Results 14,241-14,260 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: UN Commission on the Status of Women (10 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The UN Charter defines the purpose of the organisation as to achieve international cooperation in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion, and states that the UN is to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends. There are many countries...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (10 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I am aware of the testimony given in private session to the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement on 6 April last and of the family impact of the imprisonment of the relevant individual, which was outlined in that evidence. As the Deputy will be aware, my officials have raised the circumstances of the case in question with the Northern Ireland Office. I...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Issues (10 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The incidence and conditions of detention of Palestinians by Israel is an issue which has consistently featured over recent years in our dialogue with Israeli authorities, both here in Ireland and in Israel, as well as in our discussions at EU and UN level. Within those representations, there has been a particular focus on detention of children, and Ireland raised this question in our...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: UN Human Rights Council (10 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe and for addressing situations of human rights violations and make recommendations on them. It has the ability to discuss all thematic human rights issues and situations that require its attention throughout the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Cases (10 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: Restrictive measures (sanctions) are currently in place against some current members of the Human Rights Council. There are measures in place against Burundi in respect of human rights violations. There are also restrictive measures in place against Tunisia, Egypt and Iraq. Restrictive measures are adopted by the United Nations Security Council under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, or...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Investigations (10 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland regularly discusses human rights issues with Saudi Arabia. I met with the Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Nizar Madani, when I visited the Kingdom last November. We had a discussion around human rights, including the position of women in society and the use of the death penalty. The Irish Embassy in Riyadh raises human rights issues directly with the Saudi authorities...

Ireland and the Negotiations on the UK’s Withdrawal from the EU: Statements (9 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: As we celebrate Europe Day and given that this year is the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, I wish to begin by setting this issue in its wider context. Brexit, the decision of the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Union - or call it what one will - came about as a result of the UK referendum on 24 June last year, which was a bleak day for the European Union. Not only was...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services Remit (9 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The promotion and protection of human rights is a key foreign policy priority for Ireland, and one which is largely expressed through our strong support for the international human rights framework. Binding obligations to protect the rights of older persons without discrimination are implicit in the core international human rights treaties, including the Covenants on Civil and Political...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (9 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland, along with a group of like-minded countries, successfully pressed for the adoption of a resolution by the UN General Assembly in December 2016 to establish the International Impartial and Independent Mechanism to assist in the investigation and prosecution of persons responsible for the most serious crimes under international law committed in Syria. In addition, Ireland has agreed...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications Data (9 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The number of passports issued in 2016 was 733,197 and this generated total receipts of €46.9m. Between 1 January 2017 and 5 May this year 279,544 passports issued. This generated receipts of €13.6m. The monthly revenue generated by the issuance of passports cards since November 2016 is as follows: Month Amount November 2016 €53,755 December €37,310...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Application Refusals (9 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be aware, all passport applications are subject to the terms of the Passports Act, 2008 (the Act). The Act provides the legal basis for the policies and practices that are applied by the Passport Service. Section 10 of the Act broadly provides that a passport will issue in the name of a citizen as it appears on his/her birth certificate. Issuing a passport in a different...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (9 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I am advised by officials in the Passport Service that the passport in question was already in production prior to receipt of this Parliamentary Question and has been dispatched. As the Deputy will be aware, the Passport Service is currently processing over 80,000 applications. Every effort is made to issue passports as swiftly as possible within the constraints of resources and in a way...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Cases (9 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I am familiar with the case of the person in question, with his work as a human rights defender, and with his treatment by the Bahraini authorities since June 2016, and indeed before this. My Department has recently been made aware of his health issues, which have reportedly deteriorated seriously during his most recent incarceration. Last week, officials from my Department also had...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: United Nations (9 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: At the UN voting on resolutions takes place in public and there is transparency about the policy positions adopted by countries. Since 1947 the rules of procedure governing General Assembly elections provide that UN elections take place by secret ballot. The well-established convention among the 193 Member States of the UN is that votes are not publicly disclosed as to do so could...

Topical Issue Debate: UN Committees (4 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I visited Saudi Arabia and had the opportunity of meeting my counterpart. I availed of that opportunity to raise human rights issues and, in particular, the status of women, women's rights and the importance of equality in society. The United Nations at all levels, including the Security Council and the Offices of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Under-Secretary General...

Topical Issue Debate: UN Committees (4 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I am very conscious of the debate in Ireland and elsewhere in Europe about the outcome of last month's election to the UN Commission on the Status of Women. I am a strong believer in the equal rights of women and support the role of the commission in addressing questions of gender equality. As set out in our foreign policy review, The Global Island, Ireland is committed to advancing...

Diplomatic Relations (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2017: Second Stage (4 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: No.

Diplomatic Relations (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2017: Referral to Select Committee (4 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I move:That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence pursuant to Standing Orders 84A(3)(a) and 149(1) of the Standing Orders relative to Public Business.

Diplomatic Relations (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2017: Second Stage (4 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I thank Deputies for their comments and statements and indeed for their support for this legislation. As I said at the outset, this largely technical Bill is designed to bring a greater element of clarity and efficiency to the arrangements that are in place for diplomatic missions and international organisations operating within the State. It also aims to strengthen further the safeguards...

Diplomatic Relations (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2017: Second Stage (4 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I will now respond to Deputy Crowe's point about the alleged abuse of immunity. I thank the Deputy, and indeed Deputy O'Brien, for supporting this Bill. At all times, my departmental officials and I are determined to ensure privileges and immunities are not used as a cover for failing to comply with requirements under the Irish code of law. I referred earlier to the guidelines that have...