Results 181-200 of 4,815 for speaker:Neale Richmond

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Presidential Elections (19 Mar 2025)

Neale Richmond: We will continue to reflect on the issue of extending voting rights for Irish citizens resident outside the State. As the Deputy is aware, expanding voting rights to persons living outside the State requires a referendum to change the constitution.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid (19 Mar 2025)

Neale Richmond: We are continuing to monitor the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has experienced conflict over many decades, with increasing insecurity and violence in the mineral-rich areas of the east of the country. In July 2024, the Africa-led Luanda process resulted in a ceasefire, which significantly reduced the level of armed conflict. However, in January 2025 the M23...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (19 Mar 2025)

Neale Richmond: Development cooperation is integral to Ireland’s foreign policy and our priorities are set out in A Better World, the Government's policy for International Development. It recognises that access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care is fundamental for transforming women's health outcomes. In September 2023 then Tánaiste, Micheál Martin approved a new...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Funding (6 Mar 2025)

Neale Richmond: The Government remains firmly committed to Ireland’s international development assistance programme and its overriding priority, to reach the furthest behind first. Ireland has been a leader in the global effort to tackle food insecurity and malnutrition, and will continue to be. This includes our policy engagement through the United Nations and the European Union. It also includes...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (6 Mar 2025)

Neale Richmond: We are following closely the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has experienced conflict over many decades, with increasing insecurity and violence in the mineral-rich areas of the east of the country. In July 2024, the Africa-led Luanda process resulted in a ceasefire which significantly reduced the level of armed conflict. However, in January 2025 the M23...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Overseas Development Aid (5 Mar 2025)

Neale Richmond: It is going to be really tough to get through this in four minutes; I wish we had 40 minutes. Perhaps we might have a further deeper debate in this Chamber. I know Senator Stephenson and I are going to work quite closely. Just to reassure her, I would not have missed this debate for anything. That is how important it is. The Acting Chair has been in this seat before and knows we may need...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Overseas Development Aid (5 Mar 2025)

Neale Richmond: I really appreciate the Senator giving us this opportunity and I fundamentally agree with every point she made. I want to put the following on the record of this House. We, in Ireland, have a responsibility in the coming weeks and months to stand up for what is right in the world, and we do that well. We believe in the multilateral order, in the work of the United Nations and in...

Seanad: The Diaspora: Statements (5 Mar 2025)

Neale Richmond: It is a great pleasure to be back in the Seanad. It is great to have at least one familiar face from my own time here, a man who was never so happy as when he saw me leave the labour panel, Senator Joe O'Reilly, who called for this debate. I an grateful to the Senator, the Leader and the Deputy Leader for providing time for it. This is a good time of year to take stock of our relationship...

Seanad: The Diaspora: Statements (5 Mar 2025)

Neale Richmond: I thank the Cathaoirleach. From the outset, I did not say this in my opening because the Cathaoirleach was not present, I wish to make a personal commendation and pay credit to the Cathaoirleach as a person, as a Senator, as a Cathaoirleach and, indeed, previously as a Leas-Chathaoirleach for his work in this area, albeit not just in terms of developing initial strategies and his...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (4 Mar 2025)

Neale Richmond: An Expropriation Bill (Act 13 of 2024) was signed into South African law by President Cyril Ramaphosa on 23 January 2025. The Act repeals an earlier Expropriation Act (1975) and seeks to align the process of expropriation of property with the principles outlined in the 1996 South African Constitution, which recognises the right of the state to expropriate property for public purposes or in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (4 Mar 2025)

Neale Richmond: Ireland's Embassy in Pretoria opened in 1994, and it currently manages a bilateral development programme focused on reducing inequality, tackling the spread of HIV/AIDS, and reducing gender-based violence. Ireland’s total Official Development Assistance (ODA) directed to South Africa over the four years 2020 2023 amounted to a total of €16,294,000, as outlined in the table...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (4 Mar 2025)

Neale Richmond: The Department of Foreign Affairs, through the Government's international development cooperation programme, Irish Aid, is responsible for working with and supporting partners to tackle poverty and reduce humanitarian need in low-income countries and in crisis settings. The international development programme does not have a role in policy development or in regard to the promotion or...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (4 Mar 2025)

Neale Richmond: The Government remains firmly committed to Ireland’s international development assistance programme and its overriding priority, to reach the furthest behind first. Ireland has worked with the US Administration and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on several global?and country?programmes that support sustainable development and humanitarian response....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (4 Mar 2025)

Neale Richmond: Four years since the military coup in Myanmar, the Government remains seriously concerned at the situation in the country. Almost 20 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in Myanmar. This includes more than 3.5 million displaced internally. Some 15.2 million are facing acute food insecurity, including 2.3 million with high levels of acute malnutrition . The situation...

Third Anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine: Statements (26 Feb 2025)

Neale Richmond: I greatly appreciate the opportunity to close this very important debate today. I also welcome our Ukrainian friends who are here in the Gallery, especially their truly excellent ambassador. I thank them for their continued advocacy. There was a sheer breadth of contributions over this period, from all parties and none, from such a range of Deputies. It is a rare time we see such...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (26 Feb 2025)

Neale Richmond: The Government remains firmly committed to Ireland’s international development assistance programme and its overriding priority, to reach the furthest behind first. Ireland has worked with the US Administration and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on several global?and country?programmes that support sustainable development and humanitarian response,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (26 Feb 2025)

Neale Richmond: Ireland will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from 1 July to 31 December 2026. Preparations for the Presidency are being led by the Department of Foreign Affairs, in close co-operation with the Department of the Taoiseach and with input from all Departments across Government. We have been actively following significant policy developments at EU level, which will...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (26 Feb 2025)

Neale Richmond: Ireland has been a consistent champion of the global fight against HIV and AIDS and is supportive of the goals of the Global Partnership for Action to eliminate all forms of HIV-related stigma and discrimination. While Ireland has not taken a decision on formally joining the partnership, addressing stigma and discrimination and ensuring equitable access to HIV prevention, testing and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (25 Feb 2025)

Neale Richmond: The Government remains firmly committed to Ireland’s international development?assistance programme and to its overriding priority, to reach the furthest behind first. Ireland has worked with the US Administration and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on several global and country programmes that support sustainable development and humanitarian...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (19 Feb 2025)

Neale Richmond: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 to 12, inclusive, together. The Government remains firmly committed to Ireland’s international development assistance programme and to its overriding priority, to reach the furthest behind first. Ireland has worked with the US Administration and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on several global and country...