Tuesday, 12 Oct 2021

Written Answers Nos. 204-223

Departmental Data

Questions (204)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

204. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide details of the Government’s Reconciliation Fund for 2021, 2022 and 2023, in tabular form. [49901/21]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

The reconciliation fund, which is administered by my Department, provides support for civil society organisations working to promote reconciliation and create better understanding between communities in Northern Ireland, between North and South, and between Ireland and Britain. The fund has supported over 3,000 projects with more than €60 million in grant funding since its establishment in 1982.

The annual budget for the Fund was increased from €2.7 million to €3.7 million with effect from 2019. In the New Decade New Approach agreement which saw the restoration of devolved Government in Northern Ireland in January 2020, the Government committed to maintaining that level of funding. In light of the Government’s continuing commitment to supporting the work of peace and reconciliation on the island of Ireland, and recognising in particular, the impact of Brexit and the effects of Covid-19 on the organisations we support, the budget of the Reconciliation Fund will see a further increase this year, with the total of grants awarded likely to reach €4.0 million.

To date in 2021, the Reconciliation Fund has awarded grants of almost €2.8 million. The list of organisations awarded funding is provided below in tabular format. In addition, an allocation of €35,000 was provided from the Fund to support initiatives being undertaken by our Embassy in London as part of the Government’s programme marking the December 2021 centenary of the signing of the Truce. A further tranche of grants will be awarded before the end of this year when ongoing funding rounds have been completed.

Decisions on grants to be awarded during 2022 and 2023 have yet to be taken, but once awards are made in the context of our funding rounds during that period, information on those grants will be made available on the Department’s website.

Reconciliation Fund grants awarded in 2021 – to date

Organisation	Amount in €
4 Corners Festival	25,100
An Gaeláras Ltd	12,268
Ardoyne Association	9,800
Ardoyne Youth Club	9,891
Banbridge Rugby Football Club	6,110
Bardic Educational Arts and Media	9,980
Belfast Charitable Society	2,700
Belfast International Arts Festival	40,000
British-Irish Association	40,000
Centre for Cross Border Studies	70,500
Centre for Democracy and Peace Building	20,000
Cinemagic	18,000
City Centre Initiative	12,000
Cliftonville Community Regeneration Forum	9,971
Clones Family Resource Centre CLG	34,245
Clooney estate Residents Association	9,950
Community Dialogue	40,000
Conradh na Gaeilge	45,000
Cookstown Youth Football	9,990
Co-operation Ireland	47,200
Co-operation Ireland	67,000
Co-operation Ireland	72,000
Co-operation Ireland	75,000
County Fermanagh Super Cup NI	3,600
Cregagh Wanderers Football Club	3,000
Creggan Enterprises Limited	25,000
CRIS - Community Relations In Schools	60,161
DCU Institute for International Conflict Resolution	55,303
Dialogue For Diversity	9,922
Diversity Challenges	11,359
Dorsey Emmets GFC	6,000
Ellen Finlay	8,150
Eoghan Rua CLG	8,000
Gasyard Wall Féile	18,000
Glebeside Community Association Ltd	8,000
Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation	327,186
Glengormley Amateur Boxing Club	4,000
Greenisland Football Club	3,980
Healing Through Remembering	37,000
Imagine Belfast Festival of Ideas and Politics	35,000
Intercomm Ireland Ltd	22,200
Intercomm Ireland Ltd	101,848
Irish Gallery of Photography DAC	15,000
Irish Gallery of Photography DAC	23,250
Irish Studies University of Liverpool	41,700
Kabosh	14,447
Lincoln Courts Youth and Community Association	9,950
Longford Women's Link	42,639
Naíscoil na Seolta	15,000
National Women`s Council of Ireland	36,205
New Belfast Community Arts Initiative (T/A Community Arts Partnership)	30,546
Newhill Football Club	1,660
Newtownbutler First Fermanagh's GFC	6,000
Newtowncunningham Orange Hall	9,990
NI Youth forum	100,163
North-West Cultural Partnership	47,368
Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education	27,730
Northern Ireland Mixed Marriage Association	3,000
Passionist Peace and Reconciliation Office (Holy Cross, Ardoyne)	50,000
Pat Finucane Centre Limited (Justice for the Forgotten)	34,888
PeacePlayers International - Northern Ireland (PPI-NI)	39,080
Places of Sanctuary Ireland	20,412
Presbyterian Church in Ireland	17,250
R City Youth CIC	9,315
Rasharkin & District Rural Cultural & Educational Society	6,000
Royal Ulster Constabulary Athletic Association	23,010
Saint Patrick Centre	14,000
Schomberg Society Kilkeel Limited	40,000
Shared History Interpretive project (SHIP)	5,000
Smashing Times Theatre Company	32,128
St Eugene's Cathedral	20,000
St Louis House Youth Group	7,000
St Matthews F.C.	5,450
St. Mary’s, Rasharkin GAC	6,000
St. Pauls ABC	8,000
Strabane Athletic Football Club	4,000
The Bloody Sunday Trust	60,000
The Churches Trust Ltd	28,000
The Corrymeela Community	100,000
The Goliath Trust	5,000
The Junction Community Relations & Peace Building Initiative	29,060
The Wheel	70,000
Troubles Tragedy And Trauma	14,505
Truth and Reconciliation Platform	20,000
Ullans Speakers Association	6,700
Ulster Badminton	5,600
University of Huddersfield	60,000
WAVE Trauma Centre	30,000
Wordwell Ltd	3,770
Wordwell Ltd	8,553
Youth Link: NI	71,741
YouthAction Northern Ireland	63,950
Total of grants awarded	€2,777,474
PLUS: Funding allocation to Embassy of Ireland London (for centenaries programme)	€35,000

Passport Services

Questions (205, 206, 211, 217)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

205. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a passport will issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49086/21]

James Lawless

Question:

206. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a passport application by a person (details supplied) will be reviewed and expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49130/21]

Michael McNamara

Question:

211. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when a passport will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49267/21]

Niamh Smyth

Question:

217. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) is waiting so long on a passport. [49484/21]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

I propose to take Questions Nos. 205, 206, 211 and 217 together.

With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputies have enquired, the Passport Service has already issued passports to the applicants.

Question No. 206 answered with Question No. 205.

Museum Projects

Questions (207)

Alan Kelly

Question:

207. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps he is taking to ensure the survival of a museum (details supplied). [49133/21]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

The Great Famine was a time which radically altered the course of Irish history and of American history. Many thousands of Irish emigrants fleeing Ireland at that time found refuge and a new home in the United States, and many of these are the ancestors of the 30 million Americans who now claim Irish heritage.

Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum on the grounds of Quinnipiac University campus holds an impressive collection of art, artefacts and literature related to the Famine. Showcasing collections such as these is important in ensuring the story of where the Irish people came from is not forgotten, and the Museum has played an important role in that.

The Government of Ireland believes it important that a new home be found for this collection in the months ahead. The aim should be to re-house the collection so that the works it contains remain accessible to the public and researchers alike. Should another museum or institution be identified to host the collection, my Department would be happy to discuss if there are any ways we can offer support.

Citizenship Applications

Questions (208)

James Lawless

Question:

208. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will examine the applications of persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49203/21]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

My Department is responsible for citizenship by descent through the Foreign Births Register under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, 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.

The applications referenced were registered on 31 March 2021, and are waiting to be processed. All documentation received is being stored in a secure environment.

Due to the pandemic, FBR staff have been reassigned to assist in the delivery of essential services. This has resulted in a pause in overall FBR processing. FBR staff have continued to provide an emergency service for Foreign Birth Registration in cases of exceptional urgency, such as expectant parents, or stateless persons. In cases of exceptional urgency FBR applicants may continue to contact the Passport Service directly.

The Passport Service 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.

The FBR team has been in contact with the applicants to update them on their applications. Further information regarding the resumption of FBR services will be made available in due course on the Department’s website.

Departmental Priorities

Questions (209)

Mairéad Farrell

Question:

209. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the travel arrangements he is making to Ireland for Afghan nationals with visas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49221/21]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

The Department of Justice is responsible for visas for travel to Ireland, including in cases where people wish to join a family member residing in Ireland. That Department is now establishing an Afghan Admission Programme which will enable current or former Afghan nationals living legally in Ireland to apply to have close family members, who are living in Afghanistan or who have recently fled to territories bordering Afghanistan, considered for temporary Irish residence.

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 continue to respond to the situation in Afghanistan. Up to 500 places will be available under this programme. Meanwhile, the current possibilities for Afghan nationals to be granted permission to enter Ireland will continue in parallel to the new programme.

The Department of Foreign Affairs does not ordinarily provide assistance on individual travel arrangements to those who have been granted visas to Ireland. However, my Department is, through our diplomatic network, liaising with relevant authorities in the region and elsewhere on possible transit routes. EU coordination is playing an important role in this.

The Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have stated publicly that any Afghan citizen with travel authorisation and documentation from other countries will be allowed to proceed in a safe and orderly manner to points of departure and to travel outside the country over the coming period. However, the extent to which this will be followed through on remains to be seen, and we are continuing, with our partners, to monitor and engage on the situation. We are also continuing to provide travel advice to assist people in making decisions on potential transit options.

National Development Plan

Questions (210)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

210. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which projects that fall within the aegis of his Department and are within the revised National Development Plan are at an advanced stage at present or are in course thereof; the extent to which preliminary work has taken place or on-site works are in hand or proposed; the expected delivery date of each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49254/21]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

The Strategic Investment Priorities identified for the Department of Foreign Affairs under the National Development Plan are:

- The Passport Reform Programme under which the Department has committed to developing a fully integrated citizen service delivering a global online passport service, which is more user-friendly, efficient and more secure for this citizen critical service;

- Investment in a high quality global ICT infrastructure supporting advance technologies that deliver excellent public services by connecting citizens, staff and stakeholders through best-in-class technologies;

- The doubling of the scope and impact of Ireland’s global footprint as detailed in the Government’s policy Global Ireland – Ireland’s Global Footprint to 2025 and

- The construction, refurbishment, enhancement of security works and the development of Ireland Houses with the State Agencies in strategic locations. This is a key deliverable under the Global Ireland 2025 Strategy and will support Ireland’s economic recovery.

Currently, there are six key ongoing projects under these strategic investment priorities.

These are

1. The next phase of the Passport Reform Project

2. Updating ICT Infrastructure

3. Construction of Ireland House Tokyo

4. Construction of new official premises in Abuja

5. The enhancement of Ireland’s physical presence in London, and in

6. Washington

The next phase of the Passport Reform Project focuses on the updating of the passport processing and facial recognition technology systems to deliver a safe and secure on line service to Irish citizens worldwide. A key element of this phase, the Passport Issuance and Processing System (PIPS), has recently completed its procurement phase and implementation will begin in the coming months.

The focus of investment in the Department’s ICT infrastructure will be on reinvestment in the Departments worldwide ICT equipment and infrastructure to maintain security and efficiency levels. The design and implementation plans for this essential project are currently in the Technical Design Phase.

Ireland House, Tokyo is at the construction tender preparation stage with a view to commencing construction in Q2 2022 and is scheduled for completion in Q2 2024.

The Embassy Abuja project is at the construction tender preparation stage with a view to commencing construction in 2022 for a completion date in 2025.

The London and Washington Projects are at early stages of development. The London Project is currently at a scoping and feasibility stage. A Strategic Assessment stage for Washington is due to commence in November.

Question No. 211 answered with Question No. 205.

Passport Services

Questions (212)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

212. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number or estimated number of Irish citizens whose passports expired while they were resident abroad during the Covid-19 pandemic. [49292/21]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

The Passport Service does not record the current location of Irish passport holders. Therefore, it is not possible to provide the number or estimated number of Irish Citizens whose passports expired while they were resident abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Citizenship Applications

Questions (213)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

213. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when persons (details supplied) will receive a decision on their Irish citizenship application which was submitted in April 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49348/21]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

My Department is responsible for citizenship by descent through the Foreign Births Register under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, 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.

The first application referenced was registered on 8 April 2020, with the other applications registered on 29 September 2020. All are waiting to be processed. The documentation submitted in support of these applications is being stored in a secure environment.

Due to the pandemic, FBR staff have been reassigned to assist in the delivery of essential services. This has resulted in a pause in overall FBR processing. FBR staff have continued to provide an emergency service for Foreign Birth Registration in cases of exceptional urgency, such as expectant parents, or stateless persons. In cases of exceptional urgency FBR applicants may continue to contact the Passport Service directly.

The Passport Service 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.

Foreign Birth Registration

Questions (214)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

214. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when a foreign birth registration application will be processed for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49357/21]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

My Department is responsible for citizenship by descent through the Foreign Births Register under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, 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.

The application referenced was registered on 18 June 2019. I have been informed by the FBR team that they have been in contact with the applicant and are awaiting the submission of further documentation in order for processing of this application to be completed. Once this documentation is received, a member of the FBR team will inform the applicant of the outcome shortly thereafter.

Passport Services

Questions (215, 219, 220, 221, 224)

Robert Troy

Question:

215. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the approval of passports for the children of a family (details supplied) who have been approved on the foreign births register will be expedited. [49459/21]

Michael Ring

Question:

219. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when a passport will issue for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo in view of the fact that the Passport Office received this application on 15 June 2021. [49550/21]

Michael Ring

Question:

220. 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 this person has imminent travel plans and they applied in ample time. [49551/21]

Michael Ring

Question:

221. 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 this person has upcoming travel plans. [49552/21]

Thomas Pringle

Question:

224. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when a person (details supplied) will receive their first-time passport which they applied for on 4 August 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49660/21]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

I propose to take Questions Nos. 215, 219, 220, 221 and 224 together.

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

Ministerial Appointments

Questions (216)

Pauline Tully

Question:

216. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to make an official visit to Singapore before the end of 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49469/21]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

Ireland and Singapore have enjoyed close and fruitful diplomatic relations since 1974. Ireland's resident Embassy in Singapore, which was opened in 2000, is now located together with regional offices for IDA Ireland, Bord Bia and Enterprise Ireland within an "Ireland House". Singapore remains one of the most economically and politically important countries in South East Asia and cooperation between our nations flourishes in the areas of education, trade, investment, culture and tourism, among others. Our dedicated Asia-Pacific Strategy to 2025 sets the framework for growing our political, economic and people-to-people relationships in the region. There is considerable scope for economic ties to develop further and I am pleased to note a 4.4% increase in goods exports to Singapore between 2019 and 2020.

While I am not scheduled to travel to Singapore before the end of this year, my Department engages frequently with Singapore on a range of bilateral and multilateral priorities. Singapore is a key member of ASEAN and, at the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 21 June, I highlighted the importance of increased bilateral engagement with ASEAN member states as well as regional engagement with ASEAN following the recently agreed ASEAN/EU Strategic Partnership.

Question No. 217 answered with Question No. 205.

Foreign Policy

Questions (218)

Ivana Bacik

Question:

218. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 73 of 30 September 2021, his views on the need for concrete measures to dissuade the Israeli government from breaking international law given the concerns he outlined in the response; and his plans to introduce such measures. [49492/21]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

Ireland’s position on these issues is based on international law, including Israel’s obligations as the occupying Power under the Fourth Geneva Convention. We work actively at bilateral and EU level and through the UN on the issue of compliance with international law in the occupied Palestinian territory.

At EU level, I met with Israeli Foreign Minister, Yair Lapid, along with my EU colleagues at the Foreign Affairs Council on 12 July. I underlined Ireland’s concern about the impact of Israeli government policies and practices on the human rights of Palestinian in the occupied Palestinian territory and called for their human rights to be ensured in law, in policy and in practice.

I spoke to the Foreign Minister Lapid again on 30 August. I underlined the need for compliance with international law. I hope to visit the region in the coming weeks and will raise these issues further with my interlocutors.

On 29 September Ireland chaired the Council’s monthly meeting on the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question. This meeting focused on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which includes the issue of illegal settlements, violence against civilians and de-escalation and reversal of negative trends on the ground. At that meeting, Ireland highlighted the need for full compliance with Resolution 2334, which calls on all States to distinguish, in their relevant dealings, between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967. In this respect Ireland ensures that any bilateral agreements with Israel do not apply to territories occupied by Israel since 1967.

In May, Ireland supported a special session of the Human Rights Council on the escalation of violence. The Human Rights Council voted to establish a Commission of Inquiry on the oPt at this session. In keeping with our principled position on Commissions of Inquiry established by the HRC, Ireland supports the work of this Commission.

At the Security Council on 29 September, Ireland unreservedly condemned the incidence of settler violence on 28 September in the South Hebron Hills in which a young child was seriously injured, calling on the Israeli authorities to hold those responsible accountable and to end the culture of impunity around all such incidents of violence.

I have often spoken on the issue of illegal demolitions of educational facilities by Israeli authorities. In November 2020, in relation to the threat of demolition of the Ras Al-Teen school, I called on Israel to cease this reprehensible practice and ensure children’s basic human right to education in a safe and secure school environment. Ireland also provides practical support to enable access to quality education for Palestinian children. This includes support to UNRWA, which provides free basic education for over 530,000 Palestine refugee children, and to the Palestinian Ministry of Education.

Question No. 219 answered with Question No. 215.

Question No. 220 answered with Question No. 215.

Question No. 221 answered with Question No. 215.

Departmental Data

Questions (222)

Holly Cairns

Question:

222. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of State boards under the remit of his Department or its agencies in tabular form; the number of members of each board; the number of women on each board; and the percentage of each board that is made up of women. [49560/21]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

There are no State boards or agencies under the remit of my Department.

Foreign Birth Registration

Questions (223)

Seán Canney

Question:

223. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if partial processing of foreign birth registrations can resume at level 5 given that many persons who submitted applications for foreign birth registrations from 1 February 2020 have not been corresponded with and have included important personal documents such as passports along with the applications; if his Department will be refunding the substantial fee of €278 to those persons whose applications have not been processed within 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49650/21]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

My Department is responsible for citizenship by descent through the Foreign Births Register under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, 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 necessary rigorous processing that applies to citizenship applications.

Due to the pandemic, FBR staff have been reassigned to assist in the delivery of essential services. This has resulted in a pause in overall FBR processing. FBR staff have continued to provide an emergency service for Foreign Birth Registration in cases of exceptional urgency, such as expectant parents, or stateless persons. Over 4,700 emergency FBR applications have been processed so far in 2021. In cases of exceptional urgency FBR applicants may continue to contact the Passport Service directly.

Applicants are not required to submit their passports in order for an FBR application to be processed, and any such passport can be returned if required. Where an applicant wishes to cancel their application and receive a refund of the application fee, they should notify the Passport Service by e-mail at [e-mail]. When regular FBR processing resumes, their supporting documentation will be returned and the fee refunded.

The Passport Service is actively planning to resume processing FBR applications as soon as possible and I will arrange to have the Deputy informed once a date for the resumption of processing these applications has been finalised. My Department is committed to allocating further resources to assist with the high volume of applications, with a focus on reducing turnaround times 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.