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Tuesday, 17 Nov 2020

Written Answers Nos. 399-418

Residential Tenancies Board

Questions (400)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

Question:

400. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the case of a person (details supplied) will be examined and a report made regarding the case and the general issue of the effect of Covid-19 on the extension of notice periods for evictions. [36986/20]

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Written answers

The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2020, to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants. Due to the quasi-judicial nature of work of the RTB, it would be inappropriate for me as Minister or this Department to comment on, or to intervene in the specifics of any individual case.

The Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020 provided for a temporary moratorium on tenancy terminations, other than in exceptional and limited cases, and on all increases in rent during the emergency period from 27 March to 1 August 2020. The emergency measures aimed to assist in restricting the movement of people to suppress the spread of Covid-19 and applied to all tenants, irrespective of their financial circumstances.

The Residential Tenancies and Valuation Act 2020 came into effect from 1 August 2020 to provide enhanced protections for those tenants who are facing rent arrears due to Covid-19 and, as a result, are at risk of losing their tenancy.

If a tenant’s ability to pay rent has been impacted by Covid-19 and the tenant meets specific criteria, new procedures and protections apply under the Residential Tenancies and Valuation Act 2020. Tenants who follow these procedures cannot be required to vacate their rental accommodation before 11 January 2021, and are not required to pay any rent increase in respect of the period ending 10 January 2021.

My Department has published a guidance document, the Residential Tenancies and Valuation Act 2020: What this Means for Landlords and Tenants, which sets out exactly what is expected as the rental protections under the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020 expire, and provides details on the new protections for tenants in rent arrears and the income and other supports available to tenants and landlords.

This guidance document clearly explains the new rent arrears procedure for both landlords and tenants facing rent arrears. The Guidance document is available on the Department's website - www.housing.gov.ie - and on the RTB's website - www.rtb.ie.

The Residential Tenancies  Act 2020  was enacted and came into operation on 24 October 2020 to help mitigate the impact of Covid-19 on tenants and to support the efforts of Government in restricting the movement of people in order to suppress the spread of Covid 19. The Act modifies the operation of the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2020 to prevent any notices of termination served by landlords, in all but limited cases such as anti-social behaviour, from taking effect in geographical locations and during periods specified by the Minister for Health in Regulations made by him under section 31A of the Health Act 1947 in respect of which a restriction applies on the movement of people outside a 5 km radius of their place of residence.

Guidance and Frequently Asked Questions documents - Residential Tenancies and Valuation Act 2020: What this Means for Landlords and Tenants is available on the RTB’s website - www.rtb.ie.

No part of the duration of:

(i) the emergency period from 27 March to 1 August 2020 under the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020;

(ii) the emergency period from 1 August 2020 to 10 January 2021 for tenants in rent arrears who make the necessary declaration under the Residential Tenancies and Valuation Act 2020; or

(iii) any emergency period under the Residential Tenancies Act 2020 (the current emergency period commenced on 22 October 2020 and is expected to expire on 1 December 2020) shall count for the purposes of a tenancy termination notice period given by a landlord in accordance with Table 1 of section 66 of the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2020. The Residential Tenancies Act 2020 also provides a grace period of 10 days further notice at the end of any emergency period under that Act which similarly, does not count towards the original notice period given by the landlord.

Local Authority Funding

Questions (401)

Cathal Crowe

Question:

401. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department will cover income losses incurred by Clare County Council as a result of the Cliffs of Moher site being closed and fewer vehicles parking in council-controlled parking zones; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37000/20]

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Written answers

My Department has engaged extensively with representatives of the local government sector and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform over recent months concerning the financial challenges facing local authorities as a consequence of the pandemic.

€600m was allocated by Government to fund the cost of a six-month waiver of rates from 27 March to 27 September 2020, which took the form of a credit in lieu of rates.  To strengthen this support, the Government subsequently announced an extension of the waiver until 27 December 2020, at an additional cost of €300m. This brings to €900m the financial support to fund the cost of a waiver of commercial rates, which is an unprecedented measure that offers support to both businesses and to local authorities.

It is not yet possible to fully calculate the loss of income across the local government sector for the whole of 2020. However, the matter is under consideration in my Department and will be reviewed by in the coming weeks, when the full extent of the financial impact for 2020 becomes clear.

Legislative Programme

Questions (402)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

402. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the progress made to date in preparing the planning and development (amendment) Bill which is on the legislative priority list for publication this session; when it is hoped to publish this legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37014/20]

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Written answers

The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 (the Act) introduced new streamlined arrangements to enable planning applications for strategic housing developments (SHDs) of 100 housing units or more, or student accommodation or shared accommodation developments of 200 bed spaces or more, to be made directly to An Bord Pleanála for determination.

The primary purpose of the SHD arrangements is to significantly speed up the planning decision-making process, thereby providing greater certainty for developers in terms of the timeframes within which proposals for such developments can be determined in the planning system, while also fully respecting the statutory requirements for consultation and having regard to observations submitted.

A review of the SHD arrangements was carried out in 2019. This review particularly highlighted that while they had generally been a success in providing a fast-track development consent process for developers of large-scale housing developments, the number of SHD permissions that have commenced development is less than might have been expected.

In this regard, with a view to influencing the earlier activation of housing related planning permissions, the new Programme for Government – Our Shared Future commits to introducing a "use it or lose it" condition for all planning permissions of ten housing units or more.  My Department is presently progressing the drafting of the necessary legislation providing for the introduction of the proposed new "use it or lose it" housing-related planning arrangements. This will be progressed over the coming months.

Since the Autumn Legislative programme was published, the Covid-19 element of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill is now being progressed as an emergency stand-alone Bill (the Planning and Development Bill 2020). It is hoped that this separate emergency legislation will be published as soon as possible.

The substitute consent element of the Bill is subject to ongoing legal advice from the Office of the Attorney General and it may also be progressed in a separate Bill in due course.

Wastewater Treatment

Questions (403)

Eoin Ó Broin

Question:

403. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the ongoing EU Commission and European Court of Justice legal action against the State for breaches of the urban waste-water treatment directive. [37016/20]

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Written answers

Following a judgment in March 2019 by the Court of Justice of the European Union on Ireland's non-compliance with the urban wastewater treatment directive, my Department, accompanied by Irish Water, met with European Commission officials in June last year and proposed a programme of measures to ensure that the findings in the judgment were addressed.  My Department is maintaining regular contact with the Commission as the work set out in the programme of measures is progressed, and has submitted its second report of progress.  Works have been completed at 16 of the 28 agglomerations identified in the judgment to bring them into compliance with the Directive.

Building water and waste water treatment plants, as well as upgrading or building new water and waste water networks, requires significant and sustained investment. The National Development Plan 2018-2027 provides for significant investment in public water and wastewater infrastructure over the course of the plan to ensure the continued operation, repair and upgrading of Ireland’s water and waste water infrastructure to support social and economic development across the State and continued care of the water environment.  Investment in waste water infrastructure is prioritised in the Irish Water Strategic Funding Plan and it is estimated that €1.9bn will be invested in waste water projects from 2019 to 2024.

An Bord Pleanála

Questions (404)

Francis Noel Duffy

Question:

404. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if An Bord Pleanála maintains electronic copies of some or all of its files for internal use; if An Bord Pleanála plans to provide online access to its files for public consultation; if so, when online access will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37085/20]

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Written answers

The record management policy of An Bord Pleanála is a matter for the Board. Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly to the relevant bodies. The contact email address for An Bord Pleanála in this regard is Oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie.

Homeless Accommodation

Questions (405, 406, 408)

Francis Noel Duffy

Question:

405. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the role that HIQA plays or could play in evaluating the adherence of homeless facilities, including privately run facilities, to the national quality standards framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37086/20]

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Francis Noel Duffy

Question:

406. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the plans in place to address shortcomings in the national quality standards framework among privately run homeless facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37087/20]

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Eoin Ó Broin

Question:

408. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if private emergency accommodation providers are to be included in the quality standards framework and inspection regime developed by the Dublin Region Homeless Executive; and the level of inspection of voluntary sector emergency accommodation that has taken place since the framework was introduced. [37097/20]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 405, 406 and 408 together.

My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the statutory role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities.

The National Quality Standards Framework (NQSF) for homeless services is in place nationally, and is designed to ensure a consistent approach in how local authorities and service providers respond to the needs of those experiencing homelessness and to improve the quality of services provided.

Monitoring and inspection of services is an important element of the Framework. The Framework is consistent with Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) standards and seeks to ensure levels of quality in the provision of temporary accommodation and related services for homeless persons. The standards give service providers a framework for continuous quality improvement in their services.  Local authorities undertake monitoring and review activities to assure that services are operating effectively. It is matter for the local authorities to ensure compliance with the standards, including through the contractual arrangements and service level agreements in place with partner organisations.

Local authorities carry out inspections on facilities that are not covered under the Framework, as they determine to be appropriate. The Standards and Facilities Teams in the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) oversee all emergency accommodation and seek to ensure that all relevant guidelines, policies and procedures are complied with in order to deliver a safe and comfortable place to stay for service users. The DRHE has an inspection regime in place to deal with complaints and to ensure accommodation is appropriate and safe. This includes engaging with homeless families and individuals on issues arising in their accommodation.

In this regard, I understand that since January 2020, the DRHE has carried out 126 unannounced night inspections of privately operated emergency accommodation facilities.  This monitoring work is ongoing to ensure the health and safety of the clients who are using the facilities.

Guidelines for Service Users in Emergency Accommodation were recently reviewed by the DRHE and issued to clients in private emergency accommodation. The DRHE has assured me that it has a thorough complaints procedure in place, and that each complaint is fully investigated and addressed in a timely manner.

Separate to the service standards expected of providers via service level agreements, all homeless service providers must meet the requirements of statutory codes, in particular the requirements of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and the Fire Services Acts.

Question No. 407 answered with Question No. 363.
Question No. 408 answered with Question No. 405.

Maritime Jurisdiction

Questions (409)

Pádraig MacLochlainn

Question:

409. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will bring the 2013 agreement between Ireland and the UK establishing a single maritime boundary between the exclusive economic zones of the two countries and parts of their continental shelves, before the Houses of the Oireachtas at the earliest opportunity for debate and ratification or rejection by Dáil and Seanad Eireann following the Supreme Court judgment of 27 October 2016 (details supplied). [36740/20]

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Written answers

The judgment referred to by the Deputy concerned fishing in the 0-6 nautical mile zone of the State’s 12-mile territorial sea, while the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is the body of water that stretches from 12 miles out to a distance of 200 miles.

Under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea a coastal State has exclusive rights within its EEZ over fishing (although all EU Member States have transferred their competence for conservation and management of sea fisheries to the EU), the production of energy from water and wind, the protection of the marine environment and the conduct of marine scientific research.  A coastal State also enjoys exclusive sovereign rights to the recovery of oil and gas from the seabed beneath the EEZ, although this is governed by the separate legal regime of the continental shelf.

The 2013 Agreement established the agreed 1988 continental shelf boundaries as the boundaries for both the continental shelf and the EEZ above, with some small technical adjustments of the former which were necessary to take account of the 200 nautical mile EEZ limit.

The Agreement was signed on 28 March 2013.  It was ratified on 31 March 2014 and entered into force on the same day. It was then laid before Dáil Éireann in accordance with Article 29.5.1° of Bunreacht na hÉireann and published in the Irish Treaty Series. As the Agreement did not involve a charge on public funds its prior approval by Dáil Éireann in accordance with Article 29.5.2° was not required.

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Questions (410)

Neale Richmond

Question:

410. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps Ireland is taking to support the diversity and gender balance on the committee that oversees the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36180/20]

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Written answers

The Department of Foreign Affairs is fully committed to addressing the needs and rights of people living with disabilities. This commitment is reflected in actions across our development cooperation programme as well as in our broader engagement with the EU, UN and other international bodies.

Ireland formally ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in March 2018. The convention seeks to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity. I was very pleased to note the appointment this month of Professor Gerard Quinn as the UN rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities.

The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is composed of 18 members and elections are held every two years to appoint nine members for a four year term. Elections to the CRPD are decided by secret ballot and it is our practice not to disclose publicly how we vote in such elections.

I am committed to ensuring that our vote will reflect our general approach to ensuring that membership of Human Rights Treaty Bodies should be broad based, inclusive, with committee members appointed on merit, and reflecting our commitment towards achieving gender equality at all levels.

In this regard, Ireland’s vote will take particular account of the following criteria: the need to achieve an improved gender balance; equitable representation from the various geographic regions including low and middle income countries; and finally to ensuring that the Committee includes members who bring expert and preferably their own “living experience” across diverse areas of disability.

In the meantime my Department will continue its efforts to promote and protect the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities.

EU Bodies

Questions (411)

Neale Richmond

Question:

411. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the European Court of Auditors report which advocates for an overhaul of the way in which the EU recruits to the EU Civil Service; if this could be of benefit to Ireland and the pending EU jobs strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36303/20]

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Written answers

I am aware of the European Court of Auditors report to which the Deputy refers. The report makes a number of recommendations regarding the recruitment of staff to the EU’s Institutions. Recruitment to the EU institutions is carried out centrally by the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO). EPSO regularly runs open competitions to recruit generalist and specialist EU civil servants.

It has become clear in recent years that there will soon be a significant reduction in the number of Irish officials in senior roles in the EU Institutions, as many high-ranking Irish officials will soon retire. At the current rates of recruitment of permanent staff, we are far below the replacement rate. This poses a serious challenge.

Significant work has been carried out by my Department to increase Ireland’s representation in the staffing of the EU’s Institutions, though it is clear that more needs to be done in this area. The Programme for Government commits to the development of a new strategy to increase the presence of Irish people in the senior ranks of the EU Institutions. We will also aim to increase the number of young Irish people applying for traineeships in the EU’s Institutions.

The new strategy will take into account any future changes to the EU’s recruitment processes, and the actions taken to promote EU careers and assist Irish candidates for EU jobs will also adapt to any changes that occur.

A public consultation on the new EU Jobs strategy was launched by Minister for European Affairs Thomas Byrne T.D. in October and closed on 5 November.  I would like to thank all who contributed to this consultation.  Work on the development of the strategy has begun and I expect the new strategy to be published in early 2021.

Budget 2021

Questions (412)

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

412. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the additional ring-fenced funding to be provided by his Department to domestic violence services in budget 2021 in order that services can respond adequately to the shadow pandemic of domestic violence through Covid-19 and beyond; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36343/20]

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Written answers

A Better World, the Government's policy for international development, establishes gender equality as a policy priority, specifically identifying response to, and prevention of, gender-based violence (GBV) as a key focus.

Ireland is consistently among those OECD countries with the highest proportion of official development assistance (ODA) invested yearly in gender equality measures. In 2019, approximately 76%, that is €295 million, of Ireland’s bilateral allocable aid contributed to gender equality.  Of this, over €15 million was invested in actions to mitigate or prevent gender-based violence, or in support of those who have suffered from GBV.

One of the many impacts COVID-19 pandemic has been an increased incidence of GBV worldwide, including in places where Irish Aid is working.  Irish Embassies in partner countries have used Irish Aid funding to ensure continuity of essential services to victims of domestic violence.  For example, in Zambia, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, Irish Aid is supporting partners to expand emergency shelter services and one-stop centres, and to establish rapid referral systems.  Irish Aid’s work at community level also focuses on prevention, and safe spaces for adolescent girls who are out of school.

Ireland also provides annual funding to the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women, supporting efforts to address GBV at grassroots level in over 80 countries. My officials have been working closely with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to ensure that GBV is adequately addressed within the UN’s Global COVID-19 Humanitarian Response Plan.

Recognising that GBV is often a feature of emergencies, we have worked to reflect this in Irish Aid’s response to humanitarian crises.  This includes ongoing work with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to deliver life-saving services for survivors of GBV internally displaced in Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya and Cameroon.

Shared Island Unit

Questions (413, 414)

Patrick Costello

Question:

413. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will match funding opportunities between the public and private sector to support civic engagement as part of the shared island unit in particular in those communities most impacted by the Border. [36429/20]

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Patrick Costello

Question:

414. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the realignment by his Department of reconciliation funding in relation to the shared island unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36430/20]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 413 and 414 together.

The Programme for Government sets out the Government’s commitment to working with all communities and traditions on the island to build consensus around a shared future, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement. Research and dialogue will be at the centre of the Shared Island initiative.  The Government will seek a broad base of contributions from across society on this island, and work to ensure that people who have been proportionally under-represented in the Peace Process, such as women and new communities on the island, are fully represented.

In October, the Shared Island Dialogue Series was launched to promote constructive and inclusive dialogue around the future of the island. The Dialogue series will start later this month and will focus on key sectoral issues including environment, economy, health and education. It will also engage on an inclusive basis on overarching concerns for the Good Friday Agreement, including around issues like identity rights and the equality agenda.

The Shared Island initiative involves a renewed focus on harnessing the potential of the Agreement to deliver tangible improvements and to deepen reconciliation. The work programme to be delivered by the Shared Island Unit will operate alongside the work of my Department, importantly including the work of my Department’s Reconciliation Fund.

The Reconciliation Fund awards funding to non-governmental organisations (NGOs), community groups, and voluntary organisations to support reconciliation and to create better understanding between people and traditions on the island of Ireland and between Ireland and Britain. The projects supported seek to reach a broad range of communities and geographical locations in Northern Ireland, while also supporting the building and strengthening of links between North and South. Projects involving the border counties and the needs of minority communities in border areas are given high priority. A key aim of the Fund is to support initiatives that can increase understanding, respect and tolerance between people from different communities and traditions across the island. Many of the projects that we fund facilitate dialogue, not only in relation to past experiences of conflict but also looking ahead to explore perspectives on the future of the island. The objectives of the Reconciliation Fund are therefore fully complementary to those of the Shared Island initiative.

Foreign Conflicts

Questions (415)

Thomas Gould

Question:

415. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to implement strategies that will protect persons in Nagorno-Karabakh. [36511/20]

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Written answers

The situation in the region is complex and information is oftentimes far from clear, but I can assure the Deputy that my Department is monitoring the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh very closely. Though the recent hostilities have now ended, they had a devastating impact on local civilian populations. The destruction of essential services during the conflict, including hospitals and utility networks poses a serious, protracted risk to those in the region. Ensuring access for humanitarian organisations must be a top priority to avoid further catastrophe, particularly as we head into winter. Ireland and the EU will do all we can to help bring about a sustainable and lasting peace and we will continue to provide humanitarian assistance. In that regard, we note the key role that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees will continue to play.

Currently the ICRC is the only international humanitarian organisation effectively present across the region with a physical presence in Nagorno Karabakh. Their role in this crisis is critical: they are providing assistance to displaced persons, engaging in dialogues with relevant authorities on international humanitarian law and protection issues and acting as a neutral intermediary for the recovery of human remains and prisoner exchanges. Ireland enjoys a deep partnership with the ICRC and we have provided over €17 million in funding to ICRC this year to support their operations in crisis zones around the world.

Departmental Budgets

Questions (416)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

416. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the way in which his Department’s annual amount for contingent liability is set; the factors considered when setting contingent liability; if forecasting is undertaken regarding setting future amounts; the contingent liability figure for his Department for 2020; and if the contingency provision has been utilised to date in 2020. [36904/20]

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Written answers

The Department of Foreign Affairs maintains contingent liability under ongoing review as part of the Departmental budgetary process. To date, the Department has not identified a requirement for a contingent liability amount to be set.

Foreign Conflicts

Questions (417)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

417. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position regarding the Lekki massacre in Lagos, Nigeria in which members of the Nigerian armed forces opened fire on peaceful End SARS protestors; if his Department will condemn the actions of the officers involved; the other action or position that has been taken with regard to the special anti-robbery squad in Nigeria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36925/20]

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Written answers

Recent developments in Nigeria, including credible allegations of the use of excessive force against protesters, are of great concern, in particular the violence of 20 October in Lagos. Armed men in military-style attire fired towards a group of protesters in the Lekki area of Lagos, using live ammunition. The number of casualties remains unclear, but reports have claimed that at least 12 people were killed.

Ireland, together with the European Union, believes that it is essential that the events of 20 October are thoroughly investigated and that those responsible are held to account.  This echoes the calls by UN Secretary General and the African Union for a speedy investigation and for an end to reported police brutality and abuses.

The protests, which took place in a number of cities including Abuja and Lagos, were in reaction to allegations of excessive use of force and abuses committed by a unit of the Nigerian police, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) police unit.  While the protests were largely peaceful, they came against a background of unrest.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari announced on 12 October that the SARS police unit would be disbanded, one of the main requests made by protesters. However, it was perceived that the unit would continue under another name and the protests persisted, with wider calls for reform and an end to police violence and corruption. The Nigerian army has denied opening fire on civilians on 20 October.

President Buhari gave an Address to the Nation on 22 October, setting set out a number of steps his Government intends to take, including: the establishment of judicial panels of inquiry; the establishment of human rights complaint mechanisms; and the establishment of a fund for the compensation of victims. I look forward to the timely implementation of these potentially significant measures, which have helped calm the situation.

The Embassy of Ireland in Abuja continues to monitor developments actively on the ground and, working closely with our EU partners, to engage with the Nigerian authorities.

Foreign Conflicts

Questions (418)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

418. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps being taken to ensure the safety of all Irish citizens that reside in Ethiopia in view of the escalation in tensions between the federal government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36995/20]

View answer

Written answers

I can advise the Deputy that we are closely monitoring the situation in Ethiopia through the Embassy of Ireland in Addis Ababa. Our Embassy officials are working with the local authorities and EU partners on the ground, including the EU delegation, to communicate with EU citizens in the region, including any affected Irish citizens. Telecommunication in the region has been impacted and, as the Deputy will be aware, this can hinder communication with citizens. Nevertheless evacuation planning is already underway.

The Department’s Travel Advice for Ethiopia has also been updated, including advice to avoid all travel to Tigray region and the Tigray border areas where conflict has been reported.

As with all cases relating to Irish citizens in distress overseas, we stand ready to provide all possible consular assistance where required, and I would encourage any affected citizens to contact our Embassy in Addis Ababa where possible.

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