Written Answers Nos. 349-370
349. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when he expects embassies and consular activities to resume for members of the public who need in-person appointments and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9448/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm to the Deputy that our Embassies and Consulates overseas continue to provide consular assistance and consular services. This includes in-person appointments if required and where possible, taking account of local public health restrictions. Further resumption of in-person appointments will take place on a case-by-case basis, in line with the advice of public health authorities in each country and region.
Consular Services in Ireland, including the authentication of documents, continue to operate by post. The provision of in-person services will continue to be reviewed and adapted in line with Government decisions and public health guidelines in Ireland.
350. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Passport Office is still processing passport requests; the number of requests being processed; if staff have been assigned to other duties; and the waiting times for passport applications. [9535/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Passport Service has paused processing of routine applications while Ireland is at Level 5 of the National Framework for Living with COVID-19. Passport Service staff have been temporarily reassigned to provide consular assistance for Irish citizens overseas.
The Passport Service continues to provide an emergency passport service for Irish citizens at home and abroad. The service is available for those who are required to travel due to the death or serious illness of a family member or because the applicant requires emergency medical treatment. An urgent service is available to Irish citizens who are resident overseas through the local Irish Embassy or Consulate General.
Applicants who require a passport for emergency purposes, or to travel for urgent reasons, should contact the Passport Service via our Customer Service Hub Webchat function on our website.
The Passport Service has a comprehensive plan in place to resume all services, in line with the National Framework for Living with COVID-19. When operations resume at Level 4, all applications received via Passport Online will be processed.
The Passport Service has a great deal of experience in dealing with peaks in demand, and we are confident that any backlog will be cleared quickly. When the Passport Service resumed operations in June 2020, the backlog was cleared in four weeks. It was similar in December 2020 with the majority of the backlog cleared within three weeks.
The Passport Service plans to resume processing of routine paper based applications such as Passport Express, Northern Ireland Passport Express and applications for Foreign Birth Registrations at Level 3 of the National Framework.
351. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the names and contact details for each special adviser requested for appointment by him, in tabular form. [9597/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 2020, I appointed three Special Advisers as set out in the table below. My Office will follow up with the Deputy directly to provide him with their contact details.
|
Name |
Title |
|
Mr Chris Donoghue |
Special Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs |
|
Ms Laura McGonigle |
Special Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs |
|
Ms Charlotte Simpson |
Special Adviser to the Minister of State for European Affairs |
352. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of staff employed in his Department by gender and by Civil Service salary scale, in tabular form. [9662/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe total number of permanent full-time equivalent staff in civil service grades in my Department as of 31 January 2021; the grades of these officers and the proportion of female and male staff in each grade is in tabular form below.
My Department is committed to the principles of equality, impartiality and fairness, to valuing the contributions of all staff and to championing gender equality and diversity, including by ensuring that women are represented in teams at HQ and at our Missions abroad. Advancing gender equality is a key objective in the Department's Human Resources Strategy 2019-2022. In addition, my Department has an active Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Sub-Committee of the Management Board which focuses on gender equality issues, including through the implementation of a Gender Equality Action Plan. The work underway across my Department complements wider efforts towards gender equality being advanced through the Civil Service renewal process.
|
Grade |
Total |
Female |
Male |
|
Secretary General |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Second Secretary |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
Deputy Secretary |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Assistant Secretary |
19 |
5 |
14 |
|
Legal Adviser |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
Counsellor |
90 |
37 |
53 |
|
Deputy Legal Adviser |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
Principal Development Specialist |
4 |
2 |
2 |
|
Principal Officer |
24 |
6 |
18 |
|
Senior Development Specialist |
11 |
5 |
6 |
|
Assistant Legal Adviser |
10 |
6 |
4 |
|
Assistant Principal |
95 |
44 |
51 |
|
Architect (AP) |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Development Specialist |
28 |
17 |
11 |
|
First Secretary |
170 |
81 |
89 |
|
Accountant |
7 |
3 |
4 |
|
Quantity Surveyor |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Senior Architect |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
Administrative Officer |
12 |
7 |
5 |
|
Archivist (AO) |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
Third Secretary |
155 |
86 |
69 |
|
Higher Executive Officer |
118 |
68 |
50 |
|
Executive Officer |
226 |
143 |
83 |
|
Clerical Officer |
569 |
392 |
177 |
|
Special Adviser |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
Civilian Driver |
4 |
1 |
3 |
|
Services Officer |
33 |
0 |
33 |
|
Cleaner |
11 |
11 |
0 |
|
TCO |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|
Total |
1603 |
923 |
680 |
353. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the current number of live studies, reviews and research undertaken or commissioned by him; and the date by which each study, review and research is scheduled to be completed in tabular form. [9684/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe following table sets out twelve live studies, reviews, research which are currently being undertaken or are currently commissioned by my Department.
|
Name of Report, Study, Review |
Expected date of completion |
|
Citizenship, Emigration and Voting Rights after Brexit. |
Q2 2021 (March) |
|
Research into the experiences of minority ethnic members of the Diaspora. |
June 2022 |
|
The impact of the pandemic on Irish emigrants and Irish emigrant support organisations |
End June 2021 |
|
Research on the history of the LGBTQ+ Diaspora. |
By mid 2021 |
|
Best practices in developing systems for human resources management and career paths for Civilian CSDP missions |
By Q2 2021 |
|
Malawi Country Strategy 2016 – 2020 Strategic Evaluation |
Q3 2021 (July) |
|
Review of Ireland’s Mission Strategy for Vietnam and the Mekong Sub-Region 2017-2020 |
Q3 2021 (September) |
|
Review of the Pilot Commercial Attaché Scheme |
Q1 2021 (March) |
|
Review of the Management of the Election Observation Roster |
Q1 2021 (February) |
|
Peer Review of the Evaluation function |
Q2 2021 (April) |
|
Formative Evaluation of the Programme Grant II (2017-2021) and Humanitarian Programme Plan (2019-2021) |
Q2 2021 (May) |
|
Review of the ‘Irish Aid Volunteering Initiative’ |
Q2 2021(April) |
354. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the crew and passengers of an aircraft (details supplied) were informed of the Covid-19 regulations in place in Ireland when flying through Shannon Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9844/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAll Diplomatic Missions accredited to Ireland, including the US Embassy, were formally notified by my officials on 14 January 2021 that, effective from 16 January 2021, all passengers arriving into Ireland (except those arriving from Northern Ireland) would be required to have a negative/‘not detected’ result from a pre-departure COVID-19 PCR test carried out no more than 72 hours prior to the passenger’s arrival in Ireland.
355. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the crew and passengers of an aircraft (details supplied) were also in the United Arab Emirates in the 72-hour period before the aircraft left Bahrain for its flight to Shannon Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9846/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraRequests for diplomatic clearance for the landing of foreign military aircraft must be accompanied by certain information. Details of the location of the aircraft in the days prior to the proposed flight to Ireland are not requested.
Health requirements relating to persons who have been in a category 2 State in the period of fourteen days prior to their arrival in Ireland are the same for arrivals by military aircraft as they are for those who arrive by civilian aircraft and are separate from the matter of diplomatic clearance.
356. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when staff in Irish embassies, consulates and foreign missions will receive the Covid-19 vaccination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9979/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department is exploring options for Covid 19 vaccination of staff in Ireland’s diplomatic Missions abroad. The situation varies considerably from country to country. Every effort will be made to arrange vaccinations of Irish staff serving abroad through the national vaccination programme in the host country. Whilst some staff have received COVID19 vaccination in the country in which they reside through host country vaccination programmes, in other locations vaccination is unlikely to be available in the foreseeable future. Once feasible options for COVID19 vaccination of all staff serving abroad have been identified, plans to facilitate access will be set out.
357. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of flights given diplomatic clearance since the beginning of 2021. [10118/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraBetween 1 January and 17 February 2021, diplomatic clearance has been provided for landings of forty four foreign military aircraft in Ireland.
358. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the recent decision by the Scottish Government to change the fees status of higher level Irish students in Scotland from home to rest of UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10123/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra359. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on whether the recent decision by the Scottish Government to change the fees status of higher level Irish students in Scotland from home to rest of UK is in breach of the common travel area agreement (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10124/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra360. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has raised the recent decision by the Scottish Government to change the fees status of higher level Irish students in Scotland from home to rest of UK with his counterpart in the UK Government in order to address the negative consequences this will have for Irish students studying in the UK regions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10125/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 358 to 360, inclusive, together.
Up until this year, Irish students benefited from a “free fee” policy for Scottish students and EU students from outside the UK when studying at Scottish higher education institutions, while students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland were charged fees.
In the new legal context established by the UK's departure from the European Union, Scotland has taken the decision to apply full international fee rates to EU students starting courses of study in Scotland in 2021. Irish students will, however, be treated on the same basis as UK students from outside Scotland.
This means that Irish undergraduate students living in the UK or Ireland will be liable for fees of up to £9,250 per annum for courses at Scottish higher education institutions, beginning later this year. In light of this, and with a view to mitigating the negative impacts of this change, Scotland has however set aside a residency requirement, which will allow Irish students to access its student loan system. It is important to note that these new arrangements will not impact on Irish students who have already commenced their studies at higher education institutions in Scotland.
Under the Common Travel Area, Irish and British citizens are afforded the right to access all levels of education and training, and associated student support, in each other's State, on terms no less favourable than those for the citizens of that State. I recognise in this context that Irish citizens will be treated no less favourably than British citizens, resident outside Scotland, for the purposes of student fees in Scotland. Notwithstanding that, I regret the introduction of the policy, which may impact on student mobility.
I - and officials in my Department - work on an on-going basis with the British Government to ensure the smooth operation of Common Travel Area and its associated rights and privileges. This work is mirrored across Government Departments, and each sectoral area.
Both the Minister for Further and Higher Education and I have spoken with our Scottish counterparts on several occasions in relation to the new fee arrangements for Irish students. We are also looking ahead and have discussed how best to develop future co-operation between Ireland and Scotland in the areas of further and higher education and research.
The Ireland-Scotland Joint Bilateral Review Report 2021-25, which I launched with the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for External Affairs in January, is focused on developing the Ireland-Scotland relationship in the round in the coming years. Importantly, the Review Report contains a recommendation for Irish and Scottish officials to establish a framework for education cooperation, including by finding ways to encourage student mobility.
361. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on whether the Government must step up its efforts to ensure passage of the E3 visa Bill through the US Congress (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10141/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe issue of Irish immigration to the US has been a high priority for successive Governments and continues to be one of my key priorities. Immigration issues have been raised on an ongoing basis in our engagement with US Administrations and political leaders. This will continue as we maintain close relations with Members of Congress and contacts from across the political spectrum, and as we seek opportunities to deepen and strengthen our bilateral relations with the new Administration of President Joe Biden.
We are pleased to see that immigration issues, including possible pathways to citizenship, are a priority for the new US President, as demonstrated by the proposed US Citizenship Act of 2021. We look forward to working with the new Administration, as well as with the new US Congress, across the aisle, to pursue comprehensive immigration reform in the US. We will actively engage with the new Administration and Congress on this, including through our Embassy in Washington DC.
We also continue to pursue the E3 Visa Bill, which, if passed, could allow access to thousands of US visas each year to Irish citizens, providing new opportunities to live and work in the US. Our Embassy in Washington D.C. continues its extensive outreach in support of the Bill, working with a range of Members of the US House of Representatives and the Senate. Now that the new Administration and new Congress are in place, we will seek the reintroduction of the Bill at the earliest opportunity.
362. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the mechanisms that will be put in place to ensure that United States military personnel who may be passing through Shannon Airport will be briefed on the Government health guidelines in relation to overseas travel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10200/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Foreign Affairs writes to all Embassies accredited to Ireland to inform them of changes to public health requirements impacting on their work, including landings of foreign military aircraft. In addition, I and my officials have had extensive discussions with the US authorities, who are responsible for the majority of these landings.
I and my officials have emphasised to US authorities that crew and passengers of military flights are bound to observe public health regulations in exactly the same way as those on civilian flights. The US authorities have given assurances that they are communicating across their system to ensure that Irish public health requirements are met.
363. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number and manner of recent breaches of the guidelines and regulations on Covid-19 and overseas travel that have been committed by US military personnel visiting Shannon Airport in recent months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10201/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn addition to the occurrence on 25 January 2021, which I outlined in my response to PQs 6423/21 and 6424/21, two other landings in respect of which breaches of public health guidelines have occurred have been brought to my attention by An Garda Síochána.
The first was on 11 January, when 59 US military personnel alighted at Shannon airport. On that date Statutory Instrument 3/2021, in effect from 9 January 2021, was the applicable public health regulation. These personnel did not complete Passenger Locator Forms as required under that SI.
The second was on 23 January, involving 54 personnel. On that date, SI 11/2021, in effect from 16 January, was the applicable public health regulation. These personnel did not present negative PCR tests nor complete Passenger Locator Forms as required under that SI.
We have emphasised to the US authorities that all landings must fully abide by the conditions put in place by the Irish authorities, including public health conditions. The US authorities have recommitted to full compliance in respect of future landings.
364. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the assurances that were received by the authorities here from the US military that there would be no recurrence of the breaches of Covid-19 overseas travel regulations committed by US military personnel at Shannon Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10202/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe US authorities have recommitted to full compliance in respect of future landings. They have given assurances, orally and in writing, that they are coordinating across their system to ensure that they follow all health regulations and that an incident of this nature does not happen again.
365. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the actions he plans to take in the event of a repeat of the breaches of Covid-19 overseas travel regulations by US military personnel at Shannon Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10203/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs I outlined in my response to PQs 6423/21 and 6424/21, any non-compliance with public health regulations is a serious matter. In my conversation with the Chargé d'Affaires of the US Embassy in Dublin on 4 February, I emphasised that all landings must fully abide by the conditions put in place by the Irish authorities, including public health conditions.
The US authorities have assured me that they take Irish public health requirements very seriously. I have received apologies, both orally and in writing, from the relevant US authorities, including the US military authorities. The US side has recommitted to full compliance in respect of future landings.
366. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if checks will be put in place to ensure that US military personnel using Shannon Airport will present PRC checks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10204/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn our extensive discussions with the US authorities on this subject, I and my officials have emphasised that crew and passengers of military flights are bound to observe public health regulations in exactly the same way as those on civilian flights. The US authorities have given me assurances that they understand this and are fully committed to compliance. The PCR checks applicable at Shannon are the same for military personnel as for any other arrivals.
367. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the details of each of the United States military aircraft that overnighted at Shannon Airport between 1 February 2020 and 31 January 2021; the number of US military personnel who were accommodated in hotels in counties Clare and Limerick as a result of these overnight refuelling stops; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10312/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe majority of landings by US military aircraft at Shannon airport are for refuelling purposes or for crew rest. There were 84 crew rest stopovers at Shannon between 1 February 2020 and 31 January 2021.
The Department of Foreign Affairs is not involved in, and does not comment on, accommodation arrangements for US military personnel transiting through Shannon.
368. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the processing of documentation with passport applications once staff return to the processing units; the way in which official documentation will be tracked; the provisions that will be made for online applications or partial online applications given the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10324/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhere supporting documentation is required for a Passport Online application, it is registered when it is received from the applicant. It is then processed by our Document Verification Officers and stored while the application is under process. Original supporting documents are returned to the applicant after the passport has been dispatched.
At Level 5 of the National Framework for Living with COVID-19, the Passport Service cannot register supporting documentation. All applicants are contacted on the next working day after their application to request that they do not submit supporting documentation as it cannot be processed or returned to them until Ireland returns to Level 4 on the National Framework. Where supporting documents are received, they are stored securely but they are not registered.
The Passport Service has paused processing of routine applications while Ireland is at Level 5 of the National Framework for Living with COVID-19. Passport Service staff have been temporarily reassigned to provide consular assistance for Irish citizens overseas.
The Passport Service continues to provide an essential, emergency passport service for Irish citizens at home and abroad. The service is available for those who are required to travel due to the death or serious illness of a family member or because the applicant requires emergency medical treatment. An urgent service is available to Irish citizens who are resident overseas through the local Irish Embassy or Consulate General.
The Passport Service will continue to review its operations in line with the National Framework for Living with COVID-19.
369. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 329 of 17 February 2021, if it is the advice of his Department that Irish citizens abroad partake in local vaccination programmes in which the vaccines in question have not been approved by the European Medicines Agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10411/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will appreciate, the global situation in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve rapidly, including in relation to the roll-out of vaccines.
My Department publishes Travel Advice for over 200 countries, which is based on consultation with our Embassies and Consulates on the ground, the relevant local authorities in each country and our international partners, together with our domestic partners where appropriate. In the context of COVID-19 and the protection of public health, we have worked particularly closely with the Department of Health and the HSE.
We will continue to provide advice to our citizens abroad in line with the guidance from the Department of Health.
370. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the level of discussions his officials have had with their European counterparts regarding intercountry travel following vaccine roll-out, for example, the percentage of the population that would need to be vaccinated before returning to regular travel practices. [10425/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI regularly discuss the EU response to the COVID-19 pandemic and related issues such as travel restrictions in my meetings and contacts with my EU counterparts as does my colleague, the Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne, T.D. These issues have been discussed in a series of virtual meetings which I have had with EU and European counterparts recently while they also arose at the virtual meeting of the General Affairs Council which Minister Byrne attended on 23 February.
Discussions regarding a coordinated approach to travel within the EU took place within the General Affairs Council last autumn culminating in the adoption of Council Recommendation 2020/1475 establishing the EU traffic light system for travel in October 2020. The Council Recommendation was further updated earlier this year in order to allow greater discretion to Member States to impose tougher restrictions, if warranted by the epidemiological situation in their country. A number of Member States including Ireland have in recent weeks temporarily departed from the traffic light system for travel in response to the emergence of new variants of the COVID-19 virus. It is hoped that once the epidemiological situation improves both in Ireland and across the EU that the traffic light system for travel can once again be fully implemented by the majority of Member States in order to facilitate freedom of movement and travel within the EU and across the continent generally.
Over the last number of months, a number of Member States have also raised the issue of ‘vaccine certificates’ and suggested they could be used, amongst other things, to facilitate greater ease of travel in the EU once restrictions are lifted in Member States. The EU has since published guidelines in relation to covid vaccination certificates but these guidelines limit their proposed use to medical use only, rather than for travel.
It is important to differentiate vaccine certificates, which are used to identify and monitor those who have been vaccinated, and an immunity passport which may allow an exemption from public health measures on the basis that the person has purported immunity to COVID-19. The WHO has cautioned Governments against introducing immunity passports at this time and has advised that the focus should remain on vaccine certificates as a medical record.
With regard to the use of digital vaccination certificates for travel – or vaccine passports, whilst various technical solutions are being considered in case they are required, no policy position has yet been developed to determine whether they will be used or for what purposes.
