Parliamentary questions

Nuclear Proliferation

Clare Daly

21. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will use his position in the EU to ensure that the US sponsored sanctions against Iran currently supported by the EU, and having an adverse impact on the Iranian economy and people, are lifted, rather than intensified. [1602/13]

Overseas Development Aid Oversight

Mary Lou McDonald

22. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will he raise the practice of tied aid, as practiced by many EU countries, during Ireland’s EU Presidency; the measures he will take to encourage other EU member states to abolish this practice which does not benefit the recipient country, and in fact imposes unnecessary costs on them. [1666/13]

Departmental Expenditure

Pearse Doherty

23. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the programmes that will benefit from the €3.6 million increase in the Consular, Passport and Irish Abroad Services of his Department that are outlined in Budget 2013. [1674/13]

Overseas Development Aid Oversight

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

24. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the date on which the Ugandan Auditor General is expected to finish his report into the misappropriation of €4 million of aid given by Irish Aid; and if officials or those from an accounting background in his Department will be travelling to Uganda in connection with the case in the coming months. [1680/13]

Middle East Peace Process

Seán Crowe

25. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if, in view of the concern over the possible likelihood of an armed conflict between Israel and Iran, he shares the concerns of many of those who want to see a peaceful resolution to conflict in the Middle East, that the increased militarisation of the region is increasing the likelihood of this conflict; his views on whether the export of Dolphin Class military submarines by Germany to Israel possibly breaches Criterion Four of the EU rules governing the exports of military technology and equipment. [1657/13]

Middle East Peace Process

Michael Colreavy

26. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views that in the long term interest of peace in the region, Israel should urgently place its nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards as required by UN Security Council resolution 487, which was adopted unanimously on 19 June 1981 and endorsed by the UN General Assembly on 3 December 2012 by 174 votes to 6; and if has raised this matter with the Israeli authorities. [1659/13]

Foreign Conflicts

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

27. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the conflict in Syria will be a high priority in Ireland’s EU Presidency; and if he will invite representatives of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces to Dublin during the Presidency. [1667/13]

Departmental Expenditure

Peadar Tóibín

28. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will explain the decrease in the Promote Ireland's Economic and Trade Interests in Europe and Internationally section of his Department, as outlined in Budget 2013, by more than €1.1 million; the reason it was cut while recent trade figures demonstrate this State's over reliance on trade of chemical and related products and the EU and American market. [1673/13]

Overseas Development Aid Provision

Michael McGrath

29. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will set out on a country basis a breakdown of the planned distribution of Irish overseas development aid; the percentage year on year change in overseas development aid to each recipient country since 2011 and 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1587/13]

EU Enlargement

Michael Colreavy

30. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he held talks with the Turkish Minister for Europe when he visited Dublin; the agenda that was discussed at these meetings; if Ireland’s Presidency of the EU will include any talks on the barriers to Turkey’s accession to the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1663/13]

Overseas Development Aid Provision

Niall Collins

31. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the aid that he has distributed to the Gaza strip following the conflict in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1570/13]

Middle East Peace Process

Dessie Ellis

32. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on whether Israel should fully implement the 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access, to give the stagnant economy of Gaza an opportunity to revive itself, and to pave the way for the creation of a viable Palestinian State in the West Bank and Gaza by providing and allowing transport links between the West Bank and Gaza. [1660/13]

EU Presidency Expenditure

Dara Calleary

33. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of additional staff hired by his Department for the duration of the Irish Presidency of the EU Council; the total anticipated costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1566/13]

Foreign Conflicts

Bernard Durkan

34. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which it is intended to use Ireland’s influence in the course of its Presidency of the EU to positively influence the situation in Syria with particular reference to the urgent need for a major humanitarian input from the EU and its member states in association with the UN and the worldwide community with the objective of bringing to an end the on-going loss of life and humanitarian violations; if he anticipates a specific role for this country and the EU; if this will be prioritised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1654/13]

Middle East Peace Process

Dessie Ellis

35. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to any progress that has been made with regard to opening the crossings and facilitating the movement of people and transfer of goods in and out of Gaza as provided for in the cease-fire agreement of 21 November 2012; and if he has discussed the issue with the Israeli authorities and his colleagues in the EU. [1678/13]

Foreign Conflicts

Sandra McLellan

36. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the remarks by Israeli Interior Minister, Eli Yishai, that the goal of Israel’s recent military action against Gaza was to send Gaza back to the Middle Ages; and if he has raised the issue with the Israeli authorities and his colleagues in the European Union. [1661/13]

EU Battlegroups

Richard Boyd Barrett

37. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if a new EU military mission will be launched in the coming months; if he will provide details of both the mission and Ireland's involvement in any such mission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1682/13]

Foreign Conflicts

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

38. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the raid at 3 am on 11 December 2012 by Israeli military forces on the Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights office in Ramallah in which the office was ransacked and valuable equipment including four laptops were confiscated; and if he shares any concerns on the matter. [1658/13]

Middle East Peace Process

Martin Ferris

39. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he supports the right of Gaza's fishermen to fish twenty nautical miles out at sea, as provided for in the Oslo accords; and if he will raise the restriction to six nautical miles currently being imposed on them by the Israeli navy with the Israeli authorities. [1679/13]

EU Presidency Expenditure

Michael McGrath

40. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide details of the tender contract awarded for the establishment of a website for Ireland's Presidency of the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1133/13]