Written Answers Nos. 86-100
86. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to any future intentions by the Russian military to revisit its plans to carry out naval exercises off the Irish coast; if Ireland has a contingency plan in the event of such a scenario; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22648/22]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that, when Russia proposed to conduct naval exercises in part of Ireland's Exclusive Economic Zone in February, I wrote to the Russian government and requested that these planned exercises in Ireland's EEZ not take place. The Russian government acceded to this request.
I am not aware of any future intentions by the Russian Federation to carry out naval exercises off the Irish coast. I will not comment publicly on any aspect of military contingency planning.
87. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has summoned the Russian Ambassador over Russian state television depiction of a nuclear attack upon Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22905/22]
View answer89. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to Russian state television broadcasting a video simulating the obliteration of Ireland and Britain by a tsunami caused by a Russian nuclear weapon; if he has raised the matter with his Russian counterpart; if so, if he has received a response; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22647/22]
View answer102. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, his Department has given further consideration to the expulsion of the Russian Ambassador given the escalation of violent rhetoric, by Russian state television against a militarily neutral country such as Ireland. [22906/22]
View answer119. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he expects there to be any further reduction in the Russian diplomatic presence in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22916/22]
View answer135. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a protest was made to the Russian embassy in relation to the recent simulations of nuclear attacks on Ireland on Russian state television; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22922/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 87, 89, 102, 119 and 135 together.
I am aware of a broadcast on a Russian television station which contained an animation depicting a wave hitting Ireland and Britain, caused by a Russian nuclear weapon.
We should not allow ourselves be distracted by such rhetoric from the real atrocities being committed by Russian forces in Ukraine.
At the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, I condemned Russia’s move to raise the alert levels of its strategic forces. There can be no justification for threatening use of nuclear weapons. In particular, I recall the statement of the heads of the five Nuclear Weapon States, including Russia, in January 2022, that ‘a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought’.
Ireland continues to urge maximum restraint, de-escalation and the avoidance of any nuclear rhetoric, which will only worsen an already dangerous and unpredictable situation.
The judgement that the government has made is that despite our strong disagreement with the actions taken by Russia, it is better to keep diplomatic channels open, for a number of reasons. The first, fundamental, reason is that open lines of communication facilitate diplomacy - which is more important than ever in a conflict situation. Communication with the Ambassador also allows us to directly convey our disagreement with the Russian Government as it continues to fall short of its obligations. On 29 March, the Ambassador was informed that four senior officials from the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Dublin were being expelled.
Secondly, diplomatic engagement helps us to better protect Irish interests, and to protect our citizens - in Russia and the five central Asian republics for which Ireland is represented by our Embassy in Moscow.
Finally, we need to consider our actions within the context of the wider EU response. Like all of our other responses during this crisis, we are coordinating closely with EU Member States and like minded partners.
88. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his recent trip to the United States of America; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22926/22]
View answerI travelled to the United States from 27 - 29 April for engagements in Washington, D.C. and Boston.
In Washington D.C., I participated in a public discussion at the German Marshall Fund on Ireland’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as Ireland’s unique position within the transatlantic relationship. I underscored the need for strong international cooperation in support of the international rules based order, now more than ever.
My engagements with senior officials from President Biden’s administration, including National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, as well as my meetings on Capitol Hill, were valuable opportunities to discuss priority issues, particularly in relation to Northern Ireland, Brexit, immigration, and foreign policy issues such as Ukraine, the JCPOA, and Syria.
On Northern Ireland, it was clear to me in my discussions that this remains a priority on a bipartisan basis across the political system in the US. The role of the US Special Envoy to NI has been greatly valued by the Irish government over many years, and the appointment of a new Envoy was something I emphasized in my exchanges.
I was also pleased to visit Boston, a city with a large and historic Irish-American population. I participated in a number of engagements including at the JFK Presidential Library, Harvard University, and Boston College, where I discussed developments in NI, Ukraine, and the EU-US relationship, and met with the local Irish community.
My meetings with Governor Baker and members of the Massachusetts State House were a great opportunity to reaffirm Ireland’s strong historic, political and economic links with Massachusetts and to explore how we might strengthen them further.
90. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when the last meeting of the Interdepartmental Committee on Diaspora Policy was held; if engagement has taken place since with groups that work with returning Irish citizens to address the shortcomings experienced in the areas of visa processing times for non-European Union spouses, foreign birth registrations and the application of the habitual residence condition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22997/22]
View answerThe most recent in-person meeting of the Interdepartmental Committee on Diaspora Policy took place in February 2021. Two subsequent in-person meetings were postponed due to Covid restrictions with discussions taking place online at official level. The next meeting of the Committee is scheduled to take place at the end of this month.
The new Diaspora Strategy 2020-2025 pledges to monitor barriers to returning emigrants and undertakes to adopt measures to remove them where possible as well as to improve the provision of information to our communities abroad on returning to Ireland.
To this end, my Department continually engages with other Government Departments and Agencies as well as with a broad range of organisations both in Ireland and overseas, to support returning Irish citizens and their families. In 2021 the Government provided over €850,000 to such partner organisations, representing nearly 10% of all annual funding provided through the Emigrant Support Programme. On the issues outlined by the Deputy my Department is working with our partner support organisations such as Crosscare, Safe Home and the Coalition of Irish Immigration Centres to identify and address, with the relevant Government Departments and Agencies, the obstacles with that emigrants, and more especially their family members, can face when returning home.
The Government focus over the past two years has been on the immediate response to Covid, to ensure our emigrants and diaspora were receiving the immediate help and support required. Now that we are fortunately moving on from the worst impact of the pandemic, the Interdepartmental Committee will again become the key driver across Government for further measures to ease the process of return for our emigrants. An increase in the number of returning emigrants is expected now that the travel restrictions imposed by Covid are being lifted.
The response to Covid and in recent weeks to the situation in Ukraine has shown that Government Departments are responsive as urgent needs arise. I am hopeful we will see a continuation of that flexibility when it comes to supporting our returning emigrants who have been through much hardship by being separated from family and friends over the past two years.
92. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his assessment of the outcome of the Assembly elections in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22649/22]
View answerThe people of Northern Ireland came out in sizeable numbers to take part in the democratic process and to make their voices heard. It is now for the parties to work together to form an Executive to serve all of the people of Northern Ireland.
It is important, in the first instance, to acknowledge everyone that contested the election and congratulate those who have been elected.
It will take time to assess the full implications of the election results. However, two things are immediately striking. Firstly, the fact that, for the first time, a nationalist party, Sinn Féin, are entitled to nominate the First Minister. Secondly, there is the growth in the number of MLAs elected representing the Alliance Party, who designate as neither nationalist nor unionist.
In the period immediately following the election, it is for the political parties to come together to negotiate a Programme for Government and form an Executive, as the elected representatives of their constituencies. The Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Act, enacted by the UK Government in 2022, gives effect to the stability provisions of the New Decade, New Approach agreement. The Act provides for a period of six weeks following the first meeting of the Assembly for the Northern Irish parties to form an Executive, followed by a further eighteen week period. However, the results of the election show a clear desire for a functioning and effective Assembly and Executive, and it is to be hoped that the parties will form an Executive as swiftly as possible.
I would like to see the early establishment of an Executive.
While there are challenges around the Protocol, discussions on the application of the Protocol proceeded previously in parallel with the work of the Assembly and the Executive. They can do so again. Those discussions should not be an impediment to the formation of the Executive.
I and my officials have remained and continue to remain in regular contact with the parties in Northern Ireland. I am also in frequent contact with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
We will continue to engage with the parties and the British Government, to support the full functioning of the democratic institutions of the Good Friday Agreement. I hope that we will see the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement up and running as soon as possible. I will continue to remain in contact with the Secretary of State, as both Governments work in partnership as co-guarantors of the Agreement, in support of power-sharing and a peaceful and prosperous future for all the people of Northern Ireland.
93. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of the online portal that will allow queries for all application types to be submitted directly to the Passport Office by Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22869/22]
View answerThe Passport Service is developing an online portal that will allow Oireachtas Members to query the status of passport applications on behalf of their constituents.
The testing element of this project is yet to be completed. Once the online portal is finalised, the Passport Service expects to roll it out over the summer of this year.
In the meantime, Members of the Oireachtas can avail of the temporary phone line that was established in October 2021 to respond to Members' queries on urgent passport cases.
In each case raised by an Oireachtas Member, the Passport Service reviews the application in question. However, applications can only be expedited in cases of genuine emergency such as a need for urgent medical treatment overseas or the death of a family member abroad. Such applications are expedited through the Travel Emergency service.
In cases where the estimated issue-by date has passed and all required supporting documents have been submitted, the Passport Service will prioritise the application to ensure that no further delay is experienced.
Passport applicants can also track the status of their passport application online via the Passport Tracker which is available on my Department's website - www.dfa.ie/passporttracking/
94. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his recent visit to Kyiv; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22894/22]
View answer136. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his recent visit to Bucha; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22663/22]
View answer144. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his recent trip to Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22927/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 94, 136 and 144 together.
On 14 April I visited Kyiv and the town of Bucha. I was the first Foreign Minister to visit Kyiv since the Russian invasion began on 24 February. While in Ukraine, I met with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov.
I expressed solidarity with and extended condolences to Minister Kuleba and the people of Ukraine. I outlined Ireland’s contribution to humanitarian assistance and EU sanctions decisions. I also made clear that Ireland's role on the UN Security Council, the upcoming seat on the Executive Board of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, and upcoming Chairmanship of the Council of Europe can be useful in highlighting the conflict in Ukraine and tackling disinformation by Russia as it occurs. I highlighted Ireland’s clear support for the fast tracking of Ukraine’s EU membership ambitions, and indicated that Ireland would continue to take a leadership role on this issue.
Defence Minister Reznikov briefed me on the situation on the ground in Ukraine, and we also discussed Ireland’s humanitarian assistance, as well as our active roles in settings such as the EU, the UN Security Council, the Council of Europe and the Human Rights Council.
I visited Bucha, a town 25 kilometres outside Kyiv, and met with its mayor, Mr Anatoliy Fedoruk. I saw mass graves in Bucha, where 503 civilians had been identified. I expressed the condolences of the Irish Government and people, and said that I would bear witness to the terrible atrocities in Bucha and raise this internationally, I briefed the UN Security Council the next week on what I had seen in Bucha. Those who perpetrated these heinous crimes must be brought to justice.
During the visit, I also announced additional funding of €3m to the International Criminal Court, with an initial €1m being given to the Prosecutor’s Office and the further €2m to the International Criminal Court at a later stage. This will assist with regard to all situations before the court.
95. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of passport applications from counties Longford and Westmeath, respectively that are currently outstanding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22923/22]
View answer106. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of passport applications from counties Limerick and Clare, respectively that are currently outstanding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22918/22]
View answer115. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of passport applications from counties Tipperary and Waterford, respectively that are currently outstanding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22920/22]
View answer116. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of passport applications from counties Carlow, Kilkenny and Wexford, respectively that are currently outstanding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22982/22]
View answer127. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of passport applications from counties Offaly and Laois, respectively that are currently outstanding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22921/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 95, 106, 115, 116 and 127 together.
The numbers of passport applications currently in the Passport Service system from counties Carlow, Clare, Kilkenny, Laois, Limerick, Longford, Offaly, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath and Wexford are outlined below in tabular form.
The table also breaks down the number of applications from each county that are currently being processed by the Passport Service and the number of applications from each county that require further action from the applicant, such as the submission of additional documentation.
|
County |
Total applications in system |
Passport Service processing |
Further action required by applicant |
|
Carlow |
1,048 |
610 |
438 |
|
Clare |
1,818 |
1,092 |
726 |
|
Kilkenny |
1,580 |
944 |
636 |
|
Laois |
1,366 |
811 |
555 |
|
Limerick |
3,113 |
1,871 |
1,242 |
|
Longford |
619 |
354 |
265 |
|
Offaly |
1,199 |
710 |
489 |
|
Tipperary |
2,468 |
1,451 |
1,017 |
|
Waterford |
2,002 |
1,202 |
800 |
|
Westmeath |
1,488 |
909 |
579 |
|
Wexford |
2,342 |
1,378 |
964 |
96. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he or his Department have engaged with representatives of the Colombian government with regard to the purchasing of coal or fossil fuels of any kind from Colombia. [22975/22]
View answerI can confirm that neither I nor officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs have engaged with representatives of the Colombian government in regard to the purchasing of coal or fossil fuels of any kind from Colombia.
As the Deputy will appreciate, matters relating to the import and export of coal, and policy in this regard, do not fall under the remit of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
More broadly on these issues, my Department works closely with the multi-stakeholder Implementation Group for the National Plan on Business and Human Rights. This Group regularly engages with experts and considers best practice. Most recently, at the Group’s request, my Department’s Civil Society Forum, which took place on 27 April, included a session on the EU draft Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence.
In our engagement and relations with Colombia, my Department continues to monitor all issues raised with us by human rights, environmental and indigenous rights defenders, including through the EU Delegation in Bogota and our own Embassy in Colombia, which is actively engaged on these issues.
We recognise that addressing social, land-related and environmental issues is an essential component of Colombia’s peace process and we remain committed to supporting Colombia in the comprehensive implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement and in its transition to a post-conflict society, including by means of funding channeled through the EU, the UN and various NGOs operating in-country.
97. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the support that Ireland is providing to the International Criminal Court; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22917/22]
View answerThe International Criminal Court (ICC) was established as the first permanent international court to end impunity for the perpetrators of international crimes. The Court was established in 2002 with the entry into force of the Rome Statute. By its very existence the Court not only promotes and upholds the rule of law but also provides a means of bringing to account the perpetrators of the most serious crimes of concern to the international community. In this way it contributes in a fundamental way to the cause of international peace and justice.
Ireland has been, and continues to be, a consistent and strong supporter of the ICC. We will continue to publicly support and promote the Court in all relevant international fora, including throughout the remainder of our term on the United Nations Security Council.
In addition to political support for the Court, Ireland strongly believes that the ICC should have sufficient resources to deliver upon its unique and important mandate. The ICC is funded mainly by means of annual assessed contributions made by the States Parties to the Rome Statute, determined every year at the Assembly of States Parties. The total annual budget of the Court for 2022 is just under €155 million, of which Ireland’s assessed contribution is approximately €1.2 million. Ireland has consistently promoted a budget for the Court that is sufficient to meet the many demands placed upon it, and the recently commenced investigation into the situation in Ukraine will considerably increase those demands over coming years.
Some of the Court’s work is also supported by voluntary trust funds established for specific purposes. These include the Trust Fund for Least Developed Countries, the Trust Fund for Victims and the Office of the Prosecutor’s Trust Fund for Advanced Technology and Specialized Capacity.
On 14 April, during my trip to Kyiv and Bucha in Ukraine, I announced that Ireland will make a voluntary contribution of €3 million to the ICC, with €1 million to be distributed immediately to the Office of the Prosecutor’s Trust Fund. This funding will benefit the Prosecutor’s work in all situation countries, not just Ukraine.
Ireland further believes that supporting victims is a critical part of implementing the Rome Statute and ensuring accountability. The ICC’s Trust Fund for Victims was established to respond to the harm resulting from the crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court. Ireland will provide a voluntary contribution of €200,000 to the Trust Fund for Victims in 2022, to be split equally between its reparations and assistance mandates. This brings the total contribution of Ireland to the Trust Fund for Victims to over €1.7 million since 2004.
Finally, mindful that the ICC is the world’s first permanent international criminal court, participation by all States is necessary to achieve the universality of the Rome Statute. Ireland has provided a voluntary contribution of €10,000 to the Trust Fund for Least Developed Countries for 2022. This trust fund provides financial assistance to enable delegates from the least developed countries and other developing states to attend the annual session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute.
98. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the current timeline for first-time passport applicants. [22976/22]
View answer118. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will consider removing the fees for passport applications that are not completed until after the estimated delivery date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22978/22]
View answer148. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his ongoing work at reducing wait times for passport applications; the reason for the delays in updating the online passport tracking system; the reason that members of the public cannot contact the Passport Office given that phone lines are frequently down; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22972/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 98, 118 and 148 together.
Since March of this year, the Passport Service has reduced the processing time for first time applications from 40 working days to 30 working days. This 25% reduction in processing times is as a direct result of the unprecedented level of investment that my Department has made in the Passport Service in terms of additional staff and improvements to the passport processing and customer service systems.
Over 400,000 passports have been issued to date in 2022, compared to a total of 634,000 passports issued in 2021. 117,000 passports were issued in April alone with 45% of adult renewal passports being issued within one to two working days.
First time passport applications do take longer to process than renewal applications and there are a number of reasons for this. First time applications are necessarily complex to process, since, in many cases, they are 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 and extra measures undertaken by highly trained and experienced staff, first time applications are currently taking 30 working days to process.
In terms of staffing, the Department has been working with the Public Appointments Service on a major recruitment drive over the past several months. Since June 2021, over 300 members of staff at all grades have been assigned to the Passport Service.
In addition to this, and to complement staffing recruitment through the Public Appointments Service, the Passport Service is running its own recruitment competition for Temporary Clerical Officers with a view to assigning additional staff and to maintain staffing levels throughout the year to meet the demand expected in the coming months. This competition is currently underway and once completed, will see staffing numbers of over 900 at the Passport Service, which represents a doubling of staff numbers since last summer.
It is a priority for the Passport Service to improve processing times in 2022, particularly for first time applicants. The Passport Service is implementing a number of further measures that will positively impact the current turnaround times and improve customer service including working targeted overtime to focus on key areas such as first time applications, intensive training of staff and enhanced public information resources.
I am confident that the measures that have been implemented will help to further reduce passport turnaround times in the course of 2022, particularly for first time applications, and will assist the Passport Service in meeting the high demand forecast for this year.
With regard to the online Passport Tracker, this tool provides applicants with an indication of how their application is progressing through the system and gives an estimated issue date based on the current average application processing time.
The date displayed on the tracker is an estimate, and is based on the current average processing time for that type of application. For a small number of applications currently in the Passport Service system, the issue by date displayed on the tracker differs from the issue by date on the Passport Service internal processing system by one to three days. The Passport Service regrets any inconvenience caused to applicants who have been affected. The cause of this issue has been identified by the Passport Service and they are working to rectify it.
The Passport Service Customer Service Hub officers respond to customer queries by phone and webchat as well as with enquiries related to Emergency Passport cases. The Customer Service Hub handled over 175,000 enquiries in 2021 and is currently handling over 5,000 customer contacts each week. During times of high demand, there can be delays in getting through to a service agent due to the volumes of enquiries. The Passport Service webchat is also operational and customers should refresh the page if the icon is grey. A webchat operator is available when the icon is green. I am confident that the recruitment of additional staff, along with significant training initiatives, will have a positive impact on our response to customer service demand.
With regard to Deputy Gannon's question in relation to refund of fees for passports that are not issued within the usual turnaround times, the vast majority of fully complete and correct applications are issued within turnaround times. A delay may, for example, be incurred for reasons such as the Passport Service attempting to contact a witness on multiple occasions rather than requesting the applicant to complete a new identity and consent form. Therefore such a measure would be very challenging to implement when the complexities with some applications is taken into consideration.
I strongly urge anyone who is considering travelling overseas this year, particularly families with young children, to check the validity of their passports before booking travel and to apply for their passports online in plenty of time.
99. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the situation in relation to the Northern Ireland protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22919/22]
View answerThe Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland was designed and agreed by the UK and EU to mitigate against the inevitable disruptions arising from Brexit on the island of Ireland and to protect the Good Friday Agreement in all its dimensions.
EU-UK engagement on resolving outstanding issues under the Protocol is an ongoing process. The EU-UK Joint Committee met on 21 February and the Specialised Committee on the Protocol on 8 March.
The EU has listened carefully to the genuine concerns expressed by citizens and business in Northern Ireland about the Protocol, including in the run up to the Northern Ireland Assembly elections.
The clear message I have heard first hand from people and businesses in Northern Ireland is that they want the Protocol to work well. They see the very real opportunities, including for jobs, trade and investment, which are presented by the Protocol for Northern Ireland.
Ireland and the EU also want these to be fully realised. This was why last October the Commission made proposals to address directly the concerns raised by people in Northern Ireland. These include proposals to reduce significantly checks on goods moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and giving people in Northern Ireland a greater say in how the Protocol works. In April, the EU adopted legislation to ensure the continuity of medicines supply to Northern Ireland.
Member States support for minimising disruption in Northern Ireland remains strong. The flexibility shown by the EU now needs to be reciprocated by the UK Government.
I remain in regular contact with counterparts in the EU, UK and the US and I have spoken in recent days to Commission Vice President Maroš Šefcovic, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, Secretary of State Brandon Lewis and US National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan.
Our message is clear. We continue to urge the UK government to engage constructively with the EU. Only joint solutions can provide long-term legal certainty and predictability to Northern Ireland.
100. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to a recent report in the media (details supplied) regarding a massacre and crime against humanity by Syrian military against civilians at Tadamon, Syria in 2013; if he will support efforts to raise the matter at international fora; if Ireland will use its position at the United Nations to highlight the massacre and support a campaign for justice for the victims of the massacre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22889/22]
View answerI noted with deep concern recent media reports on the killing of civilians by the Syrian military at Tadamon in 2013.
There is considerable evidence, including in the most recent report of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, that the Assad regime has engaged in a pattern of violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, some of which may constitute crimes against humanity.
Ireland and the EU have repeatedly condemned violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law perpetrated by the Syrian regime and other actors. The protection of civilians is an obligation on all parties to conflicts, and Ireland has called on all parties to the fighting in Syria to take the necessary steps to ensure that civilians are not harmed.
In September 2020 I spoke at an event in the UN General Assembly on accountability for human rights violations by the Syrian regime, where I set out Ireland’s strong support for efforts to ensure accountability for all crimes committed in Syria. As a member of the United Nations Security Council since January 2021, Ireland has consistently called for justice and accountability for all violations and abuses of human rights law and international humanitarian law in Syria, and will continue to do so.
In addition to EU sanctions targeting the regime and its supporters, Ireland provides political and financial support to a broad range of measures to ensure full legal accountability for all war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Syria. This includes the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIM), the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria, and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons Fact Finding Mission and Joint Investigative Mission. Ireland also supports and directly funds the Syria office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, which works to promote and protect human rights, the rule of law and accountability in Syria.
