Written Answers Nos. 215-234
215. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of funding provided to each local authority for the disabled persons grant and the older persons grant schemes in each of the years 2011 to 2020, in tabular form; the estimated corresponding figures for 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35996/20]
View answerMy Department provides funding every year for the Disabled Persons Grant (DPG) scheme and the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability scheme. While both schemes are administered directly by the local authorities they operate independently with separate funding streams, the main differences being the type of properties eligible for funding and the level of local authority contribution.
DPG funding is provided for adaptations and extensions to existing social housing stock to meet specific needs of the local authority tenants with a 10% contribution required from the local authority, while the Housing Adaptation Grants address specific needs of older people and people with a disability in privately owned homes with a 20% contribution required from the local authority.
A total of €18 million has been made available under the DPG scheme for 2020 and Preliminary allocations totalling €13.5 million have issued to local authorities. It is open to local authorities to apply for additional funding for contractual commitments not covered by their preliminary 2020 allocation and a contingency fund has been set aside for this purpose. Details of the funding provided by my Department to each local authority under the DPG scheme, from 2011 to 2020 are available at the following link:
www.housing.gov.ie/housing/grantsfinancial-assistance/disabled-persons-grants-and-improvement-works-lieu-schemes.
For 2020, total funding of €73.75 million has been provided for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability scheme for private houses. Details of the funding provided for the grants up to 2019, are available on my Department's website at the following link:
www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/social-and-affordble/other-local-authority-housing-scheme-statistics.
An overall funding package of €93 million will be available in 2021 for the carrying out of home adaptation works for both private and social homes, thereby facilitating people with disabilities and older people to continue to live in their own homes and communities for as long as possible.
216. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department or an agency operating under his Department has encountered expenditure in respect of hand sanitisation products or other PPE products that were subsequently subject to a recall by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in 2020; if so, the expenditure in respect of such products; if the expenditures will be recouped from the sellers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36007/20]
View answerMy Department has not encountered expenditure in respect of hand sanitisation products or other PPE products that were subsequently subject to a recall by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in 2020.
The information requested in relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department is a matter for the individual bodies concerned. Arrangements have been put in place by each Agency to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. The contact email address for each agency is set out in the following table:
|
State Body |
Contact E-mails |
|
An Bord Pleanála |
oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie |
|
An Fóram Uisce (the Water Forum) |
info@nationalwaterforum.ie |
|
Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum |
infodocklands@dublincity.ie |
|
Ervia |
oireachtas@ervia.ie |
|
Gas Networks Ireland |
oireachtas@ervia.ie |
|
Heritage Council |
oireachtas@heritagecouncil.ie |
|
Housing Finance Agency |
oireachtas.enquiries@hfa.ie |
|
Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency |
publicreps@housingagency.ie |
|
Irish Water |
oireachtasmembers@water.ie |
|
Land Development Agency |
oireachtas@lda.ie |
|
Local Government Management Agency |
corporate@lgma.ie |
|
National Oversight and Audit Commission |
info@noac.ie |
|
National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee |
ntacc@housing.gov.ie |
|
Office of the Planning Regulator |
oireachtas@opr.ie |
|
Ordnance Survey Ireland |
Oireachtas@osi.ie |
|
Property Registration Authority |
reps@prai.ie |
|
Pyrite Resolution Board |
oireachtasinfo@pyriteboard.ie |
|
Residential Tenancies Board |
OireachtasMembersQueries@rtb.ie |
|
Valuation Office |
oireachtas.enquiries@VALOFF.ie |
|
Valuation Tribunal |
info@valuationtribunal.ie |
|
Water Advisory Body |
info@wab.gov.ie |
|
Waterways Ireland |
ceoffice@waterwaysireland.org |
218. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the ERSI report on the review of the Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36083/20]
View answer219. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to review the level of the Rebuilding Ireland home loan limit on single-income households in urban areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36085/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 218 and 219 together.
A Review of the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan (RIHL) was undertaken by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) and was published on 23 October 2020.
The report provides a high level review of:
- the degree to which the scheme has met its objectives;
- scopes the need for ongoing intervention; and
- assesses selected operational considerations such as credit risks, funding considerations, and its market impact.
The report concludes that there is a clear role for RIHL, which generally allows qualifying borrowers to borrow more than they otherwise could from commercial banks, in alleviating a portion of this unmet mortgage demand on an ongoing basis. Analysis also shows that the demand for the scheme has outstripped the original scheme, and that it does not appear to have had any material impact on national house prices given drawdown levels.
However, it noted that interest rates should be set to adequately compensate for credit risk, and to minimise distortions to borrower incentives and maximise the benefit of the scheme to those who most require these supports. An increase to the base rate was suggested to above the rate in the market for the closest fixed rate product to the RIHL terms. This recommendation was implemented in January 2020.
My Department will now analyse the key recommendations with a view to informing the ongoing operation of this Scheme.
The new Programme for Government ”Our Shared Future" contains a commitment to expand the Rebuilding Home Loan and funding has been secured to allow local authorities to lend a further €210 million through this scheme in 2021.
220. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if, in cases in which an applicant may have inadvertently turned down an offer for housing, the applicant was removed from the housing list for a specified period and was subsequently reinstated, can the applicant expect an offer of rehousing in the near future; if not, if they may have to wait several years for rehousing despite being homeless; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36104/20]
View answerThe current position in relation to the refusal by households of offers of social housing dwellings is set down in Regulation 12 of the Social Housing Allocation Regulations 2011, made under section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009.
Under Regulation 12, a household that refuses two reasonable offers of such tenancies in any twelve-month period, other than an offer made under the Choice Based Letting (CBL) procedure, will not receive any further offers from any local authority for a period of one year from the date of the second refusal and the latter period is not subsequently reckonable for the purposes of determining the household’s relative priority for another social housing tenancy.
The refusal of offers can have a serious impact on the administrative process in local authorities and can prolong the period for re-letting of homes, lead to a loss of revenue through non-rental and is ultimately an inefficient use of the social housing stock, as well as local authority resources.
The oversight and practical management of housing waiting lists, including the allocation and transfer of tenancies, is a matter for the relevant local authority in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, and associated regulations.
221. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to simplify access to Rebuilding Ireland housing loans in order to accelerate their availability and meet the housing needs of many couples; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36106/20]
View answer222. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to address the issue of access to local authority loans for applicants whose income is in excess of the qualifying guidelines but vastly short of what is required to purchase a home on the open market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36107/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 221 and 222 together.
This Department has policy responsibility for the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan (RIHL), which operationally is delivered by the local authorities. The RIHL is targeted at first time buyers who wish to own their own home, have access to an adequate deposit and have the capacity to repay a mortgage, but who are unable to access a mortgage sufficient for them to purchase their first home. As part of the eligibility criteria applicant(s) must have received insufficient offers of finance from two mortgage lenders to apply for a RIHL. The loan enables credit worthy first time buyers to access sustainable mortgage lending to purchase new or second-hand properties in a suitable price range.
All local authorities are receiving and processing RIHL applications and are incorporating increased flexibility to accommodate applicants during the COVID 19 Pandemic.
To be eligible for a Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan you must:
- be a first-time buyer;
- be aged between 18 and 70 years;
- be in continuous employment for a minimum of two years, as the primary earner or be in continuous employment for a minimum of one year, as a secondary earner- some flexibility on this provision has been provided arising out of COVID-19 for applicants in receipt of the temporary wage state subsidy (TWSS) and pandemic unemployment payment (PUP);
- have an annual gross income of not more than €50,000 as a single applicant or not more than €75,000 combined as joint applicants;
- submit two years certified accounts if self-employed;
- provide evidence of insufficient offers of finance from two banks or building societies;
- not be a current or previous owner of residential property in or outside the Republic of Ireland;
- occupy the property as your normal place of residence;
- purchase or self-build a property situated in the Republic of Ireland of no more than of 175 square metres (gross internal floor area);
- or self-build a property which does not exceed the maximum market value applicable for the county in which it is located;
- consent to an Irish Credit Bureau check.
Eligibility is subject to submission of a complete RIHL application form and confirmation by your local authority and I have no plans to change these requirements.
The final decision on loan approval is a matter for the relevant local authority and its credit committee on a case-by-case basis. Decisions on all housing loan applications must be made in accordance with the Regulations establishing the scheme and the credit policy that underpins the scheme, in order to ensure prudence and consistency in approaches in the best interests of both borrowers and the lending local authorities.
Further information on the scheme is available on the dedicated website www.rebuildingirelandhomeloan.ie.
There are several other measures in place, apart from local authority loans, to support housing affordability.
The availability of the Help To Buy Scheme for first-time-buyers, which is a policy of the Department of Finance, offers additional assistance to purchasers of newly built properties. Further information is available from revenue.ie.
In Budget 2021, the total funding being made available for the delivery of housing programmes was €3.3 billion. From this sum, €468 million will be specifically provided to support housing affordability measures. This includes the Serviced Sites Fund, the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund, the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan and the Land Development Agency (LDA).
In addition to these programmes, and to deliver on our Programme for Government commitments to provide measures for good-quality housing to purchase or rent at an affordable price, €110 million was ring-fenced for a new national Affordable Purchase Shared Equity Scheme and a new Cost Rental Equity Loan facility to help deliver Cost Rental homes both of which will begin in 2021.
€75 million will be allocated to the affordable purchase shared equity scheme. I intend to target the scheme at first time buyers, who are seeking to buy a new home but who cannot quite secure the full mortgage amount to do so at the present time. Subject to the final qualifying criteria, the scheme would see the State take a limited equity stake in a property, in order to help more people meet the cost of buying a new home with their available mortgage.
To this end, significant preparatory work has already been carried out by my Department working primarily with the Housing Agency and the Department of Finance. Intensive engagement continues with key stakeholders informing the final detailed parameters of the scheme, as well as with home builders to seek to increase the output of new homes in response to the new scheme.
In addition, €35m has been allocated to the new Cost Rental Equity Loan facility to support Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to deliver Cost Rental housing at scale from next year. Added to the 50 Cost Rental homes that will be delivered in Enniskerry Road, DLR in Q3 2021, it will accelerate delivery in this new sector in advance of the Land Development Agencie's planned future output and the work of local authorities. This scheme will leverage the proven expertise and capacity of the AHBs, demonstrated in their development and management of social housing units.
The CREL scheme will see financing made available to AHBs on favourable terms to cover 30% of the costs for Cost Rental homes. CREL funding will be provided on similar terms terms to the existing Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) model which is extensively used by AHBs for social housing. In terms of the remaining 70% of capital costs, subject to appropriate conditions, it is anticipated that long term competitive financing will be made available to the AHBs by the Housing Finance Agency. This will allow cost-covering rents to be set at a lower level and so making them more affordable for tenants. Further details on the scheme will be announced in due course.
I intend to bring forward any necessary provisions to underpin these schemes in a forthcoming Affordable Housing Bill.
223. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will countenance under any circumstance a border, economic or otherwise, being introduced within Ireland. [35966/20]
View answerProtection of the Good Friday Agreement, including the avoidance of a hard border, has been a fundamental priority for the Government throughout the Brexit process, and at every phase of negotiations.
The Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland is an integral part of the Withdrawal Agreement. It ensures no hard border on the island of Ireland, including no physical infrastructure or related checks and controls. It provides important safeguards protecting North South cooperation and the all island economy and recognises the Common Travel Area. Crucially, it also protects the integrity of the EU’s Single Market and Customs Union and Ireland’s place in both.
The Protocol will apply at the end of the transition period. It is a fully legally operable solution designed to operate in all circumstances, including in the absence of an agreement on the Future Relationship between the EU and UK. It is expressly designed to provide stability and certainty on the island of Ireland.
While the Protocol was agreed as part of the Withdrawal Agreement, the EU-UK Joint Committee was tasked with making a number of decisions in respect of the operation of the Protocol before the end of the transition period. These and other matters continue to be taken forward by the EU and UK in the Joint and Specialised Committees, at which Ireland participates as part of the EU delegation.
Throughout the Brexit process, there has been a strong understanding from EU partners of the need to address the unique circumstances on the island of Ireland. The all island economy and the protection of North South economic and social cooperation continue to be at the heart of our approach. This is not just about ensuring frictionless trade; it is also about facilitating peoples’ lives and livelihoods. Fundamentally, this is about peace, reconciliation and prosperity.
The Protocol was the result of long and difficult negotiations and represents a fair and balanced outcome for all parties. There have been compromises on all sides.
It is key now that the Protocol is implemented in full and in good faith, as a matter of urgency. The full and effective implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement is absolutely central to securing an agreement between the EU and the UK on a future relationship.
With our EU partners, we continue to urge the UK to move forward urgently on operationalising all aspects of the Protocol.
224. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Passport Office has ceased processing passports for children during level 5; and if this renders it impossible for families with children who need a new passport from exercising their right to travel in which they honour all due restrictions for the destination. [35849/20]
View answerThe Passport Service has paused processing of routine applications as Ireland is at Level 5 of the National Framework for Living with COVID-19.
The Passport Service continues to provide an essential, emergency passport service at this time for Irish citizens, including children, at home and abroad. An emergency service is available for those who are required to travel due to the death or serious illness of a family member or because the applicant requires emergency medical treatment.
A weekly service is also in place for citizens who require a passport for urgent travel.
All passport applications are subject to the provisions of the Passports Act, 2008 (“the Act”). Section 14 of the Act provides, among other things, that for a passport to issue to a child under 18 years of age, the consent of all the child’s guardians must be received by the Passport Service.
Passport applications for children have specific witnessing requirements in respect of establishing the child applicant’s identity and establishing that consent for the issuance of a passport from all the child’s guardians has been granted.
Applicants who require a passport for emergency purposes or for urgent reasons should contact the Passport Service via the Webchat function on our website. Our Customer Service Hub continues to respond to customer queries and can give advice about how to make an application in an emergency or in urgent situations.
The Passport Service has a comprehensive plan in place to resume all services, in line with the National Framework for Living with COVID-19. This provides for the resumption of processing of routine applications received via the online service at Level 4. The Passport Service plans to resume processing of routine paper based applications such as Passport Express, Northern Ireland Passport Express and applications for Foreign Birth Registrations at Level 3.
225. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his Department has lease arrangements with co-working real estate companies; and, if so, the details of the leases, including the terms of the lease, location, price and duration. [35857/20]
View answerMy Department leases office space from co-working real estate companies in two locations: Cardiff, UK and Frankfurt, Germany.
The current lease agreement with Regus for the temporary Consulate General in Cardiff is on a monthly rolling basis since April 2019 and has costed €87,1000 till end October 2020.
The current lease agreement with WeWork for the temporary Consulate General in Frankfurt covers the period from July 2020 to September 2021 and costs €82,920.
Both of these locations are new Missions opened as part of the Governments, Global Ireland - Ireland's Global Footprint to 2025 strategy to expand and deepen Ireland's international presence across a number of priority regions.
Office space in each location is leased for the purposes of providing a temporary location for each Mission while work on securing a permanent location is undertaken.
226. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his Department leases additional office space that is outside its departmental building and the estates section of the OPW; and, if so, the details of the lease including the terms of the lease, location, price and duration. [35875/20]
View answerIreland’s diplomatic and consular Missions are currently located in a total of 80 leased and 12 State-owned office premises. The terms and conditions of the 80 leases vary considerably in nature and detail depending on location and local law. In most instances, rents are paid monthly or quarterly although in some cases they are paid annually in advance. Many of our Mission premises also accommodate officials of other Government Departments and/or State Agencies that may share the rent and other costs.
Ireland’s diplomatic and consular Missions play a crucially important role in the achievement of our foreign policy and economic objectives. Since 2018, under the 'Global Ireland 2025' initiative, new Missions have been opened in Amman, Bogotá, Monrovia, Santiago de Chile and Wellington and new Consulates-General in Cardiff, Frankfurt, Los Angeles, Mumbai and Vancouver. New Missions are also planned for Kyiv, Manila and Rabat; and the Programme for Government also provides for the opening of a Consulate-General in the north of England and for the further strengthening of the diplomatic and State Agency network across the European Union and its neighbourhood.
The Global Ireland 2025 initiative will ensure that Ireland remains well placed to build the alliances necessary to advance our interests in the EU, while also further deepening our many other important relationships, most notably with the UK post-Brexit and with the US under President-elect Biden.
The amounts shown, by location, in the table below were charged to the office rental subheads of Votes 27 – Foreign Affairs and 28 – International Cooperation in 2019 and 2020 to-date.
|
Location |
2019 (€) |
2020 to-date (€) |
|
ABU DHABI |
80,065 |
0 |
|
ABUJA |
0 |
105,327 |
|
AMMAN |
136,579 |
101,597 |
|
ANKARA |
115,431 |
124,957 |
|
ARMAGH |
119,459 |
31,078 |
|
ATHENS |
85,496 |
70,657 |
|
ATLANTA |
77,991 |
64,369 |
|
AUSTIN |
79,343 |
43,762 |
|
BANGKOK |
91,621 |
82,469 |
|
BEIJING |
608,886 |
636,136 |
|
BELFAST |
157,672 |
156,606 |
|
BERLIN |
263,826 |
224,083 |
|
BERNE |
67,011 |
52,714 |
|
BOGOTA |
89,733 |
88,154 |
|
BOSTON |
139,270 |
173,610 |
|
BRASILIA |
73,582 |
50,505 |
|
BRATISLAVA |
90,585 |
96,071 |
|
BRUSSELS (EMBASSY) |
2,086 |
1,275 |
|
BRUSSELS (PfP) |
170,605 |
0 |
|
BRUSSELS (PR-EU) |
1,111,723 |
838,442 |
|
BUCHAREST |
99,069 |
90,079 |
|
BUDAPEST |
143,784 |
93,597 |
|
BUENOS AIRES |
156,641 |
131,838 |
|
CAIRO |
128,330 |
106,942 |
|
CANBERRA |
15,524 |
11,349 |
|
CARDIFF |
39,588 |
57,987 |
|
CHICAGO |
128,731 |
115,102 |
|
EDINBURGH |
59,072 |
49,094 |
|
FRANKFURT |
65,795 |
79,075 |
|
FREETOWN |
44,581 |
46,020 |
|
GENEVA |
335,998 |
292,638 |
|
HANOI |
214,092 |
242,542 |
|
HELSINKI |
125,140 |
123,096 |
|
HOLY SEE |
49,464 |
40,760 |
|
HONG KONG |
353,457 |
294,752 |
|
JAKARTA |
146,751 |
82,221 |
|
KAMPALA |
218,182 |
205,512 |
|
KUALA LUMPUR |
71,778 |
54,918 |
|
LILONGWE |
62,697 |
49,735 |
|
LISBON |
94,058 |
76,748 |
|
LJUBLJANA |
113,788 |
58,412 |
|
LONDON EMBASSY & CONSULAR OFFICE |
940,919 |
649,944 |
|
LOS ANGELES |
20,300 |
47,583 |
|
LUXEMBOURG |
45,976 |
38,414 |
|
MADRID |
219,718 |
164,780 |
|
MEXICO |
155,668 |
148,239 |
|
MONROVIA |
103,828 |
|
|
MOSCOW |
226,010 |
217,558 |
|
MUMBAI |
358,960 |
280,878 |
|
NAIROBI |
75,941 |
87,177 |
|
NEW DELHI |
303,900 |
311,923 |
|
NEW YORK - C.G. |
852,954 |
687,100 |
|
NEW YORK - PMUN |
1,008,666 |
924,817 |
|
NICOSIA |
42,000 |
31,500 |
|
OSLO |
202,987 |
159,256 |
|
OTTAWA |
93,163 |
86,125 |
|
PRAGUE |
160,332 |
145,906 |
|
PRETORIA EMBASSY & CAPE TOWN OFFICE |
138,132 |
122,616 |
|
RAMALLAH |
49,872 |
51,440 |
|
RIGA |
37,926 |
37,926 |
|
RIYADH |
145,374 |
0 |
|
ROME |
1,260 |
1,260 |
|
SAN FRANCISCO |
290,963 |
205,846 |
|
SANTIAGO |
134,839 |
88,615 |
|
SAO PAOLO |
48,114 |
35,293 |
|
SEOUL |
148,973 |
137,701 |
|
SHANGHAI |
303,857 |
251,208 |
|
SINGAPORE |
152,493 |
142,382 |
|
SOFIA |
65,016 |
72,761 |
|
STOCKHOLM |
186,633 |
170,650 |
|
SYDNEY |
262,897 |
267,591 |
|
TALLINN |
51,930 |
58,014 |
|
TEL AVIV |
137,550 |
90,558 |
|
TOKYO |
322,554 |
293,443 |
|
VALLETTA |
84,862 |
35,353 |
|
VANCOUVER |
61,632 |
222,653 |
|
VIENNA |
132,127 |
112,345 |
|
VIENNNA OSCE |
131,312 |
112,739 |
|
VILNIUS |
67,455 |
67,455 |
|
WARSAW |
180,572 |
87,973 |
|
WELLINGTON |
77,196 |
83,939 |
|
ZAGREB |
57,774 |
50,512 |
|
TOTAL |
14,310,119 |
12,025,699 |
227. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on whether the measures taken here in respect of Covid-19 restrictions are compatible with the Athens Declaration by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe; if not, if it will be ensured that the measures will continue to be compatible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35908/20]
View answerAt the online Ministerial Session of the Council of Europe in Athens, during which we celebrated the 70th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights, I highlighted the importance of reinforcing the Convention, particularly at this time of international crisis. Exceptional measures must remain just that, exceptional.
I can assure the Deputy that the restrictions we have implemented in Ireland are indeed compatible with the Athens Declaration. They are strictly necessary, proportionate, non-discriminatory, and they are kept under constant review. The restrictions will only apply for as long as necessary and they will end once the situation normalises. This is in full conformity with the European Convention on Human Rights and other human rights, obligations for which Ireland remains a steadfast champion.
228. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position of Ireland on the rule of law mechanism included in the proposed EU budget framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35978/20]
View answerIreland firmly supports the rule of law as a core value of the European Union. The rule of law is and should remain a fundamental principle that all EU Member States respect, protect and promote.
Agreement was reached with the European Parliament on 5 November on a Regulation for a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the EU’s budget. This follows the July European Council Conclusions on the MFF/Next Generation EU package which stated that a regime of conditionality to protect the budget and Next Generation EU will be introduced, that the Commission will propose measures in case of breaches for adoption by the Council by qualified majority, and that the European Council will revert rapidly to the matter.
The Presidency tabled a compromise proposal for a Regulation in September which led to difficult discussions as a number of Member States strongly support the use of protective measures, while others oppose such measures or wish to limit them to very specific breaches as they affect the EU budget.
The mechanism agreed with the European Parliament will require Member States allocated funding from the EU’s budget, including the Recovery Fund and grants or loans, to respect the rule of law which is an essential precondition to comply with the principles of sound financial management enshrined in Article 317 of the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union. It sets out examples of what constitutes breaches of rule of law, including endangering the independence of the judiciary, and the procedure that will apply and possible measures to be taken against a Member State found in breach, including suspension of funding, a requirement for early repayment of loans and a reduction of funding to it under existing commitments.
I welcome the agreement reached with the European Parliament, as Rule of Law conditionality has been an important issue for Ireland in the wider MFF negotiations. The agreement means that there will be consequences for Member States for breaches of rule of law and it signals that rule of law issues are important for the EU. It also paves the way for overall agreement on the MFF, on which negotiations are still ongoing.
229. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has written to the Polish Prime Minister on concerns about LGBT-free zones; if so, if the letter will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35979/20]
View answerI am very concerned at developments relating to LGBTI+ people in Poland. The principles of equality and non-discrimination are enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. It is important that these principles are protected and promoted throughout the Union.
The Government has expressed its concerns regarding this issue publicly. My colleague, the Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne T.D., has also written to his counterpart in the Polish Government, emphasising the deep commitment of the Irish people to the fundamental values enshrined in the EU Treaties, including respect for human rights.
I have not written to the Polish Prime Minister regarding this issue, as such diplomatic correspondence would normally be addressed to direct counterparts. I can assure the Deputy however that our concerns on this matter have been raised with the Polish Government, and we will continue to raise those concerns through all appropriate channels.
The Deputy will already be aware of the many initiatives undertaken by the Embassy of Ireland in Poland, together with local non-governmental organisations, to raise awareness of and facilitate discussion of the rights of LGBTI+ people. These efforts continue, in spite of the difficulties presented by the Covid-19 crisis.
We will continue to work both bilaterally and at the EU level to promote and protect the rights of LGBTI+ people across the EU and beyond.
230. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position of Ireland on the draft legally binding instrument to regulate in international law the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises as they relate to human rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35981/20]
View answerWe are currently implementing our first National Plan on Business and Human Rights and seeking to play a constructive role at both the EU and the UN on this important issue.
The second revised draft of the proposed legally binding instrument to regulate, in international human rights law, the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises was circulated by the Open-Ended Inter-governmental Working Group (IGWG) on 06 August 2020 and was discussed at the meeting of the IGWG from 26-30 October 2020.
As the Deputy will appreciate, the proposed legally binding instrument covers matters for which the EU is competent, and accordingly, Ireland, along with other EU Member States, contributed to the European Union statement given at the session in Geneva.
This statement welcomed the modest progress made in the drafting of the treaty and highlighted remaining difficulties and further issues that need to be addressed in the development of a further draft of the proposed legally binding instrument. It also underlined some of the many initiatives underway through both the EU Commission and Member States to enhance protection of the human rights of those vulnerable in a business and human rights context.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the UN in Geneva have both met with the Irish Coalition for Business and Human Rights in respect of its submissions on the draft treaty and agreed to keep in close contact with the Coalition, many of whose members we work with on a regular basis to advance implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
We will continue to work closely with fellow EU Member States to develop the EU’s approach to the proposed treaty.
231. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his Department or an agency operating under his Department has encountered expenditure in respect of hand sanitisation products or other PPE products that were subsequently subject to a recall by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in 2020; if so, the expenditure in respect of such products; if the expenditures will be recouped from the sellers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36004/20]
View answerNone of the brands of hand sanitiser or other PPE products purchased directly by my Department or supplied to it by contract cleaning companies have been recalled by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
232. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the need to progress immigration reform will be prioritised with the next administration in the United States of America, with particular reference to the needs of the undocumented Irish; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36115/20]
View answerThe issue of Irish immigration to the US, particularly the status of the undocumented Irish, has been a high priority for successive Governments and continues to be one of my key priorities. Immigration issues have been raised on an ongoing basis in our engagement with the US Administration and political leaders. I have raised immigration issues in recent contacts with Special Envoy Mick Mulvaney, with the US Ambassador, as well as with members of the US Administration and both Houses of Congress during my visit to Washington D.C. at the end of September.
In the US, our Embassy and Consulates General across the country continue to monitor the situation closely and to engage with US officials on immigration issues, including with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. They also actively support Irish community groups that provide assistance and information to vulnerable Irish and the undocumented. Many of these community groups are members of the Coalition of Irish Immigration Centres, which receives significant annual funding through the Government’s Emigrant Support Programme for their work. In 2019, over €3m ($3.7m) was allocated to 88 organisations across the US, including those that provide front-line welfare assistance to Irish citizens. Furthermore, and in response to the pandemic, a dedicated COVID-19 Response Fund for Irish Communities Abroad was set up to help these organisations meet the needs of those who are particularly vulnerable.
While comprehensive immigration reform is a complex and sensitive political issue in the US at present, our Embassy and network of Consulates General will continue to monitor the situation and stand ready to engage with any Federal and State initiatives on this issue. We look forward to working with the incoming administration and the United States Congress on this issue.
In terms of securing future pathways for immigration, we continue to prioritise the E3 Visa Bill which is currently before the US Senate, having been passed in the House of Representatives. While the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted upon the congressional agenda, we hope that, when the circumstances allow, the Bill will also be passed in the Senate. We will continue to explore all available options for securing this.
233. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Defence if he will address a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35847/20]
View answerUnder the Defence Acts, 1954-2015, the Permanent Defence Force Representative Associations are prohibited from being associated with or affiliated with any trade unions or any other body without the consent of the Minister.
In 2017, the European Committee of Social Rights, in a non- binding ruling, found that Ireland was in violation of the European Social Charter in respect of the right to organise, that is to affiliate to certain organisations, and the right to negotiate collective agreements. It found that Ireland was not in violation of the Charter in respect of the prohibition of the right of military personnel to strike.
The European Committee of Social Rights, in arriving at its decision, took into an account a statement made in the complaint which claimed that ICTU had stated that “PDFORRA could be affiliated to ICTU with whatever conditions the Government deemed necessary”.
Defence management (civil and military) have engaged in discussions with the Permanent Defence Force representative associations and ICTU regarding the practicalities of a Defence Forces representative association forming association/affiliation with ICTU.
PDFORRA subsequently initiated legal proceedings on this matter on 26 June 2020. As this matter is now subject to litigation, it would not be appropriate to comment further.
234. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Defence if his Department has lease arrangements with co-working real estate companies; and, if so, the details of the leases, including the terms of the lease, location, price and duration. [35852/20]
View answerI can confirm that my Department has no lease arrangements with co-working real estate companies.
