Written Answers Nos. 423-441
424. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will give urgent consideration to a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55549/22]
View answerI am currently considering potential changes to the social housing income eligibility model.
In the meantime, I have approved proposals to scope and develop options for a new model. This work will commence shortly under the aegis of the Housing Agency who have been tasked with commissioning it and I expect that the work will complete by end Q4 2022.
I have also recently approved changes to the social housing income eligibility bands. Five local authorities - Carlow, Clare, Galway County, Laois and Westmeath - have moved from Band 3 to Band 2. Accordingly, the baseline income threshold for these areas has increased from €25,000 to €30,000. The change reflects the movement in rents in recent years in these areas and will ensure local authority areas with similar accommodation costs continue to be grouped together in the respective bands. The changes came into effect from 1 October 2022.
I currently have no plans to make any changes to the Household Means Policy 2021 vis-à-vis disregarding the working family payment. To do so would be inconsistent with the treatment of other social insurance and social assistance payments, allowances and benefits, which are assessable for income eligibility purposes.
425. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding given to local authorities to draft maps for the residential zoned land tax. [55564/22]
View answerThe breakdown of funding to assist the planning authorities in mapping land in scope for the tax was agreed in conjunction with the County and City Management Association and the Local Government Management Agency. The allocation of funding to assist in the process of mapping land considered to be in scope for the purpose of the Residential Zoned Land Tax was issued to all 31 local authorities on the 15th of July 2022. The balance of the funding was provided to Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council as the designated lead co-ordination authority to liaise with and assist other local authorities on the mapping.
|
Tier and local authorities in each tier |
Tier 1 DCC |
Tier 2(3) Cork, Fingal and South Dublin |
Tier 3 (5) Cork City, DLR, Kildare, Meath and Limerick |
Tier 4: (12) Clare, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Kilkenny, Louth, Mayo, Tipperary, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow and Waterford |
Tier 5: (10) Galway City, Carlow, Cavan, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon and Sligo |
Lead Authority to provide the coordination role |
|
Amount per LA |
€40,000 |
€40,000 |
€40,000 |
€25,000 |
€25,000 |
|
|
Total per tier |
€40,000 |
€120,000 |
€200,000 |
€300,000 |
€250,000 |
€90,000 |
426. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the next electoral boundary review will be established and concluded. [55640/22]
View answerThe Electoral Reform Act 2022, which was passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas earlier this summer, provides for, among other matters, the establishment of an Coimisiún Toghcháin. In addition, the Act provides for the review of Dáil and European Parliament constituencies to be undertaken by the new Coimisiún as part of its functions.
The Act also provides for the repeal of Part II of the Electoral Act 1997 which provided for the review of Dáil and European Parliament constituency boundaries by a Constituency Commission.
Under the provisions of the new Electoral Reform Act 2022, the Report of an Coimisiún Toghcháin on the review of Dáil and European Parliament constituencies will be completed and published within three months of the publication of final Census results. This mirrors current arrangements whereby a Constituency Commission must complete its work within three months of the publication of final Census results. While the publication of final Census results is a matter for the Central Statistics Office, final results are anticipated for publication in Spring 2023.
This would indicate that a final report from the Electoral Commission on Dáil and European Parliament constituencies would be expected in Summer 2023. Section 59(5) of the Electoral Reform Act 2022 provides that any person may make a submission to an Coimisiún in respect of constituency boundaries, once an Coimisiún has commenced the review.
Administrative arrangements for its establishment are currently being put in place by a transition team within my Department, and an Coimisiún's formal establishment is anticipated by the end of this year or early in 2023.
427. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide an update on a foreign birth passport (details supplied). [54168/22]
View answer428. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide an update on an application for citizenship by a person (details supplied). [54169/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 427 and 428 together.
My Department is responsible for processing Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) applications for people who are born abroad and claim Irish Citizenship through a grandparent born in Ireland or through a parent who has claimed citizenship also through FBR, Naturalisation or Post Nuptial Citizenship.
Demand for this service increased significantly as a result of the Brexit vote in the UK. In 2015, prior to Brexit, a total of 6,000 entries were made to the register. In 2019, a peak number of 19,000 entries were made to the Foreign Births Register.
The service was also impacted by necessary Covid-19 restrictions in 2020 and 2021 and the unprecedented demand for passports seen to date in 2022.
My Department has put in place a number of measures that will address the volume of FBR applications currently on hand with a view to significantly reducing the processing time for these citizenship applications by the end of this year.
This specific application is currently being processed.
429. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the current position regarding the joint comprehensive plan of action in respect of the Iran nuclear deal; if he will list the new sanctions imposed by the European Union on Iran in the past few weeks following recent events there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54179/22]
View answerIreland’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York serves as UN Security Council Facilitator of Resolution 2231, which endorsed the Iranian nuclear deal, the JCPOA.
Through this work Ireland is doing our utmost to support implementation of the agreement, which offers the best means to reduce the risk of nuclear proliferation. In this regard I have been in regular contact with my US, Iranian and European counterparts, as well as the Director General of the IAEA.
I am deeply concerned by Iran’s continued activities in non-compliance with the limits set in the JCPOA, including failure to observe limits on uranium enrichment, stockpiling, and nuclear research and development activities. Ireland has consistently called on Iran to return to full compliance with its commitments under the JCPOA, including in the course of my visits to Tehran, in my conversations with the Foreign Minister of Iran over recent months, and through Ireland’s engagement on the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
I remain deeply concerned by Iran’s reduction in cooperation with the IAEA and commend IAEA Director General Grossi for his efforts to continue to fulfil the Agency’s mandate to monitor and verify Iran’s nuclear commitments. I have strongly urged Iran to return to full cooperation with the Agency as soon as possible, including to cooperate with the Agency to fully clarify and resolve safeguards issues without further delay.
While there was considerable progress made during the months of talks in Vienna, I am concerned that this has now stalled and Iran and the US have been unable to resolve the remaining bilateral obstacles to a deal. In my meetings with European and US counterparts, they have been clear that the US has gone as far as it can in the talks. We have spoken with those involved in negotiations, who are clear in their assessment that the deal on the table offers the best possible outcome for Iran.
It is clear Iran now needs to make a political decision. A return to the deal by all parties would lead to a relaxing of US sanctions and assure the international community of the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear programme. The alternative could see potential for further regional escalation and conflict.
*****
I am deeply concerned about the unjustifiable and disproportionate response of the Iranian authorities to Iranian citizens protesting against the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, in police custody after her arrest for allegedly violating dress code regulations.
Ireland does not believe that anything short of full equality for women should be the objective, anywhere in the world. No woman should lose her life because of how she chooses to dress.
I commend the women and men of Iran who have exercised their fundamental right to assemble and protest. It is most regrettable that the response of the Iranian security and police forces has resulted in the further loss of lives, as well as a large number of injuries. The use of force against nonviolent protestors is unjustifiable and unacceptable. People in Iran have the right to peaceful protest. That right must be ensured in all circumstances. Iran is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). I call on the Iranian authorities to strictly abide by the principles enshrined in the ICCPR, including the right of peaceful assembly.
I have raised these issues related to the JCPOA, the protests, and Iran’s supply of drones to Russia directly with my Iranian counterpart, on 21 September at the UN General Assembly in New York, and via phone on 6 October. I reiterated Ireland’s concerns when I summoned the Iranian Ambassador to Iveagh House on 20 October. Ireland will continue to take a strong stand on these issues in our bilateral contacts with Iranian officials, and will work closely with our international partners to hold Iran accountable for its actions.
A number of different sanctions measures have been imposed by the EU on Iranian individuals and entities in recent weeks under different EU sanctions regimes. In light of the military support that Iran has provided to Russia, on 20 October five Iranian individuals and three Iranian entities involved in the development and delivery of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to Russia were listed under the Ukraine (Territorial Integrity) Sanctions Regime. This Regime sanctions individuals and entities who have taken actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. To date, 1236 individuals and 115 entities have been sanctioned under this regime, which was established in 2014 following the annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol.
The individuals are:
1. Major-General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces;
2. Brigadier-General Saeed Aghajani, is Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps - Aerospace Force UAV Command;
3. General Sayed Hojatollah Qureishi, Head of the Supply, Research, and Industrial Affairs Division at the Iranian Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics;
4. Major-General Hossein Salami, Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps; and
5. Brigadier-General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps - Aerospace Force.
The entities are:
1. Shahed Aviation Industries, an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force-linked company responsible for the design and development of the Shahed series of Iranian UAVs;
2. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force, responsible for the development of Iran’s UAV programme; and
3. Qods Aviation Industries, an Iranian company that designs and manufactures UAVs. It is a subsidiary of the Iran Aviation Industries Organization, a state-owned enterprise subordinate to the Iranian Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics.
On Monday 17 October, under the Iran (Human Rights) Sanctions Regime, eleven people and four entities sanctioned were listed for their role in the death of Mahsa Amini and the violent response to the recent demonstrations in Iran.
The individuals are:
1. Mohammed Rostami Cheshmehgachi, Head of Iran’s Morality Police;
2. Brigadier General Hossein Rahimi, Head of Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces (LEF) in Tehran;
3. Abbas Abdi, Head of Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces (LEF) in Divandarreh;
4. Colonel Haj Ahmad Mirzaei, Head of Iran’s Morality Police in Tehran;
5. Issa Zarepour, Minister of Information and Communications Technology;
6. Mohammad-Hossein Sephehr, Commander of the Iranian Central Training Base of the General Staff of the Armed Forces;
7. Colonel Sayd Ali Safari, Head of LEF in Saqqez;
8. Seyed Alireza Adyani, Head of the ideological-political officer of LEF;
9. Second Brigadier General Ali Azadi, Head of LEF in Kurdistan;
10. Colonel Mohammed Zaman Shalikar, Head of LEF in Babol, Mazandaran;
11. Colonel Salman Heidari, Head of LEF in Bukan.
The entities are:
1. Iran’s Morality Police, a special police unit of which enforces the strict dress rules for women;
2. Basij Resistance Force, a volunteer paramilitary organisation operating under the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC);
3. Cyber Defence Command of the IRGC, which monitors websites, e-mails and online activities of individuals deemed to be political opponents;
4. Law Enforcement Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, a uniformed police force that engages in blatant and severe human rights violations, such as the indiscriminate shooting with live ammunition at peaceful protesters.
430. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his Department and all bodies under his Department’s aegis have reviewed their estates' portfolio in the context of identifying unoccupied buildings that may be suitable for use in the context of meeting the accommodation needs of persons arriving in Ireland from Ukraine. [54217/22]
View answer431. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number and type of unused and or unoccupied buildings in his Department’s estates’ portfolio and all bodies under his Department’s aegis. [54235/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 430 and 431 together.
The Department's 12 HQ properties in Dublin city and county, Limerick and Cork are provided by the Office of Public Works and none are unused or unoccupied.
There are no bodies under the aegis of the Department.
432. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide an update on a foreign birth register application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54288/22]
View answerMy Department is responsible for processing Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) applications for people who are born abroad and claim Irish Citizenship through a grandparent born in Ireland or through a parent who has claimed citizenship also through FBR, Naturalisation or Post Nuptial Citizenship.
Demand for this service increased significantly as a result of the Brexit vote in the UK. In 2015, prior to Brexit, a total of 6,000 entries were made to the register. In 2019, a peak number of 19,000 entries were made to the Foreign Births Register.
The service was also impacted by necessary Covid-19 restrictions in 2020 and 2021 and the unprecedented demand for passports seen to date in 2022.
My Department has put in place a number of measures that will address the volume of FBR applications currently on hand with a view to significantly reducing the processing time for these citizenship applications by the end of this year.
With regard to these specific applications, both applications were registered on the October 2021 and will be processed in due course.
433. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide an update on two foreign birth register applications (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54289/22]
View answerMy Department is responsible for processing Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) applications for people who are born abroad and claim Irish Citizenship through a grandparent born in Ireland or through a parent who has claimed citizenship also through FBR, Naturalisation or Post Nuptial Citizenship.
Demand for this service increased significantly as a result of the Brexit vote in the UK. In 2015, prior to Brexit, a total of 6,000 entries were made to the register. In 2019, a peak number of 19,000 entries were made to the Foreign Births Register.
The service was also impacted by necessary Covid-19 restrictions in 2020 and 2021 and the unprecedented demand for passports seen to date in 2022.
My Department has put in place a number of measures that will address the volume of FBR applications currently on hand with a view to significantly reducing the processing time for these citizenship applications by the end of this year.
It is not FBR Unit’s policy to link applications that are received on different dates. The FBR service operates a transparent general policy of processing applications in order of receipt except in cases of exceptional urgency, such as expectant parents, or stateless persons.
434. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide an update on the passport application status of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54408/22]
View answerWith regard to the specific application referred to by the Deputy, the Passport Service wrote to the applicant on 15 August 2018. This application has been cancelled. The applicant can submit a new application at any time.
435. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason that an application for registration of a foreign birth submitted in 2019 has yet to be processed (details supplied). [54440/22]
View answerMy Department is responsible for processing Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) applications for people who are born abroad and claim Irish Citizenship through a grandparent born in Ireland or through a parent who has claimed citizenship also through FBR, Naturalisation or Post Nuptial Citizenship.
Demand for this service increased significantly as a result of the Brexit vote in the UK. In 2015, prior to Brexit, a total of 6,000 entries were made to the register. In 2019, a peak number of 19,000 entries were made to the Foreign Births Register.
The service was also impacted by necessary Covid-19 restrictions in 2020 and 2021 and the unprecedented demand for passports seen to date in 2022.
My Department has put in place a number of measures that will address the volume of FBR applications currently on hand with a view to significantly reducing the processing time for these citizenship applications by the end of this year.
This application was registered on 12 November 2019. The applicant was contacted by email on 31 August 2021 and again on 2 August 2022 seeking further documentation. The Passport Service is awaiting a response from the applicant.
436. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 90 of 19 October 2022, if he will provide the analysis of estimated costs to establish and run an additional Passport Office in Northern Ireland. [54595/22]
View answerApproximately 10% of total applications received by the Passport Service are submitted by applicants resident in Northern Ireland. 87% of these applicants apply through Passport Online.
Currently, the Passport Service is issuing passports to 84% of adult online renewal applicants and 50% of child online renewal applicants within 3 working days or less. 60% of online applications submitted by applicants resident in Northern Ireland are renewal applications.
The Passport Service continuously considers ways that it can improve its service to all of our citizens regardless of where they live and regularly reviews the range of passport services on offer while also strategically planning to respond to future needs.
The passport offices in Mount St and Cork have public counters and offer an urgent appointment service for those who wish to renew their passport within one or four days in Dublin or within four days in Cork. Passport Service figures show that only 1% of the total of all passports produced by the Passport Service are issued through these public counters.
An office in Northern Ireland to process and produce passports in emergency and expedited situations would require significant expenditure across staffing, equipment and operational aspects.
Estimates based on current prices indicate that the costs associated with equipment, staffing and operational elements could be in excess of 10 million.
437. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount allocated to overseas development aid for 2023; the priorities for funding; his views on whether Ireland's overseas development aid adequately meets the need in countries such as Somalia; the amount of the funding that is directed to civil society organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54676/22]
View answerFor 2023, the Government is providing a total of over €1.22 billion for Official Development Assistance. This is the largest ever allocation, and an increase of 17% on 2022 allocation. The overall increase of €177 million includes €100 million for the international development programme operated by the Department of Foreign Affairs. €75 million of this will focus on the direct and indirect impact of the war in Ukraine, and €25 million is towards meeting our international climate finance commitments.
We are working to ensure that Ireland's response to global crises integrates more effectively our humanitarian, development and climate programmes, in partnership with the multilateral system, with civil society, and with the private sector.
A Better World, Ireland’s policy for international development, provides the framework for a whole of government development cooperation programme. Rooted in the Sustainable Development Goals, it aims to focus our efforts on four policy priorities: (i) gender equality; (ii) reducing humanitarian need; (iii) climate action; and (iv) strengthening governance. It contains a clear commitment, in all our work, to reach the furthest behind first.
Ireland has provided over €65 million in direct humanitarian assistance to Somalia since 2012, in response to crises of drought, food insecurity and conflict.
I had the opportunity to visit the Horn of Africa at the end of August, and witnessed first-hand the devastation caused by the drought and the impact of the crisis on vulnerable communities in the region. In early September I announced an immediate additional funding package of €3.2 million for the Horn of Africa. In addition a further €30 million for humanitarian assistance to the Horn of Africa this year was announced in Budget 2023. A significant portion of this funding will be provided for programmes assisting Somalia.
The Department of Foreign Affairs works closely in partnership with civil society organisations in order to further our common policy objectives, notably the eradication of hunger and poverty. Our Civil Society partners, and the individual grant allocations to them are published annually. The information can be found at Annex 12 of this link below: Irish Aid Annual Report 2021. I can confirm that funding to non-Governmental organisations accounted for 21% of Ireland's total ODA last year.
438. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will support the call for a loss and damage financing facility at COP27; the Government's view in relation to this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54677/22]
View answerThe issue of climate-induced loss and damage is a key priority for Ireland’s climate diplomacy and financing. Climate change has a disproportionate impact on people living in the least developed countries and in small island developing states. Many communities in developing countries are already facing serious losses and damage as a result of climate change and, for some, this represents an existential threat.
In line with Ireland’s Policy for International Development, A Better World, we are committed to focusing on the furthest behind first. In climate terms, this means a focus on the needs of those most affected and most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
Through the Climate Unit of the Department of Foreign Affairs , Ireland plays a key role in the EU team working on loss and damage in UNFCCC climate negotiations, progressing discussions on the need to scale up climate finance to the Least Developed Countries. The specific request to create a new finance facility for loss and damage was raised by developing countries in the context of the UNFCCC negotiations at COP26.
Ireland’s position is that there is an urgent need to scale up and improve access to climate finance to avert, minimise and address the loss and damage faced by people in countries most vulnerable to climate change. In scaling up the global response, finance must be designed in a way that acknowledges the cyclical, repetitive nature of climate shocks, and enables responses to both rapid-onset and slow-onset climate disasters in a way that meets the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable communities. We are open to feasible options to increase finance, including new funding arrangements where needed, and look forward to an inclusive and analytical decision-making process to find the best approach.
The Glasgow Dialogue, which was established at COP26 to discuss funding arrangements on this issue, is key to identifying the most efficient and effective way to respond. Scaled-up finance will require quick and agile finance flows, based on equity and human rights, which requires us to bring experience from humanitarian and development assistance. Ireland is committed to participating fully in, and informing, the Glasgow Dialogue. The Department of Foreign Affairs has proactively engaged civil society, humanitarian actors, women, youth and indigenous peoples to influence the Dialogue, facilitating analytical work and designing possible solutions in advance of COP27.
439. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will ensure that the European Union does not revert fully to unsustainable environmental practices such as fossil-fuel dependence or agricultural practices that could destroy biodiversity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54678/22]
View answerThe European Green Deal is the European Commission’s overarching plan to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, while boosting the competitiveness of European industry and ensuring a just transition for the regions and workers affected. Ireland fully supports the ambition set out in the European Green Deal and its aim to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. We welcome the increased ambition to deliver net zero greenhouse gas emissions at EU level by 2050 and increasing the EU-wide emissions reduction target to at least 55% by 2030. Ireland is a high-ambition member state in the area of climate action and we are fully committed to a clean and environmentally sensitive approach.
440. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the likely declaration of famine in Somalia; the steps that the Irish Government proposes to do in regard to this deteriorating situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54748/22]
View answerToday, over 7.8 million people in Somalia are affected by drought, more than double the number of at the beginning of the year. More than 1.1 million people have left their homes in search of food, water, and livelihoods. Some 301,000 people are facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity. Humanitarian needs will continue well into 2023, with the current rainy season failing. If humanitarian assistance is not urgently scaled up and effectively sustained, famine is likely to be declared. Humanitarian agencies are stepping up in response, re-orientating activities towards famine prevention and targeting the most vulnerable.
Over the last two years, Ireland has responded with over €78 million in direct humanitarian aid to countries in the Horn of Africa suffering from the impact of drought, conflict, climate shocks and the global food crisis. We are working with partners on the ground to deliver lifesaving assistance to those who need it most. Of this funding, €13.2 million has been provided to respond to humanitarian needs in Somalia, bringing to €65 million the direct humanitarian assistance provided to Somalia since 2012. These interventions complement the Irish Aid investment of over €54 million in development and other funding over the last two years to communities across the Horn of Africa to help address the underlying cause of food insecurity and to build community resilience. Somalia also benefits from contributions by Ireland to global pooled funds such as the UN Central Emergency Response Fund, which since 2021 has allocated $76 million to the Somalia humanitarian response.
Additional funding of €30 million for Humanitarian Action in the Horn of Africa this year was announced in Budget 2023. Once approved in a Supplementary Estimate, this funding will be allocated to a range of trusted humanitarian partners with proven geographic, sectoral and thematic expertise and a long-term presence and commitment in the region. It is anticipated that a significant proportion will go directly to partners active in Somalia to meet the needs of those affected by the worsening humanitarian crisis.
441. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps he has taken in relation to the potential famine in Somalia in view of Ireland’s seat at the UN Security Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54749/22]
View answerThe Horn of Africa is facing a rapidly deteriorating food security and nutrition crisis, as a five-season drought devastates the region against the background of accelerating climate shocks, and the impact of conflict.
The situation is particularly severe in Somalia, where 7.8 million people have been affected by the drought, including 301,000 experiencing an extreme lack of food, with evidence of acute malnutrition, starvation and death.
Over the last two years, Ireland has responded with over €78 million in direct humanitarian aid to countries in the Horn of Africa, working with partners on the ground to deliver lifesaving assistance. Of this funding, €13.2 million has been provided directly to respond to humanitarian needs in Somalia. An additional €30 million for Humanitarian Action in the Horn of Africa this year was announced in Budget 2023. Somalia also benefits from contributions by Ireland to pooled funds such as the UN Central Emergency Response Fund, which since 2021 has allocated $76 million to the Somalia humanitarian response.
Ireland is a consistent advocate for increased support to Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa at a global level. We recognise that humanitarian funding alone will not be sufficient to address the complex challenges Somalia faces. The conflict with Al-Shabaab in particular continues to undermine peace and security, hinder development, and exacerbate the acute humanitarian situation. At the Security Council Ireland engages on a range of files relating to Somalia from sanctions to the two UN missions in Somalia, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and maritime security. We work to ensure that these international interventions contribute to addressing the underlying drivers of the food crisis and easing humanitarian access.
More broadly, as the focal point on hunger and conflict in the Security Council, Ireland has consistently highlighted the underlying causes of food insecurity and the links between conflict and hunger, together with the impact of climate change. We have organised bi-annual briefings for Council member states with the World Food Programme and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation on food insecurity in conflict affected countries. We have also focused strongly on climate, as co-chair of the Climate and Security informal Expert Group, as convenor of a High-level Open Debate, and through a draft Resolution last year on climate and security. The draft resolution, which was vetoed by Russia, sought to strengthen the Council’s ability to better understand and address climate related security risks within its mandate.
Ireland will continue to act directly to address the consequences and causes of the crises affecting Somalia while also using our voice to galvanise global support internationally, including in the final months of our term on the UN Security Council.
