Written Answers Nos. 113-135
113. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide an update on his recent discussions with the British Labour Party Leader Mr. Starmer; if he will provide a further update on the situation in relation to the Northern Ireland Protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33181/22]
View answerI met with the Leader of the Official Opposition in the UK, Keir Starmer MP, and the Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Peter Kyle MP, on 9 June 2022 in Dublin. At the meeting, we discussed a broad range of issues including the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, the legacy of the Troubles, and the impact of recent British Government decisions on Northern Ireland.
I underlined the Irish Government’s deep disappointment at the British Government’s intention to table legislation which would allow British ministers to unilaterally dis-apply elements of the Protocol. Such unilateral action would represent a serious breach of international law. I emphasised the damage that such action on the Protocol would do to relationships within Northern Ireland, across our islands, between our governments, and between the UK and the EU and its member states. It would also clearly damage the international reputation of the UK.
I also emphasised that we have listened to and take very seriously all sincerely held concerns in Northern Ireland about the Protocol. The EU has also consistently engaged with the perspectives of everyone in Northern Ireland and last October produced a package of proposals to directly address these concerns.
We agreed that only joint solutions can provide the long-term legal certainty and predictability which people and businesses in Northern Ireland need, and that there are solutions to practical issues which have arisen with regard to certain aspects of implementation of the Protocol.
We also discussed the UK Government’s decision to unilaterally introduce legislation on legacy cases in Northern Ireland, which moves away from the process agreed in the Stormont House Agreement, and in a direction that does not have the support of victims or any political party in Northern Ireland. I expressed my very real concerns with both the process and substance of the draft legislation that has been introduced. These include concerns about the independence and effectiveness of the proposed review system, and its compliance with international human rights obligations.
115. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of applications for passports to date in 2022 from counties Kildare and Wicklow; the number of passports issued; and the number of outstanding applications for passports currently awaiting processing in each county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32919/22]
View answerIn the past four weeks, the Passport Service has issued an average of 30,000 passports per week.
99% of all child and adult online renewal applications are issued within the standard turnaround time and almost half of all adults who renew their passports online will receive their new passport in the post within 2 working days.
Processing time for first time applications now takes 25 working days, down from 40 working days in March. In the space of three months, processing time for first-time applications has been reduced by almost 40%.
The Passport Service has taken on over 400 new staff since June of 2021 in a major recruitment drive. This recruitment effort will bring staffing numbers at the Passport Service to over 900.
The information requested by the Deputy is outlined below in tabular form, for online applications. It is not possible for the Passport Service to provide the requested figures in respect of paper-based applications. This table also breaks down the number of applications currently in the system that are being processed by the Passport Service, and the number that are awaiting further action by the applicant.
The numbers requiring further action from the applicant do not necessarily mean that they are incorrect or errors have been made. Many of these incomplete applications arise when applicants have applied online and have not yet sent in their documentation. Most people send in their supporting documents quite quickly but some do take longer for a variety of reasons. It is important to remember that processing times do not begin when the applicant applies online. Processing time is calculated once the Passport Service receives any supporting documents that are required to complete the application.
|
County |
No. of applications received to date in 2022 |
No. of passports issued to date in 2022 |
No. of applications currently in the system |
Passport Service processing |
Awaiting further action by applicant |
|
Kildare |
26,749 |
23,684 |
3,930 |
2,581 |
1,349 |
|
Wicklow |
16,817 |
14,908 |
2,425 |
1,587 |
838 |
116. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the contribution of Ireland to ensuring the safety of journalists, photographers and other members of the media. [32918/22]
View answer151. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the contribution of Ireland to ensuring the safety of journalists, photographers and other members of the media. [33213/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 116 and 151 together.
The promotion and protection of all human rights remains a key foreign policy priority for Ireland. We continue to highlight the need for protection for media workers across the world, both at the UN Security Council, and at the UN Human Rights Council, as well as through our participation in intergovernmental alliances dedicated to media freedom and the protection of journalists.
The brutal murder of journalist Veronica Guerin by organised crime networks in 1994 as well as the much more recent killings of Lyra McKee, Martin O’Hagan, Simon Cumbers and Pierre Zakrzewski remind us that we cannot afford to take press freedom for granted at home or abroad.
Last month, Ireland convened a special meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the protection of journalists in response to the murder of Palestinian-American journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, in Jenin on the 11 May. Ireland invited a number of prominent experts to brief Council members on the situation facing journalists including representatives from the Committee to Protect Journalists; Agence France Pressee; Al Jazeera; as well as the UN Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Opinion and Expression.
The war on Ukraine has had a dramatic impact on press freedom. At least nine media workers have lost their lives since 24 February including Irish citizen and journalist, Pierre Zakrzewski along with his Ukrainian colleague and journalist, Ms Oleksandra Kuvshynova who were killed by Russian forces on 14 March. In April, Ireland contributed funding to the International Federation of Journalists which helps to provide helmets, flak jackets, secure communication tools, medical supplies and safety training to allow journalists carry out their indispensable work on the frontlines.
Ireland is a founding member of the Freedom Online Coalition and recently joined the Media Freedom Coalition. Ireland recently announced its candidacy for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council 2027-2029, where we will build further on our work in support of journalists and media freedom worldwide.
117. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on Ukrainian ascension to the European Union. [30546/22]
View answer154. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has had recent discussions with his European Union counterparts on the need to progress Ukraine’s European Union Membership application to candidate status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33182/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 117 and 154 together.
On 17 June the European Commission recommended in a formal opinion that Ukraine be granted candidate status, on the understanding that certain steps are taken. Ireland strongly supports the Commission's recommendation. If endorsed by the European Council, it will place Ukraine on a firm path towards EU membership, where it belongs.
As the Opinion states, the aspiration to belong to the European Union has for many years been an important priority for Ukraine, its governments and citizens. It has been an underlying motive for democratic changes over the past decade and a driver of a number of key reforms founded on European values.
Every sovereign country has a right to determine its own future, free from external pressure and duress. The people of Ukraine have chosen a future in the European Union and they deserve our full support.
Ireland has long advocated for this outcome and I strongly supported Ukraine's EU perspective at Foreign Affairs Council this week. As I re-iterated when I met Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba in April, Ireland fully supports Ukraine's application for EU membership. We have come together with a group of other Member States, with a view to providing political and practical assistance in support of Ukraine’s European perspective.
The European Commission Opinion will provide an important signal to the people and Government of Ukraine who have stood firm in defence of our shared European values in the face of the Russia's appalling war of aggression against them. It is a message that Europe stands with them now, that we will continue to stand with in the future, and that we will support the rebuilding of Ukraine.
118. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the proposed timeframe to honour the Government commitment to recognise the state of Palestine. [33097/22]
View answerThe Government remains committed to advancing a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in line with the agreed parameters for a resolution. I am clear on this in my engagement with both Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
As I have previously stated, our commitment is to recognise a State of Palestine as part of a lasting settlement to the conflict, or when we believe doing so will progress efforts to reach a two-state solution or protect the integrity of Palestinian territory. In the absence of progress towards a two-state solution, I would be prepared to recommend to the Government recognition by Ireland of a State of Palestine, if and when it might be helpful, and this is a matter which I discuss regularly with EU colleagues.
If recognition by Ireland happened outside the context of an overall peace agreement, this would be likely to have an adverse effect on Ireland’s influence on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at EU and international level. The timing and context of any such decision would affect whether such a loss of influence would be matched by a commensurate benefit for the Palestinian people and a positive impact on the peace process and a two-state solution.
119. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if there are any plans to reduce the size of the Russian diplomatic presence in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32937/22]
View answerOn 29 March, the Russian Ambassador to Ireland was informed that four senior officials from the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Dublin were being expelled.
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. Open lines of communication facilitate diplomacy, which is more important than ever in a conflict situation. Communication with the Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Ireland also allows us to continue to directly convey our strong opposition to their war of aggression against Ukraine.
Secondly, diplomatic engagement helps us to better protect Ireland's interests, and to protect our citizens - both in Russia itself, 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.
120. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of applications for passports from counties Clare and Tipperary for each county to date in 2022, in tabular form; the number of passports issued; the number of outstanding applications for passports currently awaiting processing in each county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32950/22]
View answer129. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of applications for passports for counties Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford and Waterford from each county to date in 2022, in tabular form; the number of passports issued; the number of outstanding applications for passports currently awaiting processing in each county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32949/22]
View answer130. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of applications for passports to date in 2022 from counties Longford and Westmeath; the number of passports issued; and the number of outstanding applications for passports currently awaiting processing in each county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32951/22]
View answer140. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of applications for passports for Dublin to date in 2022, in tabular form; the number of passports issued; the number of outstanding applications for passports currently awaiting processing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32952/22]
View answer147. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of outstanding backlog in passport applications; the number of which originate from County Monaghan; the total number of applications processed in May 2022 and the current number of staff in the Passport Office. [33096/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 120, 129, 130, 140 and 147 together.
The Passport Service is already outperforming any previous year, despite the challenges that it has encountered over the past two years.
The Passport Service continues to outperform its previous busiest year, 2019, by over 20%. Over 623,000 passports have been issued to date in 2022. This is 105,000 more passports than were issued at this point of the year in 2019. In the past four weeks, the Passport Service has issued an average of 30,000 passports per week.
99% of all child and adult online renewal applications are issued within the standard turnaround time and almost half of all adults who renew their passports online will receive their new passport in the post within 2 working days.
Processing time for first time applications now takes 25 working days, down from 40 working days in March. In the space of three months, processing time for first-time applications has been reduced by almost 40%.
My Department has been proactively planning for this significant increase in demand for many months and have made an unprecedented investment in the staffing and resources necessary to meet this demand.
A major recruitment drive, in partnership with the Public Appointments Service, has been underway since 2021. In addition, the Passport Service has run its own recruitment competition for Temporary Clerical Officers (TCOs). The Department has also been working with the HSE to provide opportunities to contact tracing staff to transfer to the Passport Service. As of 20 June, these staff have begun to be assigned to the Customer Service Hub, which will further increase the number of staff answering customer queries. This recruitment effort will bring staffing numbers at the Passport Service to over 900 which represents double the number of staff with the Passport Service in June of last year.
The information requested by the Deputies is outlined below in tabular form, for online applications. It is not possible for the Passport Service to provide the requested figures in respect of paper-based applications. This table also breaks down the number of applications currently in the system that are being processed by the Passport Service, and the number that are awaiting further action by the applicant.
|
County |
No. of applications received to date in 2022 |
No. of passports issued to date in 2022 |
No. of applications currently in the system |
Passport Service processing |
Awaiting further action from the applicant |
|
Carlow |
6,383 |
5,515 |
1,069 |
689 |
380 |
|
Clare |
12,158 |
10,511 |
1,973 |
1,263 |
710 |
|
Dublin |
138,399 |
123,624 |
20,715 |
13,824 |
6,891 |
|
Kilkenny |
9,941 |
8,688 |
1,506 |
981 |
525 |
|
Longford |
3,779 |
3,200 |
680 |
440 |
240 |
|
Monaghan |
6,105 |
5,203 |
1,081 |
694 |
387 |
|
Tipperary |
15,919 |
13,821 |
2,512 |
1,619 |
893 |
|
Waterford |
12,722 |
11,261 |
1,852 |
1,203 |
649 |
|
Westmeath |
9,247 |
8,107 |
1,452 |
898 |
554 |
|
Wexford |
15,362 |
13,353 |
2,444 |
1,522 |
922 |
121. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline any discussions that are taking place at the United Nations Security Council regarding the ongoing situation in Palestine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32946/22]
View answer148. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline any discussions at the United Nations Security Council regarding the ongoing situation in Palestine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33166/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 121 and 148 together.
The Middle East Peace Process remains a key priority for Ireland during our term on the UN Security Council. Ireland engages actively in monthly Security Council meetings on the situation in the Middle East, which focus on the Palestinian question.
On 24 June, Ireland will co-chair with Mexico, a meeting of the UN Security Council’s Informal Expert Group on Women, Peace and Security. This will discuss, for the first time, the situation of women in the occupied Palestinian territory. The meeting will also examine participation of Palestinian women in conflict prevention, peacebuilding, internal reconciliation efforts and post-conflict reconstruction efforts.
Following the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh, Ireland organised an Arria-Formula meeting at the UN Security Council on 24 May on the protection of journalists. Ireland stressed that peace and security, freedom of expression and a free and independent press are inextricably linked, and again called for an independent investigation into Ms Abu Akleh’s killing and for the perpetrators to be held to account.
At the most recent monthly Council meeting on the Middle East on 26 May, Ireland raised the issue of illegal settlement expansion, condemning the recent decision of the Israeli authorities to advance plans for the construction of more than 4,000 housing units in the West Bank and urging Israel to reverse this decision. Ireland also expressed concern regarding developments in Masafer Yatta, urging Israel to cease evictions and demolitions, including of donor-funded structures, in line with its obligations under international humanitarian law.
Following the Council meeting on 26 May, Ireland issued a joint media statement, along with France, Estonia and Albania, which strongly reiterated our position on these issues.
As part of our role on the UN Security Council, Ireland engages actively with regional partners in relation to the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory. I travelled to Jordan on 1-2 June, where I met with the Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, en marge of the EU-Jordan Association Council. I also met with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, on 19 June and our discussion focused on the situation in the Gaza Strip.
The overall human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory remains a key priority for me as Minister for Foreign Affairs. Ireland will continue to take every opportunity to stress the need for respect for human rights and full accountability, in particular in our role as a member of the UN Security Council. I remain committed to working with partners to promote coherent and effective EU and UN action towards a lasting and peaceful two-State solution.
122. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of applications for passports for adults to date in 2022 from counties Cavan, Monaghan, Louth and Meath; the number of such passports issued; the number of outstanding applications for adult passports currently awaiting processing in each county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32897/22]
View answer132. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of applications for passports to date in 2022 from counties Cork and Kerry; the number of passports issued; and the number of outstanding applications for passports currently awaiting processing in each county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32930/22]
View answer136. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of applications for first-time passports for children to date in 2022 from counties Cavan, Monaghan, Louth and Meath; the number of such passports issued; the number of outstanding applications for children’s passports currently awaiting processing in each county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32896/22]
View answer160. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of applications for passports to date in 2022 from counties Offaly and Laois; the number of passports issued; and the number of outstanding applications for passports currently awaiting processing in each county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32934/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 122, 132, 136 and 160 together.
The Passport Service is already outperforming any previous year, despite the challenges that it has encountered over the past two years.
The Passport Service continues to outperform its previous busiest year, 2019, by over 20%. Over 623,000 passports have been issued to date in 2022. This is 105,000 more passports than were issued at this point of the year in 2019. In the past four weeks, the Passport Service has issued an average of 30,000 passports per week.
99% of all child and adult online renewal applications are issued within the standard turnaround time and almost half of all adults who renew their passports online will receive their new passport in the post within 2 working days.
Processing time for first time applications now takes 25 working days, down from 40 working days in March. In the space of three months, processing time for first-time applications has been reduced by almost 40%.
My Department has been proactively planning for this significant increase in demand for many months and have made an unprecedented investment in the staffing and resources necessary to meet this demand.
A major recruitment drive, in partnership with the Public Appointments Service, has been underway since 2021. In addition, the Passport Service has run its own recruitment competition for Temporary Clerical Officers (TCOs). The Department has also been working with the HSE to provide opportunities to contact tracing staff to transfer to the Passport Service. As of 20 June, these staff have begun to be assigned to the Customer Service Hub, which will further increase the number of staff answering customer queries. This recruitment effort will bring staffing numbers at the Passport Service to over 900 which represents double the number of staff with the Passport Service in June of last year.
The information requested by Deputy Smyth is outlined below in tabular form, for online applications. It is not possible for the Passport Service to provide the requested figures in respect of paper-based applications. The tables also break down the number of applications currently in the system that are being processed by the Passport Service, and the number that are awaiting further action by the applicant.
Passports for adults (first time and renewals) to date in 2022:
|
County |
No. of adult applications received to date in 2022 |
No. of adult passports issued to date in 2022 |
No. of adult applications currently in the system |
Passport Service processing |
Awaiting further action from the applicant |
|
Cavan |
4,264 |
3,924 |
439 |
313 |
126 |
|
Monaghan |
3,492 |
3,238 |
350 |
266 |
84 |
|
Louth |
8,541 |
7,982 |
742 |
549 |
193 |
|
Meath |
12,688 |
12,019 |
984 |
741 |
243 |
First time passports for children to date in 2022:
|
County |
No. of first time child applications received to date in 2022 |
No. of first time child passports issued to date in 2022 |
No. of first time child applications currently in the system |
Passport Service processing |
Awaiting further action from the applicant |
|
Cavan |
864 |
570 |
373 |
206 |
167 |
|
Monaghan |
775 |
525 |
298 |
175 |
123 |
|
Louth |
1,674 |
1,206 |
667 |
362 |
305 |
|
Meath |
2,829 |
2,196 |
977 |
533 |
444 |
The information requested by Deputy Moynihan and Deputy Cowen is outlined below in tabular form, for online applications. It is not possible for the Passport Service to provide the requested figures in respect of paper-based applications. This table also breaks down the number of applications currently in the system that are being processed by the Passport Service, and the number that are awaiting further action by the applicant.
|
County |
No. of applications received to date in 2022 |
No. of passports issued to date in 2022 |
No. of applications currently in the system |
Passport Service processing |
Awaiting further action from the applicant |
|
Cork |
59,879 |
53,279 |
8,434 |
5,629 |
2,805 |
|
Kerry |
14,130 |
12,260 |
2,340 |
1,502 |
838 |
|
Laois |
8,243 |
7,090 |
1,399 |
888 |
511 |
|
Offaly |
7,592 |
6,571 |
1,226 |
799 |
427 |
123. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of Irish citizens who are in effect under house arrest in other jurisdictions in that they are being prevented from leaving such jurisdictions for reasons to include pending court or other legal proceedings being finalised; the way his Department and consular staff are supporting these citizens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33203/22]
View answerMy Department is currently providing consular assistance to a small number of citizens prevented from leaving other jurisdictions. Citizens can be prevented from leaving such countries for a variety of reasons, including where legal processes are pending or ongoing, fines are owed, or the citizen is on parole.
It should be noted that it is not possible to provide precise statistics for the number of Irish citizens in such circumstances. In some cases the individuals involved do not seek any assistance, or do not want the Irish authorities to be informed of their situation.
My Department provides consular assistance to citizens on direct request and in line with the Department's Consular Assistance Charter, available at www.dfa.ie. The Department does not provide legal advice or interfere in the judicial processes of other jurisdictions. However, we can through our Embassy and Consulate network and the Consular Assistance Unit in the Department provide appropriate support to the citizen, for example, by providing details of English-speaking lawyers or other contacts, contacting family or friends on behalf of the citizen, and remaining in touch and supportive in often difficult circumstances.
124. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the impact that the result of the recent Colombian presidential elections will have on the Colombian peace process; the actions that Ireland is taking as part of the United Nations Security Council on the Colombian peace process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32924/22]
View answerI would like to take the opportunity to congratulate President-elect of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, and Vice-President elect Francia Marquez, on their historic victory in the Colombian presidential elections last Sunday 19 June. I look forward to continuing the excellent relationship that Ireland and Colombia have built together over many years.
Supporting the implementation of the Colombian Peace Agreement is a key pillar of our relationship. I welcome President-elect Petro’s indications that he will support the continued implementation of the Agreement. Ireland, together with our EU partners and other international community partners, will continue to work with all stakeholders to highlight the importance of comprehensive implementation of the Peace Agreement and to support the new administration in addressing the remaining issues.
Since the signing of the Agreement in 2016, Ireland has provided just under €17 million in funding towards its implementation. We were founding members of both the EU and UN Trust Funds for peace, and have engaged in a Lesson Sharing Programme with Colombia around peacebuilding in Northern Ireland.
Ireland’s seat on the UN Security Council has allowed us to deepen our engagement. In our statements to the Council, Ireland has consistently called for comprehensive implementation of the Agreement, recognising the significant advances that have been made. We have expressed concern about ongoing violence, particularly against social leaders, human rights defenders and former combatants, and called for the implementation of the Agreement’s provisions on gender and ethnicity as well as the use of all spaces for dialogue established by the Agreement.
Ireland has also been a strong supporter of the transitional-justice system. With crucial milestones ahead this year, we will continue to use our voice on the Security Council to encourage the international community to play its important supportive role.
Ireland’s recently launched Strategy for Latin America and the Caribbean contains a firm commitment to continue this support for the Colombian peace process in the long term.
125. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the statements made by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (details supplied) after their recent trip to China; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33205/22]
View answerI am aware of High Commissioner Bachelet’s visit to China. Ireland had repeatedly called for this visit to proceed and for full, meaningful, and unfettered access for the High Commissioner and her team. On 13 June 2022, the High Commissioner briefed the Human Rights Council in Geneva on her engagements in China, including with government representatives.
I regret that the authorities limited the High Commissioner's engagement with independent civil society organisations and human rights defenders, as well as her access to detention centres and so called political re-education camps in Xinjiang.
I note that Commissioner Bachelet has suggested that information from the visit will be integrated into her forthcoming report on human rights in Xinjiang. I welcome these additions, and underline that the report should be released promptly and as a matter of priority.
Following the High Commissioner's update to the Human Rights Council, we are now assessing the outcome of the visit and are carefully considering the follow on actions proposed. Ireland’s strongly supports the Office of the High Commissioner, and the independence of her Office.
At the most recent Human Rights Council in June 2022, Ireland delivered a national statement that included a call on the Chinese authorities to respect international law, in particular in Xinjiang and Tibet. Ireland also joined a Joint Statement on China, along with 46 other countries and led by The Netherlands, which expressed grave concern about the human rights situations in Tibet, Hong Kong and Xinjiang.
The protection and promotion of human rights is a core pillar of Ireland's foreign policy, and Ireland will continue to monitor and assess the situation in China, including in Xinjiang. Together with our EU partners, we will engage with Chinese authorities bilaterally and in multilateral fora to address our concerns. Ireland also encourages the early convening of the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue, as discussed at the April EU-China Summit.
126. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the priorities during Ireland’s six-month presidency of the Council of Europe. [32902/22]
View answerI assumed the chair of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers in Turin on 20 May. It is the seventh time Ireland has held the Presidency and, in light of the war in Ukraine, a particularly important occasion to be at the helm of our continent’s leading human rights body.
The Council of Europe was the first multilateral organisation to expel the Russian Federation, following its unprovoked assault on Ukraine. In the wake of that unprecedented but essential step, the overarching goal of our Presidency term is to renew what we consider ‘‘the conscience of Europe’’, ensuring the institution does all it can to support democracy, human rights, and rule of law in Ukraine and to hold Russian authorities to account.
Within this framework, we have three particular priorities. First, as one of the Council’s founding state, we aim to reaffirm its ‘Founding Freedoms’, protecting human rights across the continent, above all through the effective functioning of the European Court of Human Rights. Second, in the face of rising illiberalism, we have set out to promote deliberative democracy and youth participation in the democratic processes, drawing on our experience with Citizens Assemblies. Finally, under the rubric of 'Fáilte', we will strive to foster a Europe of welcome, inclusion, and diversity, building on the social change Ireland has experienced since we last held the Presidency in 2000.
We are backing these priorities through clear financial commitments, significantly increasing our voluntary contributions to the Council across a range of projects, including supporting the work of the European Court of Human Rights, the Council’s revised Action Plan for Ukraine and its world-leading efforts to combat child sexual exploitation and eliminate all forms of gender-based violence.
We have also developed an extensive programme of engagement, with regular high-level visits to and from Strasbourg. On 7 June, the Taoiseach met leaders across the Council and called on the European Court of Human Rights to stress our commitment to the institution. I addressed the Council’s Parliamentary Assembly earlier this week, sharing a platform with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, leader of the Belarusian democratic movement. Minister Byrne will return to Strasbourg next week to address the Committee of Ministers’ Deputies, with other visits planned for the autumn.
Here in Ireland, we have already hosted two major Presidency forums on democratic engagement, in UCC and DCU respectively, as well as meetings of the Assembly’s Standing Committee and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. A dozen other conferences are planned for the months ahead, of which three warrant special mention. In July, Minister Donohoe and I host the annual meeting of the Council of Europe’s Development Bank, which will focus on scaling the Bank’s support for Ukraine. In September, Minister McEntee will invite the Council’s 46 Justice Ministers to Dublin Castle to enhance our collective efforts to combat Domestic, Sexual & Gender-Based Violence across the continent. November will see Minister Brophy chair the European Conference on Global Education, where Member States will adopt a Dublin Declaration on how, through Global Education, we can build societal commitment to greater justice, sustainability, equity and human rights.
Our agenda is ambitious, but necessarily so, and complements our efforts at the UN Security Council, within the EU and across other multilateral fora to do all we can to support Ukraine and reinforce the values of democracy, human rights and rule of law which the Council of Europe embodies.
127. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he expects any further sanctions to be agreed by the European Union against Russia for the invasion of Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32928/22]
View answerThe EU has imposed the most significant sanctions in its history in response to the situation in Ukraine. These have taken the form of six packages from 23 February 2022 to date, comprising individual measures targeting persons and entities, and sectoral measures targeting specific economic sectors or industries.
Individual sanctions now apply to a total of 1,158 individuals and 98 entities in Russia and Belarus. Sectoral sanctions target the financial, energy, technology, defence and transport sectors, and Russian media involved in propaganda. The sale of EU luxury goods to Russia is prohibited, as is the import from Russia and Belarus of certain products. Restrictions have also been introduced on economic relations between the EU and the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
These sanctions aim to incentivise a change in behaviour in Moscow. They impose clear economic and political costs on the individuals and entities responsible for the invasion or benefitting from it. They also deprive Russia of the means and capabilities to wage this unjust war.
In designing its successive sanctions packages, the EU has been cognisant at all times of the need to ensure that specific measures have a greater impact on Russia than on EU Member States and are sustainable. There is broad support at EU level to continue to examine options for further sanctions measures. I expect new proposals to be presented by the Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) in due course.
Ireland has been consistent in advocating for a maximalist approach to sanctions since the start of the war. As I have previously stated, Ireland will support the widest possible measures, including sanctions on Russian gas, building on the ban on oil introduced in the sixth package.
128. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the plans that are in place to tackle the backlog in issuing passports. [32745/22]
View answer155. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will consider as a matter of urgency opening a passport office in Belfast in view of the current backlog and volume of applications on the island of Ireland including an unprecedented number from the North of Ireland. [32746/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 128 and 155 together.
The Passport Service is already outperforming any previous year, despite the challenges that it has encountered over the past two years.
The Passport Service continues to outperform its previous busiest year, 2019, by over 20%. Over 623,000 passports have been issued to date in 2022. This is 105,000 more passports than were issued at this point of the year in 2019. In the past four weeks, the Passport Service has issued an average of 30,000 passports per week.
99% of all child and adult online renewal applications are issued within the standard turnaround time and almost half of all adults who renew their passports online will receive their new passport in the post within 2 working days.
Processing time for first time applications now takes 25 working days, down from 40 working days in March. In the space of three months, processing time for first-time applications has been reduced by almost 40%.
My Department has been proactively planning for this significant increase in demand for many months and have made an unprecedented investment in the staffing and resources necessary to meet this demand.
A major recruitment drive, in partnership with the Public Appointments Service, has been underway since 2021. In addition, the Passport Service has run its own recruitment competition for Temporary Clerical Officers (TCOs). The Department has also been working with the HSE to provide opportunities to contact tracing staff to transfer to the Passport Service. As of 20 June, these staff have begun to be assigned to the Customer Service Hub, which will further increase the number of staff answering customer queries. This recruitment effort will bring staffing numbers at the Passport Service to over 900 which represents double the number of staff with the Passport Service in June of last year.
Intensive training of new staff and upskilling of existing staff has been underway for several months to increase the resources that can process complex applications, such as first time child applications.
Over the past number of weeks the Passport Service has worked with An Garda Síochána to develop a system for verifying Garda witnesses on passport applications in cases where the Garda signature cannot be verified. This new system assists in reducing the number of applications that are delayed due to a failure to verify witness details.
The Passport Service continues to see a steady, but increasing demand for passports from citizens in Northern Ireland.
The Passport Service is a unified service composed of three constituent offices located in Lower Mount Street and Balbriggan in Dublin and South Mall in Cork, respectively. Passport applications from all citizens - whether from anywhere in Ireland, North or South, or abroad - are distributed for processing across the three Passport Offices on the basis of the type of application rather than the place of residence of the applicant.
87% of passport applications from Northern Ireland are submitted online. The Passport Online service offers Irish citizens the ability to apply online for their passport 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is a user-friendly, efficient service that consistently offers processing times up to 4 times faster than paper-based passport renewal applications.
A paper-based, mail-in service is available at over 70 post office locations in Northern Ireland. With the availability of both Passport Online and the postal application channel, very few applicants are required to travel a significant distance in order to apply for their passport. Passport Service figures show that less than 1% of all applicants use the in-person Urgent Appointment Service available at the Passport Offices in Dublin and Cork.
Given the high percentage of applicants from Northern Ireland using Passport Online, I am confident that the range of service options available meets the current needs of passport applicants. While there are no plans to open additional passport offices, the Passport Service will continue to consider ways in which to enhance customer experience for citizens.
131. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the engagement he has had at bilateral level with his counterparts in Israel with regard to halting the demolition of Palestinian homes in the Masafer Yatta area of the West Bank; his plans to increase Irish aid funding to Palestinian human rights NGOs, particularly in view of the increasing legal constraints faced by such organisations following the designation by Israel in October 2021 of six Palestinian NGOs as terrorist organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33071/22]
View answerI refer the Deputy to Question 27542/22 on the Government’s response to the proposed demolitions at Masafer Yatta. I am deeply concerned by the decision of the Israeli High Court to uphold the eviction order for Palestinians in Masafer Yatta in the West Bank and the confirmation of the designation of the land as a firing zone for the Israeli military. I note the recent injunction at the Israeli Supreme Court with reference to planned demolitions at Khallet Athaba’.
On 13 May Ireland along with fourteen other European countries, issued a statement urging the Israeli authorities not to proceed with these evictions. Ireland will continue to work with our international partners locally to emphasise our concerns to Israel, including in close coordination with our partners in the West Bank Protection Consortium. Ireland consistently raises the issue of evictions and demolitions in engagements with Israel at both official and political level.
Ireland has been proactive in ensuring that this issue is highlighted at the UN Security Council, including at the most recent Council meeting on the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, on 26 May. Ireland again called on Israel to cease evictions and demolitions, including of donor-funded structures, in line with its obligations under international humanitarian law. Ireland reiterated this in a joint statement to the media following the Security Council meeting along with France, Albania and Estonia.
I have expressed my serious concern on the matter of the designation of six Palestinian NGOs as terrorist organisations by Israel. This decision includes organisations in receipt of support from Irish Aid and the EU. Ireland continues to work closely with our EU partners on the issue. Ireland is fully committed to funding civil society organisations and human rights defenders in Palestine as a key part of our support for the Palestinian people
Ireland will continue to support Palestinian civil society organisations and human rights defenders and the critical role they play in promoting international law, peace, human rights and democratic values.
133. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the degree to which Ireland’s overseas development aid programme continues to engage with the most seriously deserving cases worldwide in order to address such issues as starvation, famine, conflict, abuse of women and children and other human rights violations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33199/22]
View answerThe priorities for the Government’s investments in international development are set out in A Better World, the white paper on international development published in 2019. The focus is on reaching the furthest behind first, through working with those living in some of the world’s poorest or most climate-exposed countries and those living in conflict settings, with a particular emphasis protecting women and girls. Around two thirds of Ireland’s international development programme, frequently called Irish Aid, is managed by my Department.
The quality of Irish Aid’s work is internationally recognised. A 2020 OECD Peer Review of Ireland's development cooperation found Ireland to be a strong voice for sustainable development which invests in strong partnerships with civil society and was effective in addressing fragility. Also in 2020, the international think-tank ODI found Ireland to be the most principled donor country in allocating overseas development aid. This year, the budget day allocation to Official Development Assistance exceeded €1 billion for the first time, a 20% increase on the 2021 allocation.
A longstanding strength of the Irish Aid programme has been working to reduce hunger, through investment in food systems, knowledge sharing, climate action, and humanitarian response. This year, at least €193 million in Irish Aid funding will go to improving food security. I recently issued a call for urgent collective action to avert a humanitarian catastrophe in the Horn of Africa, following four consecutive failed rainy seasons. We have also sought to use our role on the UN Security Council to champion hunger, including through our role as penholder on the Conflict and Hunger file.
My Department’s interventions are informed by a focus on governance and rights, including support for the essential work of human rights defenders through our diplomacy and through the Irish Aid programme. I attach priority to championing the prevention of, and responses to, gender-based violence, including at the Human Rights Council and on the Security Council.
135. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his recent phone conversation with the United Kingdom Foreign Secretary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32849/22]
View answer164. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his discussions with the United Kingdom Foreign Secretary in relation to the Northern Ireland Protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32935/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 135 and 164 together.
The Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland was designed and agreed by the UK and EU to protect the Good Friday Agreement in all its dimensions and to mitigate the inevitable disruption arising for the island of Ireland from Brexit.
I spoke last week to Foreign Secretary Truss and speak on an ongoing basis with Secretary of State Brandon Lewis, while the Taoiseach remains in contact with Prime Minister Johnson. I also maintain ongoing contact with the parties and other stakeholders in Northern Ireland, as well as with Commission Vice-President Šefcovic, EU counterparts, and a range of US partners.
In contacts with the British Government, including with FS Truss, I have underlined the Irish Government’s deep disappointment at their decision to table legislation to unilaterally disapply parts of the Protocol. Such unilateral action would, if enacted, breach international law. It damages relationships within Northern Ireland, across our islands, between our governments, and between the UK and the EU.
I underlined that people in Northern Ireland do not support this legislation. We have seen that 52 MLAs have written to PM Johnson expressing “in the strongest possible terms” their objection to it. Northern Ireland business is clear that they need certainty and stability and that this requires a negotiated settlement.
Both the Irish Government and European Commission have engaged consistently with Northern Ireland stakeholders, including the Unionist community, to understand their concerns. In October, the Commission presented proposals directly addressing these concerns, but the UK has not seriously engaged with them. Last week, in addition to relaunching infringement proceedings following the UK’s actions on the Protocol, the Commission outlined further detail for these proposals.
Only joint solutions can provide long-term legal certainty and predictability to Northern Ireland. The UK needs to reciprocate the flexibility shown by the EU. I strongly urge the British Government to engage constructively with the EU.
