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms around the world. Officials at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Dublin, and at our new Embassy in Bogotá, will continue to engage on this issue with human rights defenders and civil society organisations active on the ground, and with our EU colleagues.
38. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the rise of nationalism in EU member states and the threat to the rule of law, including in Hungary and Poland; the implications that this potentially has for the future of Europe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9701/19]
View answerThe last number of years have been marked by a period of reflection and debate on the future direction of the European Union, with a strong focus placed on listening and responding to the concerns of citizens. This has included addressing challenges such as euroscepticism and the rise of nationalism in some Member States, which, while not new, have in recent years become more vocal.
In 2017, the European Council endorsed the ‘Leaders’ Agenda’, a concrete work programme that seeks to unblock and find solutions to the main political challenges and priorities of the EU in the run up to the European Parliament elections. The EU is now moving in a more positive direction characterized by economic growth across all Member States. To maintain this impetus we need to ensure that the EU is delivering practical improvements to the lives of citizens through policies to promote jobs and growth and by addressing internal and external challenges such as migration and international terrorism. Completion of the single market and Digital Single Market – which Ireland has been pushing – are two ways of doing that.
Last year the Government held a series of Citizens’ Dialogues on the future of Europe, where people across the country were asked for their views on how to make the EU prosperous and competitive; safe and secure; sustainable; socially responsible; and able to shape globalisation.
A joint report on the main outcomes of citizens’ consultations exercises across the EU as well as individual national reports and input from the European institutions was submitted to the European Council in December. These reports helped to identify a number of concerns and expectations on the part of the participating citizens in terms of concrete results from the EU.
The wider debate will culminate in the first informal summit of the EU27 in Sibiu next May. Leaders are expected to mark the occasion with a renewed commitment to an EU that delivers on issues that really matter to people. At that meeting, Heads of State or Government will discuss priorities for the next institutional cycle, with a view to agreeing on the next Strategic Agenda (2019-2024) in June 2019.
Rule of law matters are of serious concern to Ireland. We have always said that fundamental values and the rule of law are a shared EU interest and call for a common approach. Rule of law issues in Hungary and Poland have been discussed at the General Affairs Councils over the past year. These discussions have involved the Commission, Hungary, Poland and other Member States. Ireland has actively participated highlighting the importance of respect for the rule of law.
Engaging meaningfully with citizens across the Union; listening and responding to their concerns is a key means of combatting euroscepticism and the rise of nationalism and ensuring support for our work on EU issues.
39. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of Ireland’s bid to win a seat at the UN Security Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9702/19]
View answerIreland is seeking election to a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2021-2022 term. The election will take place in the General Assembly of the United Nations in June 2020.
Ireland’s candidature was announced in 2005 and the campaign is underway and intensifying as the election date draws closer. There are two seats available on the Security Council for elected members of the Western Europe and Others Group (WEOG). Canada and Norway are the other two candidates.
I believe that Ireland’s track record at the UN is widely recognised, along with our spirit of Empathy, Partnership and Independence which are keynotes of our Security Council campaign and which reflect our policy interests, our values and our history of positive engagement with the wider world.
Alongside the Taoiseach and cabinet colleagues, I am taking the opportunity of bilateral and multilateral meetings, and other international fora and engagements, to promote Ireland’s candidature and make the case for the strong and independent role we would play on the Security Council. On Monday, for example, I represented Ireland at the 40th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. During that meeting I spoke of the centrality of human rights to Irish Foreign Policy since the establishment of the State and the importance we attach to human rights in our engagement at the United Nations.
Officials from my Department briefed members of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence on Ireland's candidature earlier this month. I look forward to continuing to work with the Committee in relation to Ireland's UN engagement.
My Department’s staff in Ireland, our Permanent Representations to the UN in New York and Geneva, and our entire Embassy network have been actively presenting and highlighting our case and seeking support. UN Member States will be very aware of Ireland’s candidature, our commitment to the United Nations and multilateralism, and the values we seek to bring to the work of the Security Council.
40. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way in which he can address human rights abuses in Bahrain further to the concerns articulated by the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation faced by human rights defenders and the concerns for persons (details supplied). [9688/19]
View answerThe cases mentioned by the Deputy are indicative of the deteriorating human rights situation in Bahrain. Bahraini citizens are unfortunately living in a society characterised by increasing infringements on fundamental freedoms, including the freedoms of opinion, expression and association.
I am aware of recent reports alleging serious human rights abuses in Bahrain. Those persons referred to by the Deputy are among a number of people whom NGOs report to have been detained on account of their human rights activism, or due to the activism of their family members. A number of human rights organisations have claimed that these women are subjected to sustained abuses in prison, a cause for serious concern.
Ireland consistently advocates for the right of civil society actors and human rights defenders to operate in a safe environment, without fear of reprisal for speaking out. This is a cornerstone of a truly free society. Ireland, as a small country, amplifies its voice on these issues through multilateral engagement and through constructive bilateral dialogue.
Our concerns relating to human rights in Bahrain are conveyed through the Bahraini Embassy in London and through Ireland’s (non-resident) Ambassador to Bahrain.
Ireland has been raising Bahraini issues at the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), repeatedly highlighting concerns about the human rights situation in Bahrain as part of our Item 4 Statements ("human rights situations that require the Council’s attention") over the last number of years. In September 2018, Ireland expressed concerns about restrictions on civil society space and the treatment of human rights defenders, and called on the Bahraini authorities to respect the freedoms of opinion and expression, as well as the right to a fair trial. At the last HRC Universal Periodic Review of Bahrain's human rights record in 2017, Ireland urged Bahrain to accept an open offer by the UN Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to visit Bahrain, and I reiterate this call.
Thematically, Ireland urges all states to safeguard the human rights of prisoners and detainees and is committed to the prevention and eradication of torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. HRC Resolution 36/16, which Ireland co-sponsored, calls upon states to ‘investigate promptly, effectively and impartially all alleged human rights violations and abuses suffered by persons deprived of their liberty, in particular cases involving death, torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, to provide effective remedies to the victims, and to ensure that detention administrations cooperate fully with the investigating authority and preserve all evidence’. Ireland has also co-sponsored thematic Resolutions in the HRC concerning human rights in the administration of justice; and concerning torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Ireland also sponsored UN General Assembly Resolution 71/188, also concerning human rights in the administration of justice.
My Department will continue to monitor developments in such cases in Bahrain, and I take this opportunity to call once again on the Bahraini Government to deliver on its stated commitment to make progress in relation to human rights. My Department will continue to raise issues of human rights in Bahrain directly with Bahraini officials, as well as at EU level and in multilateral fora such as the HRC, whenever appropriate opportunities arise.
41. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of efforts to double Ireland’s global footprint by 2025; the actions taken to date; and the short, medium and long-term actions that will be taken. [9680/19]
View answer'Global Ireland – Ireland’s Global Footprint to 2025', sets out the Government’s ambitions for expanding and deepening our international presence. It includes the expansion of Ireland’s mission network which will deepen our impact across priority regions, provide opportunities to grow our trade and inward investment, strengthen political relationships with our partners, promote our values, and support Irish citizens and our diaspora abroad. A deepened footprint will also enable us to better shape and influence international events in our interests.
In this first phase, the Department committed to opening missions in Wellington, Vancouver, Bogotá, Santiago de Chile, Amman, and Mumbai. The Irish Aid Development office in Liberia has now been upgraded to an Embassy. The second phase of the expansion will see the opening of missions in Cardiff, Los Angeles, Frankfurt, Kyiv, Manila and Rabat.
Regarding phase one, Embassy Wellington opened officially in August 2018.
Ireland’s new Consulate General in Vancouver opened in October 2018.
The Embassy in Bogotá is also open, and the Ambassador presented her credentials in February.
There are posted and locally recruited staff also in place in Amman, Mumbai and Santiago de Chile, and these Missions will open on an official basis shortly.
The next phase of expansion will focus on Cardiff, Los Angeles and Frankfurt in 2019, and Embassies in Kiev, Manila and Rabat shortly thereafter.
In addition, my Department is currently undertaking urgent workforce planning which will inform plans for recruitment of new officers both in Ireland and abroad as well as plans for the training, development and up-skilling of officers currently assigned to the Department to meet the objectives of the Global Ireland initiative in 2019 and beyond.
42. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if a travel plan has commenced in view of Brexit in order to be prepared for the possible reintroduction of a hard Border. [9444/19]
View answerThe Withdrawal Agreement, agreed between the EU and the British Government on 25 November 2018, includes a legally binding Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland to address the Irish specific issues related to the UK’s departure from the EU. The Protocol fully achieves Ireland’s priorities, through protecting the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts, avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland, protecting continued North-South cooperation and acknowledging the continuation of the Common Travel Area.
The importance of avoiding a hard border to people living in all the border counties cannot be underestimated. The Government is acutely conscious of this. The North South cooperation we enjoy today brings tangible benefits to the daily lives of people in the border region and contributes to economic opportunity and development. The best and only way to ensure an orderly withdrawal and to fully protect the Good Friday Agreement and the gains of the peace process, including the avoidance of a hard border is to ratify the Withdrawal Agreement, agreed between the EU and the British Government.
The Government in not preparing for the re-introduction of a hard border. If the UK cannot agree to the Withdrawal Agreement and leaves the EU without a deal, Ireland and the EU will have responsibilities in terms of ensuring protection of the Single Market and Customs Union. The UK will have its own responsibilities, including meeting WTO requirements. And we will all have our obligations under the Good Friday Agreement, and to ensure peace and stability in Northern Ireland. So we will still have to work together to ensure that we deliver on the shared goal of avoiding the return of a hard border, deal or no deal. We are committed to doing all in our power to ensure that goal is met. But it is preferable for us all to resolve this now, as set out in the Withdrawal Agreement.
In terms of travel and the movement of people, the Common Travel Area (CTA) is a long-standing arrangement between the UK and Ireland which means Irish citizens can move freely to live, work, and study in the UK on the same basis as UK citizens and vice versa. The CTA is therefore central to preserving the free movement of people on the island of Ireland. Both the Irish and British Governments have committed to the maintenance of the CTA and the associated rights and entitlements of Irish and British citizens under this longstanding reciprocal arrangement in any circumstance. To that end, both Governments have committed to undertaking all the work necessary, including through legislative provision to ensure that the Common Travel Area rights and privileges are protected.
Protecting and maintaining the Common Travel Area and the associated rights and privileges is a key part of our contingency planning and preparations.
On 22 February, the Government published the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2019. This includes the legislation required immediately in a no deal scenario. The Bill provides for continued access to healthcare, social security protection, student support, protection of consumers, and justice and security measures, in support of the Common Travel Area. The Government is working with the Oireachtas to ensure that the Omnibus Bill is in place by 29 March.
44. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the United Nations Human Rights Council, UNHRC, resolution on Sri Lanka 30/1, extended by resolution 34/1, which is due to expire in March 2019 (details supplied); if efforts to ensure a new strong UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka post-March 2019 will be supported; and if requests for the creation of an international tribunal into the allegations of war crimes in Sri Lanka which have yet to be properly investigated and the perpetrators punished will be supported. [9635/19]
View answerIreland continues to monitor developments in Sri Lanka. Under the terms of resolution 30/1, adopted by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on 1 October 2015 and later extended by UNHCR Resolution 34/1 on 23 March 2017, which Ireland co-sponsored, the Council welcomed the commitment of the Government of Sri Lanka to undertake a comprehensive approach to dealing with the past and to promote reconciliation, accountability and human rights. We welcomed the co-sponsoring of Resolution 30/1 by Sri Lanka, which demonstrated the Government’s resolve to ensure justice and strengthen human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
Ireland has been pleased to note the steps taken by the Government of Sri Lanka to implement Resolutions 30/1 and 34/1 but has also noted the continuing challenges facing civil society and human rights defenders there.
Three decades of civil war in Sri Lanka, which ended in 2009, have left their mark. As we know in Ireland, reconciliation is an ongoing process which requires constant effort and engagement by all involved. Progress has been made but much remains to be done.
The political crisis in Sri Lanka at the end of 2018 tested Sri Lanka’s democratic institutions. I welcome the peaceful and democratic resolution of the crisis in accordance with the Constitution.
I understand that a resolution on Sri Lanka will be brought forward at the current Session of the Human Rights Council. Drawing on our experience with the preceding resolutions, Ireland will engage constructively with the issue through our Permanent Mission in Geneva. However, a final decision on supporting such a Resolution will only be taken when its content becomes clear.
45. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a Kurdish Member of Parliament (details supplied) is on a hunger strike since November 2018; and if concerns for their health and well-being will be raised with his Turkish counterpart. [9638/19]
View answerThe Irish Government is aware of and very concerned about the case of Kurdish MP Leyla Güven. As the Deputy would know, the case was raised recently in Dáil Éireann, and we urged the Turkish authorities then to take urgent measures to alleviate the situation, including her release from prison and her immediate transfer to a hospital in order that she receive adequate medical treatment and contact with her lawyers and family. I was pleased when Ms. Güven was released from prison on 25 January but she is continuing her hunger strike and we are very concerned at the deterioration of her health.
We have been conveying our concerns to the Turkish authorities, both in relation to Ms Güven’s case and the arrest of HDP MPs, along with other elected politicians, journalists and academics over the past two years.
On the wider Kurdish issue, it is clear that this can only be addressed through dialogue aiming at establishing a peaceful, comprehensive, and sustainable solution. Ireland has called for the resumption of such a dialogue to allow the political process to resume. We continue to support efforts to maintain contacts between the Kurdish and Turkish sides through our funding of the Democratic Progress Institute’s Turkey Programme.
I want to assure you that the Irish Government will continue to monitor developments in Turkey both in terms of the hunger strike, and on our wider concerns on human rights, freedom of expression, the rule of law, and democracy.
