Tuesday, 21 Jun 2022

Written Answers Nos. 334-393

Passport Services

Questions (373)

Joe Flaherty

Question:

373. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of a passport application by a person (details supplied). [32013/22]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

With regard to the specific application about which the Deputies have enquired, the Passport Service has provided an update on the status of the passport application to the applicant.

Question No. 374 answered with Question No. 279.

Question No. 375 answered with Question No. 282.

Passport Services

Questions (376)

Cormac Devlin

Question:

376. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide an update on the status of persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32057/22]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

I thank the Deputy for raising these important cases of political prisoners in Belarus. The journalist Roman Protasevich and his partner Sofia Sapega were detained by Belarusian authorities following the forced diversion of a Ryanair aircraft to Minsk in May 2021.

Reports indicate that Mr Protasevich and Ms Sapega were sent to prison until June and subsequently transferred to house arrest. Mr Protasevich appears to have been the subject of state violence and intimidation, and gave what observers suggested was a coerced confession on state television in June 2021. Mr Protasevich faces charges of causing civil disturbances, an offense punishable by up to 15 years in prison. He has yet to go on trial and the status of the investigation against him is unclear.

In May of this year, a Belarusian court sentenced Ms Sapega to six years in jail, on politically-motivated charges of inciting social discord, and illegally collecting and disseminating information about the private life of an unnamed person without his consent.

The ongoing state persecution of Mr Protasevich and Ms Sapega is an affront to freedom of speech, freedom of the press and the fundamental principles of democracy. Unfortunately, they are not the only victims of Alexander Lukashenko’s campaign to suppress all opposition to his rule. Viasna, a human rights organisation, reports that there were 1,227 political prisoners in Belarus as of 16 June.

Ireland has repeatedly condemned the Lukashenko regime in international fora, including the UN Security Council and the Human Rights Council. We have supported six packages of sanctions concerning Belarus, and co-sponsored the two most recent packages. We continue to engage regularly with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and other figures in the Belarusian opposition. In terms of funding, we have provided €50,000 to the International Accountability Platform for Belarus to help ensure that those perpetuating this repression can one day be held accountable for their actions. We have also provided €150,000 to support independent media in Belarus.

Political prisoners are a specific focus of Ireland’s advocacy on Belarus, and I thank those Members of the Oireachtas who have sponsored political prisoners to help raise awareness of their plight.

Irish Aid

Questions (377)

Cormac Devlin

Question:

377. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide an update on Irish Aid to the Horn of Africa region; the efforts that are being made to avoid a humanitarian crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32064/22]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs (Deputy Colm Brophy)

The Horn of Africa is experiencing one of the most severe droughts in at least forty years, pushing the region close to the brink of catastrophe. Food prices are rising as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.  Responding, my Department through the Irish Aid programme has contributed over €48 million in direct humanitarian support to drought-affected Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia over the past 18 months, working with partners on the ground who can act fast to provide life-saving critical assistance to those who need it most. These interventions complement the Irish Aid investment of over €12 million in development funding last year to communities across the region, including in partnership with Irish NGOs, to help address the underlying causes of food insecurity and to build community resilience.

In addition, communities in the drought-affected countries are being supported through Ireland’s contributions to multilateral humanitarian action, such as the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) which reacts immediately to crises as they happen. Ireland is the 8th  largest contributor to CERF providing €11.5 million in 2022. Since 2021, the CERF has allocated almost $100 million to help drought-affected communities in Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia.

Ireland is a consistent advocate for increased support to the Horn of Africa at a global level. On 26 April Ireland delivered a statement at the high-level roundtable chaired by the UN and EU on the drought in the Horn, at which member states pledged $1.3bn to the humanitarian response. As informal focal point on hunger and conflict at the UN Security Council, Ireland has consistently shone a spotlight on the underlying causes of food insecurity and the links between conflict and hunger and the impact of climate change.  Ireland also hosts bi-annual briefings for UNSC member states by the World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on food insecurity in conflict affected countries.

Ireland is a committed global leader in the global food and nutrition space with prominent political leadership and funding on the world stage. Following the UN Food Systems Summit and the Nutrition for Growth Summit in 2021, Ireland’s commitment to leadership and support for food security and nutrition was reaffirmed with a pledge to spend €800 million over the coming 5 year period for nutrition programmes and interventions.

Question No. 378 answered with Question No. 282.

Question No. 379 answered with Question No. 291.

Question No. 380 answered with Question No. 279.

Question No. 381 answered with Question No. 282.

Question No. 382 answered with Question No. 279.

Question No. 383 answered with Question No. 282.

Middle East

Questions (384)

Catherine Connolly

Question:

384. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs further to Parliamentary Question 402 of 15 February 2022, if his officials have now reviewed the detail of the report published on 1 February 2022 (details supplied); his response to the report; the Government’s response to the report; his specific response to each of the eight recommendations directed at other governments and regional actors; his views on the conclusions of the report that Israeli officials commit the crime of apartheid against Palestinians, including ethnic cleansing; if he plans to bring any of the recommendations of the report of Government for approval in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32152/22]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

As I stated in my reply to Parliamentary Question 146 of 10 May 2022, the Amnesty International report highlights the illegal and unacceptable treatment of Palestinians by the Israeli state.

Ireland’s position continues to be based on international law including international human rights law, Israel’s obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention as the occupying power in the occupied Palestinian territory, and on the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council.

Ireland regularly raises our concerns regarding discriminatory practices towards the Palestinian people directly with the Israeli authorities, including during visits to the region, as well as at EU and UN level. Ireland has been proactive in consistently highlighting these issues including at the ongoing 50th session of the Human Rights Council and at the UN Security Council.

With regard to the recommendations and conclusions of the Amnesty International report, Ireland will continue to engage with these to influence our approach. The Government remains committed to a two-state solution, and will continue to work with partners to revive a political process in line with international law, which ensures equal rights and is acceptable to both parties.

Passport Services

Questions (385)

James Lawless

Question:

385. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will clarify the types of identification that may be used in a passport application process in situations in which photo identification is not available (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32157/22]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

The Passport Service takes its responsibility to protect the integrity of the Irish passport very seriously. The Irish passport has a strong international reputation due to the strength of the security features within the passport book and the robust processes involved in its issuance. The Irish passport was recently ranked 5th in the Henley Global Passport Index as it provides our citizens with visa-free access to 187 countries. Accordingly, a rigorous analysis process is in place to verify the identity and citizenship status of first time applicants. 

Photographic identification is required for all adult first time passport applications. The Passport Service accepts the following forms of photo identification: original government issued photographic identification, such as a Public Services Card, an original passport from another country or a certified copy of a driver’s licence (certified by a solicitor or notary public). 

With regard to the specific case to which the Deputy refers, the Passport Service has contacted the applicant directly to advise that they can apply for a Public Services Card (PSC) without a form of photo ID by attending an in-person interview at a PSC Registration Centre.

Question No. 386 answered with Question No. 282.

Consular Services

Questions (387)

Alan Kelly

Question:

387. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if there are plans to open a new Irish Consulate General Office in the Algarve area of Portugal. [32223/22]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

The Government currently has no plans to open a Consulate General in the Algarve area of Portugal.  The Embassy team in Lisbon manages Ireland’s relations with Portugal and provides consular assistance to Irish citizens in Portugal as necessary.

The Global Ireland programme aims to double Ireland's international impact and influence in the period 2018 to 2025, including through an expanded and strengthened diplomatic presence.  Since the launch of the Global Ireland programme in June 2018, nineteen new Missions have been opened or announced to open.  Missions in Kyiv, Manchester, Manila and Rabat opened in 2021 and there have been Government decisions to open a further five new missions in Dakar, Lyon, Miami, Tehran and Toronto.

There is a robust process in considering the expansion of our Mission network, involving a range of factors, including national, citizen, political and economic priorities.

Question No. 388 answered with Question No. 282.

Question No. 389 answered with Question No. 282.

Question No. 390 answered with Question No. 330.

Question No. 391 answered with Question No. 279.

Question No. 392 answered with Question No. 330.

Question No. 393 answered with Question No. 279.