Written Answers Nos. 61-80
61. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the latest contacts that he or his Departmental officials have had with the government of Kazakhstan following the repression of protest movements there including the use of live ammunition to kill protesters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3912/22]
View answer71. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has discussed the recent uprising in Kazakhstan with his counterparts in Europe; if he will report on his discussions in relation to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3927/22]
View answer81. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the brutal repression of uprising in Kazakhstan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3840/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 61, 71 and 81 together.
I continue to be deeply concerned by recent developments in Kazakhstan. 225 people are reported to have been killed in violent clashes, and over 12,000 people arrested. Kazakh authorities have indicated that almost 1,000 people are still detained. It appears that initially peaceful protests at the beginning of the year rapidly escalated into violent clashes between apparently well-organised groups and the authorities. I welcome that calm has now been largely restored.
However, I am particularly concerned at reports that orders to open fire with lethal force were issued. The UN Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights has called for an independent, impartial, effective and public investigation to determine the legality of the use of force and to ensure accountability when lethal force was used by security services, law enforcement or the military. Ireland supports this call. Any domestic investigation must consider Kazakhstan's international human rights obligations.
Ireland will use our platforms at the EU and the UN to emphasise the importance of protecting the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Kazakhstan’s people. If people wish to assemble peacefully and express their wish for democratic or economic reforms, that is their right and it must be protected. Ireland supported the 8 January statement of High Representative Josep Borrell Fontelles on the situation in Kazakhstan. He urged Kazakhstan’s authorities to uphold their commitments including respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of their citizens, particularly, the freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, and of the media
I have not been in direct contact with the Government of Kazakhstan or civil society organisations in that country in recent weeks, but my officials and I will use any bilateral opportunities that arise to raise Ireland’s concerns.
The Embassy of Ireland in Moscow remains in contact with a number of Irish citizens resident in Kazakhstan. The Embassy is available to provide consular assistance to any Irish citizens who may require it.
63. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the continuing travel restrictions pertaining to Europe and United States of America; his further views on the continuing requirements to provide Covid certificates in the near future; his views on whether Irish citizens may soon be able to dispense with vaccine certificates for foreign travel in the event of a further weakening of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3855/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, there are risks associated with international travel generally in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most recently, the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 led to the introduction of new global restrictions on travel, many of which have since been eased. However, restrictions remain subject to change at short notice and this may remain the case for the foreseeable future.
The EU Digital COVID Certificate has been one of the EU success stories since the onset of the pandemic and it will remain an important tool to facilitate easier travel throughout the EU in the coming period.
Each country continues to be responsible for the definition of its own entry requirements and rules, including requirements to provide COVID-19 certificates of vaccination or recovery. There is no uniform approach to these requirements across the EU, and the United States of America also has its own specific rules. Information about entry restrictions applied by other countries is available on the Department of Foreign Affairs country-specific travel advice pages on our website. Anyone considering travelling abroad should monitor the latest advice before travel.
My Department provides comprehensive travel advice for over 200 countries so that citizens can make informed decisions on travel for themselves. I encourage citizens to exercise caution when making any decisions about international travel, taking account of their overall health and vaccine status, and to be aware of the risk of testing positive for COVID-19 while abroad.
65. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the details of the Governments' response to concerns within the European Union in relation to the mass storage of data on European Union citizens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3886/22]
View answerIssues relating to retention of European citizens data are primarily for the Minister for Justice.
The GDPR entered into force in 2018 and provides for higher standards of data protection for individuals and imposes more detailed obligations on bodies in the public and private sectors that process personal data. The GDPR also increases the range of possible sanctions for infringements of these standards and obligations. The accompanying Law Enforcement Directive (the Directive) was transposed into national law at the same time as the GDPR. The Directive establishes data protection standards for the processing of personal data by competent authorities for the purposes of the prevention, investigation, detection and prosecution of criminal offences and the execution of criminal penalties.
The transfer of personal data from the EU to third countries is carried out under a number of transfer mechanisms set out in Chapter V of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The default transfer mechanism is known as an ‘adequacy decision’, this is an implementing decision by the Commission which guarantees that the third country in question provides an equivalent level of protection of personal data as exists in the EU. Once a third country has been assessed by the Commission as providing an equivalent level of protection, transfers of EU citizen’s data can take place between the EU and the selected third country under that adequacy decision, without limitation or additional safeguards.
A new arrangement with the EU-US in regard to safe transfers of data is an outcome we want to see achieved. This is critical for business certainty but also for the successful operation of the GDPR. The Government respects the judgment of the European Court and in regards to the Schrems II case is fully supportive of the need to protect citizens’ data through enforceable safeguards and for proper redress mechanisms.
Any future adequacy decision must work for both the EU and US in facilitating data transfers. It must also critically be able to pass any future scrutiny of the European Court of Justice. It will have to ensure that EU data subjects’ rights are thoroughly protected and are enforceable with proper redress mechanisms. We encourage the US administration and stakeholders to work positively with the European Commission in reaching a lasting and durable outcome to facilitate data transfers between the EU and US.
The EU – UK adequacy decisions (GDPR and LED) are an important element of the new relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union enshrined in the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA).
68. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his recent visit to Poland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3764/22]
View answerIn my role as Minister of State for European Affairs, I visited Poland from 8-10 December 2021. As an EU partner, this visit was an important opportunity to further Ireland’s bilateral relationship with Poland.
During my visit, I met with Konrad Szymanski, Poland’s Minister for European Affairs and with Marcin Przydacz, Poland’s Deputy Foreign Minister and Undersecretary of State for Security, the Americas, Asia and Eastern Policy.
Both meetings provided for important dialogue and engagement across several key issues on the EU agenda, including EU-UK relations, Covid-19 developments, EU economic recovery, Rule of Law developments, the Conference on the Future of Europe, Fit for 55, the situation of LGBTI+ persons in Poland, and developments at the Polish-Belarusian border.
In addition, this visit provided an opportunity to engage with those working on Human Rights, including LGBTI+ rights, and Rule of Law in Poland. Separately, it provided an opportunity to meet with Pavel Latushko, a leading Belarusian opposition figure and member of the Presidium of the Coordination Council of Belarus.
Amid the worrying resurgence in anti-Semitism across Europe, I also visited the site of the former German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp Auschwitz-Birkenau where I had the chance to honour the memories of all those who perished there.
72. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the latest position in relation to progress with the administration of President Biden regarding undocumented Irish citizens living in the United States of America; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3863/22]
View answerAddressing the difficult situation of undocumented Irish emigrants in the US and working to secure legal pathways for Irish people wishing to live and work in the US have been priority issues for successive Governments and continues to be an important priority for the current Government.
Immigration issues continue to be raised on an ongoing basis through our engagement at all levels with the US Administration and political leaders. During his St. Patrick's Day virtual visit last year, the Taoiseach raised the matter directly with President Biden. I also raised immigration issues in my meetings on Capitol Hill on my most recent visit to Washington, DC. These engagements will continue as we maintain close relations with Members of Congress and contacts from across the political spectrum in the US, and as we seek opportunities to deepen and strengthen our bilateral relations with President Biden's Administration.
I am pleased to see that immigration issues, including possible pathways to citizenship, are a priority for President Biden, as demonstrated by his proposed US Citizenship Act of 2021. I look forward to working with his Administration as well as with the US Congress, on a bipartisan basis, as they pursue comprehensive immigration reform in the US. We will actively engage with the Administration and Congress on this matter through our Embassy in Washington, D.C. The Government continues to pursue the E3 Visa Bill, which, if passed, could allow access to thousands of US visas each year to Irish citizens, providing new opportunities to live and work in the US.
Through our Embassy in Washington, D.C., as well as our Consulates across the US, my Department works closely with Irish immigration centres, which support the needs of Irish citizens. The Coalition of Irish Immigration Centers receives significant annual funding through the Government’s Emigrant Support Programme. Last year, in response to the pandemic, a dedicated COVID-19 Response Fund for Irish Communities Abroad was set up to help these organisations meet the needs of those who are particularly vulnerable. In 2021, over €4.22m was paid to diaspora organisations in the US for ESP and Covid-19 related projects and support.
74. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has raised the findings of the report of the Police Ombudsman in Northern Ireland into Operation Greenwich, which confirmed British state collusion in 19 loyalist killings and two attempted murders carried out by the UDA with the British Government; the nature of discussions; and the outcome of same. [3539/22]
View answerWe are studying carefully this significant report published by the Police Ombudsman in Northern Ireland into Operation Greenwich, concerning the RUC's handling of paramilitary attacks by the UDA/UFF between 1989 and 1993, which resulted in 19 murders and multiple attempted murders.
Within this report, the Ombudsman has identified collusive behaviours and raised significant concerns about police conduct. Our thoughts are with the families who have lost loved ones in these attacks, and with the victims and survivors of these events. The publication of this report was undoubtedly an important and emotional moment.
I am also aware of a scheduled Dáil debate on the publication of this report due to take place in early February, which will provide an opportunity to discuss both this report and legacy developments.
All families deserve access to information and a process of justice for their loved ones, regardless of the perpetrator. It is vital that we put in place a comprehensive and agreed framework, as we set out in the Stormont House Agreement, to deal with the painful legacy of our past. Victims and families have been waiting for too long. We will continue to work for the implementation of such a framework, in order to support wider societal reconciliation, build greater community confidence in policing and meet the legitimate needs of victims and survivors in Northern Ireland and across the island of Ireland.
The Government has consistently engaged with the British Government at all leveles to caution strongly against unilateral action in this area. Only a collective approach, that meets the needs of families and upholds our shared human rights obligations, can be the way forward on this most sensitive of issues.
76. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress made on establishing a process to ensure that all Irish aid is spent in a way that is in full compliance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as committed to in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3837/22]
View answerIn 2015, the member states of the United Nations committed to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 17 global goals designed "end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity" by 2030. Ireland, together with Kenya, acted as co-facilitators in achieving agreement on the SDGs, which apply to both developed and developing countries.
Ireland’s first SDG National Implementation Plan was published in 2018. The preparation of Ireland’s next National Implementation plan is underway, led by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.
Overall cross-Government efforts on achieving the SDGs in Ireland are coordinated through an inter-Departmental working group, in which my Department is an active participant. My Department also chairs a separate working group to coordinate efforts towards achieving the SDGs internationally, working with a range of Government Departments that spend Official Development Assistance. This is a useful forum for coordination of international efforts in key areas such as climate action, response to COVID-19, and Ireland’s leading role on sustainable food systems.
The SDGs firmly underpin the Government’s international development policy, A Better World, published in 2019. That policy “grounds our international development policy in terms of what Ireland can, and must do, to achieve the SDGs.” A Better World identifies key priority themes which are rooted in Ireland's development journey, represent our unique global contribution, and are closely aligned with several of the SDGs. These include, among others, addressing hunger, health outcomes, education for all, gender equality, peace and justice and climate action.
My Department has put in place key systems and processes to ensure Irish Official Development Assistance contributes to delivering on the ambition of the SDGs. These include mandatory reporting on SDG outcomes at appraisal stage of programme development, and routine tracking of expenditure against SDG outcomes. The Department is currently upgrading its electronic infrastructure for grant management which, when completed, will further improve our ability to monitor expenditure against SDG targets in real time.
Ireland's Global Citizenship Education Strategy, which I launched last year, has an emphasis on the SDGs at its core. Funding towards development research, such as the SDG Challenge Fund in partnership with Science Foundation Ireland, is focused on research solutions to intractable SDG challenges. And strong Irish leadership within the OECD Development Assistance Committee on civil society space is based on the unique contribution civil society will play in the achievement of the SDGs, across all targets.
The Irish Aid Annual Report details the breadth of Ireland’s Official Development Assistance, presenting details of the impacts of Irish Aid’s investments in the prior year. It details activities of other Government Departments which are supporting international development work. The most recent report, for 2020, is available on my Department’s website.
Ireland is also an active member of the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee. Each year, we report on Ireland’s ODA expenditure to this committee in accordance with common ODA standards. We also actively participate in decisions about what these standards should be. Periodically, our development programme is reviewed by DAC peers. The most recent such review, in 2020, found that Ireland is a strong development partner that 'walks the talk' on its poverty focus and on its commitment to least developed countries.
77. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will endorse the World Health Organisation Covid-19 Technology Access Pool to facilitate the sharing of knowledge by pharmaceutical companies to increase vaccine production; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3908/22]
View answerIreland fully supports an effective global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the need for equitable access to vaccines and technology.
In 2020, the WHO and the Government of Costa Rica launched the COVID Technology Access Pool, (C-TAP), to encourage the voluntary sharing of COVID-19 relevant technology, intellectual property and knowhow. The European Commission has been working with EU Member States including Ireland to identify options for possible cooperation. C-TAP is relevant to multiple Government Departments, including the Departments of Enterprise, Trade & Employment; Foreign Affairs; Health; and Further & Higher Education, Research, Innovation & Science.
Initiatives such as C-TAP play a role in strengthening the COVID-19 response, but other actions are also needed to address bottlenecks in vaccine delivery and distribution. To date, my Department has invested €200 million in COVID-19 response and global health, including strengthening health systems for the prevention and treatment of pre-existing conditions.
Alongside discussions around C-TAP at EU level, Ireland will continue to support the sharing of technology, such as the sharing of the IP behind the COVID Tracker App. As part of the National Open Research Forum, we have granted non-exclusive royalty-free licenses through Knowledge Transfer Ireland. In addition, through Science Foundation Ireland we align with ‘Plan S’, which requires that scientific publications that result from publicly-funded research be made openly available.
Already this year, my Department announced an additional contribution of €5 million to COVAX, bringing Ireland’s overall contribution to-date to €13.5 million, to purchase and distribute vaccines in lower income countries. The Department of Health has committed to donate up to 5 million surplus vaccines to developing countries, largely through COVAX. To date, more than 1.3 million of these doses have been delivered to countries including Nigeria, Ghana and Indonesia, with more expected. This in addition to the bilateral donation of 335,000 AstraZeneca doses to Uganda.
79. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to raise the treatment of human rights defenders and the restriction of civil society space in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates at the United Nations Human Rights Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3915/22]
View answerRespect for human rights is an integral part of Ireland’s foreign policy and we consistently seek to raise our concerns on human rights issues through the most appropriate and effective channels.
I note with concern reports regarding the treatment of human rights defenders and the restriction of civil society space in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Officials from my Department have raised Ireland’s concerns over the human rights situation in both Bahrain and the UAE with the authorities of each country.
Ireland’s active participation at the UN Human Rights Council is a particularly important forum in which to raise our concerns regarding human rights. Ireland has raised human rights issues in Bahrain at the Human Rights Council in the form of National Statements and through support to EU Statements. In October 2021 the UAE was elected to the Human Rights Council for the term 2022 – 2024. This will the third occasion that UAE has sat on the council and we hope their membership will provide scope for greater engagement on Human Rights issues.
Ireland also engages on the issue of human rights in Bahrain and the UAE as a member of the European Union. At the most recent EU-Bahrain Human Rights Dialogue in February 2021, issues of concern were raised by the EU including rule of law, prison conditions, right to a fair trial, freedom of expression, freedom of association, death penalty, torture and the impact of Covid-19 on the human rights situation.
The UAE was the first country in the Gulf with which the EU established a Human Rights Dialogue. The most recent session took place in June 2021. Issues of concern were raised by the EU including freedom of expression, digital technology, the human rights aspects of artificial intelligence, judicial independence, reports of indefinite detention and ‘counselling centres’, and delays in informing home countries when detaining foreigners.
Ireland will continue to monitor developments in both countries, and continue to call on the Bahraini and Emirati Governments to deliver on their stated commitments to make progress in relation to human rights.
