Written Answers Nos. 121-135
121. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Taoiseach if he will provide details on the CSO release on Data Centres Metered Electricity Consumption 2022; to outline how the CSO accounted for the failure of ESB Networks to properly meter electricity consumption by a company (details supplied) data centre at Clonee; and to clarify if the full demand from that data centre is included in the CSO release or only the demand which has been metered. [29229/23]
View answerThe CSO published the statistical release Data Centres Metered Electricity Consumption 2022 on 12 June 2023. Details on this release can be found on the CSO website.
The full demand from all metered electricity customers is included in the Data Centres Metered Electricity Consumption 2022 statistical release published by the CSO.
Information on individual enterprises cannot be provided as such information is confidential under the Statistics Act, 1993.
122. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Taoiseach the number of people with disabilities in Ireland who were deemed to be self-employed in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022; the number who had employees; and the number who had no employees, in tabular form. [28942/23]
View answerThe exact information requested by the Deputy is not available.
The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is a household survey which provides quarterly statistics on employment and unemployment and is the official source of labour market estimates in the State. The classification of employment status in LFS results is determined according to ILO (International Labour Organisation) concepts and definitions.
A question on disability status (whether a person has a long-standing health problem that limits the activities that they perform) was asked of LFS respondents in each year between 2019 and 2022. There was no question on disability status in 2018. It is important to note that the 2022 question format (‘Have you been limited in activities people usually do, because of a health problem?’) was different to the question format in years 2019-2021 (‘Do you have any of the following longlasting conditions or difficulties?) and the results should not be directly compared.
The tables below contain figures for numbers of persons classified as having a disability according to the specification above whose labour market status was classified as self-employed, with a breakdown between those persons with paid employees and those without.
Table 1 Self-employed persons with a disability aged 15-89 years, 2018-2021
'000
|
Employment Status |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
Self-employed (with paid employees) |
na |
7.5 |
7.9 |
[5.4] |
|
Self-employed (with no paid employees) |
na |
23.0 |
23.8 |
32.7 |
|
Self-employed (all) |
na |
30.5 |
31.7 |
38.1 |
Table 2 Self-employed persons with a disability aged 15-89 years, 2022
|
'000 |
|
|
Employment Status 2022 |
|
|
Self-employed (with paid employees) |
[7.4] |
|
Self-employed (with no paid employees) |
25.1 |
|
Self-employed (all) |
32.5 |
Source: Labour Force Survey (LFS), Central Statistics Office, Ireland.
Data may be subject to future revision.
Parentheses [ ] indicate where there are 30-49 persons in a cell, estimates are considered to have a wider margin of error and should be treated with caution.
2022 should not be directly compared with years 2019-2021 as the question format changed (2019-2021: Do you have any of the following longlasting conditions or difficulties; 2022: Have you been limited in activities people usually do, because of a health problem?)
123. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Taoiseach if he will outline the implementation of circular 25/2016 by each State body under the aegis of his Department; and if he will provide, in tabular form, by State agency, the compliance with each of the standards and timelines set out in responding to Oireachtas Members’ queries. [29483/23]
View answerIn line with its obligations under Circular 25/2016, the National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO), the only body under the aegis of my Department, has the following dedicated email address for Oireachtas members: Oireachtas@nesdo.ie. This mailbox is monitored to ensure full compliance with target deadlines and standards in terms of acknowledgements and substantive responses to queries.
124. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Taoiseach if he will outline the principles of the mission statement of his Department, with particular reference to the full range of responsibilities; and if a reduction or extension of such responsibilities is intended. [28939/23]
View answerThe priorities set out in the Department's Statement of Strategy 2021 - 2023, reflect the role of the Department to assist me as Taoiseach and the Government to ensure a sustainable economy and a successful society, to pursue Ireland’s interests abroad, to implement the Government’s Programme, and to build a better future for Ireland and all its citizens.
The Shared Island Unit and Social Dialogue Unit were established in my Department as provided for in the Programme for Government. More recently the Child Poverty Unit was established to enhance co-ordination across Government, provide strategic leadership, and bring enhanced accountability to the child poverty agenda.
The Department’s new Statement of Strategy will be published in the coming weeks.
125. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the establishment of a child poverty unit in his Department. [29727/23]
View answerIn Spring 2023, a Child Poverty and Well-Being Programme Office was established in the Department of the Taoiseach.
Government decided that the Programme Office will focus on six priority areas. These are:
1. Income assistance and joblessness
2. Early learning and childcare
3. Reducing the cost of education
4. Family homelessness
5. Consolidating and integrating public health, family & parental assistance, and well-being services
6. Enhancing participation in culture, arts and sport for children and young people affected by poverty.
These were selected because they are areas of intervention that have the potential to bring about significant change for children and families living in poverty.
The Government’s vision is to make Ireland the best country in Europe to be a child. This is important because we want every child to be happy and well-cared for, but also because happy childhoods are the foundation of realising broader economic, environmental and social goals.
The role of the Department of the Taoiseach is to co-ordinate and focus Government action. In line with this, the purpose of the Child Poverty and Well-being Programme Office is twofold:
1. Monitor the delivery of specified policy commitments by Departments and/or Agencies, to drive implementation and policy coherence.
2. Undertake a small number of strategic initiatives which have the potential to increase the impact of current and emerging measures to fight child poverty and support child well-being.
As of last week, the Programme Office is now fully staffed and is currently working on a multi-annual programme plan.
126. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he could provide an update on an application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29138/23]
View answerWith regard to the specific Foreign Birth Registration application about which the Deputy has enquired, this application has been approved. A certificate will issue to the applicant in the coming days.
127. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the last time discussions were held to promote strengthen ties between the EU and Singapore; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29160/23]
View answerEU-Singapore relations are built on a long history of friendship and close historical, political and economic ties. In 2018, the importance of this relationship was reflected in the conclusion of the EU-Singapore Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), which was duly ratified by Ireland in November 2021. The PCA provides the framework and platform for strengthening the EU's partnership with Singapore, including regular engagement on areas of mutual interest. In early June, EU High Representative/Vice President Borrell met Singapore’s Acting Prime Minister and Foreign Minister in Singapore. Last December EU leaders, including the Taoiseach, met with Singapore’s Prime Minister during the EU-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asia Nations) Summit.
I met with Prime Minister Lee and Deputy Prime Minister Wong during my visit to Singapore in July 2022 as Taoiseach. As small, outwardly-focused countries with a strong commitment to multilateralism and the rule of law, Ireland and Singapore are natural partners. We discussed our growing bilateral engagement as well as EU-Singapore relations. I was pleased to exchange views with the Prime Minister on global economic recovery as well as on regional security and Russia's war in Ukraine. Singapore has consistently condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a clear violation of the UN Charter and has issued sanctions against Russia.
As a supporter of open, free trade, Ireland advocated for an ambitious agreement during negotiations to secure an EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement in 2019. This agreement has been a key factor in the significant increase in trade with the EU in recent years, notwithstanding the pandemic. In 2022, EU-Singapore trade in goods amounted to €52.4 billion; trade in services reached €57.6 billion in 2021. The EU and Singapore also signed a formal Digital Partnership in 2023, during a meeting between Commissioner Breton and Minister Iswaran.
Ireland's trade relationship with Singapore has also been going from strength to strength with over €1.4 billion in two-way goods trade in 2022, a significant increase since 2019. Our two way trade in services in 2021 was €14 billion. The promotion of trade relations with Singapore was a prominent feature of my visit to Singapore in July 2022 and of the two visits last year by cabinet colleagues.
Ireland's Embassy in Singapore engages actively both bilaterally and in conjunction with the EU delegation on the ground to advance the EU and Ireland’s interests and to advocate on human rights and political issues of interest. Singapore remains a key partner for the EU in the region and I look forward to continued high level engagement in the period to come.
128. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will ensure that the renewal of a passport for a child (details supplied) will be processed urgently by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29204/23]
View answerWith regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, this application is within the current turnaround times and has not yet reached its issue by date.
129. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if the passport application for a person (details supplied) will be expedited. [29233/23]
View answerWith regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, this is a paper application. Turnaround time for paper applications is 8 weeks. This application is within the turnaround time and has not yet reached its issue-by date.
I strongly encourage the Deputy to advise his constituents of the substantial benefits of applying using Passport Online. It is by far the quickest way to apply for a passport.
130. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of embassies and consulates operated by his Department; the total WTE and cost of each, by state; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29245/23]
View answerThe Department of Foreign Affairs has 98 overseas missions (including Embassies, Consulates, Representative Offices and missions to multilateral institutions). The list of missions, the number of Department of Foreign Affairs officials posted to each mission at end 2022, and the yearly cost of operating each mission during 2022 is set out below in tabular form.
|
- |
Total DFA Posted Staff as of 31 December 2022 |
Total Operating Cost 2022 (€) |
|
Europe |
||
|
Athens |
3 |
760,065 |
|
Berlin |
6 |
2,205,192 |
|
Berne |
2 |
915,293 |
|
Bratislava |
2 |
557,548 |
|
Brussels (Emb) |
2 |
701,641 |
|
Brussels (Perm Rep) |
70 |
13,649,732* |
|
Brussels (Partnership for Peace) |
3 |
334,973 |
|
Bucharest |
2 |
553,796 |
|
Budapest |
2 |
661,259 |
|
Cardiff (Consulate) |
2 |
388,637 |
|
Copenhagen |
1 |
606,414 |
|
Edinburgh (Consulate) |
4 |
685,400 |
|
Frankfurt (Consulate) |
2 |
612,307 |
|
Geneva (Perm Mission to the UN) |
6 |
2,185,039 |
|
Helsinki |
2 |
894,117 |
|
Holy See |
1 |
386,658 |
|
Kyiv |
2 |
930,011 |
|
Lisbon |
3 |
650,299 |
|
Ljubljana |
2 |
523,409 |
|
London |
34 |
7,110,537 |
|
Luxembourg |
2 |
612,820 |
|
Lyon (Consulate) |
2 |
100,308 |
|
Madrid |
4 |
1,510,855 |
|
Manchester (Consulate) |
2 |
390,504 |
|
Moscow |
2 |
951,751 |
|
Nicosia |
2 |
488,193 |
|
Oslo |
2 |
832,778 |
|
Paris |
11 |
3,686,054 |
|
Paris (OECD) |
2 |
370,071 |
|
Prague |
2 |
741,743 |
|
Riga |
2 |
450,024 |
|
Rome |
4 |
1,488,100 |
|
Sofia |
2 |
555,312 |
|
Stockholm |
2 |
955,371 |
|
Strasbourg |
2 |
747,031 |
|
Tallinn |
2 |
423,595 |
|
The Hague |
4 |
1,415,745 |
|
Valletta |
2 |
511,765 |
|
Vienna |
3 |
1,248,206 |
|
Vienna (OSCE) |
2 |
779,821 |
|
Vilnius |
2 |
488,241 |
|
Warsaw |
4 |
1,225,275 |
|
Zagreb |
2 |
476,177 |
|
Americas |
||
|
Atlanta (Consulate) |
2 |
623,875 |
|
Austin (Consulate) |
1 |
603,198 |
|
Bogota |
2 |
958,412 |
|
Boston (Consulate) |
2 |
927,461 |
|
Brasilia |
2 |
664,104 |
|
Buenos Aires |
3 |
761,460 |
|
Chicago (Consulate) |
3 |
768,627 |
|
Los Angeles (Consulate) |
2 |
672,072 |
|
Mexico |
3 |
1,272,926 |
|
Miami (Consulate) |
2 |
103,193 |
|
New York (Perm Mission to the UN) |
20 |
8,962,511 |
|
New York (Consulate) |
5 |
3,642,368 |
|
Ottawa |
2 |
1,311,207 |
|
San Francisco (Consulate) |
2 |
1,343,701 |
|
Santiago |
2 |
677,604 |
|
São Paulo (Consulate) |
2 |
516,012 |
|
Toronto (Consulate) |
2 |
248,366 |
|
Vancouver (Consulate) |
2 |
673,706 |
|
Washington |
9 |
2,719,446 |
|
Middle East/North Africa |
||
|
Abu Dhabi |
4 |
1,358,051 |
|
Amman |
2 |
999,791 |
|
Ankara |
4 |
806,224 |
|
Cairo |
3 |
882,148 |
|
Rabat |
2 |
545,105 |
|
Ramallah (Rep Office) |
3 |
1,197,037 |
|
Riyadh |
3 |
1,047,902 |
|
Tehran |
1 |
256,436 |
|
Tel Aviv |
3 |
1,258,590 |
|
Africa |
||
|
Abuja |
3 |
1,132,762 |
|
Addis Ababa |
5 |
2,023,280 |
|
Dar Es Salaam |
5 |
1,482,169 |
|
Freetown |
3 |
857,322 |
|
Kampala |
4 |
1,594,719 |
|
Lilongwe |
4 |
1,214,386 |
|
Lusaka |
4 |
1,289,171 |
|
Maputo |
6 |
1,588,834 |
|
Monrovia |
2 |
829,693 |
|
Nairobi |
3 |
1,131,638 |
|
Pretoria |
4 |
1,525,334 |
|
Asia/Australia/Oceania |
||
|
Bangkok |
3 |
750,304 |
|
Beijing |
9 |
2,797,682 |
|
Canberra |
3 |
1,044,656 |
|
Hanoi |
5 |
1,404,760 |
|
Hong Kong (Consulate) |
3 |
1,255,884 |
|
Jakarta |
2 |
834,223 |
|
Kuala Lumpur |
2 |
435,694 |
|
Manila |
1 |
602,486 |
|
Mumbai (Consulate) |
2 |
779,332 |
|
New Delhi |
3 |
1,054,392 |
|
Seoul |
2 |
856,675 |
|
Shanghai (Consulate) |
3 |
1,605,095 |
|
Singapore |
2 |
1,043,483 |
|
Sydney (Consulate) |
2 |
864,528 |
|
Tokyo |
5 |
2,614,753 |
|
Wellington |
2 |
806,850 |
*includes €2.2 million in respect of Ireland’s contribution to EU translation services.
131. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the financial allocation to each embassy and consulate operated by his Department in each of the years 2019 to 2023, excluding salaries, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29246/23]
View answerThe Department of Foreign Affairs manages a total of 99 Missions overseas, including Embassies, Consulates General, Permanent Representations and a small number of other offices. The table below provides the financial allocation to each Mission for administration, excluding salaries, in the years 2019 to 2023.
|
Location |
2019 (€) |
2020 (€) |
2021 (€) |
2022 (€) |
2023 (€) |
|
Abu Dhabi |
818,078 |
815,110 |
879,670 |
784,365 |
1,022,782 |
|
Abuja |
1,686,489 |
1,172,100 |
1,599,100 |
877,950 |
1,594,305 |
|
Addis Ababa |
1,149,739 |
1,137,361 |
1,146,900 |
1,456,400 |
1,200,900 |
|
Amman |
871,700 |
816,900 |
1,231,500 |
568,150 |
636,100 |
|
Ankara |
494,897 |
428,287 |
446,130 |
504,888 |
546,400 |
|
Athens |
425,452 |
398,220 |
402,205 |
452,765 |
443,037 |
|
Atlanta |
356,620 |
348,780 |
421,760 |
459,020 |
555,499 |
|
Austin |
357,101 |
348,209 |
430,941 |
463,955 |
574,310 |
|
Bangkok |
422,760 |
460,539 |
540,016 |
514,608 |
619,398 |
|
Beijing |
1,319,877 |
1,472,112 |
1,495,660 |
1,674,928 |
1,908,200 |
|
Berlin |
1,239,390 |
1,293,355 |
1,370,418 |
1,463,650 |
1,563,136 |
|
Berne |
582,179 |
561,200 |
589,250 |
603,982 |
669,996 |
|
Bogotá |
957,970 |
878,555 |
545,700 |
570,000 |
694,585 |
|
Boston |
560,514 |
536,565 |
587,470 |
692,571 |
894,243 |
|
Brasilia |
491,166 |
418,710 |
422,725 |
493,649 |
532,853 |
|
Bratislava |
353,842 |
357,707 |
358,686 |
391,270 |
414,943 |
|
Brussels - Embassy |
496,438 |
498,800 |
540,500 |
607,700 |
500,030 |
|
Brussels - Partnership For Peace Delegation |
235,956 |
129,580 |
150,900 |
135,772 |
163,125 |
|
Brussels - Permanent Representation To The EU |
3,735,825 |
4,008,955 |
4,035,490 |
6,530,180 |
4,318,768 |
|
Bucharest |
364,146 |
341,498 |
362,660 |
360,416 |
371,660 |
|
Budapest |
489,183 |
445,740 |
468,180 |
464,074 |
494,222 |
|
Buenos Aires |
518,717 |
583,957 |
603,330 |
587,560 |
652,198 |
|
Cairo |
578,338 |
549,240 |
538,923 |
589,353 |
673,512 |
|
Canberra |
805,239 |
806,319 |
805,754 |
843,820 |
767,113 |
|
Cardiff |
127,617 |
196,880 |
171,550 |
218,696 |
290,317 |
|
Chicago |
505,774 |
497,088 |
555,235 |
572,090 |
617,471 |
|
Copenhagen |
487,768 |
426,630 |
458,190 |
459,858 |
478,112 |
|
Dakar |
- |
- |
- |
- |
450,500 |
|
Dar es Salaam |
799,567 |
865,156 |
908,100 |
770,070 |
793,915 |
|
Edinburgh |
246,325 |
232,846 |
256,030 |
279,080 |
301,031 |
|
Frankfurt |
140,180 |
258,229 |
291,070 |
368,859 |
569,445 |
|
Freetown |
757,262 |
462,921 |
424,200 |
541,080 |
541,240 |
|
Geneva |
1,385,755 |
1,402,792 |
1,419,040 |
1,452,312 |
1,569,869 |
|
Hanoi |
721,936 |
770,959 |
695,900 |
776,500 |
859,660 |
|
Helsinki |
670,980 |
594,542 |
551,650 |
605,540 |
633,300 |
|
Holy See |
323,250 |
297,279 |
319,537 |
313,850 |
351,310 |
|
Hong Kong |
925,614 |
923,170 |
897,725 |
943,532 |
949,313 |
|
Jakarta |
431,594 |
446,738 |
529,730 |
645,687 |
465,346 |
|
Kampala |
834,352 |
834,813 |
817,200 |
970,750 |
1,021,225 |
|
Kuala Lumpur |
288,606 |
276,660 |
282,680 |
285,270 |
339,724 |
|
Kyiv |
- |
- |
366,500 |
1,155,500 |
1,770,050 |
|
Lilongwe |
652,306 |
709,157 |
619,100 |
618,090 |
637,185 |
|
Lisbon |
435,740 |
428,002 |
463,650 |
458,611 |
506,460 |
|
Ljubljana |
362,070 |
344,554 |
360,430 |
369,133 |
368,270 |
|
London |
3,747,618 |
4,094,500 |
4,034,900 |
4,129,500 |
4,339,887 |
|
Los Angeles |
- |
181,080 |
477,985 |
539,097 |
672,072 |
|
Lusaka |
691,372 |
651,483 |
518,500 |
587,000 |
530,575 |
|
Luxembourg |
351,480 |
397,688 |
517,470 |
449,828 |
471,580 |
|
Lyon |
- |
- |
- |
41,000 |
591,662 |
|
Madrid |
1,013,798 |
1,010,978 |
1,020,640 |
1,100,948 |
1,086,507 |
|
Manchester |
- |
- |
199,000 |
198,695 |
197,030 |
|
Manila |
- |
- |
150,167 |
551,050 |
720,583 |
|
Maputo |
740,446 |
737,095 |
688,300 |
860,450 |
840,510 |
|
Mexico |
630,617 |
643,705 |
656,250 |
895,413 |
936,762 |
|
Miami |
- |
- |
- |
41,000 |
562,763 |
|
Monrovia |
531,955 |
511,900 |
700,070 |
665,595 |
531,955 |
|
Moscow |
625,938 |
550,390 |
509,442 |
526,029 |
509,078 |
|
Mumbai |
712,853 |
607,350 |
561,645 |
595,100 |
598,374 |
|
Nairobi |
490,523 |
519,922 |
660,200 |
677,650 |
679,790 |
|
New Delhi |
764,264 |
781,838 |
741,350 |
738,827 |
771,366 |
|
New York - Consulate General |
2,590,445 |
2,390,474 |
2,535,000 |
2,644,670 |
2,937,008 |
|
New York - Permanent Mission to the UN |
2,994,524 |
3,334,932 |
5,436,469 |
5,842,460 |
4,835,475 |
|
Nicosia |
274,700 |
286,475 |
299,740 |
307,210 |
311,080 |
|
Oslo |
564,361 |
550,540 |
581,265 |
656,576 |
756,529 |
|
Ottawa |
633,333 |
587,773 |
656,810 |
862,906 |
1,001,993 |
|
Paris - Embassy |
2,113,636 |
2,103,400 |
2,326,781 |
2,339,420 |
2,301,568 |
|
Paris - Permanent Representation to the OECD and UNESCO * |
- |
- |
- |
361,745 |
462,340 |
|
Prague |
517,453 |
519,578 |
527,805 |
554,500 |
629,369 |
|
Pretoria |
733,165 |
685,605 |
823,700 |
757,450 |
685,330 |
|
Rabat |
- |
- |
144,667 |
316,000 |
332,365 |
|
Ramallah |
537,196 |
626,173 |
569,600 |
607,300 |
482,085 |
|
Riga |
235,264 |
284,042 |
300,250 |
310,862 |
287,690 |
|
Riyadh |
749,340 |
601,119 |
866,755 |
727,775 |
908,097 |
|
Rome |
964,836 |
833,044 |
870,050 |
1,094,281 |
1,062,371 |
|
San Francisco |
829,440 |
841,920 |
1,160,804 |
1,100,377 |
1,357,959 |
|
Santiago |
414,048 |
428,470 |
444,390 |
460,826 |
454,331 |
|
Sao Paolo |
323,571 |
271,000 |
327,510 |
359,076 |
455,657 |
|
Seoul |
848,238 |
602,380 |
725,170 |
691,500 |
702,160 |
|
Shanghai |
684,918 |
696,262 |
688,920 |
757,670 |
1,330,678 |
|
Singapore |
733,225 |
722,030 |
779,565 |
796,960 |
903,663 |
|
Sofia |
379,178 |
373,370 |
378,750 |
390,086 |
394,515 |
|
Stockholm |
552,524 |
575,734 |
649,960 |
643,896 |
719,457 |
|
Strasbourg |
363,276 |
339,160 |
403,350 |
521,800 |
435,290 |
|
Sydney |
554,318 |
604,300 |
683,990 |
815,410 |
803,859 |
|
Tallinn |
315,730 |
226,691 |
253,745 |
306,130 |
308,310 |
|
Tehran |
- |
- |
114,000 |
187,150 |
246,272 |
|
Tel Aviv |
716,346 |
752,620 |
843,430 |
898,380 |
999,962 |
|
The Hague |
736,475 |
777,050 |
931,180 |
985,568 |
914,533 |
|
Tokyo |
1,886,475 |
1,893,796 |
2,032,200 |
1,941,100 |
2,021,443 |
|
Toronto |
- |
- |
- |
103,000 |
542,581 |
|
Valletta |
297,880 |
336,235 |
345,914 |
365,824 |
384,418 |
|
Vancouver |
308,625 |
422,652 |
459,862 |
469,310 |
543,916 |
|
Vienna - Embassy |
716,254 |
686,220 |
751,418 |
822,178 |
843,365 |
|
Vienna - Permanent Mission to the OSCE |
484,135 |
468,459 |
472,040 |
504,600 |
588,370 |
|
Vilnius |
291,062 |
315,160 |
314,160 |
327,400 |
345,555 |
|
Warsaw |
835,051 |
796,610 |
803,020 |
869,284 |
902,846 |
|
Washington DC |
1,297,697 |
1,437,710 |
1,373,160 |
1,489,310 |
1,762,839 |
|
Wellington |
317,013 |
410,075 |
635,200 |
659,555 |
790,195 |
|
Zagreb |
284,264 |
324,937 |
345,510 |
336,490 |
344,912 |
* Financial allocation was included with Embassy Paris until 2022
132. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the financial allocation provided to an organisation (details supplied) in each of the years 2017 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29247/23]
View answerThe Irish Red Cross Society (IRCS) was established in 1939 under the Red Cross Act 1938 (subsequently amended). It is an independent charitable body with full power to manage and administer its own affairs. Its legal objectives are to furnish aid to the sick and wounded, and to provide relief to those in need. The Society has a dual mandate to act nationally and overseas and forms part of the wider International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement.
The IRCS received €400,000 from the Department of Foreign Affairs in 2017 for a humanitarian programme in Niger. The Department made no further grants to the IRCS until this year, when it was awarded a two-year grant totalling €160,000 under the 2023 Civil Society Fund, for a project to improve the livelihoods of vulnerable and marginalised communities in Nepal.
The IRCS has played a key role in Ireland's response to the Ukraine crisis. It received €42 million in donations from the Irish public in 2022. The IRCS works in partnership with the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the people of Ukraine through National Societies in Ukraine and neighbouring countries.
As part of Ireland's humanitarian aid programme, the Department of Foreign Affairs provides €2.4 million in core funding annually to the IFRC for their humanitarian work globally. Since 2010 Ireland has provided over €40 million to the IFRC in core funding and in response to emergencies as they happen. Ireland has been invited to be an observer on the IFRC Donor Advisory Group (DAG) in 2023 due to the volume of combined contributions by the Irish Government and Irish Red Cross.
Both the Irish Red Cross and the International Federation of the Red Cross provide regular updates to the Department on their response to humanitarian crises globally. The Irish Red Cross also chairs the humanitarian working group of Irish Humanitarian NGOs which meets biannually with the Department of Foreign Affairs on humanitarian policy and implementation.
133. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the WTE within the passport service in each of the years 2019 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29248/23]
View answer144. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the length of time it will take to get rid of the backlog for Irish passport application processing. [29645/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 144 together.
The Passport Service is successfully meeting high demand for passports, and has issued over 536,000 passports to date in 2023. All turnaround times are at their target level, and the Customer Service Hub is responding to an average of 15,000 queries per week. There are no application backlogs, all applications are being processed in the normal way. Over half of all simple adult online renewals are processed within 2 working days.
We are currently in the busiest time of year for passports as we approach the summer holiday season. However, the Passport Service has already seen application numbers coming down in recent weeks. This suggests that most applications for the summer season have already been processed or submitted.
Passport Online is by far the quickest, easiest and cheapest way to apply for a passport. It is an award winning online platform, which places the Irish Passport Service amongst the most innovative in the world. Through Passport Online, citizens also have the option of applying for a passport card, which is valid for travel in the EU, EEA, Switzerland and the UK. Over 90% of applicants across the world now apply using Passport Online, and that figure will continue to grow as the Passport Service's Digital First strategy continues to roll out. Passport Online has allowed for the centralisation of passport processing resulting in greater efficiencies for the Service and for customers. I strongly encourage the Deputies to advise their constituents of the benefits of applying online.
Adequate staffing of the Passport Service to respond to demand continues to be a priority for the Department in 2023 and is an issue that is kept under constant review.
The Department has run 18 competitions since 2021 to address staffing needs in the Passport Service, and another competition to convert temporary staff to permanent staff is currently underway.
Almost 200 Temporary Clerical Officers have been assigned to the Passport Service since January 2023.
In addition to this, over 90 permanent staff have been assigned to the Passport Service since the beginning of the year and over 20 officers have been promoted. The additional staffing numbers are having a very positive impact on the service being provided to our citizens.
The number of Whole Time Equivalent staff working in the Passport Service in each of the years 2019 to date are outlined below in tabular form.
|
Date |
Total WTE in the Passport Service |
|
1 July 2019 |
629.51 |
|
1 July 2020 |
601.51 |
|
1 July 2021 |
419.38 |
|
1 July 2022 |
778.00 |
|
15 June 2023 |
803.91 |
134. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the Government targets regarding the allocation of Exchequer funds to overseas development aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29249/23]
View answerThe Government is committed to the target agreed at the UN to provide 0.7% of Gross National Income in Official Development Assistance (ODA), as set out in A Better World, Ireland's International Development Policy, and in the Programme for Government.
For 2023, the Government has provided a gross allocation to ODA of over €1.233 billion. This is the ninth consecutive year in which the allocation for ODA has increased, and the second in which the allocation has exceeded €1 billion. It includes €716 million for the Irish Aid programme managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs as well as ODA contributions from other Government Departments and Ireland's share of the EU Development cooperation budget.
Ireland's overall ODA figures for 2022 show the exceptional impact of eligible costs for the provision of services for Ukrainian refugees. Preliminary calculations, including eligible first-year refugee costs, show ODA at €2.33 billion, or 0.64% of GNP. None of the costs associated with the reception of Ukrainian refugees were sourced from the Government's original ODA allocation for 2022, and this will also be the situation in 2023.
Ireland's international development programme has a strong global reputation, which was confirmed in the most recent Peer Review of Ireland’s Development Assistance, conducted by the OECD in 2020.
135. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the allocations and expenditure on humanitarian aid in the years 2017 to date; the purposes for which such funding was allocated and expended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29250/23]
View answerIreland has a strong history of providing humanitarian aid to the most vulnerable communities across the globe. According to global rankings, Ireland is a top twenty humanitarian donor. We respond to large scale humanitarian crises and emergencies, such as the devastating earthquakes which struck Turkiye and Syria in February, and we seek to maintain attention on less prominent and often protracted crises in places like Yemen, Somalia and Myanmar.
Ireland's humanitarian support is channelled to trusted partners on the ground, including UN Agencies, NGOs and the Red Cross Family. We provide flexible funding to enable our partners to respond to the most pressing needs. These partners are best placed to provide immediate life-saving assistance and to lay the foundations for building the resilience of communities where possible.
In response to a sharp rise in global humanitarian needs, Ireland's humanitarian expenditure has increased substantially in recent years. Humanitarian assistance provided through the Department of Foreign Affairs since 2017 has been as follows:
2017-€181 million
2018-€186 million
2019-€181 million
2020-€192 million
2021-€232 million
2022-over €280 million
The Irish Aid annual reports for the years 2017 to 2021 provide a significant level of detail on programmes and partners funded. The annual report, and final humanitarian aid figure, for 2022 will be published later this year. The 2022 figure reflects the provision of additional funding to respond to the humanitarian impact of the war in Ukraine and the devastating drought and famine in the Horn of Africa.
