Results 14,761-14,780 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (25 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 43 and 45 together. The Government has noted the content of Prime Minister May’s speech last week and welcomed the fact that it provides greater clarity on the proposed approach of the British Government to the Brexit negotiation process. Prime Minister May has made clear that she wishes to secure the closest possible future economic...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (25 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: As a co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, the Government is constantly engaged with the British Government, the Northern Ireland Executive and the political parties to support the peace process and political progress in Northern Ireland on the basis of the Agreement. In recent weeks, both the Taoiseach and I have had intensified contacts with the parties and the British Government on...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Peace Process (25 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I attended the Conference on the Middle East Peace Process in Paris on 15 January, which was hosted by President Hollande. Some 70 countries and international organisations participated in the meeting, which was a follow up to the first conference held in Paris in June 2016, which I also attended. This “French Initiative” was aimed at reviving a stalled peace process, and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Prisoner Releases (25 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I am aware of the particular case to which the Deputy refers. My officials in the Belfast Secretariat monitor this and other cases as part of their ongoing work around prison issues generally in Northern Ireland. The circumstances of the individual in question, have been raised with the Northern Ireland Office. The Deputy will be aware that the person concerned was detained in March 2016...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (25 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: This consular case continues to be a top priority for the Government and substantial resources and time are being devoted to it, by the Taoiseach, by me as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, by officials in my Department, by our Ambassador and his team in Cairo, and by the entire Irish diplomatic network. The Government is doing everything it possibly can to ensure that the Egyptian...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (25 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland has been active in raising concerns regarding the treatment of the Rohingya community in Myanmar/Burma at a multilateral level over recent years. In 2016, Ireland supported the EU-led resolution on the situation of human rights in Myanmar/Burma at the 31st session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in March 2016. This resolution conveyed the HRC’s serious concerns over...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (25 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I regret the deaths of all civilians in every military conflict. I am conscious of multiple reports, including from civilians in Mosul, claiming that Daesh is deliberately using civilians as human shields. I would also note that the liberation of Mosul, from a terrorist group which a UN body has found responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, has been legally...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (25 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I am aware of the open letter to which the Deputy refers. The Government remains deeply concerned about the ongoing violence in Rakhine State in the wake of attacks on police posts near Myanmar/Burma’s border with Bangladesh in October 2016. Ireland has called for an immediate end to violence in the region, and for an impartial, independent investigation into serious allegations of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (25 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I am aware of the recent executions in Bahrain, and of the allegations that these persons were tortured and subjected to unfair trials prior to the executions. It is disappointing to see Bahrain revert to using the death penalty, which they have not done since 2010. This move is a backwards step in Bahrain’s efforts to improve its human rights record, and only serves to reinforce the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (25 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The Government continues to support and encourage all efforts aimed at securing peace and stability in the Basque Country. As the Deputy will be aware, the Government welcomed the declaration by ETA of October 2011 that the organisation had decided on “a definitive cessation of its armed activity”. We continue to encourage all those involved to build on this step and work for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (25 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: This long-running and complex consular case continues to be a top priority for the Government and substantial resources and time are being devoted to it, by the Taoiseach, by me as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, by officials in my Department, by our Ambassador and his team in Cairo, and by the entire Irish diplomatic network. The Government is doing everything it possibly can to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Meetings (25 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The next EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting is due to take place on Monday 6th February in Brussels. I will attend the meeting. I expected that Egypt, Libya and Ukraine will be discussed. Libya was last on the agenda of the Foreign Affairs Council in April 2016. It has been over a year since the signing of the Libyan Political Agreement and the February FAC presents an opportunity to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (25 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: This consular case continues to be a top priority for the Government and substantial resources and time are being devoted to it, by the Taoiseach and myself, by officials in my Department, by our Ambassador and his team in Cairo, and by the wider Irish diplomatic network. The Government is doing everything it possibly can to ensure that the Egyptian authorities are in no doubt about our...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (25 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The increase in attacks against human rights defenders in Colombia during 2016 is a matter of great concern. The situation is being closely monitored by my Department and by the Embassy of Ireland in Mexico, which is accredited to Colombia. I condemn unreservedly any intimidation or violence perpetrated against human rights defenders in Colombia or elsewhere. I firmly believe that the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Dublin-Monaghan Bombings (25 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: This is a repeat of my answer to Priority Question no. 47 / 3262-17. Dealing with the legacy of the past relating to the conflict in Northern Ireland is a major priority for me as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and for the Government. This commitment is reflected in the Programme for a Partnership Government, which makes specific reference to pursuing the issue of the Dublin...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Undocumented Irish in the USA (25 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 72 and 89 together. Achieving relief for undocumented Irish migrants in the US and agreement on a facility for future migration between Ireland and the US are longstanding Government objectives. We continue to be committed to these aims notwithstanding the changed political context in the United States. The Government has raised the issue of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Meetings (25 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The Taoiseach had a phone call with then President-Elect Trump on the day following his election. The Taoiseach was able to raise issues of Irish interest, and President Trump extended an invitation to the Taoiseach to visit the White House on the occasion of St. Patrick’s Day 2017. A similar call was also made by the Taoiseach to then Vice President-Elect Pence. A new...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Peace Process (25 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 74 and 84 together. UN Security Council Resolution 2334, adopted on 23 December, was an important and timely re-statement of key international positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and its resolution. The Security Council stated unambiguously its support for a two state solution to the conflict, and focused particular attention on the issue of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (25 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland has consistently supported the right to self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. Ireland has not taken a position on the future status of the territory, so long as that status is decided in a genuine exercise of self-determination. At present, Western Sahara is a non-self-governing territory. Under international law, the economic resources of a non-self-governing...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (25 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The preparation of the new EU Global Strategy on Foreign and Security Policy was led by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Federica Mogherini (HRVP). She consulted closely with the Member States, but presented the Strategy on her own responsibility to the European Council in June 2016 which adopted Conclusions welcoming the presentation of the Strategy and invited the HRVP,...