Written Answers Nos. 44-63
44. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the engagement he has had at EU level with regard to the expiration of the current EU Israel Action Plan in January 2022; if he has called for any extension of the Action Plan to be contingent on a review of the commitments upon which the EU-Israel Action Plan is based, namely human rights, rule of law and fundamental freedoms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47171/21]
View answerThe EU-Israel Action Plan was agreed in 2005 and promotes the integration of Israel into European policies and programmes. It is in force until January 2022.
The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations leads on this issue and I have not had engagement to date at EU level with regard to the expiration of the EU-Israel Action Plan. At the Council of the European Union, the Mashreq/Maghreb Working Party is the relevant preparatory body and this working party will be consulted on a renewal of the Action Plan in due course. As a member of the Mashreq/Maghreb Working Party, Ireland will engage fully in this process.
45. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs Ireland’s position on the US, UK and Australia trilateral security partnership; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47164/21]
View answerIreland has taken note of the recent trilateral security deal concluded by the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, known as AUKUS.
The announcement identified that the first major initiative of AUKUS will be to develop a nuclear-powered submarine fleet for Australia. At the outset, it will be important to ensure that no proliferation risks or unhelpful precedents arise from the agreement. In this regard, I welcome the statement by Director General Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency that the Agency will engage with the three countries concerned in line with its statutory mandate, and in accordance with their respective safeguards agreements with the Agency.
The agreement also raises wider points of principle concerning communication between partners, in particular on sensitive issues, and underlines the need for continuing cooperation and dialogue between the EU and its strategic partners. This should be conducted in a spirit of openness and transparency, so that partners can work together to protect our shared interests and values, notably in defending the rules-based international order and ensuring respect for human rights.
I welcome the fact that renewed dialogue has taken place between some of the key parties – notably Presidents Biden and Macron - and that the French Ambassador is returning to Washington.
Recent months have seen a reinvigoration of the EU-US relationship, with increased dialogue in a range of areas including trade, climate and global health. I am confident there is political will on both sides of the Atlantic to continue to cooperate more closely.
47. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of the implementation of the Independent Commission on Information Retrieval contained in the Stormont House Agreement which requires legislation to be passed through Dáil Éireann in the context of the current discussions in relation to legacy issues regarding the Troubles prompted by British proposals of a general amnesty. [42382/21]
View answerThe framework of the Stormont House Agreement, agreed by both Governments and the parties in Northern Ireland, provided for a set of institutions to deal comprehensively and fairly with the legacy of the Troubles. This framework included an Independent Commission on Information Retrieval (ICIR) for truth recovery, to be available to victims and survivors across the UK and Ireland.
The objective of the ICIR will be to enable victims and survivors to seek and privately receive information about the Troubles-related deaths of their next of kin.
The Irish and UK Governments concluded an agreement on the establishment of the ICIR in October 2015. As set out in that agreement, the Commission will consist of five members; an Independent Chairperson of international standing, appointed by the two Governments, one Commissioner each appointed by the Irish and UK Government, and two Commissioners appointed jointly by Northern Ireland's First Minister and deputy First Minister.
The ICIR agreement was signed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs in October 2015 and laid before the Oireachtas in January 2016. The Independent Commission can only be formally established once the necessary legislation has been enacted and the two Governments have notified each other of completion of all other domestic legal procedures required to bring the agreement into force.
As the Deputy is aware, proposals published by the British Government on 14 July represent a very radical departure from the Stormont House Agreement and we do not accept them as the basis of a way forward.
Where the British Government propose significant changes to that framework, these must be discussed and agreed by both Governments and the parties to the Northern Ireland Executive. Only through a collective approach can we hope to deal with these issues comprehensively and fairly and in a way that responds to the needs of victims, survivors and society.
Following a meeting of the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference on 24 June, we agreed to begin an intensive process of engagement with the British Government and the Northern Ireland parties to find an agreed way forward, and this process is underway. The intention is to find an agreed way forward that will allow implementing legislation to be introduced in both the UK and Ireland by the end of the autumn.
48. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to participate in the upcoming COP26 summit; if he will be supporting calls for measures to be taken to curb the pollution of large multinational corporations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47161/21]
View answerIreland is committed to concerted global action to address the climate crisis. Ireland is actively engaged in negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate and the Paris Agreement through our participation in EU preparations for the 26th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) in Glasgow.
The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications leads Ireland’s delegation to COP26, with my Department’s participation. Should scheduling and prevailing public health arrangements at the time permit, I would intend to participate in COP26 as part of Ireland’s national delegation.
With other Departments, my officials been involved in discussions that will help shape the EU’s position on a number of key issues for a successful outcome of the COP, including strengthening the resilience of developing countries and climate vulnerable communities to adapt to the impacts of climate change. The EU position is not yet finalised and it is anticipated that it will be agreed at the next Environment Council in October.
Ireland strongly endorses the further strengthening of international climate action and particularly aligning national climate action with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. All actors, including the private sector and larger multinational companies are expected to contribute to stronger climate action. The European Green Deal, launched earlier this year provides a clear signal that all sectors of society will be part of the effort to pursue zero-carbon and climate resilient pathways.
50. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his assessment of the current situation in Belarus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47056/21]
View answerI am deeply disturbed by the ongoing repression of the people of Belarus.
Alexander Lukashenko’s regime has committed and continues to commit serious violations against its own people. The human rights situation in Belarus is appalling. There are over 650 political prisoners in the country, with reported use of torture and sexual assault of detainees. State violence against protesters has extinguished public displays of opposition. Freedom of media has been greatly restricted by the closure of various independent news outlets.
In response to EU sanctions and support for Belarusian civil society, the Lukashenko regime has weaponised the use of migration against EU borders. Since mid-May Belarusian State entities have been actively transporting migrants, who arrived in Minsk on direct flights from Baghdad or Istanbul, to the borders of Lithuania, Latvia and Poland. Migrants who have been declined entry into the EU but who are not allowed to return to Belarus are effectively ‘stuck’ at the border.
The Lukashenko regime must cease the instrumentalisation and abuse of the plight of migrants and refugees. Together with our EU partners, Ireland is continuing to press Lukashenko’s regime to cease the repression of the Belarusian people, release political prisoners, and ensure the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as respect for democratic principles. We remain, with our EU partners, firm and united in response to Lukashenko’s provocations.
Ireland supports a sustainable, democratic and peaceful resolution of the current crisis. Our focus remains on seeking such a resolution that leads to fresh elections that are free, fair and independently monitored. We will continue to encourage the regime to begin a meaningful national dialogue with the Belarusian people.
51. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his Department’s plans to establish diplomatic missions which will incorporate business and further promote the generation of trade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46852/21]
View answerAssistance to Irish business and the generation and growth of trade are some of the key areas of focus for our existing diplomatic missions and are a major consideration in any plans we have to establish future missions.
My Department plays a key role in the Team Ireland approach, which sees Government Departments and State Agencies working closely with other Irish Stakeholders to strengthen our international reputation and drive the development of trade, tourism, investment, science, technology and innovation, culture and education. Team Ireland abroad, aided by support teams at home, works constantly to identify and take advantage of new opportunities for Ireland.
In June 2018, the Government launched Global Ireland: Ireland’s Global Footprint to 2025. The Global Ireland initiative aims to see Ireland’s global footprint and influence double in the period to 2025, including through an expanded and strengthened Diplomatic presence. This remains the most ambitious renewal and expansion of Ireland’s international presence ever undertaken.
By the end of this year, this programme will have opened 14 new missions open and fully operational. To date new Embassies have opened in Wellington, Bogotá, Amman, Monrovia, Santiago de Chile and Kiev, and new Consulates General in Cardiff, Frankfurt, Los Angeles, Manchester, Mumbai and Vancouver. Work on the expansion of the Mission network continues including through the planned opening of new Embassies in Manila and Rabat by the end of this year. We will also be reopening our Embassy in Tehran in 2023 and in July this year the Government approved the opening of a further four new Missions in Dakar, Lyon, Miami and Toronto.
All of the new missions are located in countries that present trading opportunities for Irish business. Indeed, the new Embassies and Consulates opened to date, are contributing to the expansion and deepening of Ireland's international presence across priority regions, providing opportunities to grow our trade and inward investment, strengthening our political relationships with our partners, promoting our values, and supporting Irish citizens and our diaspora abroad.
My Department has been working with the Department of Taoiseach and other Government partners to deliver on the Global Ireland plan. We are collaborating closely with Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Bord Bia, Tourism Ireland and others on the ‘Ireland House’ model which will provide co-located facilities for all departments and agencies involved in Team Ireland. We are also focused on increasing our efficiency and effectiveness through greater Team Ireland mobility with an increased deployment of staff from across Government Departments to key strategic locations. This has been complemented by the expanding presence of Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland in key markets and by the strengthening of strategically important missions (including Brussels, Washington, London, Paris, Berlin, New York (UN), Tokyo and Beijing). Over the lifetime of Global Ireland, my Department has the objective of further strengthening the existing mission network.
In considering any further expansion of Ireland’s mission network, a range of factors will be taken into account including our national, political, economic and trade priorities, as well as the availability of resources.
52. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his Department has reconsidered the ratification of the Antarctic Treaty System; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46851/21]
View answerThe Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) comprises the Antarctic Treaty (1959), the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals 1972 (CCAS) and the Madrid Protocol on Environmental Protection 1991.
To date, fifty-four States have acceded to the Antarctic Treaty, made up of Consultative and Non Consultative parties. Consultative parties conduct scientific research in the Antarctic and have decision-making authority. Non-consultative parties do not participate in decision-making processes, but are bound to carry out the provisions of the Treaty and decisions taken within its framework, including, for example, the establishment of State jurisdiction over personnel and entities who are its nationals while in Antarctica.
Ireland was not an original signatory of the Antarctic Treaty or any of its Conventions, and has not since acceded. Accession to the Antarctic Treaty System would require the active involvement and participation by a number of Government Departments and necessitate a number of administrative, policy and legislative commitments, including the requirement for primary legislation.
The Department of Foreign Affairs intends to undertake an assessment in the coming months, to establish the nature and extent of these commitments, how they would align with Government priorities, the potential for these commitments to develop over time, and the legislative and other steps that would be required should a decision be taken to accede to the ATS.
54. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on discussions in relation to the Northern Ireland protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47168/21]
View answer64. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of the implementation of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement, including the Northern Ireland Protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46846/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 64 together.
The EU and UK continue to engage regularly on matters covered by the Withdrawal Agreement, including through the committee structures established under the Agreement.
The eighth meeting of the Specialised Committee on Citizens’ Rights took place on 16 September to monitor the implementation and application of the Citizens’ Rights part of the Withdrawal Agreement, which protects EU citizens in the UK and UK nationals in the EU, including their family members.
The ninth meeting of the Specialised Committee on the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, took place on 24 September. The EU side took note of the fact that some progress has been made regarding real-time access to relevant databases and recalled the need that all work should be finalised by the end of the year. The EU also expressed its concerns regarding the lack of progress on Border Control Posts, as well as the issue of export declarations from Northern Ireland to Great Britain. The EU updated the UK on the ongoing work to implement flexibilities regarding the movement of live animals between Great Britain and Northern Ireland that it announced in June.
The Commission confirmed that it will soon come forward with a package of measures, within the framework of the Protocol, addressing the issues that matter most to the people of Northern Ireland, including on medicines.
Outside of the Specialised Committee, we welcome the continuation of technical talks between the two sides on outstanding matters on implementation of the Protocol. As has been made clear by the Commission however, the Protocol will not be renegotiated.
Our approach, shared by our EU colleagues, continues to be informed by regular engagements with people and business across Northern Ireland, taking on board their genuine concerns, as we seek realistic solutions. The clear message we have received is that most people in Northern Ireland – especially those in the business community – want the Protocol to work well. They see the very real opportunities presented by the Protocol and want these opportunities to be fully realised.
On 9 and 10 September, Commission Vice President Šefcovic paid a very well received visit to Northern Ireland. His openness to engaging with political, business and civic representatives clearly demonstrates the EU’s wish to hear and understand the concerns of the people on the ground. Vice President Šefcovic made clear the EU’s unwavering commitment to the people of Northern Ireland and their focus on the issues that matter most to them. I remain in regular contact with Vice President Šefcovic and we spoke most recently on 27 September where we discussed the Protocol. I also briefed the Commissioner on my visit to Washington, and the continued strong support received from the US Congress.
We remain confident that solutions do exist, within the parameters of the Protocol, for the issues that have arisen to date. The EU has time-and-again demonstrated a considered, credible, solution-driven approach to these issues. We will continue to encourage the UK to work in partnership with the EU in a spirit of positive and constructive engagement in order to identify pragmatic and sustainable solutions.
57. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the contribution Ireland has made to the international community in terms of sending Covid-19 vaccinations to countries in need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47061/21]
View answerSince the beginning of the pandemic over €200 million in Irish Aid funding has been invested improving in global public health, including the response to COVID-19. This has helped multilateral partners such as the COVAX Facility and WHO to accelerate the equitable distribution of vaccines to Low and Middle Income Countries, as well as strengthening the health systems of partner countries so that they can mount effective vaccine campaigns.
Ireland has also supplemented financial support to COVID-19 response with in-kind support, including an initiative I spearheaded between Irish Aid, the HSE and partner countries to assist the mental wellbeing of health practitioners during this time of strain. This initiative sees the sharing of Irish best practice with partners.
With the maturing of the vaccination programme here in Ireland, earlier this month the Government committed to donating 1 million COVID-19 vaccines to the COVAX Facility by the end of 2021. A further substantial donation will follow next year. The Irish Aid programme is complementing the donation of vaccines with a €7 million contribution to the COVAX facility this year, to ensure that in kind donations can be used effectively and to facilitate vaccine purchase by COVAX also. A further 335,500 Astra Zeneca vaccine doses have been donated bilaterally to Uganda, supplemented by an in-kind donation of necessary equipment from the HSE. This shipment will arrive in Kampala this week. These doses will provide a much-needed boost to the vaccine programme there, and help get basic services such as health and education back on track.
58. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his engagement with Speaker Pelosi on his recent trip to the US; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47166/21]
View answerI met with Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi on Thursday 23rd September, during my official visit to Washington, DC. The engagement was a very useful follow-up to her meeting with the Taoiseach in March, as well as my previous engagement with Speaker Pelosi in September 2020.
The discussion focused mainly on developments with the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland and EU-UK relations post-Brexit, issues in which the Speaker has shown a strong interest, and which she has also discussed in the past week with British Prime Minister Johnson. I thanked Speaker Pelosi for her support for the peace process and stability in Northern Ireland, and took the opportunity to update her on Ireland and the European Union's position on the Protocol and on Brexit. We also discussed Ireland-UK trade in the post-Brexit context.
The meeting also briefly touched on the upcoming COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in November.
The Government welcomes the consistent engagement of the US Congress on the peace process in Northern Ireland, which continues to attract support on a bipartisan basis across the political system in the United States. Limiting the challenges posed by Brexit in Northern Ireland will be essential in the period ahead and support from the United States will continue to be critical in protecting our shared achievements and making further progress into the future. We will continue to ensure that the Irish perspective is heard and understood in Washington through high-level contact, as well as through the ongoing engagement by our Embassy.
59. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will use Ireland’s seat on the UN Security Council to examine an international law on ecocide. [43740/21]
View answerI am aware of a recent initiative by the Independent Expert Panel for the Legal Definition of Ecocide. The Independent Expert Panel proposal provides a new definition of the crime of ecocide, which seeks to serve as the basis for consideration for an amendment of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). This amendment, if accepted by the States Parties to the Rome Statute, would see ecocide included as an international crime, alongside genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.
The ICC is the first permanent, international criminal court and was established by the 1998 Rome Statute to end impunity for perpetrators of the world’s most heinous crimes. Ireland is a State Party to the Rome Statue and a strong supporter of the ICC as the cornerstone of a system of international criminal justice. As with all proposed amendments to the Rome Statute, it is for States Parties individually to assess the merits of the proposal in the first instance. If there is sufficient support among States Parties for an agreed definition of ecocide, a formal amendment can be considered by the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statue. As such, the UN Security Council has no role in this process.
I have followed this initiative with great interest since its publication in June 2021. The proposal to agree a legal definition of ecocide and to subsequently include it as a new international crime in the Rome Statute is in its very early stages and will require careful consideration and analysis. My officials will engage in discussions on the important implications of this proposal with our international partners, both within the EU and with other fellow States Parties to the Rome Statute.
60. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs further to the registration on 8 September 2021 by the EU Commission of a European Citizens' Initiative (details supplied), if he will raise at EU level the potential for an EU-wide ban on the importation of goods from the occupied territories. [47066/21]
View answerI am aware of the European Citizens’ Initiative to which the Deputy refers. Following its registration, the European Commission has six months in which to consider the initiative and any potential proposals arising from it.
Ireland has previously raised at EU level the question of whether goods from occupied territories, including from settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, should be excluded from the EU market altogether. However, it is clear that at present there is no possibility of getting substantial support, still less consensus, for such a proposal.
We have therefore instead focused our advocacy on practical measures to differentiate in EU policies between Israel itself and the illegal settlements. This has resulted in a number of EU measures already, including guidelines on the labelling of settlement goods (so that consumers can identify them and make their own choices in this matter), and exclusion of settlement institutions from EU research funding.
Settlement goods are already excluded from the normal lower tariffs applying to goods from Israel and other countries with which the EU has trade agreements, when they are imported into the EU.
I have directed my officials to continue to explore further such options, as well as the potential for them to gain support from EU partners.
62. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the current instability in Northern Ireland. [44167/21]
View answerThe achievements of the peace process must never be taken for granted and we will continue to work to protect and uphold the Good Friday Agreement in all circumstances, to protect the stability of the institutions and to support the ongoing work of peace and deeper reconciliation.
The Irish and British Governments are co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement and peace process and as such, it is vital that we work together to ensure its protection. I have continued to engage regularly on these issues with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and with the Northern Ireland parties. Where there are legitimate concerns, be they in relation to the outworking of Brexit and the Northern Ireland Protocol, or other issues, we will continue to listen and to engage.
I was pleased to co-chair the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) in June. The BIIGC is an important institution of the Good Friday Agreement, and it was positive both that it met for the first time since 2019, and that we agreed that it would be convened again in November. We were able to discuss how we can, together, best support the stability of all institutions of the Good Friday Agreement. There were also important discussions around the need to make progress on addressing the legacy of the past, and a process of intensive engagement of these issues is underway.
We look forward to continued engagement with counterparts from the Northern Ireland Executive through the North South Ministerial Council. The Government is also continuing to progress the commitments that were made at the time of the New Decade New Approach Agreement, which are focused on working with the Executive to deliver projects that benefit people across the island.
The Reconciliation Fund also plays a key part in demonstrating in a very practical and tangible way the Government’s commitment to peace and reconciliation on the island of Ireland. The Reconciliation Fund awards grants to 150-200 projects each year, and these projects build meaningful links across communities, addressing the issues that are impacting on people’s lives, and working to create better understanding between people and traditions on the island of Ireland and between Ireland and Britain.
We will continue to work with both the British Government and the Northern Ireland Executive for strengthened peace and stability.
63. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the discussions he has had regarding the possible visit of the President of the United States of America to Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46630/21]
View answerHigh-level visits between Ireland and the United States of America are an intrinsic part of the close relationship between our two countries, and allow us to strengthen our ties even further. Having just returned from the United States where I visited New York and Washington, I can attest to the importance of high-level visits in developing and nurturing the people-to-people links that are the lifeblood of the Ireland-US relationship.
During a phone call with President-elect Biden in November last year, the Taoiseach extended an open invitation for him to visit Ireland. In January of this year, in the Taoiseach’s letter of congratulations to the President on his inauguration, a formal invitation to visit was also extended.
As the Deputy will know, President Biden is a proud Irish American and is very strongly attached to his Irish roots. He has noted his desire to visit Ireland during his term in office, including in his remarks during the presentation of the Shamrock Bowl on St. Patrick’s Day this year. We look forward to welcoming the President to Ireland again at the appropriate time.
