Written Answers Nos. 126-141
126. Deputy John Brady asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide details of the Government’s response to the newly announced EU civilian mission to Armenia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4409/23]
View answerAt the 23 January meeting of EU Foreign Ministers, I supported a Council Decision establishing a civilian Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) mission in Armenia, which will have an initial duration of two years. Its objective will be to contribute to decreasing the number of incidents in conflict-affected and border areas in Armenia, to reduce the level of risk for the population living in such areas, and to contribute to the normalisation of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
I welcomed the establishment of the Mission, which sends an important signal of support for the stability and security of the South Caucasus region. We hope that the mission will succeed in contributing to human security and confidence-building between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
During our tenure on the UN Security Council, which ended in December, Ireland repeatedly spoke in favour of a peaceful resolution to the disputes between Armenia and Azerbaijan, called for the immediate cessation of hostilities, and the implementation of a ceasefire. Armed confrontation will not provide any lasting resolution. Ireland supports a negotiated, comprehensive and sustainable settlement of the conflict, including on the long-term status of Nagorno-Karabakh, and supports increased EU engagement in the South Caucasus.
127. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the current state of negotiation between the EU and the UK on finding an agreed settlement on the Northern Ireland protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4004/23]
View answer135. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his assessment of the current situation with the Northern Ireland protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4215/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 127 and 135 together.
Talks are on-going between the EU and the UK on the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol. In their most recent engagement, on 16 January, European Commission Vice President Šefčovič on the EU side and Foreign Secretary Cleverly and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Heaton-Harris on the UK side, agreed that their officials should continue to scope the potential for joint solutions to outstanding issues.
This followed a Joint Statement on 9 January, which noted that agreement had been reached in respect of the question of the EU's access to UK IT systems. The two sides acknowledged in their Joint Statement that this was a critical prerequisite to building trust between the EU and the UK.
I welcome these signs of progress in the talks. However, it is important to acknowledge that there are a range of important and difficult issues that need to be addressed regarding the Protocol.
The European Union has listened to the concerns of people and business in Northern Ireland and has committed to working with the UK to finding joint solutions to those issues of concern.
As we have done throughout the Brexit process, the Government remains fully engaged with our counterparts across the EU as well as key interlocutors and stakeholders in the UK, Northern Ireland and the US.
I speak regularly with Commission Vice President Šefčovič, whom I met in Brussels earlier this month.
I have had a number of engagements with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris and with Foreign Secretary James Cleverly.
I am also in on-going contact with the political parties and other key stakeholders in Northern Ireland.
It is my hope that joint solutions can be found that not only provide certainty and stability for people and business in Northern Ireland, but also open up opportunities for greater EU-UK as well as British-Irish cooperation.
128. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his appearance at the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Tirana. [62026/22]
View answerI attended the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Tirana on 6 December, the first such Summit to take place in the Western Balkans region. All EU Members States bar Spain were represented at Head of State or Government level, as were all six Western Balkans countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.
The Summit consisted of two plenary sessions.
The first session was dedicated to addressing the impact of Russia's war against Ukraine on the Western Balkans region, including supports in the energy sector, and initiatives to build a robust economic foundation through the implementation of the EU’s Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans.
The second session looked at how to intensify engagement between the EU and Western Balkans, focusing on security, migration, and regional cooperation.
The Summit resulted in the publication of the Tirana Declaration, to which all Western Balkans partners aligned. The Declaration reconfirms the EU’s commitment to the Western Balkans countries, and to their EU perspectives. It also commits to accelerated political and policy engagement; deeper sectoral cooperation; greater integration of the Western Balkans into the EU internal market; and stronger cooperation on security issues.
The Summit was a good opportunity for Ireland to reiterate our strong support for the EU perspective of the Western Balkans countries, and to encourage further progress in EU-related reforms, particularly in the areas of rule of law and fundamental rights. It was also an opportunity to signal our commitment to supporting the Western Balkans region to mitigate the negative impacts of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and to recognise the strong CFSP alignment of most Western Balkans partners in response to Russian aggression.
Throughout the Summit, I emphasised the importance of regional cooperation to resolve conflicts, noting the transformative impact of EU membership on peace and prosperity in Ireland over the past 50 years.
129. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of passport applications from County Westmeath that are currently outstanding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4394/23]
View answerThe number of passport applications currently in the Passport Online system from County Westmeath are outlined below in tabular form.
The table also breaks down the number of applications that are currently being processed by the Passport Service and the number of applications that require further action from the applicant, such as the submission of additional documentation. These applications are not considered outstanding, as they're being processed in line with normal turnaround times.
|
County |
Total applications in system |
Passport Service processing |
Further action required by applicant |
|
Westmeath |
1,065 |
535 |
530 |
132. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the action being taken in relation to the ongoing detention of opposition activists in Belarus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4376/23]
View answerIreland has unequivocally condemned the brutal repression and the politically motivated trials aimed at silencing any independent voices and closing all remaining space for democratic debate in Belarus. We use our voice at all relevant multilateral fora to raise actions by the Belarussian regime targeting civil society, pro-democratic movements, human rights defenders, journalists, and independent trade unions members including violations of the right to a fair trial, the use of torture and numerous acts of intimidation of those in detention.
Since the harsh crackdown of the widespread protests sparked by the fraudulent 2020 elections, Ireland has provided political support to Belarusian civil society and democratic forces. This includes supporting extensive EU sanctions targeting members of the regime. The European Commission is now preparing a further package of restrictive measures that target the Lukashenko regime.
In 2022, Ireland provided funding to support independent Belarusian media, as well as to the International Accountability Platform for Belarus, a coalition of independent NGOs working to collect, consolidate, verify, and preserve evidence of human rights violations allegedly perpetrated by the Belarusian authorities.
Our diplomats are in regular contact with the Belarusian democratic movement in exile. Ireland’s Embassy in Vilnius participates in a coordinated EU social media communications campaign to highlight the individual cases of political prisoners, along with other EU missions accredited to Belarus.
Ireland will continue to support the brave women and men striving for a free, democratic and independent Belarus using all available political and diplomatic tools at its disposal.
133. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the engagements he has had at EU or UN level regarding a Palestinian driver who was reportedly pepper sprayed and shot by the Israeli defence forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4449/23]
View answerI am aware of the incident referred to by the Deputy, which is deeply alarming, and extend my condolences to the family. I have not yet had the opportunity to raise this specific case at EU or UN level. Events such as this incident and the appalling developments in Jenin last week have served as a stark reminder of the need to break this continuing cycle of violence.
Ireland has repeatedly expressed concern regarding the increasingly high levels of Palestinian civilian casualties in the occupied West Bank. It is deeply concerning that 2022 saw the highest number of civilian casualties since the UN began systematically recording fatalities in 2005.
Ireland has been clear that the protection of civilians must be paramount. We have consistently raised concerns regarding the pervasive culture of impunity for incidents of possible excessive use of force or for potentially unlawful killings, by Israeli security forces. Ireland has called for accountability in respect of all civilian deaths, stressing that this is the cornerstone of a political horizon and a meaningful peace process.
Furthermore, Irish officials are in continuous dialogue with our European partners on these matters, including via our Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels.
I discussed this issue in a phone call with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki on 18 January, during which he shared his deep concern at the deteriorating situation. I also welcome that the Foreign Affairs Council on 23 January provided an opportunity for both Prime Minister Shtayyeh and Foreign Minister Malki to raise these troubling developments with the EU collectively.
Ireland stands ready to support all efforts to achieve a just and lasting two-State solution based on international law and internationally agreed parameters. This represents the only sustainable prospect that will enable Palestinians and Israelis to live in peace.
134. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline Ireland’s major achievements as a member of the UN Security Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4460/23]
View answerIreland’s two-year term on the UN Security Council, which ended on 31 December, was underpinned by three core principles: building peace; strengthening conflict prevention; and ensuring accountability. Working in line with those principles, we secured a number of important outcomes that are already making a real difference for people in conflict-affected countries.
Building on the extraordinary experience and expertise of Irish peacekeepers, we negotiated a ground-breaking Resolution on Peacekeeping Transitions. Resolution 2594 – which was supported by all 15 Council members – aims to ensure that, when UN peacekeepers leave, peace is sustained.
We partnered with the US to negotiate Resolution 2664, a landmark initiative that established a horizontal carve-out for humanitarian activities across all UN sanctions regimes. It ensures that the Council can make use of sanctions without impeding the provision of humanitarian assistance.
In 2021 and 2022, Ireland and Norway led negotiations on successive renewals of the vital Syria Humanitarian cross-border resolution, ensuring that humanitarian aid can continue to reach over four million Syrians. We worked hard to secure a further renewal in early January, just after we left the Council.
The EU-led crisis management mission, Operation Althea, plays an indispensable role in safeguarding stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ireland led negotiations on the renewal of the Mission’s Security Council authorisation in October 2022 and, through painstaking diplomacy, secured unanimous agreement on that text.
We led the Council’s work on Ethiopia, focusing international attention on the catastrophic humanitarian crisis caused by the war, and supporting the mediation efforts of the UN Secretary-General and the African Union.
We used our seat on the Council to deliver consistent, principled and powerful criticism of Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine. We continue to do everything we can, at the UN and elsewhere, to support Ukraine.
Ireland co-chaired the Council’s informal expert group on Women, Peace and Security, and the promotion of gender equality was a golden thread running through all of our work on the Council. We consistently prioritised the defence of the human rights of the women of Afghanistan.
When Shireen Abu Akleh was killed in the occupied Palestinian territory last May, we convened a meeting of Council members to address the issue of the protection of journalists. Members of the media spoke of the dangers they face, and highlighted the killing of Pierre Zakrzewski in Ukraine, and of many other journalists.
Working with Niger, Ireland chaired the Council’s informal expert group on climate and security and led negotiations on what would have been the Council’s first ever Resolution on that topic. Although the Resolution was ultimately vetoed by Russia, it attracted very wide support from across the UN membership, pushing the agenda forward significantly.
136. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if Ireland can do more to assist Ukraine to defend itself militarily against the brutal aggression of the Russian invading army and Russian aerial attacks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4443/23]
View answerIreland has been consistent in our support for Ukraine since Russia's further invasion in February 2022. While Ireland is a militarily neutral country, meaning that we do not participate in a military alliance or common or mutual defence arrangements, we are not politically neutral in our response to Russia’s unprovoked aggression against Ukraine. We have supported measures to help Ukraine at all multilateral fora of which we are members.
At EU level, recent discussions have focused on the provision of additional, more sophisticated military equipment to Ukraine. In January, it was agreed to increase funding under the European Peace Facility to €3.5 billion. In line with our approach to the initial Council Decision, Ireland will constructively abstain from the Assistance Measure concerning the supply of military equipment, and platforms, designed to deliver lethal force. We will instead contribute our full share to the non-lethal Assistance Measure (this will bring Ireland’s total contribution to Ukraine under the European Peace Facility to approximately €77 million.)
Also in January, the Commission disbursed a first instalment of €3 billion, of the up to €18 billion Macro-financial Assistance package for Ukraine. With this stable, regular and predictable financial support throughout 2023, Ukraine will be able to continue to pay wages and pensions, and maintain essential public services such as hospitals, schools, and housing for relocated people. It will also allow Ukraine to ensure macroeconomic stability and restore critical infrastructure destroyed by Russia in its war of aggression, such as energy infrastructure, water systems, transport networks, roads and bridges.
Additionally, Ireland has consistently supported imposing strong sanctions in response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and is fully committed to their implementation.
We will continue our steadfast support of Ukraine for as long as it takes.
138. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the measures being taken to ensure that the delays experienced in processing of passports in 2022 will not be repeated in 2023, with particular emphasis on first-time applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4441/23]
View answer2022 was an exceptionally busy year for the Passport Service, with over 1,085,000 passports issued. 2023 is set to be a similarly busy year.
In recent weeks, there has been a marked increase in applications received, signifying that the next busy season for passports is commencing. Applications have increased from an average of 1,400 per day in December to almost 5,000 per day in recent weeks.
Thanks to significant investment by the Government and the dedicated work of the Passport Service staff, substantial improvements were made in 2022 and full, normal service was restored. All processing times for online applications are in line with normal pre-Covid processing times.
Over the past few months my Department has been planning to ensure that demand for passports continues to be met in 2023, with a view to maintaining target processing times throughout the year.
Adequate staffing of the Passport Service to respond to demand continues to be a priority for my Department in 2023 and is an issue that is kept under constant review.
My Department ran 15 competitions in 2021 and 2022 to address staffing needs in the Passport Service. New office space on the Balbriggan campus is now open and provides over 200 additional workstations to accommodate the increase in staff numbers.
The Passport Service and Human Resources are also actively working to assign new staff to the Passport Service throughout the first quarter of the year. Approximately 100 successful candidates from a Temporary Clerical Officer competition run by the Department are currently going through the Garda Vetting process and will be assigned in the coming weeks and months.
Currently, 100% of calls received are being answered by the Customer Service Hub and the staffing plan for 2023 aims to ensure that excellent customer service is maintained during periods of peak demand.
Passport Online can be used by 97% of applicants across the world, for both first time and renewal applications. The Passport Online Service is 4 times faster than paper-based applications for adult and child renewal applications. Over 90% of applicants now apply through Passport Online.
My Department is currently rolling out a Digital First media and communications campaign for the Passport Service for 2023. The campaign aims to encourage citizens to check their passport before booking travel, and to apply for their passport online and in plenty of time. This campaign began in December, with digital, print and social media advertisements. Radio advertisements commenced this month, which will be followed by outdoor advertising in early February.
All ads will remind citizens to check the validity of their passports before booking travel. The first few weeks of the campaign have already seen a 245% increase in traffic to the Passport Service website, compared to the weeks preceding the campaign. The Passport Service also had a presence at the Holiday World Show in Dublin last weekend.
Indications are that the campaign is having the desired impact. January application numbers to date in 2023 have increased by 24% when compared to the same period in 2022. Additionally, we have seen a 245% increase in website traffic to dfa.ie/passports compared to early December, prior to the campaign.
I am confident that the staffing and accommodation measures implemented, along with other improvements, will have a positive impact on passport processing times for 2023.
139. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs how Ireland is pursuing accountability for violations of international law and war crimes committed in Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4365/23]
View answerIreland condemns the further invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, which is an unjustified and illegal act of aggression contrary to international law. We support initiatives to bring to account perpetrators of atrocity crimes, including war crimes, committed in Ukraine since Russia’s latest invasion of that country in February 2022.
Ireland, along with its EU partners, was one of over 40 States to refer the situation in Ukraine to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in order to pursue accountability for alleged atrocity crimes committed in Ukraine. The ICC has jurisdiction over crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide that have been committed on Ukrainian territory since 2013. In March 2022, the Prosecutor of the ICC commenced a formal investigation into the situation in Ukraine.
Ireland voted in favour of a UN General Assembly resolution adopted in March, which demanded that Russia immediately withdraw all of its military forces from Ukraine, and a resolution adopted in November, recommending that States establish an international register of damage, loss or injury, arising from the internationally wrongful acts of the Russian Federation in or against Ukraine. Ireland also co-sponsored a resolution of the UN Human Rights Council establishing a Commission of Inquiry on alleged violations and abuses of human rights violations and international humanitarian law in the context of the Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
On 19 September 2022, Ireland filed a Declaration of Intervention in the case brought by Ukraine against Russia under the Genocide Convention at the International Court of Justice. Ireland’s intervention argues that the use of force by Russia on the pretext of a false allegation of genocide in Ukraine is a serious violation of the Genocide Convention.
Ireland is one of a number of states that have applied to the European Court of Human Rights for leave to intervene as a third party in proceedings arising from the invasion of Ukraine (Ukraine v Russian Federation (X)).
140. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of passport applications from County Carlow that are currently outstanding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4233/23]
View answerThe number of passport applications currently in the Passport Online system from County Carlow are outlined below in tabular form.
The table also breaks down the number of applications that are currently being processed by the Passport Service and the number of applications that require further action from the applicant, such as the submission of additional documentation. These applications aren't considered outstanding, as they're being processed in line with normal turnaround times.
|
County |
Total applications in system |
Passport Service processing |
Further action required by applicant |
|
Carlow |
780 |
431 |
349 |
