Written Answers Nos. 1-20
11. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the measures that are being taken to address the issue of lengthy processing times for first-time passport applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3904/22]
View answerThe Passport Service is currently experiencing high demand for first time passports.
In order to protect the integrity of the Irish passport, when processing a first time application, the Passport Service must validate the identity of the applicant and confirm their entitlement to Irish citizenship.
In the case of first time passport applications for children, the consent of guardians must also be checked. This ensures that the Passport Service protects the rights of the child and their guardians.
Due to the rigorous checking process in place, the processing time for first time applications is currently 40 working days. This compares to 10 working days for simple adult online renewals and 15 working days for complex and child online renewals.
When passport applicants do not provide all of the required documentation to the Passport Service, unfortunately, it can take much longer to process the application and issue a passport. There are currently 73,000 first time applications on hand with the Passport Service. Of these, 32,000 or 43% are incomplete applications. In these cases, the onus is on the applicants to submit required documentation to complete the application so that their passport can be issued. The experience of the Passport Service is that it can take weeks and sometimes months to receive the necessary documents after an applicant applies online.
It is a priority for the Passport Service to improve processing times for first time applicants in 2022. The ongoing staff recruitment drive and upskilling of existing staff will greatly assist with this. There are also a number of system and website improvements being implemented that will help to enhance customer experience.
Given the level of demand expected by the Passport Service this year, I urge anyone who intends to travel in 2022 to apply online now for their passports.
12. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his most recent conversation with the UK Foreign Secretary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3073/22]
View answerOn 6 January, I met with the UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Elizabeth Truss, M.P. This followed calls between us in October and December last year. We discussed the ongoing EU-UK discussions on the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, bilateral relations, developments in Northern Ireland and current foreign policy priorities.
With regard to the ongoing EU-UK discussions, I emphasised that Ireland and the EU remain fully committed to providing certainty and stability for people and business in Northern Ireland. I noted that the Protocol is the joint EU–UK solution to mitigate against the disruption Brexit causes for citizens and businesses on the island of Ireland and that it can work if we allow it to, with flexibility and pragmatism. As you will know, Commission Vice President Šefcovic and Foreign Secretary Truss held meetings on 13-14 January, and earlier this week on 24 January.
With reference to the wider context, I raised my ongoing commitment to work towards strengthening bilateral relations post-Brexit and suggested approaches to consider. We discussed the importance of intensifying inter-parliamentary links and ongoing collaboration in key sectors.
With regard to developments in Northern Ireland, I spoke in favour of a partnership approach between our governments based on the Good Friday Agreement. I also outlined the Government’s consistent position in relation to legacy and the importance of a collective approach to find an agreed way forward on this most sensitive of issues.
We also discussed our ongoing cooperation on the UN Security Council, as well as a range of global and foreign policy issues, including developments in Ukraine.
14. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the successes and benefits of the Reconciliation Fund; if the projects that have been identified to promote reconciliation and help to create better understanding and relations between persons and traditions on the island of Ireland and between Ireland and Britain have been successful; the way he can reconcile the potential successes of these projects with the continuing talk of Brexit and a future Border poll; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3854/22]
View answerMy Department’s Reconciliation Fund was established in 1982 to support civil society organisations in creating a better understanding between people and traditions on the island of Ireland, 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 spring 2021, I approved a new strategy for the Reconciliation Fund for the period 2021-2024, to ensure that the Fund continues to support our vision of a reconciled Ireland and remains relevant, effective, and efficient over the coming years, particularly given the difficult contexts of Brexit and COVID-19. To support implementation of this ambitious new strategy, I have also increased the Reconciliation Fund budget, with grants awarded in 2022 expected to reach €5.0m, up from a budget of €3.7m in 2020.
I am satisfied that the Reconciliation Fund continues to make a vital and effective contribution to peace on these islands through its support for reconciliation based projects in a range of sectoral and geographic areas.
To ensure that maximum benefit is achieved with available financial resources, applications undergo a rigorous assessment stage, including consideration by an Interdepartmental Consultative Committee, to ensure that those projects with greatest potential impact and strongest alignment to the criteria of the Fund, are supported. Formal written reporting is required on completion of projects. The impact of projects is also assessed through engagement with funded organisations and on-site monitoring visits.
Formal reporting and the feedback we get on the ground at community and political levels (as well as via our annual Reconciliation Networking Forum), indicate that our grants are effective in fulfilling the objectives of the Fund.
I recognise that Brexit has led to more civic discussion and debate about constitutional change, and I believe that the Reconciliation Fund has an important role to play in supporting initiatives in this area, by funding opportunities for research and inclusive dialogue which aim to foster greater mutual understanding and sustainable North-South links.
15. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which Ireland continues to respond to the needs of poorer communities, often beset by war, famine and national disasters; the extent to which membership of the United Nations Security Council can be used as a means of accelerating help that is needed in such challenging situations; the extent to which Ireland continues to promote assistance through the bilateral aid or multilateral aid programmes; the extent to which such activity has increased in recent times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3878/22]
View answerIreland's international development policy, A Better World, published in 2019, guides Ireland's humanitarian and development responses to those in need, in particular those affected by war, famine and other disasters.
In the 2020 peer review of Ireland’s development cooperation programme, the OECD's Development Assistance Committee (DAC) highlighted Ireland as "an excellent humanitarian partner", with its funding models "useful inspiration for other DAC donors". Ireland is also consistently found to be the most principled donor by the respected international thinktank ODI, in particular for our focus on those furthest behind.
Since taking up our seat on the UN Security Council last year, Ireland has consistently called for full respect of human rights and international humanitarian law, and unhindered humanitarian access to all those in need. Last year, Ireland and Norway successfully led negotiations on the renewal of the critical Syria humanitarian cross-border resolution. It ensured that life-saving humanitarian aid was able to continue to reach 3.4 million Syrian men, women and children in the northwest of the country.
We have also worked hard to ensure that the Security Council’s attention is focused on the humanitarian and human rights situations in many parts of the world. Security Council attention to such situations as Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Myanmar and Yemen will remain a priority throughout the rest of our term.
My Department is implementing a comprehensive approach to our work in conflict-affected settings. This uses our development cooperation assistance, our political engagement and partnerships, and our membership of the UN Security Council to deliver for those in greatest need. This approach ensures that humanitarian, development and peace activities are coordinated under common objectives, and it puts “lasting peace” for affected communities at the centre of all our actions.
Decisions about the channels for the delivery of aid, be it bilateral or multilateral, are informed by the circumstances and context of a given crisis or development need. The United Nations system and the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent are important partners given their ability to respond. Amongst OECD countries, Ireland allocates one of the highest percentages of our development assistance to NGOs, while Ireland's partner countries in Africa and elsewhere are an expression of our bilateral solidarity.
16. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his Department’s efforts to open an embassy in Tehran, Iran. [3568/22]
View answerIn 2021 the government decided to re-establish an Irish diplomatic presence in Iran in two phases. The first phase began in August 2021 with the appointment of a Chargé d’Affaires in Tehran, with the Irish diplomatic mission co-located in the German Embassy in Tehran. The Irish Embassy in Ankara remains accredited to Iran.
The second phase will involve the re-opening of a full Embassy in Tehran with a resident Irish Ambassador in 2023 and planning is already underway for this.
17. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the funding provided by his Department in 2021 to civil society organisations working in the area of overseas development aid. [3637/22]
View answerBoth Ireland’s Foreign Policy for a Changing World, Global Island, and ' Ireland's Strategy for Africa to 2022 acknowledge the importance of sustaining the work of civil society organisations and the vital role they play in building peaceful, inclusive and prosperous societies.
In addition, A Better World, Ireland's policy for international development published in 2019, recognises the importance of civil society in supporting development, human rights and in the delivery of humanitarian assistance and protection. It reiterates Ireland’s strong commitment to supporting and protecting civil society space. It also commits to strengthening collaboration with Irish civil society partners on public engagement and outreach.
My Department publishes a report annually on Ireland's Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme, known as Irish Aid, and these are available on the website. The reports include statistical information on programme expenditure showing the distribution of aid, including the total amounts given to civil society organisations.
With regard to figures for 2021, validation of data on Ireland’s ODA programme is done in arrears. Prior to publication, draft statistical returns are shared with the relevant OECD Development Assistance Committee experts for assurance that Ireland's reported spending meets the internationally accepted criteria of what can be counted as ODA. This assurance is important to maintaining Ireland's reputation as a quality donor. The 2021 Report will be published later this year.
Ireland is amongst the OECD donors which provide the greatest percentage of bilateral assistance to civil society organisations, typically around double the OECD average. The 2020 OECD DAC Peer Review of Ireland found that “Ireland’s partnerships with civil society are particularly strong and are characterised by mutual trust, quality funding based on clear criteria and an open culture for substantive, regular dialogue”. It also found that Ireland is a global leader in promoting civil society space and that our partnerships with civil society are a hallmark of our development co-operation.
18. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the work his Department is undertaking to combat gender-based violence overseas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3643/22]
View answerA Better World, the Government's policy for international development, establishes gender equality as a policy priority. Globally, gender-based violence has increased as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions.
Ireland is among OECD countries with the highest annual proportion of official development assistance (ODA) invested in gender equality measures, including the reduction of gender-based violence.
Ireland funds initiatives to this end through Irish and international NGOs, the UN and through our country programmes, mostly in Africa. In 2021, my Department, through the Irish Aid programme, committed approximately €15 million annually to address gender based violence. This includes partnerships with the International Rescue Committee, and the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women, which supports grassroots efforts in over 80 countries. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) is a longstanding partner of Ireland’s. They address gender based violence by providing sexual and reproductive health services, explicitly combating harmful practices such as genital mutilation and child marriage. Irish Aid's support for education for girls also helps keeps girls safe.
My Department is also a member of the Irish Consortium on Gender Based Violence. The Consortium facilitates advocacy, learning and capacity building of Irish NGOs to respond to GBV.
In recent years, my Department has supported work to prevent and respond to gender-based violence in a large number of countries, including Palestine, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Liberia, Vietnam, Zimbabwe and Zambia. For example, in Zimbabwe, the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown contributed to a 75% increase in demand for services for women suffering from gender based violence. In response, Ireland supported Oxfam to scale up services to respond to domestic violence and advocate for women’s rights. This provided support for 1,500 individuals per month, and doubled the capacity of shelters.
Gender features as a theme of the 2020 Irish Aid Annual report, which contains more information on this issue.
19. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to an issue reported in a newspaper (details supplied) that indicated there is an exchange between the United Nations Human Rights Council and Chinese diplomats of information on Uighur dissidents as revealed by a person. [60078/21]
View answerMy Department is aware of the issues raised by the individual concerned. The former Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva met with the individual concerned on 2nd March 2016. The current Ambassador met with the individual concerned on 29 July 2019 and again on 16 September 2021.
Ireland has raised the issue of the release of the names of NGO delegates to UN Member States and received assurances directly from the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR) that, while there had been a historical practice whereby the names of participants were occasionally confirmed to States in limited circumstances, this practice has since ceased.
Ireland is a strong advocate, at the UN and globally, on the protection of civil society space and the prevention of reprisals against Human Rights Defenders which engage with Human Rights bodies at the UN.
In common with other European Union Member States, Ireland has raised our concerns with China regarding the situation in Xinjiang on a number of occasions, both bilaterally and in multilateral fora.
On 21 October 2021, Ireland joined a cross-regional statement on Human Rights in China at the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly, which calls on China to allow immediate, meaningful and unfettered access to Xinjiang for independent observers, including the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
We have also raised our concerns bilaterally with the Chinese authorities at senior official level and I discussed the issue with Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi during our meeting on 30 May. In that discussion, I outlined Ireland and the EU's position on the treatment of Uighurs and other minorities in Xinjiang. I emphasised the importance of allowing unrestricted access to the region to independent observers in order to make an objective assessment of the situation, particularly through the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
20. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will update Dáil Éireann on the situation in Afghanistan in terms of the humanitarian crisis and the evacuation of persons at risk. [3859/22]
View answerAfghanistan is now the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. Nearly 23 million Afghans face acute food insecurity. The UN launched its largest ever humanitarian funding appeal on 11 January seeking approximately $5 billion to meet the immense needs within Afghanistan and of Afghan refugees in the region.
A donor-pledging conference on Afghanistan is likely to take place in March and Ireland will participate. In 2021, our humanitarian funding to Afghanistan increased fivefold to over €5.3 million for UN agencies and NGOs. Last year, the EU and Member States allocated more than €1 billion in funding to UN agencies and NGOs working in Afghanistan for humanitarian aid and to support basic needs. The EU also established a humanitarian air bridge that delivered 280 tonnes of lifesaving supplies.
Ireland supports all initiatives to alleviate the suffering of the Afghan people. At the UN Security Council, we actively engaged in negotiations to ensure a clear and robust humanitarian carve out to the sanctions regime against the Taliban to ensure the delivery of essential humanitarian aid to the population. The resolution was adopted in December.
A total of 108 Irish citizens and their dependents have been assisted in evacuating Afghanistan since August.
My Department, including our Embassies in Abu Dhabi and Ankara, has worked with EU Member States and partners in the region to support ongoing evacuation efforts.
Work continues to support the small number of Irish citizens and their dependents, less than 10, as well as residents, who remain in Afghanistan and wish to leave in the coming period.
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth administers the Irish Refugee Protection Programme. Over 500 Afghan nationals have been granted refugee status under this Programme, with 418 having arrived safely to Ireland. My Department has provided support, including through our Embassy network, in securing safe passage to Ireland for a number of these.
