Written Answers Nos. 51-68
51. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he can provide an update on the situation facing women in Iran; if he can outline what steps Ireland is taking at an international level regarding this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41810/23]
View answerThe tragic death of Mahsa Amini in police custody just over a year ago has focussed attention on the systemic discrimination against women and girls in public and private life in Iran.
Ireland has been clear in condemning Iran’s oppression of the subsequent widespread peaceful protests. Ireland expects Iran to uphold its international obligations, particularly the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. These instruments enshrine the rights of freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, and the fundamental and unalienable rights of women.
We have repeatedly raised our concerns about human rights, particularly the rights of women, directly with the Iranian government, including with the Foreign Minister, who I spoke with most recently in May. Officials from my Department also raised these issues during political consultations in Tehran, also in May, and during regular bilateral diplomatic meetings in Tehran and Dublin.
In 2022, Ireland again co-sponsored a resolution on Iran at the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, which addresses a range of human rights issues.
Ireland also co-sponsored the convening of a special session of the Human Rights Council in November 2022, which created a fact-finding mission to investigate and report on the human rights situation in Iran, especially with respect to women and children.
We consistently call on the Iranian authorities to cooperate fully with the mandates of the fact-finding mission and the UN Special Rapporteur, including allowing them to visit Iran and conduct relevant meetings.
We continue to voice our concerns about human rights in Iran at the ongoing session of the Human Rights Council. Ireland also contributed to the drafting of a statement by EU HRVP Borrell, on behalf of the European Union, on the anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death, highlighting in particular discrimination against women and girls.
EU sanctions have been applied to over 200 individuals and 37 entities in Iran, including for their role in human rights abuses.
52. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he proposes to open a new consulate in Australia, in recognition of the growing Irish population in that country and the strengthening relationship between Ireland and Australia. [41459/23]
View answerAustralia and Ireland share close and long-standing connections, underpinned by strong people-to-people links. In 2021, we celebrated 75 years of diplomatic relations with Australia and our Embassies are engaged in a range of activities to deepen bilateral engagement as well as cooperation at multilateral level.
Ireland is represented by two diplomatic missions in Australia, with an Embassy in Canberra and a Consulate General in Sydney. The Embassy and the Consulate work to promote and protect Irish interests in Australia, to strengthen political and economic relationships, to support the Irish community, to promote cultural ties and the Irish arts. In addition, our Honorary Consul in Perth provides consular services and assistance to Irish citizens, supports local Irish community efforts and assists in developing trade and economic relations with Western Australia. Our missions work closely with Irish State Agencies, to promote trade, tourism and inward investment.
Our network of diplomatic missions in the Asia Pacific Region is kept under close review, in the context of the Programme for Government and the Global Ireland Strategy: Ireland's Global Footprint to 2025.
53. Deputy David Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to further deepen and develop Ireland's relations with Canada; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41154/23]
View answerIreland has had extensive diplomatic and political relations with Canada since the foundation of the State. Diplomatic relations were established in 1939 and the 85th anniversary of diplomatic relations takes place in 2024.
Irish heritage in Canada is deeply rooted with some 4.5 million or 14% having Irish ancestry. The influence of those with Irish heritage in Canada and their affinity with Ireland is a pre-eminent factor in the nurturing of our relationship with Canada.
The Government has delivered on its commitment in Ireland’s “Strategy for the US and Canada 2019-2025” to significantly strengthen Ireland's diplomatic presence in Canada. In 2018, we opened a new Consulate General in Vancouver and, in 2022, a Consulate General in Toronto was established. In addition to the fulltime diplomatic presence, Ireland has a number of honorary consuls in the Provinces of Alberta (Calgary), Newfoundland and Labrador (St Johns) and Nova Scotia (Halifax). Plans are advanced to appoint a further two honorary consuls, in the Provinces of Alberta (Edmonton) and Quebec.
Our diplomatic presence is complemented by the presence of Ireland’s state agencies. Enterprise Ireland, IDA and Tourism Ireland have offices in Toronto and Enterprise Ireland is also present in Montréal.
High level political visits to Canada have resumed since the pandemic. The 2023 St Patrick’s Day programme saw Minister Michael McGrath, Minister Stephen Donnelly and Minister Simon Harris visit various cities in Canada. In July 2023, Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Mr Sean Fleming TD, visited Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto for an extensive trade, community and cultural programme. I anticipate that there will be further opportunity for high level visits to Canada in the coming months. I was also pleased to meet Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly in the margins of the UN High Level Week in New York in September 2023.
Bilateral economic links with Canada were considerably boosted by the entry into provisional force of the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). Bilateral trade was valued in 2022 at €4.1 billion, overwhelmingly in Ireland’s favour. Ireland’s exports to Canada have grown threefold in this period from €1.1 billion in 2017 to €3.4 billion in 2022. Ireland’s trade surplus with Canada of €2.7 billion in 2022 is the third highest in the EU (behind Germany and Italy). Ireland is Canada’s 12th largest investor at $15bn. Over 75 Canadian companies employ some 15,000 people in Ireland and Irish companies employ some 6,000 people in Canada.
Canada has provided consistent support to the Northern Ireland Peace Process over several decades, most notably in the forms of Judge Peter Cory on collusion and General John de Chastelain on decommissioning. Canada is also an active board member of the International Fund for Ireland (IFI). In April 2023, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, I welcomed Canadian Minister for Labour, Seamus O’Regan and General De Chastelain, to Dublin which provided the opportunity to acknowledge Canada’s contribution to peace on this island.
Finally, I want to acknowledge the good work of the Oireachtas Canada-Ireland Inter-Parliamentary Friendship group, led by Deputy David Stanton, who have been working closely with the Ambassador of Canada to Ireland, Her Excellency Nancy Smyth, to promote political and cultural exchange between Ireland and Canada.
54. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will set out the matters raised by him and the responses received, in his meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; if he specifically raised the continued annexation of Palestinian land by Israeli settlers and the treatment of Palestinians in the occupied territories; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39898/23]
View answerI had an open and frank exchange of views with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during my recent visit to Israel. In addition to issues relating to the the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, our discussions covered regional issues and bilateral relations.
I raised a number of the Government’s concerns, which are also widely shared by this House. In particular, I underlined Ireland’s deep concern at the continued expansion of illegal Israeli settlements, increased settler violence, terror attacks perpetrated against Israeli and Palestinian civilians, and the absence of meaningful political dialogue. These are issues that I also raised in my discussions with Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and the Minister for Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer.
The public commentary from Prime Minister Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Cohen echoed the perspectives they shared during our meetings, reiterating known Israeli positions, calling for “a balanced approach toward the conflict with the Palestinians” and that Israel “will not accept external dictates”. In this regard, I underlined that Ireland’s approach is grounded in respect for international law, including international human rights and humanitarian law, and that the fundamentals of our position are based on internationally agreed parameters and successive UN resolutions.
My programme in Israel also afforded me the opportunity to speak directly with civil society and academic audiences, including an address to the Israel Council on Foreign Relations. I emphasised that, with political will, we can restore a pathway towards a just and lasting peace between the Israeli and Palestinian people, based on a two-State solution in line with international law and internationally agreed parameters.
55. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to set out his views on the EU reform proposals from the Franco-German expert group which were presented to the General Affairs Council on 19 September 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41902/23]
View answerMy colleague, Minister for European Affairs, Peter Burke, T.D., attended the meeting of the General Affairs Council on 19 September at which two members of the Franco-German expert group presented their report and recommendations to the Council.
The expert group, comprised of twelve independent members from both France and Germany, was established by the French and German governments as a contribution to the ongoing discussion about how the European Union may need to adapt its structures and policies in order to cater for further Enlargement.
The report’s recommendations cover three main areas: increasing the Union’s capacity to act, getting the EU enlargement ready, and strengthening the rule of law and the EU’s democratic legitimacy. Both the French and German governments have made clear since the expert group report was published that it does not represent the official view of either country.
My Department, in conjunction with other concerned stake-holders, is still examining the report which sets out a series of wide-ranging and, in many cases, radical recommendations. These include the proposal to abolish national vetoes and move completely to have all policy decisions taken by qualified majority. The report also calls for a reduction in the size of the Commission and offers a series of suggestions for Treaty change, including the drafting of a supplementary Treaty which would provide for deeper European integration and be restricted to what the report calls “an inner circle”.
I have consistently made clear my strong support for Enlargement of the Union and recognition that we as a Union should be prepared to consider whatever internal changes are required to accommodate the integration of new Members. It remains my view that many of the changes required, including greater use of QMV where required to make decision-making more effective, can be incorporated within the existing Treaty and legal framework.
58. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs when the next meeting of the British/Irish Intergovernmental Conference will take place; the issues to be discussed at that meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41855/23]
View answerThe British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference will meet next in Dublin on 28 November, the third meeting of the Conference this year following meetings in London in June and Dublin in January. The Conference was established under Strand Three of the Good Friday Agreement to promote bilateral cooperation at all levels on all matters of mutual interest within the competence of the British and Irish Governments.
The British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference offers a forum for discussion of vital issues which impact on the everyday lives of citizens across these islands, but with a focus on Northern Ireland. Officials in the standing Secretariat prepare the agenda and will be intensifying work on the agenda items for the November meeting in the coming weeks. In 2023 so far, issues including security, energy cooperation, cybersecurity and education have been discussed at the Conference.
While the agenda for the November Conference has yet to be finalised, the two Governments agreed during both of the Conferences in 2023 on the critical importance of the restoration of the Assembly and Executive as well as the North South Ministerial Council. While I sincerely hope that the devolved institutions are restored before November, if they are not, the Conference will provide an important forum for discussion of the responsibilities of the two Governments in those circumstances.
At a time when the Strand One and Strand Two institutions of the Good Friday Agreement have been prevented from functioning effectively, it is vital that the work of Strand Three, including the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference, continues to provide a positive forum for the two Governments to strengthen the East West relationship.
59. Deputy David Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason a passport renewal is not considered on an emergency basis for employment purposes when the applicant is not currently resident in the State; if he will consider making changes to this procedure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41108/23]
View answerPassport Online is available to 99.9% of all passport applicants worldwide and works particularly well for adult renewal applications as over half of these applications are processed within 2 working days. While Irish embassies and consular missions overseas can issue travel documentation for emergencies, they have limited capacity to issue passports due to the efficiency of the centralised Passport Online platform.
The Passport Service has a dedicated Travel Emergency team that work to expedite passport applications in cases of genuine emergency such as a need for urgent medical treatment overseas or the death of a family member abroad.
All applications raised through the Travel Emergency service are assessed on a case-by-case basis. There are a small number of additional reasons to travel that the Travel Emergency team may consider, depending on the evidence provided. This includes relocation from Ireland to another jurisdiction for employment purposes. Elected representatives may make representations to me on behalf of citizens should they wish to bring a specific case to my attention.
For applicants resident in Ireland, the Passport Service offers an Urgent Appointment Service whereby applicants who need to renew their passport urgently can book an appointment at either the Dublin or Cork passport offices. The Dublin passport office can issue a passport within 1 or 4 days, while the Cork passport office can issue a passport in 4 days.
Passport Online is now 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.
I would ask all Deputies to encourage citizens, regardless of their place of residence, to apply online for the quickest, cheapest and most efficient service.
60. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide an update on the work of the Irish Embassy in London. [41528/23]
View answerThe Embassy of Ireland in London works actively to promote and protect Ireland’s interests in Great Britain, with a particular focus on supporting political, economic, cultural and people-to-people ties between our two countries.
The Embassy is Ireland’s largest bilateral diplomatic mission in a single city and includes representation from seven Government Departments. The Embassy undertakes wide-ranging representation activities, including supporting the extensive Irish community in Great Britain, as well as providing passport, consular and visa services. It also works closely with state agencies based in the city to protect and advance our economic and trading links with Great Britain.
The strength of Irish representation in London reflects the importance of relations with our nearest neighbour. The bilateral relationship has faced many challenges in recent years. However, at its heart, the British-Irish relationship remains profoundly important and consequential. Peace and prosperity on the island of Ireland are best safeguarded by close relations between our countries.
Recognising this, the Government has invested significantly to protect and sustain the British-Irish relationship in recent years. This has included investment not only in representation at the Embassy in London, but also in the Irish footprint across Great Britain. This includes a newly established Consulate in Manchester and a re-opened Consulate in Cardiff, who work closely also with Ireland’s long-established Consulate in Edinburgh. Together, the Embassy and Consulate network works to protect Irish interests in Great Britain, while also furthering relations across political, economic, cultural and community spheres.
61. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which he anticipates the need for a seriously coordinated and structured response to recent natural and man-made disasters across the globe including recent events in Libya, Morocco and the invasion of Ukraine, if such a response can be delivered through existing structures or otherwise as required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41805/23]
View answerThe increasing frequency of natural disasters an the unprecedented level of humanitarian crisis globally represent a major challenge for the provision of international assistance.
Ireland provided over €295 million in humanitarian assistance in 2022 through trusted partners, including the United Nation Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which is mandated to lead and coordinate humanitarian assistance in crises across the globe.
In the early days of a disaster, OCHA has the capacity to assess who is most need and what assistance is required. It coordinates local and international organisations on the ground to ensure the most effective and efficient response. By the end of 2022, OCHA was coordinating over 660 partners operating across Ukraine alone. More recently, OCHA is on the ground in Libya coordinating the emergency response to the catastrophic floods.
In the face of natural and man-made disasters, funding is needed immediately to support a coordinated response. Ireland provided rapid funding in response to the disasters in Ukraine, Morocco and Libya. In addition, Ireland provides core funding to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), key UN agencies and the International Red Cross so that they are able to respond rapidly whenever a crisis occurs. We also pre-position funding with our Irish NGO partners so that they are able to respond at speed.
The Department of Foreign Affairs also engages closely with the humanitarian directorate of the Commission in Brussels, which coordinates EU humanitarian aid operations, disaster risk management and civil protection response. The European Commission and the EU Member States have recently agreed a set of disaster resilience goals to steer our work in disaster prevention and preparedness.
Ireland has also been supportive of efforts by the EU, UN and International Red Cross to invest in prevention, preparedness and early action. We are continuing to engage with all our partners to ensure the most effective, life-saving humanitarian response to disasters and crises.
64. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in light of yet more new evidence emerging regarding the 1973 killing of a person (details supplied), he will make the family's desire for a public inquiry clear to the British government; to outline the steps that the Irish Government is taking to aid the family in their quest for justice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39081/23]
View answerI have raised the case of the person in question and the family's desire for answers on a number of occasions with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Officials in my Department met with the family in November 2021. On 24 February 2023, I met with the family, who were accompanied by Councillor Michael Naughton. Officials from my Department were in direct contact with the family again in June 2023.
Following my meeting with the family, I wrote to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton-Harris on 16 March, bringing the case to his attention. I made clear my view that the UK Government's legacy legislation would deny this family answers and the opportunity to clear their loved one's name. I met with the Secretary of State in Dublin on 16 May to discuss legacy matters in more detail. At that meeting I highlighted to the Secretary of State and his delegation that the following day was the 50th anniversary of the death of the person in question as well as being and the 49th anniversary of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings and that all of these families were still seeking truth and justice.
The Secretary of State spoke of the future work of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Retrieval (ICRIR) which will be established under the UK Legacy Act. It is his view that the ICRIR is the most affective route for families to obtain answer. However, this is not a view shared by the Government.
The Government is keenly aware that all those affected by the Troubles are gravely concerned by the Legacy Act. We have made clear to the UK Government our concerns throughout the legislative process. We believe all those who lost loves ones deserve access to mechanisms that respect their rights under the European Convention on Human Rights.
65. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his attendance at the British-Irish Association 2023 Conference; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41856/23]
View answerI was a keynote speaker at the British Irish Association’s annual conference, which this year took place in Oxford.
The aim of the British-Irish Association is to promote mutual understanding between the people of our islands, to identify emerging issues, to support positive change and to look to the future. Such an ambition is ever more important against the backdrop of the ongoing challenges facing Northern Ireland, in particular the continued blockage of the Good Friday Agreement institutions.
At the conference, I was glad to have the opportunity to meet with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton-Harris, and political, religious and civil society leaders from across Northern Ireland. Throughout the conference we heard from voices across the political spectrum on issues including the changing context for British-Irish relations, the absence of functioning power-sharing institutions in Northern Ireland and the importance of all three Strands of the Good Friday Agreement.
In my address to the Conference, I set out a positive vision for a stronger partnership approach between the Irish and British Governments on Northern Ireland, which is needed to ensure that all three Strands of the Agreement deliver as intended. I highlighted the Government's Shared Island initiative, which is investing in partnerships across these island. I also urged Northern Ireland’s leaders to consider the effect that the current political crisis has on the weave of social fabric, particularly on those parts of society where the peace process is spread most thinly.
In my meeting with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in the margins of the conference, we discussed the challenges around Executive Formation and the importance of closer partnership between the two Governments as we work to restore the institutions. I also raised in very frank terms the Government’s concerns on the UK’s legacy legislation – it is deeply regrettable that the UK has since pressed on with this legislation in the face of almost universal criticism from stakeholders.
66. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline the details of any meetings he had at the UN regarding Palestine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41808/23]
View answerDuring my visit to the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week, I discussed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with key stakeholders and participated in events focused on revitalising the peace process, including the EU-led Peace Day Initiative.
I emphasised Ireland’s concerns about increased violence, incursions and settler attacks in the occupied Palestinian territory in my bilateral meetings with regional Foreign Ministers and I underlined the importance of supporting Palestine refugees through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. In my discussions, including at an International Peace Institute event, I also reaffirmed the need for elections in the occupied Palestinian territory to ensure democratic legitimacy.
I attended the ‘Peace Day Initiative’ organised by the EU Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process, Saudi Arabia, and the League of Arab States, in co-operation with Egypt and Jordan. The event brought together international partners to consider the benefits of sustainable peace in the region. I reaffirmed that the Middle East Peace Process is a longstanding foreign policy priority for Ireland. I noted my concern at the increasingly negative trends on the ground and called for a renewed international focus on this issue.
68. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will take a lead role at the United Nations in terms of diplomatically seeking the return of all Ukrainian children who have been abducted by Russian military forces over the course of the Russo-Ukrainian War; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41686/23]
View answerThere are numerous credible reports that Russia has engaged in the large-scale deportation of Ukrainian women and children to the territory of Russia and Belarus since the beginning of its illegal invasion. Almost 20,000 children have been identified by Ukraine as having been forcibly deported from their homes.
Ireland believes that all reports of human rights violations should be thoroughly investigated, and perpetrators held accountable. Ireland has been to the forefront of international efforts to ensure accountability for crimes committed in Ukraine. The deportation or forcible transfer of civilians, including children, may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity.
Ireland has raised this issue in our statements in multilateral fora, including the Human Rights Council, both in our national capacity and as part of the European Union. Ireland co-sponsored a resolution of the UN Human Rights Council establishing an Independent International Commission of Inquiry to investigate all alleged violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law and related crimes in the context of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
The Commission provided an interim report to the Human Rights Council in September 2022; the report found that, amongst other grave human rights violations, civilians have been unlawfully deported to the Russian Federation. At the Human Rights Council in March 2023, the Commission of Inquiry reported that Russian authorities have committed a wide range of violations, including unlawful transfers and deportations of children. The Commission will submit a comprehensive report in 2024.
Ireland welcomed the decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC)’s Prosecutor Office to issue arrest warrants for President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova in respect of possible war crimes related to the unlawful deportation and transfer of children from Ukraine to Russia. Last year Ireland made a voluntary contribution of €1m to the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC, to assist in the investigation of all situations before the Court, including in Ukraine.
On 23 June, the EU adopted its eleventh sanctions package in response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, which lists over 100 additional individuals and entities subject to asset freezes, including individuals involved in the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children.
On 30 June, the European Council condemned Russia’s unlawful deportation and transfer to Russia and to Belarus of Ukrainian children and other civilians and called on the Russian Federation and Belarus to immediately ensure their safe return.
Ireland will continue to engage with our partners in the international community on ensuring accountability for Russia’s actions, and to insist that the Russian Federation and Belarus immediately ensure the safe return of all children and other civilians who have been unlawfully deported during the course of this brutal invasion.
