Written Answers Nos. 21-40
21. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 52 of 30 September 2021, if his Department has undertaken an assessment of Ireland’s possible accession to the Antarctic Treaty System; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3634/22]
View answerI updated the House on the question of Ireland’s accession to the Antarctic Treaty System on 30 September 2021. I was also pleased to participate in the Seanad debate on the Antarctic Treaty System on 8 December 2021, and to provide a further update at that time.
As I noted, the Department of Foreign Affairs has tasked a number of Embassies accredited to countries of comparable size with seeking insights from those countries about their accession to the Antarctic Treaty, including in terms of the legislative, policy and administrative requirements, and the ongoing requirements of membership. The Department has also requested its Embassies in a number of countries with a common law system to gather detailed information on the measures taken to implement the ATS there.
Separately, the Department has prepared detailed Terms of Reference for an analysis to be carried out of the range of legislative, policy and administrative measures required at domestic level in order to accede to the Antarctic Treaty System. A request for tenders for this analysis exercise issued on 24 January. Individuals with relevant credentials and expertise in the field have been sourced and identified, to be invited to submit a proposal to complete this analysis by early March.
This detailed analysis will form the basis for subsequent work with relevant Government Departments. Any specific legislative proposals arising from the assessment would be submitted for approval in the ordinary way, prior to accession.
22. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of applications for passports from residents of Dublin city and county that are currently outstanding; the planning that is being carried out to ensure that there is no repeat of the delays with applications experienced in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3694/22]
View answer32. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of applications for passports from counties Cork and Kerry that are currently outstanding; the planning that is being carried out to ensure that there is no repeat of the delays with applications experienced in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3761/22]
View answer38. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the up-to-date position regarding the issuing of new passports given the improving travel outlook and the existing delays in passport applications and renewals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3853/22]
View answer40. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of applications for passports from counties Longford and Westmeath that are currently outstanding; the planning that is being carried out to ensure that there is no repeat of the delays with applications experienced in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3696/22]
View answer45. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of applications for passports from counties Mayo, Galway, Roscommon, Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal, respectively that are currently outstanding; the planning that is being carried out to ensure that there is no repeat of the delays with applications experienced in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3624/22]
View answer50. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of applications for passports from each of the counties of Limerick, Clare and Tipperary that are currently outstanding; the planning that is being done to ensure that there is no repeat of the delays with applications experienced in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3697/22]
View answer56. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of applications for passports from counties Kildare and Wicklow that are currently outstanding; the planning that is being carried out to ensure that there is no repeat of the delays with applications experienced in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3763/22]
View answer62. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the delay in processing passport applications for first-time passports for children and new citizens; the steps his Department is taking to alleviate this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3909/22]
View answer64. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the current waiting times for passports both online and offline, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3688/22]
View answer66. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of applications for passports from each of the counties of Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford and Waterford that are currently outstanding; the planning that is being done to ensure that there is no repeat of the delays with applications experienced in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3698/22]
View answer67. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the proposals to reduce the waiting time for passport applications; if additional resources are being allocated for improving waiting times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3788/22]
View answer69. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the measures that are being taken to deal with the current processing times for passports given the number of renewals due for renewal in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3903/22]
View answer75. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps being taken to reduce waiting times for passport applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3931/22]
View answer80. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of applications for passports from counties Offaly and Laois that are currently outstanding; the planning that is being carried out to ensure that there is no repeat of the delays with applications experienced in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3692/22]
View answer85. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the current wait time for a passport in County Cork. [3857/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 22, 32, 38, 40, 45, 50, 56, 62, 64, 66, 67, 69, 75, 80 and 85 together.
Passport Service operations were severely disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, as were many Government services. The Passport Service maintained operations throughout the pandemic, notwithstanding the fact that the processing of passports requires physical attendance on site to deliver this service. Despite the disruptions related to the pandemic throughout last year, the Passport Service issued over 634,000 passports in 2021 and 45% of simple adult renewals issued within one business day.
The Passport Service has been experiencing very high demand for passports since May 2021 and expects a high level of demand for passports to continue throughout this year. The Passport Service has put several measures in place to meet this anticipated demand. The Passport Service continually examines how to improve processing times and engagement with applicants. Preparation is currently underway for several system and service improvements that will enhance the customer service experience and will improve processing times. A particular improvement that will be of interest to Deputies is a change to the documentary management process that reduces the turnaround time when additional documents need to be submitted by the applicant.
In addition, my Department has been actively working with the Public Appointments Service to recruit additional permanent and temporary staff for assignment to the Passport Service. This recruitment drive has been underway since the last quarter of 2021 and will double the number of staff in the Passport Service from June 2021 levels. A significant number of additional staff are being assigned to the Passport Service throughout January, February and March. I am confident that these additional staff will help to reduce turnaround times and to respond to the current and anticipated high demand for first time and renewal passports in 2022.
In the context of the National Development Plan, my Department is making a major investment in the future of the Passport Service. Over the next couple of years, we will replace the core technology underpinning the service, which will deliver efficiencies and a more resilient passport system. Budget 2022 also included an investment of an additional €10m in passport services in response to the increasing demand for passports both at home and abroad.
The current passport processing times are:
- 10 working days for Simple Adult online renewals
- 15 working days for Complex or child online renewals
- 40 working days for First Time Applications on Passport Online
- 8 weeks for An Post’s mail-in “Passport Express” service
There are currently 100,000 online applications and 13,000 paper applications on hand with the Passport Service. The passport processing times are based on current average application turnaround times and relate to passport applications submitted to the Passport Service with required supporting documentation. When passport applicants do not provide all of the requisite documentation to the Passport Service, it takes much longer to process the application and issue a passport. Passport Service figures show that 45% of current applications are incomplete and the onus is on the applicant to submit the required documents to the Service. While the Passport Service makes every effort to contact applicants in such circumstances, their experience is that many applicants take weeks and sometimes months to send in the necessary documents.
The Passport Service is currently experiencing high demand for first time passports, particularly for children. These first time applications are necessarily complex to process, since they are essentially applications for Irish citizenship. The Passport Service must validate the true identity of the applicant and take measures to confirm the applicant’s entitlement to Irish citizenship. It is the statutory responsibility of the Passport Service to protect the integrity of the Irish passport. Accordingly, a rigorous analysis process is in place to verify the identity and citizenship status of first time applicants. In the case of first time passport applications for children, the consent of guardians must also be thoroughly validated. Due to the intensive analysis underpinning first time online passport applications, the processing time is 40 working days.
There are currently 30,000 first time child applications on hand with the Passport Service. Of these, almost 13,000 or 43% are incomplete applications that require additional documentation from the applicants’ guardians in order to complete the application and ensure that the child’s passport can be issued.
Passport Online is the priority channel for applications as there are many efficiencies built into the system for both the applicant and the Passport Service. The processing of an online application is consistently up to four times faster than the processing time of a paper application.
Passport Online can be accessed by all first time applicants, irrespective of age both children and adults, in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Great Britain, Europe, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA. All Irish citizens, including children, can use the online system to renew their passports from anywhere in the world.
I urge citizens to check the validity of their passports before booking travel and to ensure that they apply in plenty of time. In the case of people planning to travel this year, whose passports are already out of date or who have children who are first-time applicants, I would encourage them to apply now online.
The table below outlines the number of complete online passport applications currently on hand with the Passport Service by county.
Online passport applications with Passport Service by county
|
CARLOW |
254 |
|
CAVAN |
306 |
|
CLARE |
429 |
|
CORK |
2,591 |
|
DONEGAL |
557 |
|
DUBLIN |
6,813 |
|
GALWAY |
1,060 |
|
KERRY |
586 |
|
KILDARE |
1,155 |
|
KILKENNY |
372 |
|
LAOIS |
345 |
|
LEITRIM |
115 |
|
LIMERICK |
883 |
|
LONGFORD |
143 |
|
LOUTH |
653 |
|
MAYO |
497 |
|
MEATH |
1,013 |
|
MONAGHAN |
215 |
|
OFFALY |
261 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
201 |
|
SLIGO |
267 |
|
TIPPERARY |
585 |
|
WATERFORD |
549 |
|
WESTMEATH |
361 |
|
WEXFORD |
609 |
|
WICKLOW |
696 |
23. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the discussions he or his officials have had recently with the British and Northern Ireland authorities in relation to the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and subsequent agreements; the progress being made to create a stable, violence free society there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3295/22]
View answer26. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has discussed the need to implement in full the Good Friday Agreement with the political parties in Stormont; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3906/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 26 together.
The full implementation and effective operation of the Good Friday Agreement and all subsequent agreements is a central priority for this Government. The Agreements, as well as the principles and values underpinning them, are at the core of the Government’s commitment to peace, reconciliation and prosperity on this island. The Peace Process has succeeded over the last two decades in moving definitively beyond the violence of the Troubles. However, it is an ongoing process and the work of peace requires a consistent commitment and renewed efforts in the face of new challenges. Since the conclusion of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, it has been necessary to pursue a series of successive further political and legal agreements to consolidate the peace settlement provided for in the Good Friday Agreement.
Most recently of course, the New Decade New Approach Agreement, reached in January 2020, restored the devolved institutions after a three year absence. The Government is committed to working in support of the full implementation of the NDNA, and the fulfilment of our own commitments made alongside the agreement. An NDNA implementation review meeting is planned to take place in the period immediately ahead, which will provide opportunity to discuss the status of those commitments.
As co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, the Government has continued to work closely on a North/South and East/West basis in support of the devolved power-sharing institutions in Northern Ireland, through the mechanisms provided for the Good Friday Agreement, including the North South Ministerial Council, the British Irish Council (BIC) and the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference. (BIIGC).
The most recent BIIGC took place on 2 December in London. In this format, both Governments discussed a broad range of topics relating to Northern Ireland, including the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and subsequent agreements. I have also continued to engage regularly with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and with the leaders of the parties in Northern Ireland, as we work to ensure progress, stability and address pressing challenges, including the outworkings of Brexit and the legacy of the Troubles.
A Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland is a central provision of the GFA. An Ad-Hoc Assembly Committee has been established, and the Committee published its research paper in March 2020, and launched a public consultation in May. The Government remains firmly committed to the provision of a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland.
All parties to the GFA recognised the importance of respect, understanding and tolerance in relation to linguistic diversity, which in Northern Ireland includes the Irish language, Ulster-Scots and the languages of the various ethnic communities. There is now a commitment in place from the British Government to legislate to implement the relevant provisions of the NDNA agreement if the Northern Ireland Assembly fails to do so.
Progress has also been made regarding the Government’s commitments supporting the Irish language in Northern Ireland, including the allocation of: €3m as part of the commitment in Budget 2021 for Irish language broadcasting; €1.8m over three years (2020-22) to support the Irish language in Northern Ireland; and an All Island expansion of existing Irish Language Network strategy.
The Government continues to support the establishment of a dedicated structure for civic engagement by the Northern Ireland Executive as set out in the Good Friday Agreement under Strand One. In the NDNA agreement, it was agreed that the Compact Civic Advisory Panel would be reformed to propose the most appropriate model for civic engagement on specific issues.
The Government also continues to support the establishment of the North South Consultative Forum, as provided for under Strand Two of the GFA, and has worked to move the issue forward, submitting proposals to the Northern Ireland Executive for its consideration. We have also raised the issue at successive plenary meetings of the North South Ministerial Council.
Furthermore, the Reconciliation Fund, administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs, continues to support the vital work of peace and reconciliation. The budget of the Reconciliation Fund will increase to €5.0 million this year, with these funds playing an important role to aiding a wide range of projects and organisations to carry out their impactful work across communities.
24. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the current state of diplomatic relations between Ireland and Ethiopia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3884/22]
View answerIreland’s partnership with Ethiopia is longstanding - our Embassy in Addis Ababa opened in 1994 and Ethiopia has been our largest bilateral development partner in the last five years.
The situation in Tigray and in other parts of northern Ethiopia since the outbreak of the conflict in late 2020 is of grave concern. The conflict is having a devastating impact on civilians with widespread human rights violations, while the number of casualties continues to rise. Over 9 million people are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.
Ireland has played a leading role in the international response to the crisis. Through our bilateral engagements, as well as within the European Union and at the UN Security Council, Ireland continues to advocate for full humanitarian access to those in need, an urgent end to violence, dialogue, accountability for atrocities, and ultimately a political solution to the conflict.
Ireland’s principal focus has been on the humanitarian consequences of the war and the need to end the violence. Last year, Ireland contributed almost €25m to the humanitarian response in Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian authorities indicated that their decision last November to restrict the size of our Embassy in Addis Ababa was due to the positions Ireland has articulated internationally, including at the UN Security Council, on the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia.
As we have made clear, our positions on the conflict are shared by our EU partners and the wider international community. Our focus has been on ending the conflict and addressing humanitarian needs. Our solidarity with and commitment to the people of Ethiopia remains strong, and we will continue to have frank and constructive engagement with our Ethiopian counterparts. We hope the decision of the government of Ethiopia will be temporary, so that our Embassy staff can return to carrying out their important duties in the country as soon as possible.
25. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of visits he has paid to Northern Ireland in the past three months; the organisations, groups or persons he met on these visits; the feedback they gave on matters there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3296/22]
View answerAs part of the Government’s commitment to supporting the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement and maintaining strong relationships, I remain in regular contact with Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the First Minister and deputy First Minister and party leaders, as well as other civil society, business and religious leaders in Northern Ireland ,
In the past three months, the public health situation and guidance has meant that in-person meetings have been more limited . Nevertheless, I have held regular video conferences and meetings where this has been possible, with a broad range of key stakeholders.
I have been particularly actively engaged in relation to the legacy of the Troubles and our ongoing efforts to make progress in addressing this exceptionally sensitive issue. Most recently on 19 January 2022, I met in Dublin with the cross community Truth and Justice victims group, to discuss their cases and concerns about the way forward and as part of a series of engagements with victims and families who are central to making progress on this issue.
I have remained in very regular contact with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland as we have sought to work for an agreed way forward, as well as with the party leaders, and together with the Secretary of State I co-chaired a meeting of the Northern Ireland party leaders on 30 November.
Together with Minister for Justice Helen McEntee TD, I travelled to London on 2 December 2021 to participate in the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Brandon Lewis MP. We discussed a broad range of topics relating to Northern Ireland, including the legacy, opportunities for East-West co-operation, and Covid recovery.
Earlier this month, I also met in London with UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, to discuss issues including the outworking of Brexit and the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland. I have also maintained contact with Northern Ireland’s business community with regard to the Protocol and last met virtually with business leaders on 11 November.
I will continue to engage closely with the First Minister, deputy First Minister, other political, religious, civil society, and business leaders in Northern Ireland as we move forward, and look forward to increased visits there as the public health context allows.
27. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the measures that Ireland is taking on the United Nations Security Council and within the European Union to ensure that steps are taken to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe occurring in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3887/22]
View answer58. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the role the United Nations is taking to protect citizens and their rights in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3907/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 27 and 58 together.
Ireland remains active in discussions on Afghanistan both at EU level and at the UN Security Council, where it has featured regularly on the agenda since the Taliban takeover in August 2021.
Promoting human rights and the protection of civilians are key priorities for Ireland on the Security Council. We have consistently advocated for Afghan women and girls, who must be treated as equal citizens, with rights to full and equal access to education, to healthcare, to freedom of movement and participation in public life. We have emphasised the need to maintain humanitarian access to address what is now the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Ireland strongly supported UN Security Council Resolution 2615, adopted on 22 December 2021, which exempts humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan from UN sanctions against members of the Taliban.
Ireland’s approach is consistent with the EU Council Conclusions on Afghanistan of September 2021, to which we contributed and which highlight the effect of the Taliban actions on civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights, and on the gains made over the last two decades, which had been supported by the EU. Among the guiding principles agreed by the EU are that the Taliban must respect the independence of humanitarian operations and guarantee safe and unhindered access for all humanitarian staff, including all female staff, and that they must promote, protect and respect all human rights, in particular the full enjoyment of rights of women and girls.
I remain gravely concerned at the deteriorating human rights situation in Afghanistan. The continued absence of many non-governmental organisations, civil society networks, and diplomatic missions from Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover has made the role of the UN in monitoring and reporting on developments inside Afghanistan, especially on human rights, more important than ever before. Representatives of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) have met regularly with high-ranking members of the Taliban administration to highlight Afghanistan’s human rights obligations under international law. The mandate for UNAMA is due to be renewed by the UN Security Council by 17 March. Ireland will advocate strongly for the maintenance of human rights tasks in that mandate, to operate in tandem with the implementation of last October’s EU-led resolution at the UN Human Rights Council on the “Situation of human rights in Afghanistan”, which establishes a mandate for a Special Rapporteur, to be appointed at the March 2022 session.
The UN launched a funding appeal on 11 January, seeking approximately $5 billion to meet the emergency humanitarian needs within Afghanistan and of Afghan refugees in the region. This is the largest such humanitarian appeal ever issued by the UN. Since the Taliban seizure of power, the EU and its Member States have allocated more than €1 billion in funding to UN agencies and NGOs working in Afghanistan, for both humanitarian aid and for supporting basic needs (‘humanitarian plus’). The EU also established a humanitarian air bridge that in 2021 delivered 280 tonnes of lifesaving medication, food and equipment to address COVID-19 to Afghanistan.
In addition, the Government through its Development Assistance programme, Irish Aid, has provided over €4 million in humanitarian support for the people of Afghanistan since mid-August. This funding has been allocated to the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF) and UNICEF. These emergency response programmes are addressing the urgent needs of the population, including providing food aid, treatment for severe acute malnutrition in children, and other essential services. Ireland’s humanitarian funding to Afghanistan increased fivefold in 2021 to over €5 million – with the remainder provided at the beginning of the year to Concern Worldwide, HALO Trust and the AHF.
In addition, Ireland contributes to support global funds and provide core funding to key agencies that allocate funding to Afghanistan, including the EU, WHO, UNHCR, IFRC, ICRC and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). Ireland was the 9th largest donor to the CERF in 2021, providing €11 million. Since August, the CERF has allocated more than €68.6 million to Afghanistan.
28. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline the European Union and United Nations position on the massing of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine; if the international community is sufficiently committed to protecting the interests of Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3877/22]
View answerIreland has strongly and consistently supported the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine as I have conveyed personally to Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, on a number of occasions over the past year. Ireland is concerned by the build-up of Russian troops on its border with Ukraine and I continue to call on Russia to de-escalate tensions. In my own remarks, I have consistently underlined the need for strong and unified messaging from the EU.
I and my EU colleagues discussed the situation in Ukraine most recently at the Foreign Affairs Council on Monday of this week (24 January). EU Foreign Ministers have been consistently engaged on this issue and have delivered clear messages of solidarity with Ukraine both at the Foreign Affairs Council of 13 December and again at our informal Foreign Minister's meeting in Brest, hosted by the French Presidency on 13 and 14 January.
In remarks after the December Foreign Affairs Council, High Representative Borrell made clear that aggression against Ukraine, will come with political consequences and with a high economic cost for Russia. This message was further reinforced in the Foreign Affairs Council Conclusions of 24 January, which state that preparatory work has accelerated on restrictive measures in case of further military aggression by Russia against Ukraine. Council Conclusions also condemn Russia’s continued aggressive actions and threats against Ukraine, and call on Russia to de-escalate.
The UN Secretary General, António Guterres on 21 January called on the international community to avoid a confrontation and to create the conditions for a diplomatic solution of the problem. Ireland has consistently reaffirmed its support for Ukraine at UN Security Council meetings on Ukraine, including at Arria formula meetings. Ireland co-sponsored the Arria formula meeting on Crimea organised by Estonia and Ukraine in March 2021, which also focused on the worrying human rights situation on the peninsula. On 9 December, Ireland co-sponsored the General Assembly resolution on the demilitarisation of Crimea, and joined the EU statement on 9 December, as we have done in previous years.
29. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has discussed the ongoing war in Yemen and the humanitarian crisis with his counterparts across Europe; if consideration has been given to the imposing sanctions on Saudi Arabia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3926/22]
View answerYemen is the world's worst humanitarian crisis, driven by seven years of conflict, economic collapse and the breakdown of public institutions and services which has left over 24 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. Ireland and the European Union fully support the efforts of the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, to bring about a political resolution to the conflict in Yemen. EU Member States are in agreement that there is no military solution to the conflict in Yemen and all parties should agree to an immediate ceasefire. In addition to significant diplomatic efforts, the EU has provided nearly €1 billion to Yemen since 2015 in development, crisis response and humanitarian assistance. At a national level, Ireland has contributed over €32 million in humanitarian funding to Yemen since 2015. As a member of the Security Council, Ireland has engaged extensively in support of the UN's efforts to end the conflict in Yemen. I have held discussions with the UN Special Envoy for Yemen as well as Major General Michael Beary, who was recently appointed as Head of the United Nations Mission to support the Hudaydah Agreement.
I have also engaged extensively with the countries of the region, including the Foreign Ministers of Yemen, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, stressing the need to work urgently towards a resolution of the conflict.
Sanctions are an important foreign policy tool for the promotion and maintenance of international peace and security. In order to be effective and impactful, sanctions generally need to be agreed by a large number of countries. For Ireland, this typically means aligning with sanctions regimes agreed at the EU or UN level. There is not currently a consensus among either the EU, or the UN Security Council, on the introduction of sanctions against Saudi Arabia. Ireland will continue to support all efforts to end the terrible conflict in Yemen, including in the context of our position on the UN Security Council and as an EU Member State.
30. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will update Dáil Éireann on the actions of the United Nations Security Council in respect of the military coup in Myanmar. [3860/22]
View answerIreland strongly condemns the coup carried out by the Myanmar military and its attempts to legitimise the military regime. The coup is a reversal of the progress made towards democracy and rule of law in Myanmar which took years to establish. Ireland is actively engaged on this issue in our role as an elected member of the Security Council, including by calling on the military and all parties for an urgent end to violence, full respect for human rights and compliance with international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law.
The situation in Myanmar has been considered seven times by the Security Council since the coup, most recently on 8 November 2021. The Council has expressed deep concern regarding developments in Myanmar, condemned the use of violence by the military, and called for the release of all those detained. The Council is actively monitoring the situation, and, most recently, a press statement was issued following the atrocities in Kayah State on 24 December.
The united voice of the Security Council on the situation in Myanmar is welcome, sending a clear message to the Myanmar military. Ireland coordinates with likeminded Council members towards further action, and was also a member of the core group of nations who proposed the June 2021 United Nations General Assembly resolution which called for an end to arms flows to Myanmar.
Military rule in Myanmar risks further human rights abuses and Ireland has voiced its concern at four sessions of the Human Rights Council since February 2021. Ireland has consistently voiced support for international efforts towards ensuring accountability and justice in Myanmar, including the ongoing processes at the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.
Ireland will continue to work actively with our partners in the European Union, and through our position on the Security Council to promote the rule of law and protect the human rights of the people of Myanmar.
31. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his attendance at the meeting of the European Union General Affairs Council on 25 January 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3767/22]
View answerI attended the General Affairs Council meeting on 25 January 2022 in Brussels. At the meeting, the French Presidency gave a presentation on the priorities for their presidency of the Council of the EU. The three overarching goals of the Presidency are a Sovereign Europe, a New European Model for Growth and Investment, and a ‘more human’ EU. Ireland supports the priorities of the French Presidency. I look forward to working closely with my French colleagues over the coming six months.
There was also a debate on a legislative package on reinforcing democracy and the integrity of elections. Ireland welcomes this legislative package and considers that it forms an important aspect of the European Democracy Action Plan as well as being complementary to the Government’s own plans for a new Electoral Reform Bill currently under preparation. Given the challenges facing democracies at the moment, the measures contained within this package offer an effective means of safeguarding EU values against present and future threats.
We also exchanged views on the Conference on the Future of Europe. I participated in the 3rd Conference Plenary, which took place in Strasbourg and online last weekend. Plenary members discussed and debated recommendations from citizens from all over Europe. These included recommendations in the areas of health, climate change, rule of law and EU Democracy. The second and conclusive phase of Ireland’s national programme of regional consultations will soon commence and I also look forward to Dublin hosting Citizens’ Panel 1 in late February.
On EU-UK relations, the General Affairs Council received an update from Commission Vice President Maroš Šefcovic on the current state of play in EU-UK relations. Ministers were briefed on the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland and Vice-President Šefcovic‘s meetings with UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss on 13–14 January and 24 January. I expressed my strong support for the Commission’s approach to resolving outstanding issues in relation to the Protocol.
Ministers also discussed the EU’s coordination on the Covid-19 pandemic, including Digital COVID Certificates and travel-related matters.
33. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his Department support the work of the United Nations in terms of supporting refugees; the amount of funding allocated in 2021; the amount planned for 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3626/22]
View answerProvision of assistance to refugees through the United Nations remains a critical part of Ireland's policy. This assistance is provided through a wide range of agencies (including UNICEF, OCHA, UNRWA, WFP, WHO etc.) but it is the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) which is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees worldwide and safeguard their rights and well-being. UNHCR also assists former refugees who have returned to their homeland, internally displaced people, and people who are stateless.
UNHCR's Global Appeal for 2022 seeks $8.9 billion and shows the number of persons of concern to UNHCR is expected to reach over 100 million.
In 2021 Ireland pledged contributions of €17 million to UNHCR but actual contributions exceeded €19 million. This total comprised of €10.5m in core funding (up from €9m in 2020), as well as specific contributions to UNHCR’s work in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Jordan, Bangladesh (Rohingya crisis) and in response to the Venezuela crisis. Ireland has made a pledge of €18 million to UNHCR for 2022.
I was delighted to be able to participate in a High Level Meeting in December which took stock of progress made in achieving the objectives of the Global Compact on Refugees, including through the pledges and contributions made and initiatives announced at the first Global Refugee Forum in 2019. I noted that - in addition to fulfilling our pledges to support UNHCR - we had progressed our pledges in other areas including:
- We are implementing our pledge to address the root causes of displacement through support of €4.5m for global peacebuilding initiatives. Since 2020, Ireland has contributed €4.5 million to the UN Peacebuilding Fund and last year Minister Coveney pledged to increase Ireland’s funding to €10 million over the period 2020-2024.
- Our core funding pledge to the International Organisation for Migration has been fulfilled with €1 million per year provided and maintained.
- Ireland has fulfilled and exceeded its pledge to increase support for education in emergencies and protracted crises.
34. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his Department supports initiatives or programmes aiming at tackling global inequality in terms of education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3644/22]
View answerIreland’s international development policy, A Better World, puts reaching the furthest behind first at the centre of Ireland’s development cooperation. Education is at the heart of delivering on this ambition.
My Department, through the Irish Aid programme, provides support for education in low income countries, with an emphasis on the most marginalised within those countries. For example, in Uganda, Ireland focuses its education support in Karamoja, which historically has significantly lagged behind other regions of Uganda in terms of education access and achievement, particularly for girls.
Last year I announced a new pledge of €60 million for the Global Partnership for Education. This fund supports countries with the greatest education needs, targeting those with large numbers of children out of school, and weak school completion rates. Within those countries, it targets the most vulnerable and hardest to reach children.
Children in conflict situations and other humanitarian emergencies face some of the greatest inequalities in education. Since 2019 Ireland has committed €11.85 million to Education Cannot Wait, a fund which supports the urgent education needs of children and youth caught up in wars, forced displacement, natural and man-made disasters.
Ireland addresses gender inequalities in education through better education planning, creating safe school environments, and reducing the risk of gender based violence. In 2020 Ireland launched the Drive for Five, a global call to action for the education of adolescent girls. We continue to promote a holistic approach to getting all adolescent girls into school, keeping them there, and ensuring schools are supportive, safe and healthy environments.
COVID-19 disrupted education globally and has generated significant learning losses, disproportionately affecting poorer and marginalised students. An immediate priority is to use the Irish Aid programme to assist partner countries to safely reopen schools and enable the return to in-person learning for all, with remediation and acceleration programmes to make up for learning losses.
36. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the processing times for the foreign births register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3074/22]
View answerThe processing of Foreign Birth Registration applications has resumed and will be gradually scaling up in line with the recruitment of additional resources. Due to the complex nature of the Foreign Birth Registration process, the large increase in applications received following the Brexit vote in the UK, and the pause in the Service due to necessary Covid-19 restrictions, applicants should allow approximately 2 years from the receipt of supporting documentation for processing of Foreign Birth Registration applications at this time.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, and the subsequent reassignment of Foreign Birth Registration staff to assist in the provision of essential passport services, the Foreign Birth Registration Service was paused for nearly 15 months across the 2020-2021 period. Foreign Birth Registration staff have continually provided an emergency service for Foreign Birth Registration in cases of exceptional urgency, such as expectant parents, or stateless persons. Applicants who require an emergency service may contact the Passport Service directly.
There are currently 32,000 applications awaiting processing. In 2021, over 7,000 Foreign Birth Registration applications were processed.
My Department is fully committed to the allocation of additional resources to assist with the processing of the Foreign Birth Registration applications currently on hand and the high volume of new applications anticipated this year. The Department has been actively working with the Public Appointments Service to recruit additional permanent and temporary staff for assignment to the Passport Service. This recruitment drive has been underway since the last quarter of 2021 and will double the number of staff in the Passport Service from June 2021 levels. A significant number of additional staff are being assigned to the Passport Service throughout January, February and March. I am confident that the additional staff being assigned to the Passport Service will help to reduce turnaround times and to respond to the current and anticipated high demand for passports and Foreign Birth Registration this year.
37. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has discussed with members of the Northern Ireland Executive the need to progress the establishment of a bill of rights in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3905/22]
View answerA Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland is a central provision of the Good Friday Agreement. The Agreement sets out that a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland should be based on the European Convention on Human Rights, enhanced by additional rights to “reflect the principles of mutual respect for the identity and ethos of both communities and parity of esteem.”
The full implementation and effective operation of the Good Friday Agreement and all subsequent implementation agreements is a central priority for this Government. These agreements, as well as the principles and values underpinning them, are at the core of the Government’s approach to peace, reconciliation and prosperity on this island.The Government advanced the view during the 2014 Stormont House talks that a Bill of Rights could set out precisely and formally the rights upon which a shared society for Northern Ireland could be based. While there was not sufficient consensus to take this forward, the final Agreement did provide that the parties commit to: “serving the people of Northern Ireland equally, and to act in accordance with the obligations on government to promote equality and respect and to prevent discrimination; to promote a culture of tolerance, mutual respect and mutual understanding at every level of society, including initiatives to facilitate and encourage shared and integrated education and housing, social inclusion, and in particular community development and the advancement of women in public life; and to promote the interests of the whole community towards the goals of reconciliation and economic renewal.”As agreed as part of the New Decade, New Approach agreement, an Ad-Hoc Assembly Committee has been established, and the Committee published its research paper on the “Key Issues for a Bill of Rights” in March 2020, and launched a public consultation in May. The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) was established as a result of the Good Friday Agreement. It is part of a wider package of safeguards to ensure that every citizen in Northern Ireland is guaranteed equal status and equal protection under law. In February 2021, the NIHRC produced a response to the public consultation of the Ad-Hoc Committee, which emphasises that there is a need to harmonise the European Convention on Human Rights, as domesticated through the Human Rights Act, and any proposed Bill of Rights for NI to ensure a complementary interpretation about the meaning and scope of human rights.At present, the Ad-Hoc Assembly Committee has concluded holding formal evidence gathering sessions on a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland. The next step, as agreed as part of the New Decade, New Approach Agreement, is for the First and deputy First Ministers to jointly appoint a Panel of five experts to assist the Committee in preparing its report.As outlined in the Programme for Government, the Government is committed to working in support of the full implementation of the NDNA.An NDNA Implementation Review Meeting is planned for the period ahead, which provides for an opportunity to discuss progress made to date as well as outstanding commitments.
39. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason the Back for Business programme is restricted to a final 50 applicants given that participants on the 2021 programme more than tripled their combined workforce and more than doubled their turnover during the six-month cycle of the programme (details supplied); his views on whether participation in such a successful programme should be made available to a larger number of applicants; the learnings that are being taken and implemented into other domestic enterprise and job creation networks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3852/22]
View answerThe Back for Business Programme assists returning emigrants who are looking to start their own business in Ireland, with a particular focus on the additional barriers and challenges faced by those who have been out of the country for some time.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that we are expanding this programme. As the Deputy has noted, the scheme has generated overwhelmingly positive feedback and has to date assisted over 120 participants returning to Ireland from all over the world in creating businesses and employment opportunities across the country.
The next cycle of the programme will get underway at the end of February this year.
Up to 50 places will be available annually which is a 20% increase in capacity from previous rounds. We have also extended the cycle of the programme by an additional year.
In line with best practice and the experience of similar schemes operated by other Government Departments, access to the scheme is by way of a competitive process. This ensures that the successful applicants are those best positioned to benefit from participation in the scheme. This is a driver of the good outcomes which are being achieved.
This year we are introducing a community networking aspect for those who have completed the programme to support former participants and others to stay connected and to further enhance the assistance and advice we provide to our returning emigrant entrepreneurs.
The Back for Business initiative has itself drawn lessons from other domestic and job creation networks. For instance, its reliance on peer to peer learning through volunteer lead entrepreneurs was drawn from the experience of the ‘Going for Growth’ initiative supported for the last 14 years by Enterprise Ireland. That sister initiative, which is run in conjunction with KPMG, was a recipient of a European Enterprise Award for its work encouraging female entrepreneurs to increase their ambition and supporting them to achieve their growth aspirations and is an exemplar for our Back for Business Programme.
I would call on all Deputies to encourage those they know that have returned to Ireland in the last three years, and are starting a new business, to apply for a place on Back for Business. Those interested should access www.backforbusiness.com and register their interest and a link to an application form will be sent to them. Closing date for receipt of completed application forms is midnight on 15 February.
