Written Answers Nos. 48-67
48. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the amount of revenue collected in 2021 in television licence fees; the way the revenue is allocated or spent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5480/22]
View answerLicence fee receipts are comprised of direct sales by An Post, who act as my issuing agent under Section 145 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 and a contribution from the Department of Social Protection in respect of free licences issued under the Household Benefits Scheme. Total receipts for 2021 were €220.73m comprising €69.82m in respect of free licences and €150.91m from direct sales of TV licences.
My Department distributes all monies received in the year of receipt in accordance with the Broadcasting Act 2009, which provides for payment to An Post for collection. 7% of the net receipts are allocated to the BAI Broadcasting Fund and the balance to RTÉ.
49. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated amount spent by his Department on the design, marketing and promotion of materials in relation to the current housing plan and its associated programmes and measures and any other aspect of his Department’s activities. [5186/22]
View answer50. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the organisations that were paid fees for the design, marketing and promotion of materials in relation to the current housing plan and its associated programmes and measures and any other aspect of his Department’s activities; and the amount that each of the organisations were paid in tabular form. [5187/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 49 and 50 together.
As clarified, the questions relate specifically to the costs of publishing the Housing for All strategy and its subsequent promotion. The costs that my Department incurred to date in this regard are set out in the table below.
|
Year |
Company Name |
Description |
Amount incl. of VAT |
|
2021 |
Concept2print |
Roll up Banners Design and Delivery |
€615.00 |
|
2021 |
Concept2print |
Foam Boards Design and Delivery |
€307.50 |
|
2021 |
Concept2print |
Graphic Design & Layout of Housing for All publication & Social Media Infographics |
€15,510.30 |
|
2021 |
Concept2print |
English Version - Print Qty. 100 books |
€2,398.50 |
|
2021 |
Concept2print |
English Version - Print Qty. 900 books and final editing |
€6,959.34 |
|
2021 |
Concept2print |
Wall Stand - Launch |
€1,439.10 |
|
2021 |
Concept2print |
Wall Stand - Launch |
€3,025.80 |
|
2021 |
Concept2print |
Irish version - Print Qty. 50 books |
€2,250.90 |
|
2021 |
CT Ireland |
Event management charges |
€811.80 |
|
2021 |
Fusion Events |
Event management - Launch |
€3,690.00 |
|
2021 |
Tom Dwyer |
Copywriter Services |
€3,000.00 |
|
2021 |
|
Social media promotion of Housing for All-related content |
€263.23 |
|
2021 |
|
Social media promotion of Housing for All-related content |
€365.41 |
|
2021 |
Maxwell Photography |
Photography costs |
€362.85 |
|
|
Total |
|
€40,999.73 |
51. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 308 of 25 January 2022, the total expenditure on homeless Housing Assistance Payments in 2021; and if the expenditure is accounted for in the total Housing Assistance Payment expenditure detailed in the response. [5207/22]
View answerThe Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a form of social housing support for people who have a long-term housing need. Any household assessed as eligible for social housing is immediately eligible for HAP and those households must source their own accommodation in the private rental sector.
Under HAP, households at risk of homelessness may be eligible for additional supports. To qualify for specific additional supports available to homeless households, a household must have been determined by the relevant local authority to be homeless within the meaning of section 2 of the Housing Act 1988. The operation of local homeless services, including the Place Finder service, is a matter for each local authority.
As reported in Parliamentary Question No. 308 of 25 January 2022 the total expenditure by my Department on the HAP scheme in 2021 was €541.7 million. This figure includes a total expenditure on homeless HAP in 2021 of €28.8 million. Homeless HAP expenditure comprises of rent in advance, deposits and associated costs.
Once a homeless HAP tenancy is set up, the ongoing cost of the tenancy is provided for under the general HAP scheme monthly landlord payments. The costs of homeless HAP tenancies are not differentiated once established.
52. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when social housing tenants currently living in previously unsold affordable homes will be allowed to purchase those homes under the tenant purchase scheme given that they were promised in writing at the time of taking up their tenancies. [5210/22]
View answerI have convened a working group to examine the issues relating to unsold affordable properties. The working group is considering inter alia the scope and options for tenants in local authority owned unsold affordable properties to purchase these properties under the Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme 2016 or other appropriate mechanism. I expect the group to finalise its work and submit its report and recommendations to me later this year.
In the meantime, it remains a matter for each local authority to administer the Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme in line with the statutory provisions underpinning the scheme and in a manner appropriate to its housing requirements.
53. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the details of the proposed housing delivery by each local authority in each of the years 2022 to 2026 by categories (details supplied) [5222/22]
View answerThe Housing for All strategy is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. This includes the delivery of 47,600 new build social homes and 28,500 new affordable homes in the period 2022-2026. Under Housing for All, each local authority was required to prepare a Housing Delivery Action Plan, setting out details of social and affordable housing delivery in the period 2022-2026.
The Affordable Housing Act 2021, the first ever standalone affordable housing legislation was enacted last July, establishing a basis for four new affordable housing measures. These measures will deliver on the Programme for Government commitment to put affordability at the heart of the housing system and prioritise the increased supply of affordable homes through; (1) delivering affordable homes on local authority lands; (2) the introduction of a new form of tenure in Cost Rental; (3) a First Home shared equity scheme; and (4) expanding Part V planning requirements to increase the 10% contribution requirement to 20% and to apply it to cost rental as well as social and affordable housing.
The delivery of affordable housing, in accordance with the schemes set out in the Affordable Housing Act, 2021 and the funding being made available, will be underpinned by local authorities' housing Delivery Action Plans. In drawing up their plans, each local authority assessed the level of demand with affordability constraint in their area based on the Housing Need and Demand Assessment (HNDA) and will plan provision accordingly. My Department is currently liaising with local authorities to finalise affordable housing targets at local authority level for the period 2022-2026.
In September 2021, I issued social housing targets for build and long-term lease to all local authorities for 2022-2026. Details of the targets for each local authority are set out in the table below.
54. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the powers that the Residential Tenancies Board has to protect tenants; and if legislative reforms of the Residential Tenancies Board are being considered. [5236/22]
View answerThe Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2021 regulates the landlord-tenant relationship in the rented residential sector and sets out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Act to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants.
Since 1 July 2019, the RTB is empowered under Part 7A – Complaints, Investigations and Sanctions – of the Residential Tenancies Acts to investigate improper conduct by landlords and to impose sanctions, where appropriate. The RTB has the power to impose sanctions if improper conduct by a landlord is found to have occurred, ranging from a formal written caution and/or a fine of up to €15,000 and/or costs up to €15,000.
The powers granted to the RTB since July 2019 has brought about a fundamental change in the operation of the RTB by expanding its regulatory remit. The RTB has set up a dedicated Investigations and Sanctions Unit which includes 15 staff members with a collective experience in conducting civil and criminal investigations in other regulatory and enforcement bodies as well as significant internal knowledge of the RTB and the Residential Tenancies Act.
Following recommendations in the RTB Workforce Plan (2018 – 2021) and engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER), the RTB has received sanction for an additional 41 staff since 2019 to ensure that its enhanced powers and additional legislative provisions are fully implemented and enforced, and to advise my Department on any necessary further reform along with its implementation.
55. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount spent on social housing leasing from 2011 to 2021, by county in tabular form. [5237/22]
View answerThe Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP) supports the delivery of social housing by providing financial support to local authorities for the leasing of houses and apartments.
Details of the amount spent on social housing delivered under the Social Housing Leasing Programme from 2018 to 2021, broken out by Local Authority area, can be found in Table 1 below:
Table 1: Leasing Spend – 2018 to 2021
|
Local Authority |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
Carlow County Council |
754,092 |
787,285 |
1,037,396 |
1,338,934 |
|
Cavan County Council |
191,831 |
264,679 |
293,922 |
431,522 |
|
Clare County Council |
2,321,717 |
2,523,082 |
2,739,741 |
3,216,335 |
|
Cork City Council |
1,657,335 |
3,235,170 |
4,082,821 |
4,735,144 |
|
Cork County Council |
3,843,349 |
2,877,463 |
2,679,292 |
3,611,429 |
|
DLR County Council |
2,719,455 |
1,469,177 |
3,867,488 |
4,771,557 |
|
Donegal County Council |
1,666,096 |
1,805,224 |
1,880,770 |
1,960,896 |
|
Dublin City Council |
6,828,941 |
7,792,948 |
12,013,493 |
20,534,070 |
|
Fingal County Council |
5,001,032 |
6,268,286 |
7,577,849 |
10,457,461 |
|
Galway City Council |
1,747,191 |
1,701,391 |
1,574,727 |
1,697,968 |
|
Galway County Council |
503,989 |
539,906 |
962,363 |
1,268,181 |
|
Kerry County Council |
1,933,670 |
2,406,714 |
3,023,552 |
3,560,422 |
|
Kildare County Council |
1,576,715 |
1,965,121 |
2,231,935 |
5,499,200 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
581,158 |
689,628 |
919,625 |
1,209,868 |
|
Laois County Council |
1,206,889 |
1,357,036 |
1,477,489 |
1,778,305 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
70,352 |
83,750 |
90,048 |
127,248 |
|
Limerick City & County Council |
711,497 |
1,409,179 |
1,791,069 |
2,730,984 |
|
Longford County Council |
573,735 |
688,209 |
730,311 |
999,385 |
|
Louth County Council |
3,430,079 |
3,374,329 |
3,764,594 |
4,465,845 |
|
Mayo County Council |
1,020,204 |
1,323,481 |
1,830,328 |
2,378,388 |
|
Meath County Council |
1,093,794 |
1,319,144 |
1,983,642 |
3,335,657 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
275,183 |
343,280 |
347,255 |
413,642 |
|
Offaly County Council |
1,520,764 |
1,796,437 |
1,830,852 |
2,132,782 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
51,393 |
146,810 |
226,982 |
471,855 |
|
Sligo County Council |
436,365 |
529,851 |
547,422 |
653,798 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
6,980,535 |
7,297,839 |
8,475,144 |
11,554,145 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
2,339,036 |
2,543,599 |
2,547,845 |
2,915,849 |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
1,429,940 |
1,807,967 |
2,413,975 |
2,569,672 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
2,003,406 |
2,403,545 |
2,761,725 |
3,308,301 |
|
Wexford County Council |
1,342,300 |
1,588,343 |
1,814,145 |
2,534,991 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
381,467 |
573,817 |
925,006 |
1,701,412 |
|
TOTAL |
56,193,510 |
62,912,690 |
78,442,806 |
108,365,246 |
A breakdown of leasing spend under SHCEP is not available prior to 2018. The values provided in Table 1 above includes Local Authority Leasing from Private Owners, Enhanced Leasing, Rent Availability Agreements, Unsold Affordables, Local Authority Part V Leasing, AHB Private Leasing, MTR (Local Authority & AHB), NARPS (Local Authority & AHB) and RLS (Local Authority & AHB).
56. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the housing targets for 2020 and 2021 broken down by new private ownership homes, new cost rental homes, new affordable homes, new private rental homes and new social housing homes; and the housing output for 2020 and 2021 by new private ownership homes, new cost rental homes, new affordable homes, new private rental homes new social housing homes, in tabular form. [5238/22]
View answerSocial housing delivery statistics are published on my Department's on a quarterly basis. The statistics include a breakdown of social housing delivery for each local authority across the various delivery mechanisms. Data for 2020 and 2021 (to end Q3) are available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/. A total of 7,824 social homes were delivered through build, acquisition and leasing programmes in 2020, with a further 5,187 social homes delivered in the first nine months of 2021. Data for Quarter 4 is being collated and will be published in due course.
In relation to affordable homes for purchase and rent, the provisions of the Affordable Housing Act 2021 establish the basis for two new affordable purchase schemes and a cost rental scheme. The Covid-19 pandemic, and associated closure and restrictions of construction sites, had significant impacts on the anticipated timelines for the delivery for Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) and Affordable Housing Fund (AHF, previously known as the Serviced Site Fund (SSF)) supported housing developments. However, 65 Cost Rental Units, supported by CREL were delivered during 2021.
My Department does not hold details on the numbers of new private homes or new private rental homes completed during this period. Data published by the CSO shows that 20,433 new homes were completed in 2021 and 20,526 new homes were completed in 2020.
Increasing the supply of housing across all tenures is a priority for the Government. Housing for All is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. Over 300,000 new homes will be built by the end of 2030, including a projected 90,000 social homes, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes. Projected housing output for each of the years 2022 to 2030, and across all tenures, is set on page 32 of the plan, which can be accessed here: www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/dfc50-housing-for-all/.
57. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide planning exemptions for farmers who are trying to develop their businesses in a sustainable way with regard to improving agri-tourism through farming diversification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5254/22]
View answerUnder the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), all development, unless specifically exempted under the Act or associated Regulations, requires planning permission.
Articles 6, 7, 8 and 10 and Schedule 2 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended (the Regulations), set out various exemptions from the requirement to obtain planning permission.
Under the regulations, the development of a number of types of agricultural buildings and structures are already generally exempt from planning permission. Any such exemptions are subject to compliance with any general restrictions on exemptions set out in the Act or the Regulations and to the specific conditions set out in each class of exempted development in Schedule 2 of the Regulations.
Exemptions from the requirement to obtain planning permission in respect of specific forms of development are provided for when they are considered to be consistent with proper planning and sustainable development.
I have no proposals to further amend the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 in this regard at this point in time.
58. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason that his Department’s monthly homeless report no longer provides data on single parent family homelessness; and if he will ensure that all future monthly homeless reports include a breakdown of family homelessness by single and two parent families. [5301/22]
View answerMy Department publishes data on a monthly basis regarding the number of homeless persons accommodated in all forms of emergency accommodation funded and overseen by housing authorities. These reports are based on data provided by housing authorities and are produced through the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS), the single integrated national data information system on State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements overseen by housing authorities. PASS is an active case and bed management and client support system and is administrated by the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE).
From July 2021, all reports have been run from an updated version of the PASS system. My Department was made aware at the time of an issue that arose as a result of the update. Although the system continues to accurately allow reporting of individuals, families and dependants in emergency accommodation, it is no longer allows for the separation of the number of single parent families from the total number of families. The DRHE has been working actively with the developer of the system to fix this issue. Engagement continues between my Department and the DRHE on this matter, and this data will be restored to the monthly homelessness report after an appropriate fix has been implemented.
59. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the qualifying criteria for the new €30,000 derelict house refurbishment scheme; when the scheme will be open for applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5338/22]
View answerI refer to the reply to Question No 331 of 1 February, 2022 which sets out the current position on this matter.
60. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will extend article 10(6) an exemption change of use from commercial to residential; if the classes that qualify for the exemption will be expanded upon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5369/22]
View answerThe Planning and Development (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2018, which came into operation on 8 February 2018, provide for an exemption from the requirement to obtain planning permission in respect of the change of use of certain vacant commercial premises to residential use, including the conversion of vacant areas above ground floor commercial premises to residential use. This measure was aimed at facilitating the productive re-use of qualifying vacant commercial buildings as homes, while also facilitating urban renewal and the bringing on stream of increased housing supply. The original expiry date of the Regulations was 31 December 2021 which was subsequently extended to 25 February 2022 arising from the Covid-related shutdown of the planning system for 8 weeks during the period March to May 2020, which extended all planning timelines by 8 weeks.
The Government's plan for housing - Housing for All commits to reviewing and extending the 2018 regulations to the end of 2025.
Under section 262(4) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, legislative proposals in relation to exempted development require the approval of both Houses of the Oireachtas before they can be signed into law. It is intended to submit draft regulations in this regard to the Oireachtas for approval shortly.
61. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there is a requirement on the CEO of a local authority to respond to a person who makes a submission to a Draft County Development Plan on receipt of same; and if so, the time-frame for same. [5461/22]
View answerPursuant to Section 11(1)(a) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), not later than 4 years after the making of a development plan, a planning authority shall give notice of its intention to review its existing development plan and to prepare a new development plan for its area. As part of each stage of the review, there is a clear and structured approach governing the public consultation processes, specifying the role of the executive and the role of the elected members.
As provided for under Section 12(1) of the Act, any written submissions or observations with respect to the draft development plan which are made to the planning authority within the period stated in the notice (which must be not less than 10 weeks), must be taken into account before the making of the plan.
Section 12(4) of the Act sets out the procedures and timeframes for dealing with submissions and the preparation of a report by a Chief Executive of a planning authority. Within 22 weeks of publication of notice of public display of the draft development plan, the Chief Executive must prepare a report on all submissions or observations received on the draft development plan, and must submit this report to the elected members for their consideration. A Chief Executive’s report must be published on the website of the planning authority concerned as soon as practicable following submission to the members of the authority.
In accordance with the Act, the Chief Executive's report must list the persons or bodies who made submissions or observations and provide a summary of:
(i) the recommendations, submissions and observations made by the Office of the Planning Regulator;
(ii) the submissions and observations made by any other persons, in relation to the draft development plan;
(iii) give the response of the Chief Executive to the issues raised, taking account of
- any directions of the members given in relation to the draft development plan prior to publication, or the committee under section 11(4) of the Act;
- the proper planning and sustainable development of the area;
- the statutory obligations of any local authority in the area; and
- any relevant policies or objectives of the Government or of any Minister of the Government; and,
- if appropriate, any observations made by the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in relation to protected structures under Section 12(3)(b)(iv).
As such, the Chief Executive must respond in the Chief Executive’s report, to the issues raised by all persons, taking account of the relevant planning considerations, within 22 weeks of giving notice of public display of a draft development plan.
The elected members of the planning authority then have a further 12 weeks to consider the Chief Executive’s Report and to determine whether the draft development plan may be adopted, or whether it is necessary to propose further material amendment to the draft development plan, which must then be further displayed in public for submissions or observations, prior to final adoption of the plan.
62. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there is a support available for persons with a lack of means to pay for testing their homes which are potentially affected by MICA or pyrite given that it is causing a lot of worry stress to these homeowners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5482/22]
View answerI brought a Memorandum to Government on an enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme on 30 November 2021 and it included an unprecedented suite of improvements to the current scheme. Government approved the enhanced scheme which it is estimated will cost approximately €2.2Bn. The comprehensive changes include:
- The current 90% maximum grant will be increased to a 100% grant for all remediation options 1-5.
- The maximum grant cap for option 1 (demolition and rebuild) will be increased from €247,500 to €420,000.
- The grant calculation methodology in respect of option 1 remediation will be based on a cost per square foot with costings to be set by my Department in consultation with the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI). An indicative rate of €145 per square foot for the first 1,000 sq foot with a sliding scale thereafter has been announced by my Department and this will be subject to review as required in line with construction cost changes. In the case of remediation options 2-5 a similar but necessarily different approach will be taken to inform the appropriate rate for blockwork removal and replacement following consultation with SCSI.
- A revised application process will be introduced which will only require the homeowner to submit an initial ‘Building Condition Assessment’ at minimal cost recoupable on entry to the Scheme. The Housing Agency will take over testing, sampling and categorisation of homes on behalf of homeowners and local authorities and will thereafter recommend the appropriate remediation option and grant amount for each home.
- Alternative accommodation and storage costs are to be included, subject to a maximum of €20,000.
- €5,000 will be available for essential immediate repair works recommended by a building professional as part of the Building Condition Assessment process.
- In relation to works carried out under remediation options 2-5, a second grant option, will be available for such a home in the future if blockwork which was not removed as part of the initial remediation work subsequently proves defective in accordance with the IS:465 standard. - A new independent appeals process will be introduced.
- The Scheme will be extended beyond the current scope of Principal Private Residences only, to also cover Residential Tenancies Board registered rental properties, subject to the introduction of a clawback mechanism upon re-sale within a set time period depending on the remediation option used. Opportunities for the State to acquire such rental properties for social housing purposes will also be examined.
Full details in relation to the changes announced are available at the following link;
www.gov.ie/en/press-release/e365e-minister-obrien-announces-enhancements-to-the-defective-concrete-block-scheme/
I aim to bring the required primary legislation to give effect to the enhanced scheme before the Oireachtas as soon as possible with Spring 2022 being the indicative target timeline.
In the immediate term I am making amendments to the Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks in Construction (Remediation) (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2020 which will allow for the recoupment of Engineer fees to homeowners who have applied for entry into the scheme. Furthermore, as part of these amended regulations, €5,000 will be recoupable as an allowable cost under the scheme for essential immediate repair works which are deemed necessary by a homeowners engineer under a Building Condition Assessment report.
63. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the correspondence or meetings he has had with the Russian Ambassador in relation to naval exercises conducted by the Russian military off of the Irish coast. [5242/22]
View answerLast week, following extensive engagement with the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Dublin, I wrote to the Minister of Defence of Russia, Sergey Shoygu, to request a reconsideration of the planned Russian naval exercises off the Irish coast. Officials from my Department, including the Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs, also held several additional discussions with the Russian Ambassador in this regard.
In the course of this engagement with the Russian authorities, I raised a number of concerns in relation to the naval exercises, in particular in the context of the current political and security environment in Europe. I also drew attention to the concerns of the Government and other stakeholders in respect of the potential impact on fisheries and on other marine life in the area of the planned exercises.
On 29 January, I received a response from Minister Shoygu, confirming that the exercise will be relocated outside of Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone. I have welcomed this response.
More broadly, Ireland remains concerned at the wider security situation in Europe. Together with our EU partners, our focus remains very much on diplomacy and de-escalation and the ongoing efforts in this regard.
64. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the heads of state with whom he has raised the British amnesty for crimes by British service members during the Troubles; the response of each respective head of state; and the further actions he plans to take to garner international support against the amnesty. [5243/22]
View answerThe Government has made clear that a Statue of Limitations with respect to Troubles-related offenses, as proposed in the UK Government’s command paper last July, is not something we could support. It has been opposed by all parties in Northern Ireland, and, crucially, by victims and survivors. We have also cautioned very strongly against unilateral action by the UK Government in this most sensitive space.
The Taoiseach has conveyed these concerns to Prime Minister Johnson, and at every available opportunity I have underlined this message to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
In engagements with my EU counterparts, I have made clear the Government’s position when I update them on the latest developments with respect to Northern Ireland. We have also been very clear in our interventions in the Council of Europe that the rule of law and the protections afforded by the European Convention on Human Rights must apply equally to everyone and must be upheld, and this principle is at the core of the Stormont House framework. I would note that the UN Special Rapporteur has expressed their grave concerns with regard to the UK’s proposals, as has the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights.
We have also been engaging with US contacts in the Administration and Congress on this issue. We have made clear that the proposal for a Statute of Limitations is not one that we could support.
In 2014, together with the UK Government and the parties in Northern Ireland, we reached the Stormont House Agreement which provided for a balanced and comprehensive framework to address the legacy of the past. We have consistently said that we are ready to engage with concerns or issues to do with the implementation of the Stormont House agreement but any such changes must be discussed and agreed by the parties and both Governments. It is vital that any approach is collective if it is to work, and crucially, that it meets both the needs of victims and our shared international human rights obligations.
65. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has raised with any British government official the issue of British collusion with loyalist paramilitaries and barriers to investigating that collusion imposed by British security authorities; and if so, the officials he raised it with. [5244/22]
View answerI have consistently raised the need to comprehensively address the legacy of the past with the British Government, including at the British-Irish Inter-Governmental Conference, the latest of which took place in London on 2 December. I am in regular contact with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with the party leaders in Northern Ireland, and with victims and civil society organisations as we continue to press for progress on this issue.
The Government agreed to take part, together with the UK Government and the Northern Ireland parties, in a legacy engagement process which began in July last year, with the aim of finding a collective way forward on these issues. We also continue to raise individual legacy cases and the urgent need for access to information, including with respect to the Dublin-Monaghan bombings and the murder of Pat Finucane.
The Government has of course noted the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland's report into 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. This is an important report and we are studying it carefully.
The publication of this report was undoubtedly a significant and emotional moment for the families who lost loved ones as a result of this violence, and indeed for all families across the island who have shared that terrible experience and have had to campaign for decades to access the truth. It has been the consistent position of the Government that all families deserve access to information and a process of justice for their loved one, regardless of the perpetrator. Too many families have been waiting for too long.
A comprehensive legacy framework, as we set out in the Stormont House Agreement, is urgently needed. 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 levels to make clear that a Statute of Limitations is not an approach we could support, and 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. The rule of law and the protections afforded by the European Convention on Human Rights must apply equally to everyone and must be upheld.
66. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the call by the President of France to include abortion in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. [5245/22]
View answerCoinciding with the beginning of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the President of France set out an overview of his views on a range of issues in a speech to the European Parliament in January. In a wide-ranging address, President Macron expressed a view that the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights should be updated so as to be more explicit about certain issues including “environmental protection and recognition of the right to abortion”.
The provisions of the Charter of Fundamental Rights are addressed to the Member States only when they are implementing EU law. Naturally, any proposed amendments to the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights would require very extensive consideration and debate and would need the agreement of all Member States. As no concrete proposals are in place, the Government has not yet given this matter consideration. Furthermore, the Department of Health is the lead Department in respect of Ireland’s policy on sexual and reproductive health rights.
67. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount of funding provided by Ireland in 2020 and 2021 to the United Nations broken down by UN body and committee, to international organisations by body or committee and in foreign aid by country in tabular form. [5246/22]
View answerIn line with A Better World, Ireland's international development policy, and international best practice, Ireland delivers its Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme through a range of different channels. These channels include funding through Multilateral Organisations, Non-Government Organisations and in partner countries amongst others. As part of Ireland's membership of the EU Ireland also contributes to EU development efforts.
Details of funding for 2020 to the EU, multilateral organisations, including UN Agencies Funds and Programmes, and the top thirty recipients of bilateral funding from Ireland, are set out below.
My Department publishes an annual report on Ireland's ODA programme, also known as Irish Aid, each year, detailing the totality of spend across Government on international development - approximately 60 percent of Ireland’s total ODA is administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs with the balance administered though other Departments. The annual report includes a series of annexes detailing statistical information collated in accordance with agreed OECD standards on programme expenditure which show the distribution of aid, the amounts allocated to priority focus areas and amounts given through the various channels and countries. The annual report serves as a core accountability and transparency tool, providing a comprehensive overview of expenditure under the aid programme, and demonstrating the results that have been achieved. Annual Reports for 2020 and previous years are available on the Irish Aid website. The report on 2021 will be available later this year.
Funding to the EU and to Multilateral Organisations 2020
|
€000s |
|
|
European Union Institutions |
230,106 |
|
UN Agencies Fund or Commission |
198,282 |
|
Other Multilateral Institutions |
40,209 |
|
World Bank Group |
39,202 |
|
Regional Development Banks |
23,281 |
|
World Trade Organisation |
1,700 |
|
Grand Total |
532,780 |
Top 30 Recipient Countries of Ireland's Bilateral ODA 2020*
|
Ethiopia |
39,677 |
|
Mozambique |
25,784 |
|
Tanzania |
22,901 |
|
Uganda |
22,762 |
|
Malawi |
20,844 |
|
Sierra Leone |
14,626 |
|
Zimbabwe |
8,771 |
|
Palestine |
8,619 |
|
South Sudan |
8,606 |
|
Kenya |
8,060 |
|
Vietnam |
7,539 |
|
Democratic Republic of the Congo |
7,155 |
|
Syrian Arab Republic |
6,771 |
|
Somalia |
6,727 |
|
Sudan |
6,142 |
|
Yemen |
6,027 |
|
Zambia |
5,718 |
|
Turkey |
5,533 |
|
Central African Republic |
5,037 |
|
Liberia |
4,696 |
|
South Africa |
4,622 |
|
Jordan |
3,908 |
|
Lebanon |
3,771 |
|
Niger |
3,481 |
|
Afghanistan |
2,779 |
|
Colombia |
2,439 |
|
Bangladesh |
2,290 |
|
Myanmar |
2,263 |
|
Chad |
2,248 |
|
Rwanda |
1,891 |
*In the case of countries with major humanitarian crises, funding may be allocated to neighbouring countries or on a non-country specific basis. Figures for Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan include support to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
