Parliamentary questions

Millennium Development Goals

Tom Fleming

61. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the Irish Government will honour its commitment to support developing countries by meeting the millennium development goals and ensure that Ireland keeps its promise in budget 2014 to reach the international target of 0.7% GNP by 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38022/13]

Passport Applications

Finian McGrath

62. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding a passport application in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 3. [36798/13]

UN Issues

Michael McNamara

63. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if it is intended to continue to support the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Integrated Border Control project in the Islamic Republic of Iran, aimed at strengthening the drug interdiction capacity of the Iranian anti-narcotics police in view of the fact that at least 314 persons were executed there in 2012, many after conviction for drugs related offences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36856/13]

EU Funding

Finian McGrath

64. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will end all Irish and EU funding to the Orange Order until sectarian violence ends. [36883/13]

Exports Data

Colm Keaveney

65. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the target for goods exports to be achieved in 2013; the measures he has taken to encourage trade in our goods exports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36927/13]

Foreign Conflicts

Seán Crowe

66. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to a recent case in which it is reported that Israeli soldiers illegally detained a five year old child in Hebron; that the age of criminal responsibility for Israelis and Palestinians is 12 years old and it is forbidden by law to detain or arrest a child under the age of 12; and if he will raise the case with the Israeli authorities and ask for an explanation for what appears to be the routine procedure of detaining Palestinian children illegally. [36930/13]

Military Aircraft Landings

Andrew Doyle

67. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 562 of 9 July 2013 and 164 of 16 July 2013, the number of notifications given to his Department when military or State aircraft applied for authorisation traffic rights when carrying Heads of State or Heads of Government from other nations in the past five years; the number that have been approved and rejected; if he will outline in tabular form the nations involved and the date of each landing here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36991/13]

Nuclear Plants

Finian McGrath

68. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he and the EU accept that there is no nuclear site near Teheran in Iran and if he will actively support the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty. [37005/13]

Departmental Funding

Seán Crowe

69. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide in tabular form the organisations awarded funding from his Department under the annual civil society funding round for 2013; the amount requested by each organisation; the amount awarded to each organisation; his views on the quality of applications; his Department's appraisal process and the criteria used to award grants. [37006/13]

Ministerial Meetings

Andrew Doyle

70. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his recent engagements with the Governor of the US State of California, Jerry Brown, on his recent visit here in July 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37030/13]

EU Meetings

Andrew Doyle

71. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the outcomes of the Foreign Affairs Council that took place in Brussels on 22 July 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37073/13]

Diplomatic Representation

Eoghan Murphy

72. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when an Irish consul will be appointed to Libya; when an Irish embassy will be established in Libya; and if the Libyan National Transitional Council has offered to fund an Irish embassy in Tripoli. [37108/13]

Rapid Response Initiative

Andrew Doyle

73. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will outline current operations of Ireland’s humanitarian standby roster, the Rapid Response Corps; the number of applications received during the 2013 recruitment drive; the number of persons called for interview; if he will provide details on the number of persons successful in the interview stage before moving onto the second stage of the recruitment process, a two-part training course; the number of persons he intends to bring onto the 2013 roster as a result of this initiative; the way this recruitment drive was communicated and if his Department went to lengths to seek the most suitably qualified persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37111/13]

Diplomatic Representation

Andrew Doyle

74. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will discuss the re-configuration of the EU affairs and co-ordination division in conjunction with the Department of the Taoiseach, in view of the conclusion of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union; if he will outline the diplomatic postings, that will be made at assistant principal, first secretary, third secretary, administrative officer and higher executive officer levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37154/13]

Diplomatic Representation

Andrew Doyle

75. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the different ranks and grades in his Department and Irelands diplomatic corps; the comparisons that can be made in the ranks between different Government Departments and the Cvil Service; the number of persons in each rank-grade within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37155/13]

Diplomatic Representation

Andrew Doyle

76. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update and history on diplomatic relations and engagement between Ireland and Morocco; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37157/13]

Passport Services

Andrew Doyle

77. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update on the transfer of the passport service to the Department of Justice and Equality which is currently introducing a number of service enhancements as part of the Government’s integrated reform delivery plan; his views that the transferring of the service to an independent executive agency of the Department of Justice and Equality is the correct way forward for the issuing and security of Irish passports; if he has considered ensuring the issuing of passport remains an important function of either his Department or the Department of Justice and Equality without the need to outsource it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37163/13]

Trade Missions

Andrew Doyle

78. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update on his political and trade mission to China that took place in July and August 2013; if he will provide a list of engagements he had on the visit, in view of the importance of a trade and investment focus, attracting investment and growing exports; if he will provide an update on the strategic partnership agreement of Irish-Chinese relations; if he had the opportunity to raise the issue of the need for a direct commercial air route between Ireland and Asia as part of Ireland's national aviation policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37204/13]

Diplomatic Representation

Andrew Doyle

79. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when he expects the United States of America to fill the vacancy of ambassador to Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37236/13]

Election Monitoring Missions

Andrew Doyle

80. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if Ireland was requested, through the EU, OSCE or otherwise to take part in or assist in any form the international election observer monitoring in Zimbabwe as part of its presidential election in July 2013 and August 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37239/13]