Thursday, 30 Sep 2021

State Visits

Questions (206)

Catherine Connolly

Question:

206. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to make an official visit to Israel later in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47199/21]

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Written answers

I hope to visit a number of countries in the Middle East, including Israel, before the end of this year. Preparations are ongoing in this regard. I have so far made four working visits to Israel and Palestine as Minister for Foreign Affairs. I have clearly outlined Ireland’s position on the Middle East Peace Process during these visits and will continue to do so.

Brexit Issues

Questions (207)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

207. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which ongoing discussions continue around the Northern Ireland Protocol with the objective of ensuring continued access and opportunities for exporters north and south of the Border. [45169/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

The Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland was negotiated and agreed by this UK Government and by the European Union. It is the result of over four years of difficult negotiation with compromises on all sides. It was designed to safeguard the Good Friday Agreement, including avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland, to protect vital all-island supply chains, and to ensure the integrity of the Single Market and Ireland’s place in it.

By virtue of the Protocol, Northern Ireland effectively remains within the EU Single Market for the movement of goods. It also provides that the Union Customs Code continues to apply in respect of Northern Ireland – ensuring no customs processes are necessary for movements (in either direction) between Northern Ireland and the European Union, including Ireland.

The Protocol has been of vital importance in protecting cross-border trade and all-island supply chains. Cross-border trade has grown significantly in the years since the Good Friday Agreement, strengthening a growing prosperity across the island of Ireland. This has been particularly important for small businesses, which account for the vast majority of cross-border trade.

While EU-UK engagement is ongoing around implementation of the Protocol across a number of outstanding issues, ensuring continued free movement of goods North-South is not in question.

The Government dedicated substantial time and resources to ensuring that businesses were prepared for the post-Brexit context. For those trading on a cross-border basis, whether in goods or services, InterTrade Ireland’s Brexit Advisory Service also provides a range of practical advice, support, and information for businesses on Brexit related issues.

European Union

Questions (208)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

208. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the degree to which he continues to influence the institutions throughout the European Union with a view to ensuring compliance with the European project. [45170/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

Ireland's priorities for the Future of Europe are closely aligned with the delivery of the EU Strategic Agenda as agreed at the June 2019 European Council and as most recently set out by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in her State of the Union Address to the European Parliament on 15th September last.

These priorities include: the European Green Deal, a Europe fit for the Digital age; an Economy that works for People, a stronger Europe in the World, promoting our European way of Life and a new Push for European Democracy.

The Conference on the Future of Europe provides an opportunity for us all to consider the challenges we face and ensure that new policies and strategies reflect the needs and concerns of all citizens across the European Union. All citizens can and should use their voice and have their say as part of the Conference process by attending events or submitting their ideas to the online digital platform created for the Conference. I am also pleased that Dublin has been selected as a host city for one of the four European Citizens’ Panels which will take place in early December.

A key strategic priority of this Government is to maintain engagement with the EU Institutions. Since March 2020, much of this has been conducted on a virtual basis. As society re-opens, it is the intention across Government that Ministers re-engage with Ministerial counterparts in other Member States and with the EU Institutions, most notably but not exclusively with, the European Commission and the European Parliament. The implementation of the Government’s “A Career for EU Strategy” is also a key priority. The strategy aims to increase the number of Irish people working for the EU Institutions and agencies in order that Irish EU officials can continue to act as important channels of interaction and influence between our national system and the EU Institutions.

British-Irish Co-operation

Questions (209)

John Brady

Question:

209. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the exact nature of the alleged agreement between the Irish and British Governments in relation to the patrol of Irish airspace by the RAF; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34829/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

Under the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order, 1952, all foreign aircraft seeking to overfly Irish sovereign airspace or land in the State must request the permission of the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Specific criteria in relation to the granting of such permission have been put in place by successive Governments. These criteria include that the aircraft be unarmed and carry no arms, ammunition or explosives. In addition, such craft must not form any part of a military operation or exercise.

As I have previously stated in my response to similar Parliamentary Questions, I cannot comment on reports concerning arrangements for national security. I can confirm however that the Government’s engagement in international security cooperation is aimed at ensuring public safety and is conducted with full respect for Irish sovereign decision-making authority and for Ireland’s long-standing policy of military neutrality.

Passport Services

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Niall Collins

Question:

215. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when a passport application by a person (details supplied) received on 12 February 2021 and showing an estimated due date of 11 October 2021 will be processed and issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47349/21]

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Michael Ring

Question:

216. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when a passport will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo in view of the fact that they have to travel abroad for bereavement purposes. [47381/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

I propose to take Questions Nos. 210 to 216, inclusive, together.

With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputies have enquired, the Passport Service has provided an update on the status of the passport application to the applicants.

The current turnaround times are 10 working days for Simple Adult renewals, 15 working days for Complex renewals, 40 working days for First Time Applications on Passport Online and 8 weeks for Passport Express for applications which have been completed correctly.

Question No. 211 answered with Question No. 210.

Question No. 212 answered with Question No. 210.

Question No. 213 answered with Question No. 210.

Question No. 214 answered with Question No. 210.

Question No. 215 answered with Question No. 210.

Question No. 216 answered with Question No. 210.

United Nations

Questions (217)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

217. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which he can use Ireland's position on the UN Security Council to highlight the urgent necessity to restore the status of the UN as a major international peacekeeper; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47400/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

UN peacekeeping is one of the most collaborative, effective and visible tools of the UN in the promotion and maintenance of peace and security across the globe. There are currently 12 UN peacekeeping operations worldwide, with over 95,000 uniformed personnel from over 120 countries. This is a global effort to which Ireland is fully committed – with contributions from the Defence Forces and An Garda Síochána, Ireland is present in half of the current UN peacekeeping operations.

UN peacekeepers are increasingly deployed to complex and volatile environments, making it vital that peacekeeping operations are designed to ensure effectiveness, efficiency, and focus on the protection of civilians. To this end, UN Secretary-General António Guterres launched a peacekeeping reform initiative in 2018, known as Action for Peacekeeping. This aims to refocus peacekeeping with more targeted mandates, stronger operations, increased support for political solutions, and better-equipped and trained forces to strengthen protection of civilians.

In 2021, the Secretary-General has launched a new phase of reform with Action for Peacekeeping Plus, which incorporates the use of technology and the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda across its priorities. Ireland is fully supportive of this initiative.

During our time on the Security Council, Ireland is working to ensure that the mandates for peacekeeping missions align with the needs of the people they seek to protect, and that missions have the resources necessary to carry out their tasks.

We also believe that peacekeeping missions need to be designed with the aim of making themselves obsolete; this is why Ireland was so determined to secure agreement on Security Council Resolution 2594. This resolution provides a framework for how to ensure that the reconfiguration of the UN presences during a transition is properly planned for and resourced, most especially with respect to protecting civilians. Its adoption is a testament to our leadership on peacekeeping and our commitment to making UN peace operations as effective and responsive as possible.

Human Rights

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Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

I propose to take Questions Nos. 218 to 227, inclusive, and 229 together.

Ireland is a strong contributor to strengthening United Nations and European Union efforts to eliminate human rights violations. The rights of women and children are central to our engagement and especially so in regards to conflict zones where risks of child recruitment or trafficking in persons are particularly prevalent.

Conflict continues to fuel human rights violations and abuses across much of the world, and remains the most significant driver of humanitarian crises, while the number and complexity of these crises globally continues to increase. Each conflict is unique in its character, scale and complexity, and as such cannot be ranked by any single set of criteria of severity.

This month alone, at the UN Security Council, Ireland has highlighted human rights issues in meetings relating to: climate and security; small arms and light weapons; UN peacekeeping transitions, as well as in regard to conflicts in Afghanistan; Libya; South Sudan; Sudan; Syria and Yemen.

The particular human rights violations and abuses encountered by women and children, including sexual and gender based violence issue, crosscuts all of our engagement on both conflict and human rights. In addition to co-chairing the Security Council’s Informal Expert Group on Women, Peace and Security, Ireland is also a member of the UN Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict which addresses the issue of child soldiers and ensures follow up of the recommendations at country level.

Longer-term, we also support the reform of the Security Council itself and continue our efforts in this regard.

Ireland also has a long tradition of contributing to UN and EU peace-support missions, including in some of the world’s most complex and intractable conflicts. Ireland has maintained a continuous presence in UN peace support operations since 1958, and has more than 550 personnel in United Nations mandated missions overseas. The Government is committed to participation in peacekeeping operations as a tangible contribution to the development of global peace and security.

On 9 September, I was very pleased to preside over the unanimous adoption of Security Council Resolution 2594 on peacekeeping transitions that was drafted and negotiated by Ireland. This important resolution provides a framework for ensuring that the reconfiguration of a UN presence is properly planned for and resourced, particularly with respect to protecting civilians and upholding human rights. It also encourages national governments to develop national plans, policies and strategies for the protection of civilians.

Ireland also engages actively at the UN Human Rights Council (HRC). At the 47th session of the Council beginning on 21 June, Ireland made national statements on a broad range of thematic issues and country-specific human rights situations including in regard to violence against women. Ireland’s Ambassador also delivered a national statement in response to the report from UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, Professor Siobhán Mullally, with whom my Department meets regularly. Ireland provides core funding to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) with whom we work in partnership on the many aspects of counter-trafficking responses including prevention, protection, and prosecution

At the ongoing 48th session of the Human Rights Council Ireland’s national statement under item four highlighted grave concerns about the human rights and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan; Tigray and neighbouring regions of Ethiopia; the occupied Palestinian territory; and Yemen. It additionally highlighted our serious concerns about the human rights situation in Belarus and Myanmar where elected politicians, together with media and civil society face severe restrictions on their rights to freedom of movement and expression. In the context of increased authoritarian restrictions globally, Ireland will also join a Joint Statement supporting the right to peaceful protest.

Ireland is also member of the core group presenting the HRC resolution in response to the current report from the Group of Eminent Experts on Yemen. This is the only UN mandated international, independent mechanism working towards accountability for the Yemeni people. Our Ambassador also intervened in response to reports from the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar and the Commission of Inquiry on Syria.

At European Union (EU) level, Ireland is an active participant and contributor to the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy, which works globally to support the preservation of peace, the prevention of conflicts and the strengthening of international security. Human Rights issues feature prominently at the meetings I attend at the EU Foreign Affairs Council.

In addition, my officials engage extensively on human rights issues at the relevant Council-level working parties including on the EU’s Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime which strengthens the EU’s ability to take collective action against perpetrators of human rights violations. Ireland’s Embassies also engage actively in support of the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy (2020-24); on EU led Human Rights dialogues; and through financial support from Irish Aid in relevant countries.

Ireland prioritises accountability, including for crimes such as genocide or ethnic cleansing, not only as a means of pursuing justice for victims, but also as a crucial component to create stability and peace in post-conflict situations. A strong international criminal justice system is central to fighting impunity. While states bear the primary responsibility to investigate the most serious international crimes, including war crimes and genocide, Ireland regards the International Criminal Court as the cornerstone of such a system. Ireland, together with its EU partners is a consistent and strong supporter of the Court. We will continue to support and defend the Court throughout and beyond our term on the United Nations Security Council, whilst ensuring that accountability remains one of the key principles underpinning our engagement at all levels.

Question No. 219 answered with Question No. 218.

Question No. 220 answered with Question No. 218.

Question No. 221 answered with Question No. 218.

Question No. 222 answered with Question No. 218.

Question No. 223 answered with Question No. 218.

Question No. 224 answered with Question No. 218.

Question No. 225 answered with Question No. 218.