Written Answers Nos. 1-23
13. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide an update on the assistance his Department has provided to date in respect of the crisis that has unfolded in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46837/21]
View answerIreland and our EU partners remain committed to a peaceful and stable Afghanistan and to supporting the Afghan people. We continue to engage on the Afghanistan crisis at international level.
As the President of the UN Security Council for the month of September, Ireland chaired a meeting on Afghanistan on 9 September. In our national statement, I placed a strong emphasis on full and safe humanitarian access and on the importance of human rights, including the rights of Afghan women, girls and minorities.
Ireland engaged extensively on the extension of the mandate for the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) that was agreed on 17 September, to facilitate continued UN operations in Afghanistan - including coordinating humanitarian relief.
At EU level, Foreign Ministers have agreed Council Conclusions that set out five key benchmarks to inform the EU’s engagement with any future Afghan Government.
There has also been close international cooperation and coordination on evacuation efforts. A total of 58 Irish citizens and dependents have safely evacuated from Afghanistan since mid-August, including with the support of the Emergency Civil Assistance Team which I approved. My Department continues to liaise with partners, including those with a presence on the ground, to explore and utilise safe options for the exit of Irish citizens and Afghans who are resident in Ireland – so that they can return home.
In addition, approximately 370 at-risk Afghan citizens have been offered refugee status in Ireland under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme – as managed by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability Integration and Youth. Approximately 150 participants in this Programme have reached Ireland to date or are expected to arrive shortly. The Department of Justice is also working to facilitate family reunification visas.
Addressing the worsening humanitarian situation remains a priority for Ireland. My Department has provided €1m to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees for urgent support in and around Afghanistan. We have also this week approved an additional €2m, half of which will go to UNICEF and half to the UNOCHA Afghanistan Humanitarian fund. This follows over €2 million in humanitarian funding we had already provided this year, bringing Ireland's total donation to €5 million for 2021. We have also contributed to the response through joint UN and EU mechanisms.
14. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of humanitarian visas provided to persons in Afghanistan; if he plans to increase the number of these visas provided following requests for additional support such as that from frontline defenders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46844/21]
View answerVisas fall under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Justice. The Government at its meeting earlier this week, approved the introduction of a new Afghanistan admission programme. Under the new programme, current or former Afghan nationals resident in Ireland can apply for close family members in Afghanistan, or who have recently fled Afghanistan to certain countries, to be granted temporary residence in Ireland.
I very much welcome this new proposal from my colleague, the Minister for Justice, which will create a tailored reunification programme and enable Ireland to better respond to the situation in Afghanistan. Up to 500 places will be available under this programme.
The current possibilities for Afghan nationals to be granted permission to enter Ireland will continue in parallel to the new programme. Places have been allocated under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme to approximately 370 Afghan nationals, some 150 of whom have travelled to Ireland. Priority was given to those working on human rights issues, including the rights of women and girls, and minorities, as well as those working with NGOs and European and international organisations. The operation of this programme is managed by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
The Department of Foreign Affairs is, through our diplomatic network liaising with relevant authorities in the region and countries in Europe in relation to transit routes. The Department of Justice is providing practical support by way of issuing visas, or visa waivers, to facilitate travel to Ireland. That Department is also focused on processing applications for Afghan family members of Irish citizens and Afghan nationals living in Ireland.
I understand the Department of Justice is currently reviewing all international protection applications from Afghan nationals with a view to expediting their progress, in line with updated advice provided by UNHCR in recent weeks. These applications are already prioritised, as agreed with UNHCR. The processing of these applications takes full account of whether a person will be in danger if not provided with a permission to remain here.
15. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the lobbying efforts Ireland has undergone as a member of the United Nations Security Council to work towards peace between Palestine and Israel; if this issue was progressed as part of Ireland’s role as President of the United Nations Security Council in September 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47060/21]
View answerThe Middle East Peace Process is a key priority for Ireland during our term on the Security Council. We have engaged actively in monthly meetings on the situation. I addressed meetings of the Council on this issue in January and May.
Throughout our Security Council tenure, my officials have consistently engaged with representatives of the parties to the conflict, and with key interlocutors, including with the United States.
In May, as the situation worsened and hostilities escalated, Ireland worked to ensure the Council engaged on the matter, including co-sponsoring a Tunisian request for consultations on the issue at the Council. Ireland actively participated in negotiations for a draft Resolution to demand a cessation of hostilities. While that effort was not successful, it is indicative of our sustained efforts on the issue. We supported the Council Presidency Statement welcoming the ceasefire which was subsequently agreed.
As part of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council this month, I chaired a dialogue between the Security Council and the League of Arab States on 22 September, during which I underlined the need for strong regional engagement on the Middle East Peace Process and a reinvigoration of the political track.
I had discussions on the situation in my bilateral meetings at the UN, including with the Egyptian Foreign Minister. On 29 September, Ireland chaired the Council’s monthly meeting on the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question. This meeting focused on implementation of Security Council Resolution 2334, which includes the issue of illegal settlements, violence against civilians and de-escalation and reversal of negative trends.
As part of our commitment to the Council hearing directly from those affected by its decisions, Ireland invited two women civil society speakers, one Israeli and one Palestinian, to address yesterday’s meeting. Their perspectives were particularly valuable.
I have been clear with both Israel and the Palestinian Authority of our commitment to advancing a two-State solution for a resolution of the conflict based on international law, relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and agreed parameters.
17. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent of the discussions he and his European colleagues have had in recent months regarding the lifting of restrictions on behalf of Irish citizens to travel to and or to re-enter the United States of America following a trip home to Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46629/21]
View answerIn response to the COVID-19 pandemic, entry to the US has been restricted for most people travelling from Ireland, as well as from a number of other countries, since March 2020. In recent weeks, the White House announced that these restrictions will be lifted, for those who are fully vaccinated, in early November. I very much welcome this announcement and I know this will come as good news for many in Ireland, Irish citizens living in the United States, as well as our American friends with links to Ireland and the rest of Europe.
Although entry into the United States, including pre-clearance, is a matter solely for US authorities, ensuring that travel between Ireland and the US can resume in a safe way is a priority for this Government. The Government has consistently raised the matter with the US authorities at the highest levels, both here in Dublin and through our Embassy in Washington D.C. We have also worked with our partners in the EU to address the issue.
In August this year, the Taoiseach wrote directly to President Biden noting the disruptive impact that US travel restrictions have had, and sharing information about Ireland’s successful and ongoing vaccination programme.
I myself had meetings with US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, and with US National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, in May this year, during which we discussed the importance of strengthening the transatlantic relationship; ease of travel is of course vital to this. Officials at our Embassy in Washington D.C., including Ambassador Mulhall, have actively sought opportunities where they have been able to raise the issue with the US Administration and Department of State.
In terms of efforts through the EU, together with other member states, we wrote to US Secretary of State Blinken in June requesting reconsideration of travel restrictions. A joint EU-US Experts’ Working Group was also set up between the EU and the US to work towards the safe resumption of travel.
Strong connectivity between our two countries is absolutely vital for strengthening connections across the Atlantic. I look forward to November and a swift resumption of safe travel between Ireland and the US.
18. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps that are being taken to rectify some of the impact the disruption to the operation of the foreign birth register during Covid-19 has had on applicants, such as cases in which the delay to completing the registration of a person could impact the rights of their children to claim citizenship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47173/21]
View answerMy Department is responsible for citizenship by descent through the Foreign Births Register under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 (“the 1956 Act”), as amended.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the processing time for FBR applications stood at 18 months due to an unprecedented surge in applications as a result of Brexit and the necessarily rigorous processing that applies to citizenship applications. At present, there are just over 31,000 applications in the Foreign Births Registration system.
During the pandemic, Passport Service staff were reassigned to the HSE for essential contact tracing; to the Department of Social Protection for the processing of essential PUP payments, and to support the Department of Health with quarantine issues. This resulted in a pause in overall FBR processing while Passport Service staff continued to provide an emergency service for Foreign Birth Registration in cases of exceptional urgency. Over 4,500 of such emergency FBR applications have been processed in 2021. The FBR Service continues to consider urgent requests to expedite an application on a case by case basis, in cases such as expectant parents, or stateless persons.
In cases of exceptional urgency FBR applicants may continue to contact the Passport Service directly by telephone or webchat on the Department’s website (www.dfa.ie).
The Passport Service is very concerned about the number of FBR applications currently on hand and is actively planning to resume processing FBR applications as soon as possible. My Department is committed to allocating further resources to assist with the high volume of applications, with a focus on reducing turnaround times to pre-COVID-19 levels by the end of 2021. In the medium term, changes to the FBR process to increase efficiencies and improve the customer experience will be delivered under the next phase of my Department's Passport Reform Programme.
20. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his visit to Africa over the summer in particular his visit to Tigray and Ethiopia; if additional Irish Aid will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46228/21]
View answerI remain deeply concerned by the deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation in Tigray, including the ongoing blockade of the region and attacks on humanitarian workers.
Ireland continues to strongly advocate for an urgent response to the crisis, and for a peaceful resolution to the conflict - through our bilateral engagement, our EU membership, and at the UN Security Council.
In July, I travelled to Kenya and Somalia for a series of regional engagements in preparation for Ireland’s presidency of the Security Council in September. The visit provided opportunities to strengthen Ireland’s bilateral cooperation with both countries, along with our engagement on peace and security in the Horn of Africa more broadly. During the visit, I had extensive discussions on the situation in Tigray with President Kenyatta of Kenya, and with the UN Ambassadors of Kenya, Niger and Tunisia, the three African countries currently serving on the Security Council alongside Ireland. I followed up on these discussions with a meeting with Ethiopia's deputy Prime Minister, Demeke Mekonnen, in New York on 21 September.
Ireland continues to take the lead at the UN Security Council on the situation in Tigray, most recently spearheading calls for the open Council meeting of 26 August, where we urged an end to the violence, full humanitarian access, accountability for atrocities, and for a political solution to the conflict.
Ireland’s continued priority is the welfare of the people of Ethiopia, which is affected by the persistence of conflict. Through the Irish Aid programme, we have so far provided over €3.2 million to support the humanitarian response in Tigray and to the refugee response in neighbouring Sudan, through trusted UN and NGO partners on the ground. On 7 July, Minister Brophy announced additional humanitarian funding of €2.75m for Ethiopia, to address hunger and insecurity, including in Tigray.
21. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which from Ireland’s vantage point on the UN Security council, he expects to create a greater awareness of human rights abuses worldwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47103/21]
View answer75. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which he plans to encourage the reinvigoration of the United Nations during Ireland’s Presidency of the Security Council with a view to ensuring respect for its role and its ability to intervene in a meaningful way to protect democracy and human rights on a worldwide scale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47102/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 75 together.
Ireland’s Presidency of the United Nations Security Council in September provides an important opportunity to advance our foreign policy priorities, including the promotion and protection of human rights. Since taking up our seat in January, we have consistently worked to uphold international human rights law and International Humanitarian Law, and to promote accountability for violations.
We have continued to focus on human rights issues in discussions on country situations during our Presidency. On 9 September, I chaired a Council meeting on Afghanistan which took place in advance of the Council’s extension of the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission. I stressed that those in power in Kabul must adhere to Afghanistan’s obligations under international humanitarian, refugee and human rights law, and that women and girls must be treated as equal citizens.
In Security Council meetings this month on Yemen, Libya and South Sudan, Ireland emphasised the need for human rights to be fully respected. In the Council's recent meeting on Sudan, Ireland focused on the need to ensure the full, equal, and meaningful participation on women in new democratic institutions. As co-penholder with Norway of the Syria humanitarian file, Ireland renewed calls for unhindered humanitarian access, while condemning recent attacks on hospitals and schools.
It is crucial that the Security Council hears the voices of those affected by its decisions, and we have sought to ensure the participation of civil society speakers in Council meetings during our Presidency with a particular focus on women peacebuilders. This is in line with our longstanding support for the work of civil society organisations and human rights defenders, and our prioritisation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda.
We will continue to use our membership of the Security Council to promote greater awareness of human rights, and to call for the Council to hold accountable all those who violate international law and perpetrate human rights violations.
22. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will accede to requests for refugee status made by Afghan nationals who work for an Irish company based in Kabul, Afghanistan. [46696/21]
View answerThe current programmes through which Afghan nationals can re-locate to Ireland are the Irish Refugee Protection Programme, managed by the Department of Children, Equality Disability, Integration and Youth Affairs, and the family reunification and international protection programmes managed by the Department of Justice. Last month I announced, together with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and the Minister of State for Law Reform, Youth Justice and Immigration, that places would be allocated to Afghan nationals under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme. The Refugee Protection Programme was created in 2015 as part of Ireland’s response to the migration crisis in central and southern Europe. It allows a predetermined number of vulnerable people in need of international protection to be granted refugee status in Ireland.
Approximately 370 places have been allocated to Afghan nationals under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme and some 150 of those have arrived in Ireland. Priority was given to those working on human rights issues, including the rights of women and girls, and minorities, as well as those working with NGOs and European and international organisations. My colleague the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth considers requests for refugee status. My officials transmit requests received to his Department for consideration.
23. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if there are any Irish citizens still in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46869/21]
View answer25. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the ongoing efforts being made to assist Irish citizens to leave Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46097/21]
View answer82. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the current status of efforts to bring persons from Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47116/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 23, 25 and 82 together.
Irish citizens and their direct dependents in Afghanistan currently number 50. The Department of Foreign Affairs is in touch with and providing consular assistance to this group, and since mid-August 58 Irish citizens and their dependents have safely exited from the country. Our support has included the short-term deployment of an Emergency Civil Assistance Team (ECAT), which enabled 26 Irish citizens and residents to evacuate safely on 24-26 August.
Efforts are ongoing to secure the safe exit of the remaining citizens and their dependents who wish to leave Afghanistan. Our Embassy network is playing a critical role in this, including working with partners in the region on transit routes. My Department also continues to liaise with the European External Action Service and EU Member States on information sharing and the management of repatriations.
The situation is complex and our priority remains ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our citizens. We will continue to provide consular support to those remaining in Afghanistan via our Embassy in Abu Dhabi.
In addition to providing assistance for Irish citizens and their dependents, Ireland is also supporting Afghans who are resident here to return to Ireland, as well as those qualifying for the Irish Refugee Protection Programme.
Vital to our work is the fulfilment of the Taliban commitment to allow the safe, secure, orderly and unhindered departure of foreign nationals and Afghans at-risk who wish to leave the country – in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2593.
The Council of the European Union has also made it clear that this is one of the key benchmarks for any future engagement with the Taliban-appointed caretaker cabinet in Afghanistan.
I know that there are many with deep concerns for family members, friends and colleagues who remain in Afghanistan. I can give full assurance that the Government remains strongly committed to doing whatever possible to ensure that people are able to depart safely, and return to Ireland, if they wish to do so.
