Written Answers Nos. 381-400
382. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if Ireland will offer its support to Ukraine by sending independent human rights monitors to monitor the rights compliance at the borders of Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16393/22]
View answerSince the illegal, unprovoked and unjustified further invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces on 24 February, Ireland has stood in unwavering solidarity with the people and government of Ukraine.
Ireland’s approach, in order to be most effective, is to provide support through multilateral partners, including the UN, EU, International Criminal Court, Council of Europe and the OSCE. Our efforts are aimed at bringing an end to this war, ensuring accountability for violations of international humanitarian and human rights law and meeting the humanitarian needs of those caught in the conflict.
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine was deployed in 2014 and operates at the invitation of the Government of Ukraine to monitor, report and advocate on the human rights situation in the country, with a particular focus initially on the conflict area in eastern Ukraine and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, occupied by the Russian Federation.
Since 24 February 2022, when the Russian Federation began its armed attack on Ukraine, the Mission has been closely monitoring its impact on human rights across the country.
Ireland has prioritised the issue of Ukraine at the ongoing 49th session of the Human Rights Council. On 2nd March, at the high level segment of the session, I focused on the situation in Ukraine, calling for an immediate ceasefire, unconditional withdrawal of Russian forces, full respect for human rights and the holding to account of all perpetrators of violations and abuses of human rights.
Ireland strongly supported support Ukraine’s formal request for an Urgent Debate at the Human Rights Council. Ireland was also an original co-sponsor of the resolution on the situation of human rights in Ukraine, adopted by the Human Rights Council on 4th March, establishing a Commission of Inquiry on the alleged abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law in the context of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
On 25 March, Ireland joined a Group of Friends of Accountability to ensure that those who commit crimes as part of Russia's invasion are held fully accountable.
We remain fully committed to maintaining a strong, united approach across multilateral fora, to highlight violations and abuses of human rights, and to hold the perpetrators to account.
384. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a passport applicant that cancels a passport application can avail of a refund. [16479/22]
View answerAn applicant who cancels their passport application will receive a full refund for the application. A request to cancel an application can be made by contacting the Passport Service Customer Service team via phone on 01.671.1633 or webchat on my Department’s website (www.dfa.ie/passports/contact/).
385. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a passport can be processed on time for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo in view of the fact that they have imminent travel plans. [16491/22]
View answerWith regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, this is a Passport Express application which was received on 14 March 2022. The current turnaround time for Passport Express applications is 8 weeks.
386. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if it will be ensured that a new passport is issued to a person (details supplied) whose original passport was issued from the Irish Embassy, New Delhi, India and subsequent passport issued by the passport office in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16493/22]
View answerWith regard to the person referred to by the Deputy, there is no current passport application under that name with the Passport Service.
387. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of a foreign birth registration application by a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon given that this application was registered on 21 December 2020 and for familial reasons this person urgently requires the application to be processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16575/22]
View answerMy Department is responsible for citizenship by descent through the Foreign Births Register under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended.
The processing of Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) has resumed and will be gradually scaling up in line with the recruitment of additional resources. Due to the complex nature of the FBR 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 FBR applications at this time. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, and the subsequent reassignment of FBR staff to assist in the provision of essential passport services, the FBR Service was paused for nearly 15 months across the 2020-2021 period.
The application referenced was registered on 21 December 2020, and is being stored in a secure environment.
FBR staff continue to provide an emergency service for Foreign Birth Registration in cases of exceptional urgency, such as expectant parents, or stateless persons. Such applicants can contact the Passport Service directly. For other applications, the FBR service operates a transparent general policy of processing applications in order of receipt.
My Department is fully committed to the continued allocation of additional resources over the coming period to assist with the processing of the FBR applications currently on hand and the high volume of new applications anticipated this year.
389. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Defence if the closed Columb Barracks, Mullingar, County Westmeath has been considered as potential accommodation for those fleeing the war in Ukraine. [15976/22]
View answerI am advised that the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth have not made such request from my Department. The Deputy can be assured that my Department, together with the Defence Forces, will consider such a request if these premises are required.
390. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Defence if he will consider meeting with a person (details supplied) who has requested the rededication of a grave. [15978/22]
View answerI understand that enquiries have been received in relation to a Community led initiative to mark the centenary of the death of Brigadier General George Adamson which due to take place next month and this request is currently receiving attention by my Department and the Defence Forces.
I am not aware of any matters that have been raised in relation to the rededication of a grave. If there is a particular enquiry in this regard, the Deputy is welcome to provide details to my Department and matters arising will be considered.
391. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Defence if the process for members of the Defence Forces returning from duty meeting their family at Dublin Airport has changed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16027/22]
View answerThe arrangements for the arrival home of troops from overseas peacekeeping duties, including the involvement of their families, are managed by the Defence Forces in strict accordance with the prevailing public health guidelines. The Defence Forces also comply with the requirements of Dublin Airport Authority which is responsible for all arrangements in relation to the presence of individuals within the environs of Dublin Airport including military personnel and their families.
392. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Defence the number of retainers his Department has with outside organisations; and the cost of each retainer in tabular form. [16146/22]
View answerMy Department currently has no retainers with any outside organisations.
393. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Defence the external consultancy organisation or provider which delivered diversity and inclusion training within his Department in each of the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022; the costs associated with such services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16370/22]
View answerMy Department utilises a range of learning and development resources delivered by Department staff and through the Civil Service training body, One Learning. This is occasionally supplemented by external providers.
The table below outlines external costs incurred for diversity and inclusion training:
|
Year |
Training |
Provider |
Cost |
|
2019 |
Unconscious Bias |
Shannon Consulting |
€1,700 |
|
2020/2021 |
Unconscious Bias in the Workplace – eLearning |
Optima Training & Consulting Ltd |
€340 |
|
2021 |
Disability Awareness Training |
Ability Focus |
€102.85 |
|
To date in 2022 |
Nil |
394. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Defence if any consideration has been given to sending military equipment to Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16392/22]
View answerOn the 14th of March, I approved the provision of approximately 10 tonnes or 5,000 units of ready-to-eat meals (MREs) and 200 units of body armour to Ukraine. These supplies have already been transported by Defence Forces personnel to a Polish logistics hub which was established for the co-ordination, administration and delivery of military equipment (lethal and non-lethal), from donating EU Member States and third countries to Ukraine. This contribution comes from existing Defence Forces’ stocks and forms a specific element of Ireland’s support via the European Peace Facility towards the provision of non-lethal equipment.
As regards the provision of lethal equipment, the Programme for Government clearly states that Ireland will not fund lethal equipment through the EPF. This is the basis on which Ireland’s involvement in the EPF was decided by the Government and agreed with our EU partners. Ireland's entire financial contribution to the EPF measures will, therefore, be used for the provision of non-lethal equipment for the armed forces of Ukraine.
To date, the Government (through the Department of Foreign Affairs) has contributed approx. €11 million through the European Peace Facility to the EU’s initial package of €500 million in military assistance for Ukraine. This support has now been doubled to €1 billion and Ireland will now contribute a further €11 million, all of which will go towards non-lethal elements.
The Irish Government is also providing €20 million in humanitarian aid, as well as medical supplies. Those funds are already being disbursed through our partners in Ukraine and neighbouring countries.
395. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Defence the process and criteria for a non-commissioned officer to be retrospectively promoted; and the number of occasions that same has happened in 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022. [16568/22]
View answerResponsibility for managing the process of the promotion of non-commissioned officers of the Permanent Defence Force lies with the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces. In terms of the criteria for the promotion of this cohort, the process is reviewed by civil/military management and agreed in advance of each NCO promotion competition in consultation with the Representative Body, PDFORRA. The consultation process for the 2022 NCO promotion competition was completed earlier this month and the competition launched on Wednesday 23rd of March 2022.
396. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost of including the school bus sector in the €100 emergency support scheme that has been introduced for licensed hauliers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16468/22]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.
The purpose of the Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
The Department of Education is considering in consultation with other relevant departments and Bus Éireann the implications that increasing fuel costs may have on the provision of school transport services. The Department is also very aware of the potential impact of the current situation unfolding in Ukraine which is impacting fuel prices further.
Government has announced a reduction in excise on fuel will result in a decrease in the cost of fuel. The reduction of 20 cent per litre on petrol and 15 cent per litre on diesel will be in place until 31 August at an estimated cost of €320m. This is a national measure aimed at easing the financial burden on contractors and families at this time.
397. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if she will address a matter in relation to Bus Éireann school transport (details supplied) in County Westmeath. [16567/22]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.
The purpose of the Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
Under the terms of the Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kms from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes. Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the Scheme nationally.
Routes are planned so that, as far as possible, no eligible child will have more than 2.4 kilometres to travel to a pick-up point. Children living off the main route of a service are generally expected to make their own way, or to be brought to convenient pick-up points along the main route.
Bus Éireann advise the family referred reside 1.2 kilometres from a pick up point which is within the travel limit of 2.4 kilometres mentioned above.
398. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Education the status of the proposed new school building for a school (details supplied) following a grant of planning permission in 2020. [15821/22]
View answerThe major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) – Detailed Design, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Safety Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured.
The Stage 2(b) report has been submitted to my Department for review. In order to expedite progress, the design team has recently been authorised to commence the pre-qualification process to select a short-list of contractors in parallel with the review of the Stage 2(b) report.
Upon review of the Stage 2(b) report and completion of the pre-qualification process and subject to no issues arising, my Department will be in contact with the Design Team and school with regard to the further progression of this project to the next stage of architectural planning - Stage 3 (Tender Stage).
A tender stage normally takes between 7 and 8 months to complete.
399. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Education if her Department will reconsider a decision made for the location of prefabs in the case of a school (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15845/22]
View answer403. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Education if all the options have been examined for the placement of a modular unit at a school (details supplied); if alternative options have been discussed with the management of the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15935/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 399 and 403 together.
The school to which the deputy refers requires interim temporary accommodation to meet its short-term accommodation needs. The Department is engaged with the school in question and its design team with a view to delivering the required level of provision as safely and expeditiously as possible.
Having considered all available areas extensively, the intended location of the temporary accommodation has been identified as the most appropriate site available to the school by the school's design team. This has been conveyed to, discussed with and agreed with the school authorities.
The Department will consider any viable proposals made by the school and its design team in terms of play space that may be displaced as a result of this project. The matter is currently with the school’s design team to progress.
400. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education if an emergency works grant can be approved for a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15876/22]
View answerI would like to inform the Deputy that the school in question submitted an application for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme for External Environment Works on the 24th of February 2022. The application was approved on the 1st of March 2022. As this is a devolved project the responsibility for progressing the works lies with the school authority.
