Written Answers Nos. 406-426
408. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if avenues are open to persons who have been successful in their application for the housing adaptation grant but do not have access to the bridging finance necessary to get the work completed to allow the grant to be drawn down; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26617/21]
View answerMy Department provides funding under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability, in respect of adaptations to private houses. The detailed administration of the schemes, including the assessment, approval and payment of individual grants to applicants, is the responsibility of the relevant local authority.
Local authorities, in administering the scheme, should work with qualifying applicants to ensure they get the most beneficial outcome possible in line with their financial circumstances. Once works have been completed and the contractor issues the relevant invoice, local authorities should ensure swift payment of grant funding to the applicant, provided the approved works are completed.
409. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount the NGO and charity sector receive in funding from his Department per annum. [26633/21]
View answer410. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a record will be provided of the annual funding received by the NGO and charity sector from his Department in each of the years 2000 to 2020. [26646/21]
View answer411. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding allocated to each NGO and charity in each of the years 2010 to 2020 by his Department. [26659/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 409 to 411, inclusive, together.
My Department has a wide and diverse business agenda, covering a broad range of functions, and in order to achieve its business objectives, the Department allocates significant resources across a number of sectors. These include local authorities, State agencies and other bodies including a range of organisations that might be considered non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
However, there is no universally accepted definition of what constitutes an NGO and so my Department does not hold information on the NGO status, or otherwise, of bodies in receipt of funding.
On that basis I am providing an indicative list of organisations commonly considered to be NGOs that my Department allocated funding to in the period 2017-2020. Details are in the attached table.
A transfer of Heritage functions from the former Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht took place in 2020 and so allocations to heritage and some biodiversity-related NGOs are included for 2020 only.
The information sought in respect of the period prior to 2017 and prior to 2020 in respect of the Heritage Division is not readily available and its compilation would involve a disproportionate amount of time and work. However, if the Deputy wishes to submit a further more specific question in relation to the funding of a particular NGO, I will endeavour to provide the information requested.
My Department does not hold information on the charitable status of bodies in receipt of funding. Such status may be determined by checking the relevant body with the Charities Regulator at https://www.charitiesregulator.ie/en/information-for-the-public/search-the-register-of-charities.
|
Name of Organisation |
Amount of funding allocated 2017 (€) |
Amount of funding allocated 2018 (€) |
Amount of funding allocated 2019 (€) |
Amount of funding allocated 2020 (€) |
|
Voluntary Housing Support Services |
20,000 |
38,000 |
40,000 |
40,000 |
|
Irish Council for Social Housing |
410,000 |
- |
499,968.30 |
515,000 |
|
Union Students of Ireland |
45,000 |
- |
23,590 |
- |
|
Threshold |
- |
800,000 |
800,000 |
800,000 |
|
Irish Traveller Movement |
87,567.52 |
111,886.32 |
73,652.56 |
96,154.82 |
|
Alone |
- |
- |
- |
24,000 |
|
Chambers Ireland |
25,000 |
25,000 |
25,000 |
25,000 |
|
Women for Election |
- |
62295 |
138,000 |
132,300 |
|
National Women’s Council of Ireland |
- |
- |
28,809 |
3,700 |
|
Longford Women’s Link |
- |
- |
108,604 |
104,000 |
|
Immigrant Council of Ireland |
- |
- |
7,950 |
24,090 |
|
Coastwatch |
6,794.03 |
25,000 |
27,975 |
32,563 |
|
An Taisce |
566,144.78 |
623,120 |
679,000 |
691,905.50 |
|
Irish Environmental Conservation Organisation for Youth – UNESCO Clubs |
- |
- |
5,000 |
- |
|
Sustainable Water Network Ireland |
191,101 |
226,805 |
222,000 |
226,977 |
|
Irish Peatlands Conservation Council |
- |
- |
- |
7,367.96 |
|
Community Wetlands Forum via Irish Rural Link |
- |
- |
- |
25,000 |
|
Bat Conservation Ireland |
- |
- |
- |
4,840.00 |
|
Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland |
- |
- |
- |
24,900 |
|
Burren Beo Trust |
- |
- |
- |
15,000 |
|
Irish Forum for Natural Capital Grant funding |
- |
- |
- |
23,000 |
|
Irish Whale and Dolphin Group |
- |
- |
- |
10,000 |
|
Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland |
- |
- |
- |
30,000 |
|
Royal Irish Academy |
- |
- |
- |
59,582 |
|
European Archaeological Council |
- |
- |
- |
20,000 |
|
Irish Heritage Trust |
- |
- |
- |
848,759.49 |
|
Irish Landmark Trust |
- |
- |
- |
40,000 |
|
Irish Architectural Foundation |
- |
- |
- |
93,000 |
|
Irish Architectural Archive |
- |
- |
- |
18,000 |
|
International Council on Monuments and Sites |
- |
- |
- |
17,500 |
|
Irish Georgian Society |
- |
- |
- |
4,540 |
412. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if progress has been made in resolving the dispute in relation to Irish fishing boats accessing the waters around Rockall; the negotiations that have taken place in relation to this matter; the parties to the negotiations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26373/21]
View answerI fully recognise the importance of addressing issues in relation to Rockall, and I continue to prioritise engagement on this matter, working with my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
Minister McConalogue and I, and our respective officials, are in very regular contact on this issue and are working through all options for further engagement.
Over the last number of months, I have outlined Ireland's position on Rockall in contacts with both the UK and Scottish Governments. In my engagements, I have made clear the Government's position, which is consistent, and remains as has been clearly set out by successive Governments.
Irish officials also remain in ongoing contact with the European Commission on all matters relating to the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, including fisheries.
I last spoke with my Scottish counterpart, Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Europe and External Affairs, Mike Russell, on 19 March, prior to the dissolution of the Scottish Parliament, when this matter was raised. Irish and Scottish officials have been in touch in the period since that call.
Following recent elections in Scotland, this bilateral contact and broader efforts will continue in the coming weeks. I look forward to meeting with my Scottish counterpart once appointed.
Through the range of engagements set out, the Government is seeking to address the issues involved, reflecting the longstanding fisheries tradition in the area.
Ireland has never made any claims to Rockall, which is a small uninhabitable granite rock located approximately 160 nautical miles west of the Scottish islands of St. Kilda and some 230 nautical miles to the north-west of Donegal.
Nor has Ireland ever recognised British sovereignty claims over Rockall, and accordingly has not recognised a 12 nautical mile territorial sea around it either.
413. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if Ireland will consider sending observers to the forthcoming Armenian elections. [26759/21]
View answer425. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the importance of international election observation; if he will list by country since February 2020 the election observation missions that the OSCE and EU sought nominations for from his Department; the number nominated in each case; the 2021 budget for election observation; the amount spent to date; if he will nominate Irish election observers from the current and previous rosters that are vaccinated against Covid-19 to OSCE and EU election observation missions in view of ongoing Covid-19 vaccination programmes; when he plans to recruit new observers to the roster; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26044/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 413 and 425 together.
Most of the issues raised in these questions have been comprehensively addressed in the answer to Question 777 of 24 March 2021.
The budget for overseas election observation in 2021 is €180,000, of which €4,616 has been disbursed to date, reflecting standard insurance costs for this budget line.
Given the COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health considerations concerning travel, Ireland has not nominated volunteer election observers since March 2020. Resumption of nominations remains under review in the light of evolving public health considerations, particularly, as regards international travel, and will not include either the Armenian or Moldovan calls received this month.
Since February 2020 the EU sought nominations from the Department in respect of four election observation missions. The Department nominated 1 LTO (long term observer) and 4 STOs (short term observers) for an EU election observation mission in Bolivia scheduled for May 2020 and nominated 3 LTOs and 3 STOs for an EU election observation mission in Sri Lanka scheduled for April 2020. However, in March 2020 the EU High representative/Vice President suspended the deployment of both these EU EOMs in line with the EU’s efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Due to the challenges posed by the public health pandemic the EU did not issue any further calls until September 2020. Between September 2020 and April 2021, the EU issued a call for long-term observers for two election observation missions – one for elections that took place in Ghana in December 2020 and one for proposed Parliamentary and Representative Council elections planned to take place in Ethiopia in June 2021. In both instances, calls were not made for short-term observers. Instead, to mitigate COVID risks, the EU focused on sourcing short-term observers locally through diplomatic channels, involving either diplomatic staff (as is often the norm) or volunteers identified with the support of diplomatic channels. The election observation mission to Ethiopia has since been cancelled as agreement on key parameters for the deployment of the mission could not be reached with Ethiopian authorities.
In February 2020, 1 long-term observer and 2 short-term observers for an OSCE election observation mission to Azerbaijan, were deployed from the Irish roster. Since then the OSCE sought nominations from the Department in respect of 16 election observation missions. Three calls for observers to North Macedonia, Poland and Serbia were issued in February 2020. However, in March 2020 the OSCE cancelled election observation missions to North Macedonia and Serbia due to COVID-19. Between July 2020 and March 2021 the calls for 11 election observation missions were conducted as Limited Election Observation Missions (LEOM), without deployment of short-term observers. This included election observation missions to the USA, Montenegro, Kyrgyzstan (Parliamentary elections), Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova (Presidential elections), Romania, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan (Presidential elections), Bulgaria and Albania. Two of these (Georgia and Albania) were initially sent as both calls for long-term observers and short-term observers and the call for short-term observers was cancelled when the mission was scaled back to LEOMs due to COVID-19. Five of these (USA, Montenegro, Kyrgyzstan (Parliamentary elections), Moldova and Romania) were initially sent as calls for long-term observers with the intention of issuing a call for short-term observers, and then scaled back to LEOMs due to COVID-19. In May 2021, the OSCE issued two further calls for observers for election observation missions for Parliamentary elections in Moldova and Armenia. As outlined in previous replies it is not the practice to nominate missions for non-developing countries (as per OECD-DAC criteria) which would include the USA, Bulgaria and Romania.
414. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the recent military strikes by Israel on Palestine; if he will condemn ongoing Israeli violations against the Palestinian persons and the annexation of territory by Israel in Palestine; if he will encourage the EU and the UN Security Council to take a strong stance on these developments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26823/21]
View answer415. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the actions he is taking in response to the escalation of Israel-Palestinian violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26892/21]
View answer423. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in the context of ongoing steps by the Israeli state to expel Palestinians from East Jerusalem and replace them with Zionist settlers and the killing of 22 Palestinians in an Israeli attack on Gaza, he will expel the Israeli Ambassador from Ireland to express Ireland’s opposition to these killings and to the threatened expulsion of 13 families comprised of 58 persons including 17 children from Sheik Jarrah in East Jerusalem; if he will immediately prepare a Bill to go before Dáil Éireann to impose trade sanctions against Israel in response to these killings and threatened expulsions; if he will prepare a proposal from Ireland to the European Council calling for the imposition of trade sanctions by the EU against Israel on the grounds of these killings and the breaches of the human rights of Palestinians; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25926/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 414, 415 and 423 together.
I am deeply concerned by the intensification of violence in the past week, including the launching of rockets from Gaza and the actions of the Israeli Defence Forces, and by the increase in tension and violence in the West Bank and in Israel. Now is the time for de-escalation and all concerted efforts towards a ceasefire.
I am shocked at reports of the number of people in Gaza, including the large number of children, who have been killed in recent days. I also condemn rocket fire from Gaza which has killed Israeli civilians, including children.
The protection of all civilians, in Gaza, in the West Bank and in Israel, is of paramount importance and is an obligation under international humanitarian law. The high number of Palestinian civilians killed - a quarter of them children- is simply unacceptable. The impact of Israeli strikes on civilians in the Gaza Strip is disproportionate, and the impact on children, in an already difficult humanitarian situation, is especially worrying. Israel must abide by the provisions of International Humanitarian Law, particularly in relation to the Protection of Civilians, including when exercising the right to self-defence.
Ireland’s diplomatic engagement with Israel is important as it is a means for us to directly communicate our concerns around actions such as those we have witnessed in the past week. On 11 May, I called in the Israeli Ambassador and underlined that Israel’s actions in Gaza which are causing significant civilian casualties are unacceptable and Israel must act responsibly and comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law. These messages matter, and by expelling an Ambassador, we would be closing down our channel of communication with the Israeli Government.
On 16 May, I addressed an emergency open session of the UN Security Council. I called strongly for a cessation of hostilities and emphasised the obligations that all sides have under international humanitarian law. I called on the Council to send a clear and united message that this cycle of violence and bloodshed must end now.
The President of the General Assembly of the United Nations has convened a meeting on the situation on 20 May.
I will continue to press this issue at the UN and through the EU. On 18 May I will join an extraordinary meeting of EU Foreign Ministers on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel and will raise Ireland's concerns in clear terms and urge a strong EU response.
416. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress made to include reference in all new statements of strategy to all sustainable development goal targets for which his Department has lead responsibility as outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals National Implementation Plan 2018-2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25749/21]
View answer417. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the specific sustainable development goal targets his Department is responsible for implementing; the progress made in implementing those targets since 26 April 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25767/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 416 and 417 together.
The United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a significant and ambitious cross-Government policy agenda coordinated by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC).
Within the national coordination structures for delivery of the SDGs, the Department of Foreign Affairs has responsibility for leading implementation of 65 targets across the 16 of the 17 Goals (the exception being Goal 15) with inputs from other Departments where relevant. The Department is continuing its active engagement to achieve progress on targets on which it leads, for example through the Government’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme, and in international forums for SDG implementation, particularly the the United Nations system.
The SDGs are mainstreamed across the Department's work as articulated in 'The Global Island: Ireland’s Foreign Policy for a Changing World' and 'A Better World: Ireland’s Policy for International Development', as articulated in the Department's Statement of Strategy 2021-23. These key outcomes are in turn associated with very specific priority outputs for the Department.
The Department feeds into the national SDG progress report, known as the Voluntary National Review, presented at meetings of the UN High-level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development every two to three years. Ireland will present its next Voluntary National Review in 2022. This will outline Ireland’s progress on SDG achievement since our first Voluntary National Review presented to the HLPF in July 2018. In addition, the Department's annual report and the Irish Aid annual report, while not SDG reporting instruments, also relate elements of the Department's contribution towards reaching its SDG targets.
418. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has engaged a third-party company to date in 2021 to conduct online and or social media monitoring and or provide reports on social media coverage of his Department; if so, the cost of same; and the name of the social media platforms being monitored. [25785/21]
View answerNo third-party online or social media monitoring costs were incurred by my Department in 2021.
419. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if officials in his Department are tasked with conducting online and social media monitoring and completing reports on social media coverage of his Department and his Ministerial activities; if so, the number of staff involved; the respective grades of each; the estimated working hours committed to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25803/21]
View answerThe Department monitors its own and external social media activity through free analytical tools provided by the major social media platforms. No Departmental officials are tasked with compiling reports on social media coverage of either the Department or Ministerial activities.
420. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he and bodies under his aegis have engaged private investigation companies or persons in the past three years to date; and if so, the cost, duration and purpose of these engagements of this type of contractor. [25825/21]
View answerNo private investigation companies or persons have been engaged by my Department in the past three years to date. There are no bodies under the aegis of my Department.
421. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the worsening conflict against civilians in Palestine and Gaza; if it is within the remit of Ireland on the UN Security Council to do more than merely speak out against the unilateral actions and violence perpetrated by the Israeli state and military forces; if he will express clearly the parameters of Ireland’s responsibility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25875/21]
View answerI am gravely concerned by the continued violence, in which so many innocent Palestinians and Israelis have lost their lives in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and across Israel. I call for an end to violence and for all parties to abide by international law.
On 16 May, I addressed an emergency open session of the UN Security Council on this issue. I called for a cessation of hostilities and emphasised the obligations that all sides have under international humanitarian law. I called on the Council to send a clear and united message that this cycle of violence and bloodshed must end now. I called for the protection of civilians and underlined the imperative of ensuring the safety of humanitarian personnel and the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
Ireland supported the call for an emergency session of the Security Council on 16 May, following two emergency discussions on 10 and 12 May. Ireland joined France, Estonia and Norway in issuing a joint statement after the Council meeting on 12 May. I am disappointed that it has not been possible to agree a Security Council Statement following the open emergency session.
I will join EU Foreign Ministers who are meeting virtually in extraordinary session on the issue on 18 May. I will underline the need for strong EU engagement - both in relation to the current hostilities and to address the root causes of the conflict.
Ireland’s position on this issue is, and will continue to be, based on international law, including Israel’s obligations as the occupying Power under the Fourth Geneva Convention. I remain deeply concerned about the lack of accountability for violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law in the occupied Palestinian territory. In this respect, I fully respect the role of the International Criminal Court and the integrity of the Court and its prosecutor in carrying out their important work.
422. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has spoken with his Australian counterpart to date in 2021. [25920/21]
View answerI am looking forward to speaking with Foreign Minister Marise Payne on a suitable occasion in the near future, in follow-up to my discussion last October with the Australian Ambassador. In this regard our Ambassador in Canberra is in direct contact with Minister Payne's office.
Through these and other high-level contacts, Ireland is maintaining excellent relations with Australia despite the pandemic travel restrictions.
424. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will elaborate on his recent statement in relation to the violence at the Al Aqsa mosque that the right to peaceful freedom of assembly is non-negotiable; if he will elaborate on the obligations on Israel to guarantee freedom of assembly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26037/21]
View answerI am gravely concerned by the continued violence, in which so many innocent Palestinians and Israelis have lost their lives in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and across Israel. I call for an end to violence and for all parties to abide by international law.
The provocations and clashes in East Jerusalem, which led to many injured at the holy site of Haram al–Sharif/Temple Mount, are deeply worrying. The approach of the Israeli Authorities and Security Forces is not acceptable. I conveyed these concerns to the Israeli Ambassador last week. Ireland continues to provides support to a number of civil society partners that are active on human rights issues, which impact specifically on Palestinians in East Jerusalem.
In my address to the UN Security Council on 16 May I underlined that Israeli actions in East Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa compound were not acceptable and provocative. I highlighted the need for the right to peaceful protest to be upheld. I also raised concerns about incidents of inter-ethnic violence, intimidation, arson and even loss of life in the mixed cities of Israel.
I have underlined the importance of media freedom and the essential role played by journalists and the press in reporting on conflicts like this one. I condemn in the strongest terms the strike which destroyed media outlets. Freedom of expression and information and the work of journalists must be protected without exception. Human rights, including fundamental rights of freedom of expression and association, need to be respected including in times of conflict.
I will continue to press this issue, including at the extraordinary meeting of EU Foreign Ministers on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel on 18 May.
426. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of data breaches suffered by his Department in each of the past five years and to date in 2021. [26099/21]
View answerMy Department documents any personal data breaches that have occurred in the Department in accordance with its obligations under Article 33(5) of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The table below provides the number of data breaches by year since the introduction of the GDPR on 25 May 2018 to date.
|
Year |
Total Breaches |
|
2018 |
54 |
|
2019 |
124 |
|
2020 |
163 |
|
2021 |
22 |
