Tuesday, 19 Oct 2021

Written Answers Nos. 47-85

Cabinet Committees

Ceisteanna (47)

Neale Richmond

Ceist:

47. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Brexit will next meet. [46325/21]

Freagraí scríofa

Taoiseach (Deputy Micheál Martin)

The Cabinet Committee on Brexit and Northern Ireland operates in accordance with established guidelines for Cabinet Committees and where appropriate, substantive issues are referred to Government for discussion and approval.

In general terms, the Cabinet Committee oversees implementation of relevant Programme for Government commitments in the area of Brexit and Northern Ireland, and ongoing relevant developments.

The Committee was formally established by Government on 6 July 2020, and had its first meeting on 29 October 2020.

The Cabinet Committee last met on 4 March 2021. The next meeting remains to be scheduled. However, relevant issues arising on Brexit and Northern Ireland are also regularly considered at meetings of the full Cabinet. The Cabinet Committee on Europe which last met on 14 October also discusses related matters.

In addition to the meetings of the full Cabinet and of Cabinet Committees, I also meet with Ministers on an individual basis to focus on particular issues where required.

Questions Nos. 48 to 54, inclusive, resubmitted.

Cabinet Committees

Ceisteanna (55)

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

55. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Economic Recovery and Investment last met. [45193/21]

Freagraí scríofa

Taoiseach (Deputy Micheál Martin)

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Recovery and Investment has met a total of fifteen times, most recently on 30 September.

Questions Nos. 56 to 58, inclusive, resubmitted.

Government Communications

Ceisteanna (59)

Matt Carthy

Ceist:

59. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Taoiseach if he will commission a review on the use and security implications arising from the use of personal devices and messaging services by Ministers, Ministers of State and senior officials in the conducting of Government business. [44140/21]

Freagraí scríofa

Taoiseach (Deputy Micheál Martin)

Members of the Government, Ministers of State and senior officials are subject to the arrangements for the use of and the security of communications devices that are put in place by Government Departments. The Departments have in place comprehensive arrangements to support ICT security and they receive regular advice and support on these matters from the relevant authorities. The Deputy will understand that it is not the practice, for sound operational and security reasons, to discuss the detail of these arrangements, but I will say that these arrangements are subject to ongoing and active review in order to ensure their effectiveness.

Citizens' Assembly

Ceisteanna (60)

Thomas Gould

Ceist:

60. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Taoiseach the proposed running order of the citizens’ assemblies committed to under the Programme for Government. [44815/21]

Freagraí scríofa

Taoiseach (Deputy Micheál Martin)

Under the Programme for Government, the Government aims to establish a Citizens’ Assembly in 2021 to consider the type of directly elected mayor and local government structures best suited for Dublin. The Programme for Government also provides for establishment of Citizens' Assemblies to consider biodiversity; matters relating to drugs use and the future of education.

Consideration is being given to the appropriate methodology for future Citizens' Assemblies, but any decisions in this regard will be guided by the experience of the Gender Equality Assembly which completed earlier this year. An independent researcher was appointed by the Assembly to monitor and record, amongst other things, the perceived deliberative quality of the Assembly. This report, published in July 2021, will assist in decisions on future Assemblies use of virtual meetings.

Officials from my Department are engaging with officials from relevant Departments on the approach to be taken with regard to these Assemblies. It is envisaged that they will be established after the Dublin Mayor Citizen's Assembly has completed its work, but the specific timing of each Assembly has yet to be confirmed.

Question No. 61 resubmitted.

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Ceisteanna (62, 63, 65)

Alan Farrell

Ceist:

62. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent visit to the United Nations and on the vaccine distribution to poorer nations. [46099/21]

Alan Farrell

Ceist:

63. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meetings with the United Nations Security Council on climate action. [46100/21]

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

65. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Taoiseach the nature and the extent of discussions he had with the various leaders during his recent visit to the United States of America and attendance at the United Nations. [46753/21]

Freagraí scríofa

Taoiseach (Deputy Micheál Martin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 62, 63 and 65 together.

I travelled to the US on 19 September for the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly.

On 21 September, I attended the opening of the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly, where I met with a number of world leaders.

My visit took place during Ireland’s Presidency of the UN Security Council and I chaired a debate in the Security Council on Climate and Security on Thursday 23 September. I called for the effects of climate change on peace and security to be taken into account in any analysis of the causes of conflict or approaches to peace-building.

Small Island Developing States are among the most exposed to climate change and I also attended a Pacific Island Forum event, en marge of the General Assembly, where I met the President of Palou and Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea and other regional leaders.

I delivered Ireland’s National Statement to the General Assembly on Friday 24 September, urging the Assembly to heed the alarms sounding for Conflict, Covid, and Climate, and to commit to immediate action.

I confirmed Ireland’s contribution to global vaccine sharing – with the donation this year of 1.3 million doses to low income countries, mainly through COVAX, with a further significant donation to be made in 2022. Ireland has contributed over €200 million in support to global health since the outbreak of the pandemic.

I spoke at an event convened by the EU and UN Women on Women in Conflicts, and reaffirmed Ireland’s commitment to the protection of women and girls in conflict, and to the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women in peace and security processes. I also attended an EU-Africa leaders’ dinner, where I participated in a discussion on strengthening cooperation between the European Union and the African Union.

I held a number of bilateral meetings while at the UN, including with the President of Viet Nam and with the President of Colombia, discussing matters of shared interest, among them Covid-19 and economic recovery.

Question No. 63 answered with Question No. 62.

Question No. 65 answered with Question No. 62.

Question No. 64 resubmitted.

Questions Nos. 66 to 85, inclusive, resubmitted.