Written Answers Nos. 21-40
21. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of persons that availed of and the costs incurred by his Department regarding the cycle to work scheme since it was introduced to date by year and cost in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9984/20]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy on the participation of my Department in the Cycle to Work Scheme is outlined in the following table:
|
Year |
Number of Applicants |
Cost € |
|
2009 |
20 |
14,612 |
|
2010 |
40 |
28,978 |
|
2011 |
53 |
39,215 |
|
2012 |
48 |
36,972 |
|
2013 |
42 |
34,092 |
|
2014 |
46 |
35,355 |
|
2015 |
36 |
27,459 |
|
2016 |
31 |
25,241 |
|
2017 |
31 |
25,948 |
|
2018 |
41 |
36,990 |
|
2019 |
34 |
27,686 |
|
2020 |
20 |
17,986 |
|
Total |
442 |
350,532 |
22. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the advice being given to a person (details supplied) attempting to return from New Zealand before the end of their work visa; and if assistance will be provided to obtain a transit visa from the Australian Department of Home Affairs. [10055/20]
View answerThe Deputy will understand that transit visas, as with all issues relating to visas, are a matter for the authorities in Australia. At present, the Australian Department of Home Affairs advises that Irish citizens transiting through Australia to another country are not required to apply for a transit visa, provided that their transit time is less than eight hours and they do not intend to clear immigration or leave the airport transit lounge for any reason before boarding their onward flight. However, should the individual in question intend to spend longer than eight hours in Australia during their transit period, or to leave the airport during this time, they will be required to apply for an Australian transit visa.
Information on how to apply for a transit visa is available on the website of the Australian Department for Home Affairs here: https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/transiting-australia.
For additional consular advice or assistance, the individual may also wish to make contact with officials at the Embassy of Ireland in Wellington, who are available to provide support as required.
27. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the contribution made by Ireland to the World Health Organisation in 2019; the increase in funding being made available to the organisation in 2020; if this relates to additional services to be provided to Ireland in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic; the amount of the contribution that will now be payable by Ireland to the WHO in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10210/20]
View answerThe World Health Organisation is a UN body, mandated to advocate for universal healthcare, monitor public health risks, and coordinate responses to health emergencies. Each year Ireland makes an assessed contribution to the running costs of the body, through the Department of Health: in 2019 this amounted to €1.45m, and in 2020 the assessed contribution was €1.68 million. This is topped up with a voluntary contribution of €1 million from Ireland’s budget for international cooperation, Irish Aid, managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
COVID-19 is a global crisis, requiring a collective, coordinated, global response. The WHO is at the centre of that global response, working to control the spread of COVID-19 and mitigate its impact.
Ireland was the first country to contribute to the WHO COVID-19 appeal: this appeal has since been rolled into the UN Global Humanitarian Response Plan, which aims at a coherent response across the UN system to COVID-19. To date, Ireland has contributed €6.8 million to the WHO appeal. Ireland’s funding contributes to the evidence, guidance and advice produced by the WHO on COVID-19 which directly informs Ireland’s domestic public health response to the pandemic, along with that of the Europe Centre for Disease Control and the European Union. Ireland also benefits from WHO’s support to other countries as, if left uncontrolled in other regions, the virus will return to Europe. As Dr. Mike Ryan, Executive Director of the World Health Organization's Health Emergencies Programme, has said, “nobody is safe until everybody is safe.”
29. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has spoken formally to his New Zealand or Australian counterpart in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10230/20]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, Ireland has strong bonds with both New Zealand and Australia, founded on shared values and on the vibrant Irish communities in both countries.
I recently sent letters to my counterparts in Australia and New Zealand, Ministers Marise Payne and Winston Peters respectively, conveying our solidarity with the victims of the pandemic in their countries, and outlining Ireland’s response, as well as seeking to deepen bilateral and multilateral engagement with both countries. I had the pleasure of welcoming Minister Peters to Dublin in 2018 when he formally opened the Embassy of New Zealand here.
I wish to assure the Deputy that there have been close and frequent contacts at all levels with both Australia and New Zealand, especially following the State Visits of President Higgins to both countries in 2017. To mention just the most recent contacts, the Taoiseach wrote to Prime Minister Morrison to offer Ireland's support and condolences during the devastating bushfires in Australia earlier this year. Prime Minister Morrison responded to thank the Taoiseach and the people of Ireland. Minister Ciarán Cannon visited both New Zealand and Australia in June 2019 and Minister Jim Daly visited Brisbane in October 2019. New Zealand’s Trade Minister, David Parker, visited Ireland last July while his colleague, Commerce Minister Kris Faafoi, visited us in May 2019. Senior officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade held political consultations with their Australian counterparts in Dublin in December 2019.
In my letters to my colleagues in New Zealand and Australia, I thanked both of them for the close cooperation in recent weeks with their respective authorities regarding COVID-19 and related issues of repatriation and support of citizens in each other's countries. These contacts were invaluable in assisting the Irish communities in both countries during the pandemic.
30. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the ambassadors in Ireland he has spoken to formally since 16 March 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10231/20]
View answerIn normal circumstances, opportunities to speak with Heads of Mission - Ambassadors or Chargés d'Affaires - arise on a frequent basis at different scheduled events. These include, for example, visits by my counterparts to Ireland; at regular events I attend across Ireland; when participating in credential ceremonies at Áras an Uachtaráin; and on numerous other occasions.
These events have, of course, not taken place since 16 March 2020.
Since 16 March 2020, I have spoken with two resident Ambassadors: the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China and the Ambassador of the United States of America.
32. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the discussions he has had with his UK counterpart following the publication by the UK Government of the approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol document; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10296/20]
View answer36. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the discussions he has had with members of the UK Government in relation to the need to honour the commitments it made in relation to the Protocol on Northern Ireland following the departure of the UK from the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10415/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 32 and 36 together.
The Taoiseach, my cabinet colleagues and I take every opportunity to engage with EU partners and, as appropriate UK counterparts, to advance Ireland’s priorities in the context of the UK's withdrawal from the EU.
Over recent weeks, I have had contacts with UK Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis, including on matters arising from the implementation of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland. I have stressed the importance of ensuring the full implementation of the Protocol, as agreed, and continue to emphasise the importance of the protection of the Good Friday Agreement and the gains of the peace process in the operationalisation of these arrangements.
Implementing the Protocol fully, in a way that meets all the obligations to which the UK has committed, will provide the clarity and stability which are vital for businesses and people in Northern Ireland - and ultimately for the sustainability of these arrangements which have been designed to safeguard the Good Friday Agreement and the gains of the Peace Process.
Implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland is an essential part of ongoing EU-UK contacts. The first meeting of the EU-UK Specialised Committee on the Protocol took place on 30 April, and Ireland participated as part of the EU delegation. The Protocol will also be a matter for discussion in the upcoming meeting of the EU-UK Joint Committee on 12 June.
The paper published by the UK Government on 20 May, setting out its approach to implementing the Protocol, is an important step. The European Commission has also set out clearly and in detail what needs to be addressed for implementation of the Protocol, in its Technical Note of 30 April. What is imperative now is to see early and detailed work to ensure that the Protocol is fully operational by the end of transition.
33. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the outcome of the most recent discussions he has had with the EU Commission in relation to Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10297/20]
View answerThe Taoiseach, my cabinet colleagues and I take every opportunity to engage with our EU partners to advance Ireland’s priorities in matters arising from the UK's withdrawal from the EU, including the EU-UK Future Partnership negotiations, implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.
My engagement with key interlocutors on Brexit has continued in recent months, including recent contacts with EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier, and with a range of EU Foreign Ministers.
Four rounds of negotiations on the EU-UK Future Partnership have now taken place. While the atmosphere of the talks has been constructive, significant gaps remain between the two sides. Speaking after the fourth round of negotiations on 5 June, Michel Barnier underlined the objective of making parallel progress across all issues, and the importance of making progress on key 'sticking points - fisheries, the Level Playing Field, governance, and law enforcement and judicial and police cooperation issues.
The EU-UK future relationship is on the agenda of the informal meeting of Europe Ministers on 16 June and it is also expected to be on the agenda of the meeting of Heads of State and Government on 19 June. A planned High Level Conference between the EU and the UK in June will also assess progress made to date in Future Partnership negotiations.
Officials from across Government are continuing their work to make sure that Ireland’s voice is heard at the Future Partnership negotiations in line with the EU’s negotiating mandate, and that work to implement the Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland is taken forward. Ireland has participated, as part of the EU delegation, in the EU-UK Joint Committee and in Specialised Committees established under the Withdrawal Agreement, notably the Specialised Committee on the Implementation of the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland. Ireland will also participate at the next meeting of the EU-UK Joint Committee, which will take place on 12 June.
The Government will continue to engage closely and work with the Taskforce and the Commission, our EU partners, and stakeholders across this island on this vital issue.
34. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the continued targeting of human rights and labour activists in Columbia resulting in hundreds of murders. [10307/20]
View answer35. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the recent influx of US special forces into Columbia; his views on whether this will only ratchet tensions in a fragile peace higher, while also having a further destabilising impact on the region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10308/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 34 and 35 together.
I am aware of the worrying levels of insecurity and violence against human rights defenders and social leaders in Colombia, and across the wider region. The potential for COVID-19 to worsen an already grave situation is also of concern, as the pandemic may inhibit peacebuilding efforts and may lead to increased violence against human rights defenders.
I have strongly and wholeheartedly condemned the use of any violence, threats or intimidation against those defending their rights and the rights and fundamental freedoms of others on numerous occasions. I once again call on the relevant authorities to fully investigate these crimes and to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Colombia has made great progress in strengthening peace and stability in recent years, following signature of the peace agreement between the Colombian Government and the FARC-EP group in November 2016, ending over 50 years of armed conflict. It is clear, however, that significant challenges remain in a number of areas, including rural reform, the reintegration of former combatants, human rights and the strengthening of protections for human rights defenders and social leaders.
I firmly believe that an improved human rights situation in the country is linked to the full implementation of the peace accords. Ireland is a longstanding and committed supporter of the peace process in Colombia, having contributed over €14 million in funding since 2007, mainly channelled through the United Nations, and Colombian and international NGOs focusing on human rights, conflict prevention, peace-building and supporting livelihoods for rural populations.
As well as financial support, Ireland has also provided ongoing support in the form of lesson-sharing based on our own experience of peacebuilding and reconciliation on the island of Ireland. We also participate in the EU’s ongoing campaign to recognise and champion the work of human rights defenders in the country.
I have reiterated Ireland's support for the peace process in recent engagements with the Colombian Government, including a meeting with then Minister for Foreign Affairs Carlos Holmes Trujillo during his visit to Dublin last year, and in my contacts with his successor, Minister Claudia Blum.
Our Embassy in Bogotá has been engaging with civil society, EU and UN partners on the human rights situation in the country since it opened last year. We also regularly raise this issue and the status of the peace process in our exchanges with the Colombian Government.
The Colombian Government continues to affirm its commitment to the full implementation of the peace agreement, and has expressed its appreciation for Ireland's support in this area, as well as the important role played by former Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore as EU Special Envoy to the Colombian peace process.
Last year, Mr Gilmore led the 11th session of the EU-Colombia Human Rights Dialogue, raising the high levels of attacks and murders of human rights defenders, and the need for collective protection measures.
Officials in my Department in Dublin and at our Embassy in Bogotá will continue to monitor the human rights situation in Colombia, as Ireland continues to support Colombia in its transition to a stable, peaceful, post-conflict society.
39. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Finance the expenditure on the temporary wage subsidy scheme in respect of childcare providers and staff in each week since its establishment in tabular form. [9872/20]
View answer43. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Finance if a company (details supplied) is availing of the temporary wage subsidy scheme for its workers; and if so, the number of workers. [9995/20]
View answer61. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Finance if there are meat plants claiming the temporary wage subsidy scheme; if so, the number; the average payment being made to each processing plant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9992/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 39, 43 and 61 together.
Such statistical information as is collated on the Temporary Wage Supplement Scheme (TWSS) (including information by sector) is provided by the Revenue Commissioners on a weekly basis and set out at the following link:
www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/information-about-revenue/statistics/number-of-taxpayers-and-returns/covid-19-wage-subsidy-scheme-statistics.aspx.
Revenue advise that for statistical analysis purposes the sectors mentioned cannot be separately identified as groups and therefore it is not possible to provide specific statistics on them.
Notwithstanding any obligations imposed on Revenue under section 851A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 or any other enactment relating to the confidentiality of taxpayer information, section 28 of the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020 provides that the names and addresses of all employers to whom a temporary wage subsidy has been paid will be published by Revenue on its website.
I am further advised by Revenue that it will publish this information when the TWSS has ended. In the interest of fairness to all employers participating in the scheme, Revenue will not be commenting on whether any particular employer has, or on whether employers in particular sectors of the economy have, availed of the scheme until the scheme has ended.
40. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance if a further extension of five years will be granted for consanguinity relief for non-residential property at the current rate of 1% on all qualifying transfers (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9924/20]
View answer56. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Finance if consanguinity relief for farm transfers will be retained at the current rate of 1% beyond 31 December 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9867/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 56 together.
Consanguinity relief is the relief that applies in relation to transfers of farmland between certain blood relatives whereby the applicable rate of stamp duty is reduced from 7.5% to 1%. The details and conditions of the relief are set out in Schedule 1(5) of the Stamp Duties Consolidation Act 1999. The relief is due to expire on 31 December 2020.
My Department is currently carrying out an ex-post evaluation of the relief which will examine the case for any amendment or extension of the relief beyond its current expiry date. In this regard, my officials have been in contact with the IFA, the ICMSA and Macra na Feirme, as well as with their colleagues in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Revenue in order to gather views and opinions which will help inform the evaluation of the relief. The findings of this evaluation will feed into the decision-making process in the run up to Budget 2021 and Finance Bill 2020.
The Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment at this time, on what changes, if any, are being considered in this relief or any other tax relief.
