Written Answers Nos. 526-544
526. Deputy Kieran O'Donnell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the current figures for those awaiting passports by county due to the postponement of services; the expected wait times for passports once processing resumes; the steps he will take to ensure the backlog is dealt with quickly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17315/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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 is confident, taking into account measures to ensure a safe workplace, that any Passport Online backlog can be cleared in six to eight weeks.
The approximate number of Passport Online applications per county currently under process is set out in the table below.
|
County |
Passport Online application under process |
|
Antrim |
4,100 |
|
Armagh |
900 |
|
Carlow |
300 |
|
Cavan |
400 |
|
Clare |
700 |
|
Cork |
3,400 |
|
Derry |
1,300 |
|
Donegal |
900 |
|
Down |
2,700 |
|
Dublin |
12,400 |
|
Fermanagh |
300 |
|
Galway |
1,800 |
|
Kerry |
800 |
|
Kildare |
1,700 |
|
Kilkenny |
500 |
|
Laois |
500 |
|
Leitrim |
200 |
|
Limerick |
1,400 |
|
Longford |
200 |
|
Louth |
900 |
|
Mayo |
700 |
|
Meath |
1,500 |
|
Monaghan |
300 |
|
Offaly |
400 |
|
Roscommon |
300 |
|
Sligo |
400 |
|
Tipperary |
900 |
|
Tyrone |
1,000 |
|
Waterford |
700 |
|
Westmeath |
600 |
|
Wexford |
800 |
|
Wicklow |
1,100 |
These figures are correct to 26 March 2021.
There are currently approximately 1,700 paper based applications in the system. It is not possible to break these out by county. The Passport Service plans to resume processing of routine paper based applications such as Passport Express and Northern Ireland Passport Express at Level 3 of the framework.
527. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the latest sanctions announced by the European Union on China on 22 March 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17351/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra528. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has sought to meet with Ambassador He Xiangdong following the sanctions announced by the European Union on China on 22 March 2020. [17352/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra529. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his most recent engagement with Ambassador He Xiangdong following the sanctions announced by the European Union on China on 22 March 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17353/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 527 to 529, inclusive, together.
On 7 December 2020, the European Council adopted the new EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime (EUGHRSR), which allows the EU to target serious human rights violations and abuses by state and non-state actors worldwide. It enables the EU to stand up quickly and in a more tangible and direct way for human rights, one of the fundamental values of the EU and its foreign policy.
At the Foreign Affairs Council on the 22nd of March, and in keeping with the political commitment to swiftly adopt the first listings under the EUGHRSR, 11 individuals and 4 entities from China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Libya, Eritrea, South Sudan and Russia were identified as targets for sanctions.
In relation to China, the EU has stated that it continues to be gravely concerned about the existence of a large network of political re-education camps, widespread surveillance, and systemic restrictions on freedom of religion or belief against Uighurs and other minorities in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.
Therefore, the EU has targeted four Chinese persons and one entity with an assets freeze and travel ban under the terms of the EUGHRSR. The use of these sanctions is designed to act as a deterrent and encourage changes in these actors’ behaviour. They are based on solid legal evidence and are deployed in addition to other measures such as dialogue.
The EU’s approach is in contrast to the retaliatory approach taken by China, which is seen as an attempt to punish the EU and its Member States and is not an answer to the legitimate concern expressed by the EU on the human rights situation in Xinjiang. The arbitrary list of sanctions released by Beijing, which targets academics, parliamentarians and diplomats as well as their families, is in fact an attack on academic freedom and freedom of expression.
In common with other Member States, Ireland has raised with China its concerns regarding the situation in Xinjiang on a number of occasions, both bilaterally and in multilateral fora such as the UN Human Rights Council and UN Third Committee. In these interventions we have called on China to respect human rights and allow immediate and unrestricted access to the region. We have also urged China to implement urgently the eight recommendations made by the Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination related to Xinjiang, and have also called on the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide regular information on the situation in the region, in order to safeguard the rights and freedoms that are guaranteed under international law. Most recently, Ireland raised these concerns during our national statement at the UN Human Rights Council on 15 March.
Bilaterally, as is standard practice, my officials have discussed the situation in Xinjiang with the Chinese Ambassador and most recently have discussed, at senior level, the application of the EUGHRSR, as well as China's retaliatory actions.
530. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of Garda clearance for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17403/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, my Department's Authentication and Apostille service has remained open throughout COVID-19 in order to process important documents. The office is currently experiencing a high level of demand, with turnaround times approximately 15 working days.
In order to provide an update on the status of any application, and to expedite it if considered urgent, the office would need the registered postal tracking number. The applicant should send this by email to authentications@dfa.ie and staff in the Authentication and Apostille office will reply directly.
531. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has discussed the investigation into the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17410/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy thoughts, and the thoughts of the Government, are with the family and friends of Noah Donohoe at this extremely distressing time, and as they contend with such a profound personal loss.
The case of Noah’s death is a matter for the Police Service of Northern Ireland and an investigation is underway. I understand that a Coroner's investigation is also ongoing. As such, it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.
532. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the way in which his Department and agencies under his remit are meeting obligations under the Irish Sign Language Act 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17427/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Foreign Affairs recognizes the right of Irish Sign Language users to use Irish Sign Language as their native language in accordance with the Irish Sign Language Act 2017. The Department has provided and will continue to provide Irish Sign Language Interpreters to assist employees who are deaf when required.
The Passport Service, as a public office, has a dedicated member of staff who interprets with members of the public when availing of its passport services. A member of the public who may require the assistance of an Irish Sign Language Interpreter while interacting with the Passport Service can indicate this when booking their appointment online. A dedicated member of staff will be available to interpret and assist during their appointment schedule.
533. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the details of the Acts falling under his Department which have been signed into law but have not been commenced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17445/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraSpecific provisions of Acts under my Department that have not yet been commenced include Sections 14(8) and 14(9) of the Passports Act 2008. These Sections of the Passports Act, if commenced, would provide that guardians’ consent to the issuing of a passport would be considered to be enduring for the child up to the age of 18. These provisions will be considered as part of the Passport Reform Programme which will run until the end of 2022.
Further, the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Act 2020 was enacted on 10 December 2020 to address the wide range of complex issues that could arise for citizens and businesses at the end of the Brexit transition period. The Act consists of 22 Parts under the remits of ten Ministers. Parts 1, 2, 4 to 12 and 14 to 22 of the Act have been commenced. It has not been necessary to commence Parts 3 and 13 of the Act because of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement reached between the EU and the UK.
The Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Act 2019 was also enacted on 17 March 2019 as part of the Government’s preparations for a possible no deal Brexit in 2019. The Act consists of 15 Parts under the remits of nine Ministers. Parts 1, 14 and 15 were subsequently commenced while Part 3 was repealed and its provisions addressed in the Industrial Development (Amendment) Act 2019. The remaining Parts of the Act were not commenced as the Agreement on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union was concluded and entered into force. Those Parts of the 2019 Act that are spent, cannot be commenced following the entry into force of the Withdrawal Agreement, or are superceded by provisions in other legislation are repealed by the aforementioned 2020 Act.
534. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when the Passport Office will resume full services; the efforts that will be made to reduce the backlog of applications waiting to be processed; the number of passports being processed weekly since 1 January 2021; the number of passports waiting to be processed; the reason the Passport Office cannot continue to operate to process passport applications which are a right of each citizen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17458/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn line with Government guidance that, at Level 5 of the National Framework on Living with COVID-19 only essential work should take place, the Passport Service continues to provide a high-quality essential service in line with Government measures to reduce social contact and combat the spread of COVID-19.
This essential service is available for those who are required to travel due to the death or serious illness of a family member or meet the criteria for a reasonable excuse for travel as defined in the recent amendment to the Health Act 1947, which came into effect on 1 February 2021.
Applicants who require a passport for emergency purposes, or for travel with a reasonable excuse, should contact the Passport Service via our Customer Service Hub Webchat function on our website.
Irish citizens who are resident overseas should make contact through the local Irish Embassy or Consulate General.
While normal processing of passports has been paused, the staff of the Passport Service continue to produce emergency and urgent applications, to offer customer service through WebChat and to assist with consular assistance for Irish citizens overseas. The Passport Service has issued approximately 2,000 urgent applications, approximately 170 emergency applications and approximately 20,000 simple adult renewals since the beginning of the year. Our Webchat team have answered more than 30,000 queries. At present, there are approximately 75,000 Passport Online applications in the system. When operations resume at Level 4, all applications received via Passport Online will be processed. The Passport Service is confident, taking into account measures to ensure a safe workplace, that any Passport Online backlog can be cleared in six to eight weeks.
There are currently approximately 1,700 paper based applications in the system. The Passport Service plans to resume processing of routine paper based applications such as Passport Express and Northern Ireland Passport Express at Level 3 of the framework.
536. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a passport will be issued to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17567/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn line with Government guidance that at Level 5 of the National Framework on Living with COVID-19 only essential work should take place, the Passport Service continues to provide a high-quality essential service in line with Government measures to reduce social contact and combat the spread of COVID-19.
This essential service is available for those who are required to travel due to the death or serious illness of a family member or meet the criteria for a reasonable excuse for travel as defined in the recent amendment to the Health Act 1947, which came into effect on 1 February 2021.
Applicants who require a passport for emergency purposes, or for travel with a reasonable excuse, should contact the Passport Service via our Customer Service Hub Webchat function on our website.
Irish citizens who are resident overseas should make contact through the local Irish Embassy or Consulate General.
With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has inquired, an official from the Passport Service was in contact with the applicant on 26 March to provide an update on the status of the passport application.
537. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the actions taken by Ireland on the UN Security Council to progress the holding of an independence referendum in Western Sahara. [17591/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra538. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of the appointment of an UN special envoy to Western Sahara. [17592/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 537 and 538 together.
The former Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary General, Horst Köhler, stepped down in 2019 for health reasons and the role has been vacant since. Ireland believes appointing a new Personal Envoy will be essential to the efforts to re-engage both parties in UN-facilitated talks and to assist the conflict parties to achieve a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution.
The Secretary-General remains committed to appointing a new Personal Envoy and his efforts in this regard are active and ongoing.
The Security Council will hold consultations on the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) in April (precise date to be confirmed). This will provide an opportunity for the Council to review progress and recent developments in the non-self-governing territory.
539. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the assessments made by the EU on the impact of the ongoing delay on the Suez Canal on the supply of Covid-19 vaccines to the EU. [17594/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am aware of the situation in the Suez Canal, which I am glad to note has been resolved.
Issues relating to vaccination are a matter for the Minister for Health, who is best placed to comment on the supply of Covid-19 vaccines to the EU.
540. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of negotiations by Ireland to join the World Health Organization C-TAP initiative; the practical engagement to date by his Department in this initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17596/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI would like to thank the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence for their recent Report on the Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccines to Developing Countries, whose recommendations are being considered by the relevant Government Departments.
Ireland is fully supporting efforts by the international community to ensure fair and equitable access to vaccines for all. The Government quadrupled funding to the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2020, given its role as lead UN agency for health and co-host of the Access to Covid-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, which has the COVAX facility as a centrepiece.
C-TAP touches on key relationships led by multiple Government Departments, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Health and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. Officials across these Departments have been working to clarify the details of the initiative, and the potential implications of Ireland’s engagement.
In the meantime, my Department has announced €5 million in Irish Aid funding to support developing countries to access COVID-19 vaccines. Most of this funding is going through the COVAX facility, a global UN-led mechanism for pooling procurement and fair distribution of the vaccines. This is part of at least €50 million allocated by my Department to Global Health in 2021.
542. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the spend for his Department on public procurement disaggregated by spend on goods, services and capital works in each of the years 2018 to 2020, in tabular form. [17960/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department operates in a number of locations in Ireland and approximately 90 locations worldwide and comprises of two Votes; Vote 27 International Cooperation and Vote 28 Foreign Affairs.
The Department ensures that there is an appropriate focus on good practice in procurement and that procedures are in place to ensure compliance with all relevant procurement guidelines. Procurement takes place in compliance with Directive 2014/24/EU and supported by procurement guidelines published by the Office of Government Procurement (OGP).
Vote 27: International Cooperation
|
- |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
|
Total spend on goods/services |
6,555,873 |
8,663,600 |
7,547,342 |
|
Total spend on capital |
698,413 |
759,077 |
359,731 |
|
Total spend |
7,254,286 |
9,422,677 |
7,907,074 |
Vote 28: Foreign Affairs
|
- |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
|
Total spend on goods/services |
69,172,721 |
72,013,870 |
64,241,624 |
|
Total spend on capital |
11,680,306 |
13,551,345 |
10,430,020 |
|
Total spend |
80,853,027 |
85,565,215 |
74,671,645 |
Vote 28: Foreign Affairs
|
- |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
|
Total spend on goods/services |
69,172,721 |
72,013,870 |
64,241,624 |
|
Total spend on capital |
11,680,306 |
13,551,345 |
10,430,020 |
|
Total spend |
80,853,027 |
85,565,215 |
74,671,645 |
543. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Defence the number of personal injury claims that have been taken against the State by Defence Forces personnel for injuries sustained while on military training exercises in each of the years 2014 to 2020 and to date in 2021; the breakdown of the claims finalised; the injury sustained in each case; the amount paid in damages; the amount paid in legal costs; and the estimated claim costs for claims yet to be finalised in tabular form. [16461/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will be aware that the State Claims Agency (SCA) has delegated authority to manage personal injury claims taken against the Minister for Defence.
With regard to the specific breakdown of personal injury claims requested by the Deputy, this information is not held by the Department in this format. The SCA has been contacted to ascertain if the information can be provided in the format requested and a response is awaited. I will revert to the Deputy when further information is made available to me.
544. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Defence when Defence Forces personnel serving overseas can expect to receive their Covid-19 vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16477/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra555. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Defence the arrangements in place or to be put in place for those Defence Forces members serving with the UN in Lebanon to avail of Covid-19 vaccinations; if they will receive vaccinations before they return home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17544/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 544 and 555 together.
The COVID-19 vaccine Allocation Strategy was developed by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) and the Department of Health, endorsed by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), and approved by Government on 8 December 2020. It sets out a provisional list of groups for vaccination.
The Defence Forces has established vaccine prioritisation which is in line with this national allocation strategy. Initial Vaccination priority is for Defence Force personnel who are providing front line support to the HSE and National Ambulance Service in the national effort to combat COVID 19.
Personnel selected for deployment to overseas missions over the coming months will fall into a prioritised grouping, and the intention is that they will be vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to deployment, subject to availability of the vaccine which is coordinated through the HSE. There may be a small number of personnel who, for a variety of reasons, will not be vaccinated against Covid 19 prior to their deployment. In these cases, it is intended that they will be prioritised on arrival in the mission to receive UN administered vaccines in accordance with each individual mission roll out timeline.
As you will appreciate, there are significant logistical challenges in transporting and administering the Covid 19 vaccines to large numbers of Defence Force personnel already deployed overseas on Peacekeeping duties.
As of 2 March 2021, Ireland is contributing 568 personnel to 10 different missions throughout the world. The main overseas mission in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed is the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with 346 personnel. These personnel are due to complete their tour of duty and return to Ireland during May. They will be vaccinated on their return in accordance with the Defence Force prioritisation within the national allocation strategy.
As Minister for Defence, I am keenly aware of the impact the COVID 19 pandemic is having on members of the Defence Forces deployed overseas and their families. I recognise and appreciate the additional personal sacrifices being made by troops deployed overseas at this time.
