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Wednesday, 13 Jan 2021

Written Answers Nos. 362-386

Disease Management

Questions (362)

Catherine Connolly

Question:

362. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if awareness signs on the dangers of Lyme disease are in place in all national parks across the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1677/21]

View answer

Written answers

The issue of Lyme disease is not one confined or specific to the National Parks. Ticks are widespread throughout the countryside and in areas of rough vegetation and forestry. They are not at all confined to National Parks, Nature Reserves or State lands. Ticks can be found on a variety of domesticated and wild animals including sheep, goats, horses, cattle, dogs, deer, rodents and various wild mammal species.

Information on Lyme Disease is on all our NPWS websites.

The issue of warning notices is a matter for the HSE/Local authorities to consider. Any such signs would need to be countywide as opposed to specifically located in particular National Parks or Nature Reserves. This is not an issue which is localised to National Parks or state lands. It is an issue throughout the countryside. The National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department is willing to engage with the Local Authorities on any county-wide initiatives they (or the HSE) wish to propose.

Information on Lyme Disease is available from the HSE and, their booklet: www.hpsc.ie/a-/vectorborne/lymedisease/informationforthepublic/Lyme%20DL%20April2017%20-%20D2.pdf contains useful information in this regard. Annually, as part of the HSE’s National Lyme Awareness Day, the Department circulates links to HSE information on Lyme disease to all Departmental staff.

Fire Stations

Questions (363)

John McGuinness

Question:

363. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when funding for the new fire station at Urlingford, County Kilkenny, will be provided; and the timeline for its completion. [1724/21]

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Written answers

The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Acts, 1981 and 2003. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding for equipment and priority infrastructural projects.

I recently announced a new Fire Services Capital Programme for the period 2021 - 2025. Following extensive engagement with fire authorities, a number of proposals for station works etc. were received. The proposals were evaluated and prioritised on the basis of the:

- Area Risk Categorisation of the fire station (population, fire risks, etc.)

- established Health and Safety needs

- state of development of the project (is site acquired, etc.?) and

- value for money offered by the proposal.

This new Programme will see six new fire stations built, continued support for the construction of a further 12 new fire stations, nine fire station refurbishments as well as the allocation of 35 new fire engines. In order to maximise the available Capital Programme funding, my Department re-assesses the status of projects in the Programme on an annual basis, and some flexibility is normally available to advance projects that are ready and that offer best value-for-money taking account of the state of readiness of projects more generally.

A new fire station at Urlingford is provided for in this Capital Programme. Kilkenny County Council has indicated that Urlingford is their number one fire station priority. The Council submitted a capital review and outline cost plan to my Department in 2020 which are currently under review. I understand that the Council is to seek Part VIII planning approval in Q1 2021. My Department will continue to work with Kilkenny County Council to progress the Urlingford fire station project.

Home Loan Scheme

Questions (364)

Noel Grealish

Question:

364. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the part of the Housing (Rebuilding Ireland Home Loans) Regulations 2018 that precludes a person who is in the very early stages of a construction project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1728/21]

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Written answers

Rebuilding Ireland Home Loans (RIHL) are provided in accordance with the Housing (Rebuilding Ireland Home Loans) Regulations 2018 and the statutory credit policy issued in accordance with the Regulations. The RIHL is available for self-builds and therefore persons in the very early stages of construction are not precluded from accessing the RIHL. However, given the greater complexity of self-builds, the regulations and the credit policy stipulate that there are appropriate additional requirements in place that must be met before RIHL funding will be advanced for these projects.

Decisions by local authorities as to whether to advance a loan to an individual are taken on a case-by-case basis, within the criteria as set out in the credit policy. Each local authority must have in place a credit committee which makes the final decision on applications for loans. There is also an appeal procedure in each local authority so that those who are not satisfied with a decision regarding their application can have the decision reviewed.

Electoral Process

Questions (365)

Paul McAuliffe

Question:

365. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to review the boundaries of the 3,440 electoral divisions in the State in advance of the 2022 census (details supplied). [1779/21]

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Written answers

Electoral divisions are the smallest legally defined administrative areas for which population statistics are published. These divisions were established in the nineteenth century and are largely unchanged since. The Local Government Act provides that the Minister may, by regulations, divide the area of any county into areas to be known as electoral divisions, vary the names of such divisions and adjust their boundaries. However, there are no plans at present to review electoral divisions’ boundaries but the matter will be kept under review.

The Central Statistics Office reviews settlement boundaries after each Census. I understand that, in light of the delay to Census 2021, the process of reviewing settlement boundaries is currently underway with input from my Department and other stakeholders.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (366)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

366. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the details for his Department for outsourcing to consultancies of specifically Covid-19-related work, services or advice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1795/21]

View answer

Written answers

My Department engaged consultancy services to support the carrying out of COVID-19 risk assessments, revision of the Department's Safety Statement and standard operating procedures for field-based staff.

My Department engaged external service providers (not consultants) to support COVID-related work across a number of areas, including COVID-19 specific training; co-development of the National Community Call leaflet with versions published in English, Irish, large print, ISL and Braille; maintenance of the Community Call data hub; and excess mortality facilities.

My Department also commissioned research into the effects of the pandemic from the Economic and Social Research Institute to explore the short-run implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on affordability in the private rental market and supported the charity ALONE in preparing a paper on the effects of the pandemic on older persons.

International Agreements

Questions (367)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

367. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of negotiations by Ireland to join the WHO C-TAP initiative; the number of meetings that have taken place between his Department and the WHO; the representatives from his Department who attended these meetings; the outcome of the meetings; if he will provide meeting records; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44851/20]

View answer

Written answers

Ireland has welcomed the Covid-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP). Consultations are ongoing across relevant Government Departments which look forward to receiving additional information on the Technology Access Pool with a view to considering practical engagement. The European Commission, on behalf of Member States, is engaging with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to obtain the additional information and clarifications required for industry to engage in the initiative. This is in addition to the regular meetings at official level with the WHO on Covid-19 and other health matters.

During this public health crisis, a well-functioning ecosystem for the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights is an important incentive for the research and development of novel vaccines, medicines and treatments. Ireland will continue to engage with partners to find innovative ways to support these aims, part of our comprehensive global response to the global challenge.

In 2021, my Department, through Irish Aid is planning at least €50 million in support of Global Health, working with relevant multilateral agencies including the WHO, sustaining health systems (including maintaining capacity for vaccine campaigns), ensuring attention to other diseases, and funding the work of the Health Service Executive (HSE) Global Health Programme in Ethiopia, Mozambique and elsewhere. This includes an additional allocation of €5 million in support of COVAX (the global Covid-19 vaccine facility), which will ensure developing countries have access to vaccines, as well as supporting the WHO role in ensuring equity and fairness in the process.

EU Issues

Questions (368)

Joe O'Brien

Question:

368. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the decision of the European Council to add two Iranian persons and the directorate for internal security of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the EU terrorist list in the measures set down in common position 2001/931/CFSP in January 2019; the measures Ireland has taken to support this decision since it was made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44719/20]

View answer

Written answers

On 9 January 2019, the Council of the European Union added two Iranian individuals and the Directorate for Internal Security of the Iranian Ministry for Intelligence and Security to the EU terrorist list, in response to attempted attacks on European soil.

EU sanctions are implemented in Ireland through EU Council Decisions and Regulations. The Regulations are directly applicable in Irish law. In addition, a Statutory Instrument (SI) is made in order to provide for a criminal offence for breach of the sanctions and for related penalties.

In May 2019, Minister for Finance Donohoe signed a Statutory Instrument under the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005, which incorporated these EU listings under common position 2001/931/CFSP into Irish law. The Statutory Instrument is available on the Irish Statute Book: www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2019/si/85/made/en/pdf.

Departmental Contracts

Questions (369)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

369. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his Department or State agencies under the aegis of his Department have awarded contracts to a company (details supplied); if so, the value of such contracts; if the contracts were tendered for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44786/20]

View answer

Written answers

The Department of Foreign Affairs has awarded no contracts to the company in question. There are no agencies under the aegis of the Department.

Foreign Policy

Questions (370)

Catherine Connolly

Question:

370. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 285 of 10 December 2020, if all bilateral agreements between Ireland and Israel apply only to those areas within Israel’s pre-1967 borders; if these bilateral agreements specifically differentiated the settlements at inception or have been amended or modified following EU decisions; the procedures and inspections in place to ensure that individuals residing in Israeli settlements cannot profit in any way from the provisions of such bilateral agreements; the structures or practices in place to ensure that companies established in these illegal settlements, all economic activities being carried out there and individuals living elsewhere but earning income from these settlements cannot profit from the provisions of these agreements in particular the 1995 double taxation treaty between Ireland and Israel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44808/20]

View answer

Written answers

Ireland’s bilateral agreements with Israel do not apply to territories occupied by Israel in 1967. This includes the bilateral agreements referred to in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 285 of 10 December 2020.

With regard to the Double Taxation Treaty between Ireland and Israel, any claim for Treaty benefits must adhere to the conditions of the Treaty. It is for the competent authority, which is the Revenue Commissioners in the case of Ireland, to ensure the correct interpretation and application of the Treaty.

Ireland has consistently and strongly opposed settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, and will continue to do so. Such settlements are illegal under international law and actively undermine the viability of a negotiated Two-State solution in line with the internationally agreed parameters.

Ireland continues to call on the Israeli Government to halt all settlement construction. Our longstanding support for a Two-State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains an integral aspect of our foreign policy.

Human Rights

Questions (371)

Joe O'Brien

Question:

371. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the case of a person (details supplied) who has been detained for acts of peaceful protest against the regime in Belarus; the measures the State is taking to opposing ongoing human rights abuses by Belarus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44941/20]

View answer

Written answers

Ireland continues to strongly condemn the totally unacceptable human rights situation in Belarus. Regrettably, the harassment of protesters, civil society actors, and journalists by the Belarusian authorities has not ceased despite international pressure, including sanctions against the regime.

I am aware of the case of the individual in question, who was detained for his political views, and my Department is kept appraised of the situation regarding detainees by the EU delegation in Minsk. We are extremely worried by credible reports of torture and ill-treatment, including of the individual in question. Along with our EU partners, we have called for the immediate and unconditional release of all those unjustly detained, including political prisoners, and we will continue to raise our voice in this regard.

Ireland has been clear that the repression of the Belarusian people must stop and we continue to urge the authorities to act on the recommendations of UN and OSCE Rapporteurs. Ireland has joined statements at the UN, including at the Human Rights Council, that specifically call for media freedoms to be respected. We also joined a statement of the co-chairs of the United Nations Group of Friends for the Protection of Journalists, which expressed profound concern over the deteriorating situation of human rights in Belarus, including multiple reports of harassment, arbitrary arrests, intensifying persecution and detention of journalists and media workers, as well as the human rights defenders and other members of the Belarusian civil society.

We strongly support EU efforts to direct funding to Belarusian civil society and we have provided funding for a project in Belarus that seeks to protect media freedoms through the European Endowment for Democracy. Ireland remains engaged with our EU and international partners in seeking a peaceful and democratic resolution of the current crisis and we will continue to use our voice in international settings to call for the repression to end.

Irish Aid

Questions (372)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

372. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if Ireland has or plans to provide emergency relief to Nicaragua; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44984/20]

View answer

Written answers

My Department, through Irish Aid, has responded to the devastation caused by the hurricanes in November in Nicaragua and across much of the Central American region. I would like to express my solidarity with all those affected.

Ireland, though Irish Aid, contributes to the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF), which provides immediate support to Caribbean countries following hurricanes to facilitate humanitarian response and immediate necessary public works. CCRIF has so far disbursed US$30.6 million to Nicaragua in response to November's hurricanes.

Through the Start Fund, a pooled NGO-led humanitarian financing mechanism to which Irish Aid contributes; €200,000 has been allocated to Christian Aid, Save the Children and Trócaire enabling humanitarian assistance for over 34,000 people displaced or affected by the hurricanes in Nicaragua. The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, through their Disaster Relief Emergency Fund, responded to the hurricanes in Nicaragua by releasing funding of €410,000 in a local response to the crisis. Ireland is a regular contributor to this fund.

The Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), a UN humanitarian fund, established to provide urgent responses to humanitarian crises, allocated more than €5 million to respond to the crisis in the region, including Nicaragua. Ireland is the tenth largest international donor to the CERF to which we contributed €10 million in 2020. My Department, through Irish Aid, also provided emergency funding of €80,000 to NGO Goal to enable its response to the impact of the hurricanes on neighbouring Honduras.

My Department continues to monitor the situation in Nicaragua and the region, through the Embassy of Ireland in Mexico and other official contacts.

Election Monitoring Missions

Questions (373)

Patrick Costello

Question:

373. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason the Oireachtas Committee of Public Accounts was assured by Irish Aid officials that an election observers competition fully met public standards when the competition was conducted without an equality section or accommodations for disability; the reason the forms were not marked by a person independent of Irish Aid; the reason almost all marks were allocated on five competencies by serving or retired officials who had no actual experience of election observation; the reason a senior official decided that disability could not be considered in the competition; the reason a formal notice was issued stating the consideration of disability would be unfair to other candidates; the reason the appeal mechanism was only a numerical check of the marks of candidates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45025/20]

View answer

Written answers

I refer the Deputy to the response to the Information Note on the Overseas Election Observation Roster prepared for the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade (JCFATD) and the Composite Note published on the election observation pages of the Irish Aid website, where the issues raised here have been comprehensively addressed and which are attached to this response.

Matters pertaining to the selection process for the 2019-2023 roster, as well as the membership and operation of the roster, have also been addressed in response to Parliamentary Questions No. 16 of 25 January 2018, No. 98 of 28 March 2018, No. 107 of 24 April 2018, No. 60 of 21 June 2018, Nos. 57 and 58 of 3 July 2018, No. 167 of 4 July 2018, Nos. 138 and 149 of 10 July 2018, Nos. 103,104, 105, 106 and 107 of 24 July 2018, Nos. 69 and 70 of 7 September 2018, No. 45 of 20 September 2018, No. 36 of 9 October 2018, No. 43 of 11 October 2018, No. 179 of 23 October 2018, Nos. 151 and 157 of 20 November 2018, No. 74 of 6 December 2018, No. 109 of 19 December 2018, Nos. 59, 60 and 61 of 23 January 2019, No. 120 of 29 January 2019, Nos. 80 and 81 of 30 January 2019, Nos. 146, 147 and 153 of 5 February 2019, Nos. 61 and 65 of 6 February 2019, No. 58 of 7 February 2019, Nos. 124 and 138 of 12 February 2019, No. 71 of 13 February 2019, No. 129 of 19 February 2019, Nos. 100, 105, 108 and 109 of 26 February 2019, Nos. 115, 117, 119 and 126 of 5 March 2019, Nos. 74, 76 and 81 of 6 March 2019, Nos. 59 and 68 of 12 March 2019, No. 114 of 13 March 2019, No. 157 of 26 March 2019, Nos. 81, 85 and 99 of 2 April 2019, No. 115 of 16 April 2019, No. 51 of 18 April 2019, No. 73 of 29 May 2019, Nos. 117 and 119 of 25 June 2019, Nos. 108, 109, 110, 111 and 112 of 10 July 2019, No. 114 of 23 July 2019, Nos. 106 and 124 of 10 December 2019, No. 37 of 5 March 2020, No. 30 of 13 May 2020, No. 21 of 3 June 2020, No. 33 of 16 June 2020, Nos. 338 and 342 of 21 July 2020, No. 453 of 8 September 2020, Nos. 369 and 370 of 15 September 2020, No. 109 of 23 September 2020, No. 396 of 6 October 2020, Nos. 186, 187 and 188 of 13 October, No. 158 of 15 October, No. 665 of 3 November, No. 400 of 10 November 2020, No. 113 of 11 November 2020, Nos. 410 and 419 of 24 November 2020, Nos. 255 and 256 of 26 November 2020, Nos. 292 and 293 of 15 December 2020, and Nos. 362 and 363 of 17 December 2020.

1. https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/debates/questions/supportingDocumentation/2019-07-10_pq108-10-7-19_en.pdf.

2. https://www.irishaid.ie/media/irishaid/getinvolved/electionroster/Composite-Response.pdf.

Election Monitoring Missions

Questions (374)

Patrick Costello

Question:

374. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the way in which it is possible for an Irish election observer to obtain top marks in independent tests with the official election bodies of OSCE and EU yet the same tests administered by Irish Aid officials on a candidate (details supplied) placed the candidate much lower than other Irish observers who failed the OSCE and EU tests; his views on whether this suggests flaws in the competition run by his Department; his further views on whether the matter should be independently investigated; if so, if an independent investigation will be carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45026/20]

View answer

Written answers

The Department has checked its records, which do not appear to indicate a person of that name put themselves forward for consideration for membership of the volunteer Election Observation Roster under the most recent mustering. My officials would be happy to follow up with the Deputy directly.

Foreign Birth Registration

Questions (375)

Pádraig O'Sullivan

Question:

375. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of an application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45044/20]

View answer

Written answers

The Passport Service has paused the processing of Foreign Births Registration applications as Ireland is at Level 5 of the National Framework for Living with COVID-19.

Applications that have been sent to the FBR team are being held securely and will be processed when normal services resume at Level 3. Foreign Births Registration, by its nature, can be a detailed and complex process, often involving official documentation related to three generations and issued by several jurisdictions. Prior to the introduction of the current restrictions, FBR applications were taking 12 to 18 months to process.

With regard to the specific FBR application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has advised that this application was checked and deemed to be incomplete. Arising from this, the Passport Service contacted the applicant directly on 2 December 2020 to outline what is required in order for the application to be finalised.

Human Rights

Questions (376, 377, 379)

Jim O'Callaghan

Question:

376. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has made contact with the Iranian Government in relation to the recent execution of a person (details supplied). [45065/20]

View answer

John Paul Phelan

Question:

377. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his response to the recent execution of a journalist (details supplied) and other recent civil rights abuses by the Islamic Republic of Iran; the actions his Department and the EU has taken or will take in response; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45082/20]

View answer

Cian O'Callaghan

Question:

379. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will condemn the recent execution of a person (details supplied); the measures he is taking to outlaw capital punishment around the world; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45150/20]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 376, 377 and 379 together.

I remain deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Iran, including restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly, arbitrary arrest, torture in detention and the use of the death penalty.

Ireland is opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances, and we have made this position clear to the Iranian authorities on many occasions. Officials from my Department raised concerns over the use of the death penalty with the Iranian Ambassador to Ireland on 2 December.

In relation to the specific execution of Ruhollah Zam, we endorse the condemnation released on behalf of the EU on 12 December 2020.

Ireland has also regularly voiced opposition to the use of the death penalty by Iran in appropriate international fora. At the 45th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) in September 2020, Ireland co-signed a Joint Statement which expressed deep concern at the continuing human rights violations in Iran, making particular reference to Iran’s ill-treatment of detainees and use of the death penalty. The statement states clearly that “we reiterate our opposition to the death penalty in all circumstances, and urge Iran to enact a moratorium.”

Ireland will continue to raise human rights issues with Iran at every suitable opportunity, including in our direct contacts with Iranian officials, in contributing to EU policy on Iran, and in international fora such as the UN General Assembly and the HRC.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (378)

Cian O'Callaghan

Question:

378. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the waiving of intellectual property rules for Covid-19 vaccines and other related drugs in order to assist poorer countries in responding to the pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45149/20]

View answer

Written answers

The Covid-19 pandemic and the global search for a vaccine has demonstrated the importance of pooling resources, scientific information and knowledge in order to protect people, including in poorer countries. Any endeavour to enhance resources available, and share relevant knowledge, should be welcomed and supported.

During this public health crisis, a well-functioning ecosystem for the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights is an important incentive for the research and development of novel vaccines, medicines and treatments. Ireland will continue to engage with partners to find innovative ways to support these aims, part of our comprehensive global response to the global challenge. For 2021, Irish Aid is planning at least €50 million in support of Global Health, working with relevant multilateral agencies including the WHO, sustaining health systems (including maintaining capacity for vaccine campaigns), ensuring attention to other diseases, and funding the work of the Health Service Executive (HSE) Global Health Programme in Ethiopia, Mozambique and elsewhere. This includes an additional allocation of €5 million in support of COVAX (the global Covid-19 vaccine facility), which will ensure developing countries have access to vaccines, as well as supporting the WHO role in ensuring equity and fairness in the process.

Question No. 379 answered with Question No. 376.

Research Funding

Questions (380)

Cian O'Callaghan

Question:

380. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the EU has provided research funding to companies conducting business in illegal Israeli settlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45156/20]

View answer

Written answers

The EU’s Research and Innovation programme, Horizon 2020, includes several implementation mechanisms which prevent EU funds being used for activities that could be contrary to international or EU law.

Article 19 of the Horizon 2020 Framework Regulation provides that all research and innovation activities carried out under Horizon 2020 must comply with ethical principles and relevant national, Union and international law, including the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU and the European Convention on Human Rights and its Supplementary Protocols.

EU guidelines exclude funding to Israeli entities established in territories occupied by Israel since June 1967 and the funding of Israeli entities of activities in occupied Palestinian territory. Horizon 2020 projects are closely monitored by the European Commission services.

Ireland and the EU have consistently and strongly opposed settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, and will continue to do so. Such settlements are illegal under international law and actively undermine the viability of a negotiated two-State solution in line with the internationally agreed parameters.

Foreign Policy

Questions (381)

Cian O'Callaghan

Question:

381. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the support provided by his Department and the EU for Syrian refugees in Lebanon; the additional supports required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45169/20]

View answer

Written answers

The conflict in Syria has triggered the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Refugees from Syria are the biggest refugee population from a single conflict in a generation, with over 5.5 million having fled to neighbouring countries. Lebanon, with over 1.5 million Syrian refugees, hosts the largest numbers of refugees per capita in the world, 20 per cent of its population.

The capacity of local communities and Syrian refugees to provide mutual support is being placed under severe strain by economic turmoil and the Covid-19 crisis. The generosity of the Lebanese people in hosting such a large number of refugees has to be acknowledged. Ireland’s humanitarian policy will continue to support refugees and vulnerable host communities.

In 2020, my Department, through Irish Aid, provided €4.25 million in humanitarian assistance to Lebanon, through the UN’s Lebanon Humanitarian Fund, the UN Relief and Works Agency, as well as Concern and Trócaire. Each of these partners is crucial to supporting the ongoing refugee response. Overall, Ireland has provided approximately €31 million in funding to Lebanon since 2014. In the year ahead, I envisage Ireland maintaining its level of financial support as humanitarian and development needs will remain high.

Also, since 2012, Irish Aid has deployed close to 20 skilled and experienced volunteers to Lebanon to work with UN humanitarian agencies in their humanitarian or emergency response operations.

Ireland also responds to existing needs in Lebanon through the EU. Since its establishment in 2014, a significant share of the EU's support for Syrian refugees and Syria's neighbouring countries has been provided through the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis. The Fund primarily addresses educational, economic, social and health needs of Syrian refugees while also supporting overstretched local communities and their administrations. The Fund has mobilised €1 billion for Lebanon.

The devastating explosion in August 2020 in the port of Beirut was a very serious setback. The EU mobilised €32 million to support the most vulnerable Lebanese and refugee communities. This brought the total EU humanitarian assistance to €83 million in 2020.

Immediately following the explosion, Ireland provided significant stocks of medical supplies, including Personal Protective Equipment, to the World Health Organisation in Beirut which coordinated the health response to the crisis. These supplies were transported by the Irish Defence Forces which, following decades of distinguished service in UNIFIL, have a strong relationship with Lebanon.

Citizenship Applications

Questions (382, 399)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

382. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding Irish citizenship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1031/21]

View answer

Brendan Griffin

Question:

399. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide correspondence to a foreign births registry applicant (details supplied) to allow the applicant to take up an employment opportunity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1521/21]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 382 and 399 together.

The Passport Service has paused the processing of Foreign Births Registration (FBR) applications as Ireland is at Level 5 of the National Framework for Living with COVID-19. Applications that have been sent to the FBR team are being held securely and will be processed when normal services resume at Level 3 of the Framework.

The impact of Brexit on applications for Foreign Birth Registration has been significant. In 2014, approximately 10,000 applications were received. In 2019, approximately 32,000 were received. Applicants resident in Great Britain account for around half of all applications. Prior to the introduction of the current restrictions, FBR applications were taking 12 to 18 months to process.

Foreign Births Registration, by its nature, can be a detailed and complex process, often involving official documentation related to three generations and issued by several jurisdictions.

With regard to the specific FBR application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has advised that this application was made on 21 December 2020. While supporting documents for this application may have been sent to the Department, these have not yet been registered due to the pausing of operations.

It is not possible to provide any confirmation that an individual meets the criteria for Irish citizenship until the application has been processed in full and the individual has been entered on to the Foreign Births Register.

Passport Applications

Questions (383)

Mick Barry

Question:

383. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of a passport application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1080/21]

View answer

Written answers

The Passport Service has paused processing of routine applications while Ireland is at Level 5 of the Plan for Living with COVID-19. Passport Service staff have been temporarily reassigned to provide Consular Assistance for Irish citizens overseas.

The Passport Service continues to provide an emergency passport service for Irish citizens at home and abroad. The 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. Applicants who require a passport for emergency purposes, or to travel for urgent reasons, should contact the Passport Service via our Customer Service Hub Webchat function on our website.

While staff were on site in the Passport Service during the first week of the new year, carrying out the essential work of processing emergency and urgent passport applications, they also took the opportunity to produce approximately 2,000 passports, in the majority of cases for simple adult renewal applications.

The Passport Service has a comprehensive plan in place to resume all services, in line with the National Framework for Living with COVID-19. When operations resume at Level 4, all applications received via Passport Online will be processed. The Passport Service is confident that any backlog will be cleared quickly. When the Passport Service resumed operations in June 2020, the back log was cleared in 4 weeks. It was similar in December 2020 with the majority of the backlog cleared within 3 weeks.

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 of the framework.

With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, an official from the Passport Service was in contact with the applicant’s father on 6 January 2020 to advise that the application will be processed at Level 4 of the Plan for Living with COVID-19.

Human Rights Cases

Questions (384, 388)

Neale Richmond

Question:

384. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the efforts that have been made to secure the release of a person (details supplied) from prison in China; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1098/21]

View answer

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

388. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1259/21]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 384 and 388 together.

I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has been providing ongoing consular assistance to this citizen through our Consular Assistance Unit in Dublin, our Embassy in Beijing and our Consulate General in Shanghai.

I can also confirm that this citizen is not in prison in China. However he has been subject to an exit ban and therefore has been denied permission to leave China.

Our Consul General in Shanghai has been meeting and engaging regularly with the citizen since last March, and we continue to provide all possible consular support and advice. Our focus has been on supporting the citizen’s well-being, while he and his legal team seek to resolve the outstanding legal, commercial and financial matters with the appropriate authorities.

The case has been raised regularly at senior political and diplomatic level with the relevant authorities in China, and with the Embassy of China to Ireland. These engagements have highlighted the humanitarian aspects of the case, and the importance of the citizen being allowed to leave China and return home as soon as possible.

The Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate to discuss the details of any individual consular case, nor to comment on matters pertaining to a legal process in another jurisdiction. However, I can assure the Deputy that my Department will continue to provide all possible consular assistance to the citizen until he is permitted to return to Ireland.

Brexit Data

Questions (385, 386)

Neale Richmond

Question:

385. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of calls that have been made to his Department’s Brexit helpline for Irish citizens living overseas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1099/21]

View answer

Neale Richmond

Question:

386. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of calls that have been made to his Department’s Brexit helpline from Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1100/21]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 385 and 386 together.

The key aim of the Government's Brexit readiness work was to support business and citizens prepare for the permanent and immediate changes that arose as a result of the UK leaving the EU. As part of this work and, in order to respond to queries arising in the immediate Day 1/Week 1 period following the end of the transition period, a range of Government Departments and Agencies put in place designated information resources, call centres and advice lines from 1 January.

From 1 to 4 January, my Department made available a Brexit-related advice line for Irish citizens overseas as well as for callers from Northern Ireland. The line was managed by officials working on Brexit related issues over that period and handled a total of four queries, none originating from callers in Northern Ireland. The Department continues to receive a low level of Brexit related queries which are answered through our normal channels.

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