Robert Troy
Question:45. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs what plans there are to extend Ireland's diplomatic presence. [28784/23]
View answerDiplomatic Representation
Questions (45)
Written answers
Ireland’s diplomatic presence has been expanding significantly since the Government adopted the Global Ireland Strategy which aimed to double Ireland’s global footprint and influence in the period 2018 to 2025.
Thus far, Ireland has opened or announced twenty-two of the twenty-six missions planned for under the Strategy, that is, eleven bilateral Embassies and eleven Consulates General; decisions on the further four planned missions will be made in due course.
This wider and deeper international presence is helping Ireland to defend our economic interest and promote our values in a changing and uncertain international landscape. It has also assisted Ireland in building stronger bridges to our diaspora and promote our culture. Increasingly, where feasible, the focus and nature of our missions is the Ireland House model, where diplomatic and State agency colleagues work together as a single team, under one roof, winning investments, exports and jobs for Ireland. At present, there are 20 of these, and flagship Ireland Houses are being developed in Tokyo, London and New York before 2025.
Northern Ireland
Questions (46, 47)
Pearse Doherty
Question:46. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if the British government has responded to his communication sent regarding the 1973 killing of a person (details supplied) by the Royal Ulster Constabulary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22421/23]
View answerPearse Doherty
Question:47. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if there has been any further engagement with the family of a person (details supplied) who was shot dead by the RUC in 1973; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28042/23]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 46 and 47 together.
On Friday 24 February 2023, I met with the family of the person in question, who were accompanied by Councillor Michael Naughton. Officials in my Department met with the family in November, 2021 and in early February 2023. Last week, my officials provided the family with an update on engagement with the UK Government on the case and on recent legacy developments following the publication of the latest set of UK amendments to the Bill.
Following my meeting with the family in February, I wrote to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton-Harris, to bring this case to the attention of the British Government. The Secretary of State responded to me on the 27 March.
On the 16 May I met with the Secretary of State in Dublin, which included a wider discussion around Legacy matters. At this meeting I raised this specific case. I highlighted to the Secretary of State the fact that the following day was the 50th anniversary of this young man’s death and the family’s ongoing efforts to secure truth and justice.
Too many families are left with serious questions about the deaths of their loved ones and I am particularly conscious of the distress caused to them by the UK Government’s unilateral attempts to legislate in this area. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has advocated the UK Legacy Bill, currently before the House of Lords, as the best way to deal with Northern Ireland's legacy cases. This is not a view shared by victims and survivors, nor indeed by this Government.
I believe that it is essential that all families have access to an Article 2 compliant investigation into their loved one's death. This family's campaign for a further investigation into this killing is one example among many of the cases could be negatively impacted if the British Government’s Legacy Bill is enacted. The Government believes that by providing for amnesties for crimes amounting to gross human rights violations, the Bill, if enacted, could undermine rather than assist reconciliation. If the proposed Bill enters into force, the legislation would have far-reaching and negative impacts for victims, their families and communities in Northern Ireland and beyond.
In the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement, I continue to urge the UK to pause their Legacy legislation and return to a collective approach which is human rights compliant and delivers for victims.
Question No. 47 answered with Question No. 46.
Question No. 48 answered with Question No. 20.
Diplomatic Representation
Questions (49)
Brendan Griffin
Question:49. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the position regarding Russian diplomatic presence in Ireland; their numbers and specific purpose; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28881/23]
View answerWritten answers
There are currently 20 officers at the Embassy of the Russian Federation who have been notified to my Department under Article 10 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations - 8 Diplomats and 12 Administrative and Technical staff.
Prior to the invasion of Ukraine there were a total of 30 officers at the Embassy, 14 diplomats and 16 Administrative and Technical staff.
Ireland continues to coordinate closely with other EU Member States on our engagement with Russia, including keeping numbers of embassy personnel under review.
Ukraine War
Questions (50)
Catherine Connolly
Question:50. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 21 of 27 April 2023, to provide an update on Ireland’s efforts at EU and UN level to stop the war in Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28817/23]
View answerWritten answers
Ireland is consistently engaged at the European Union and United Nations in response to Russia’s illegal and unjustified war of aggression, and support for Ukraine in the face of this aggression.
Last month, I participated in the informal Gymnich meeting of Foreign Ministers in Sweden in early May, and the May Foreign Affairs Council (FAC). I will continue this engagement at the June FAC.
At the Gymnich, Ministers discussed the issue of Ukraine in detail and agreed on the need for long-term commitment to Ukraine, including multi-annual financial support. Ministers also reiterated their firm committed to holding Russia accountable for its actions. Ministers also met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, who updated on Ukrainian needs, as well debriefed on his own global outreach, including his meetings with partners in Asia, Latin America and Africa.
At the May FAC, Ministers were briefed by David O’ Sullivan, the Special Envoy for the Implementation of EU Sanctions. He provided details of his outreach to a number of countries to try and ensure that sanctions are not being circumvented. In my intervention, I stressed the importance of the EU agreeing on a further package of targeted sanctions and welcomed the focus on effective implementation. I also expressed my support for a further package of assistance measures through the European Peace Facility.
Ireland has also supported efforts to address the global impact of Russia’s war, particularly the increased global food insecurity which has resulted from the invasion. My European colleagues and I welcomed the renewal of the Black Sea Grain Initiative last month, which will continue to provide life saving grain and other food staples to the countries that need it most. However, we need more predictable, and longer extensions going forward, and Ireland supports the UN Secretary General in his efforts to achieve this.
Middle East
Questions (51)
Ruairí Ó Murchú
Question:51. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs what engagement he and his Department have had at EU Council level and with Cabinet colleagues in relation to human rights abuses of Palestinians annexed by the present Israeli regime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28753/23]
View answerWritten answers
I continue to raise the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory as a matter of priority with my EU colleagues.
At the Foreign Affairs Council on 23 January, I, along with my EU counterparts, met with the Palestinian Prime Minister, Mohammad Shtayyeh, and Foreign Minister, Riad Malki. This was a welcome and timely engagement, particularly in light of the deteriorating security situation and the impact on human Rights. On 8 March, the European Union expressed its deep concern at the increasing violence and extremism in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory, which are leading to rising numbers of Israeli and Palestinian victims, including children. Most recently, the EU Foreign Affairs Council discussed ongoing developments at its meeting in April.
I also welcome that the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, Eamon Gilmore, travelled to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory last week. During his programme, he discussed a range of issues with Palestinian and Israeli authorities including the use of lethal force by IDF, civilian deaths, settler violence, the need for accountability, settlements, demolitions, and gender equality and women's rights.
My Department engages on a consistent basis with other Departments with a view to implementing the Programme for Government as it relates to the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including providing advice as part of a whole-of-Government approach to the policy of differentiation.
Ukraine War
Questions (52)
Brendan Griffin
Question:52. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on how we can further support Ukraine in any way; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28882/23]
View answerWritten answers
Ireland has been unequivocal in our support for the people and Government of Ukraine, following Russia’s full-scale invasion. We remain unwavering in our support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and its right to defend itself against sustained Russian aggression.
Ireland is actively engaged in multilateral fora, including at the European Union and United Nations, and we continue to work with partners to identify ways to further support Ukraine. To date, the Irish Government has committed over €183 million in bilateral support to Ukraine, comprising €61 million in stabilisation and humanitarian support and approximately €122 million of military assistance via the European Peace Facility. Ireland has also made a €3 million voluntary contribution to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for use in all situations before the Court, including Ukraine, as well as providing a variety of in-kind assistance, including medical supplies and energy network items.
Most recently, in the immediate wake of the destruction of the Kakhovka dam, Ireland allocated €1 million to support urgent humanitarian needs on the ground. The funds will be allocated to the IFRC to support the local response by the Ukraine Red Cross Society. Additionally, Ireland has welcomed over 84,000 Ukrainians under the Temporary Protection Directive, which equates to some 1.6% of our population.
Ireland is supporting the European Union Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine). There is currently one Defence Forces officer in a senior staff position at the mission’s Operational Headquarters in Brussels and three officers who have taken up staff positions in the multinational Special Training Command (STC) in Germany. Six members of the Defence Forces also recently helped to deliver a course in Demining and Clearance to members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Cyprus in April.
At EU level, Member States have adopted ten major packages of sanctions against Russia. These are the hardest hitting and most expansive sanctions in EU history. Ireland is supportive of further sanctions packages, focused on degrading Russia’s capacity to continue its aggression. We are also focused on ensuring that all the measures adopted to date are fully and effectively implemented.
Ireland supports of the 10-point Peace Formula announced by President Zelenskyy last November and believes that it is for Ukraine to determine the terms, conditions and timelines for any peace negotiations and agreement. We are actively engaged in many of the areas that it covers, including food security, nuclear safety, and accountability.
Ireland has been to the fore in working for accountability for Russia's actions in Ukraine. We support the investigations of the ICC Prosecutor in Ukraine and call for full cooperation by all States Parties, including in the execution of arrest warrants issued. We support the establishment of a special tribunal to try those responsible for the crime of aggression in Ukraine. At the Council of Europe, we have supported the establishment of a register of damage caused by Russian aggression.
It is important that our current support to Ukraine also extend to its longer-term recovery and reconstruction. Ireland is engaging with Ukraine and partners to put in place the necessary structures and mechanisms to ensure a successful reconstruction effort.
Ireland is, and will remain, a strong supporter of EU Enlargement, and of Ukraine’s European perspective. Last June, we warmly welcomed the granting of candidate status to Ukraine and we stand ready to further support Ukraine on its path to EU membership.
Humanitarian Aid
Questions (53)
Alan Farrell
Question:53. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to provide an update on his Department’s work with regard to developing new humanitarian missions overseas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28874/23]
View answerWritten answers
Global humanitarian needs have reached an all-time high in 2023. The UN estimates that 345 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in 69 countries. Through our international development programme, Ireland has responded to the high levels of need with increased humanitarian funding. In 2022, Ireland’s swift responses to the Ukraine crisis and the danger of famine in the Horn of Africa saw the level of our humanitarian assistance rise to over €280 million.
In February this year, the Government provided €10 million in immediate emergency assistance to respond to the devastating earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria, including sending the largest ever shipment of life saving supplies from Ireland.
Most of the humanitarian assistance from the Department of Foreign Affairs is managed by the Humanitarian Unit in the Department. We support a range of partners on the ground, including UN agencies, the Red Cross Family and civil society partners. These organisations have a strong track record of reaching the most vulnerable populations with life-saving assistance.
We also provide substantial funding to UN-managed humanitarian pooled funds. This includes seventeen country-level pooled funds, including for Burkina Faso, Lebanon, Myanmar, Nigeria, Syria and Venezuela. We are also strong supporters of the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), which last year provided humanitarian funding to 42 countries across the globe.
In addition, Ireland provides humanitarian funding through our bilateral missions in Africa, most notably in Ethiopia, Mozambique and Uganda. Targeted programmes support vulnerable populations affected by conflict and displacement.
The Department's range of established partnerships and funding mechanisms provide Irish Aid with a wide reach across continents and countries. This is an effective way to rapidly channel humanitarian funding to where the needs are greatest.
Cybersecurity Policy
Questions (54)
James Lawless
Question:54. Deputy James Lawless asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the role he and his Department will play in defending and promoting a safe, secure, free and open global cyberspace, with robust telecommunication infrastructures and regulated by international law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28103/23]
View answerWritten answers
The development of a free, open, peaceful and secure cyber space to facilitate economic and social development is an important objective for this Government and my Department.
As part of the whole-of-Government approach as outlined in the 2019 – 2024 National Cyber Security Strategy, the Department of Foreign Affairs plays an active role on international cyber issues, in close coordination with the National Cyber Security Centre, the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications and other relevant Government Departments.
The work of this Department primarily relates to leading on Ireland’s engagement with international processes and work-strands, such as the 2021-2025 UN Open-Ended Working Group on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies, EU Cyber Diplomacy and the diplomatic aspects of other international cyber initiatives, including the Counter Ransomware Initiative.
My Department supports international collaboration and capacity building through Ireland’s membership of the Cooperative Cyber Defence Center of Excellence in Tallinn, which my colleague Minister of State Burke visited just last month, and the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats, which Ireland formally joined in January this year.
Recognising the increasingly important role of cyber issues in international affairs, my Department has supported increased staffing capacity on cyber issues in Ireland’s Permanent Representation to the EU, and is working closely with the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications to appoint cyber attachés in other key diplomatic missions, starting with our Embassy in Washington D.C.
Question No. 55 answered with Question No. 39.
Question No. 56 answered with Question No. 28.
Overseas Development Aid
Questions (57)
Matt Carthy
Question:57. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the percentage of GNI allocated to overseas development aid in the years 2017 to date. [28847/23]
View answerWritten answers
For 2023, the Government has provided a gross allocation of over €1.233 billion for Official Development Assistance (ODA). This is the ninth consecutive year in which Ireland’s allocation for ODA has increased, and the second consecutive year in which the allocation has been over €1 billion.
Each year the Department of Foreign Affairs reports to the OECD Development Assistance Committee on overall expenditure on ODA, against a set of internationally agreed statistical standards. The report includes details of total ODA expenditure and the percentage of Gross National Income (GNI) which it represents. The following figures provide a summary of ODA levels between 2017 and 2021. Full details are set out in the Irish Aid annual reports which are available on the Irish Aid website.
|
Year |
Total ODA (€ millions) |
% GNI |
|
2021 |
976.14 |
0.30% |
|
2020 |
867.53 |
0.31% |
|
2019 |
869.54 |
0.32% |
|
2018 |
791.63 |
0.31% |
|
2017 |
743.42 |
0.32% |
Final date for 2022 will be available in the coming months. Preliminary analysis indicates that Ireland's total ODA increased to €2.33 billion, representing 0.64% of ODA. This reflects the exceptional impact of eligible expenditure on the first-year costs of providing for Ukrainian refugees in Ireland. The Government did not source any of these eligible costs from the 2022 allocation for ODA. Excluding the costs relating to Ukrainian refugees, Ireland's 2022 ODA is estimated at €1.4 billion, representing 0.40% of GNP.
Good Friday Agreement
Questions (58)
Bernard Durkan
Question:58. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to indicate in the context of cross-Border issues identified in the Good Friday Agreement and thereafter as being in need of advancement with particular reference to infrastructural deficiencies needing urgent attention, if he can undertake to give his full support to such issues in order to improve these infrastructural deficiencies in line with the Good Friday Agreement. [28836/23]
View answerWritten answers
Strand Two of the Good Friday Agreement provided for the establishment of the North South Ministerial Council to develop consultation, cooperation, and action within the island of Ireland on matters of mutual interest within the competence of the Administrations. It also provided for the establishment of North South Implementation Bodies to progress North South cooperation in agreed areas.
The Council and the Bodies are the formal means through which the Government develops and advances North South cooperation, including in relation to infrastructure.
Through the New Decade, New Approach agreement, which restored the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement in 2020, the Government committed to working with the Northern Ireland Executive, through the North South Ministerial Council, to deliver a number of North South infrastructure projects, including the restoration of the Ulster Canal, the upgrade of the A5 road, and a review of rail connectivity on the island.
That year, I established the Government’s Shared Island Initiative, which includes a Shared Island Fund – with a commitment of at least €1 billion out to 2030 – ring-fenced for all-island investment. To date, almost €200 million has been allocated from the Shared Island Fund to move forward on cross-border commitments, and also to support the delivery of new infrastructure projects.
Unfortunately, ongoing disruption to the power-sharing and North South political institutions has complicated the ability to further progress infrastructure with an all-island dimension. I spoke with political representatives in Northern Ireland last week and reiterated the urgent need for a restoration of the institutions. This is also a matter that I discuss regularly with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.