Results 15,141-15,160 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Syrian Conflict: Statements (20 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I thank the House for agreeing to hold this important debate. I note that just two of the 158 Members of the House are present. I have put my views on Syria on the record of this House on several occasions, most recently this morning at an Oireachtas committee meeting. It is important for all Members be given time to reflect on the widespread concern expressed by Irish citizens about the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs and Trade Issues: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (20 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I welcome this opportunity to address members on recent developments at the Foreign Affairs Council. A large number of issues were addressed by the Council on which I will provide an update to the committee. In addition, I will look ahead to the November Council meeting. Following that I would be happy to address any questions or issues the Chairman or the members may have and hear their...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs and Trade Issues: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (20 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I will deal with the questions and issues raised in a thematic way and hopefully I will reply to all of the contributors. I will start with the Chairman's comments on the situation in Aleppo, with which I agree fully, in terms of his sentiment and concern. The current situation in Aleppo is somewhat beyond description. We know that the Assad regime has, since the beginning of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs and Trade Issues: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (20 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I did call in-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs and Trade Issues: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (20 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I did call in the Russian ambassador. That is exactly what the Taoiseach informed the Dáil, namely, that I had called in the Russian ambassador. The latter was told in no uncertain terms how I, the Taoiseach and the people of this country feel about the ongoing human catastrophe unfolding in Syria and particularly in Aleppo. That is exactly what the Taoiseach said and that is correct....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs and Trade Issues: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (20 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The reality is that the Irish Government's foreign policy is focused on doing what Ireland can to address the humanitarian crisis by a sustained release of humanitarian funding. We have released €62 million since the conflict began and we are using our influence in the United Nations and the European Union to support a peaceful resolution to the conflict. I am happy to meet the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs and Trade Issues: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (20 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: It is important that moneys expended in Turkey or anywhere else are used directly and exclusively for humanitarian aid and the relief of suffering. Deputy O'Brien also mentioned Afghanistan. At a recent conference in Brussels, participating states, including Ireland, pledged the sum of €13.6 billion in support of Afghanistan over a four year period from 2017 to 2020....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs and Trade Issues: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (20 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: Deputy Crowe referred to talks with the Kurds and Ireland continues to be a strong supporter of the peace talks between the Turkish Government and the PKK through the work of the conflict resolution unit of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. We have provided financial assistance through an international NGO, which has facilitated study visits to Ireland by Turkish and Kurdish MPs...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs and Trade Issues: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (20 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I did not deal with it and I am sorry, Deputy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs and Trade Issues: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (20 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: Apologies to Deputy Crowe and Senator Bacik for omitting to deal with the issue of CETA in my earlier response. Senator Bacik referred to the CETA motion in the Seanad but it was also the subject of a Dáil debate last week when my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills outlined the national approach by Ireland. We are fully satisfied that the provisional application of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs and Trade Issues: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (20 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I will be happy to talk to the Senator about that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs and Trade Issues: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (20 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: Yes, I will provide a note on that. With regard to our position on migration, I can inform the committee, on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Fitzgerald, that every effort will be made to ensure that our targets are met. It is not possible to put a firm timeframe on it. Ireland is not the country of choice of many suffering refugees. We have...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Appointments (20 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: Following a comprehensive review of the election observation roster in 2013, a call for applications was issued by the Department in January 2013, and the Information Note for Applicants which was published on the Department’s website set out the four criteria through which applicants would be appraised. They were: Language skills; Experience of election observation; Knowledge of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Public Relations Contracts Data (20 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: My Department has not engaged outside public relations companies for the purposes of disseminating government policy. My Department has from time to time commissioned companies with a public relations and communications background but this has been for the provision of other professional services such as project management, logistics and event management, particularly in relation to Irish Aid...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Undocumented Irish in the USA (19 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: Achieving relief for undocumented Irish migrants in the US and agreement on a facility for future legal migration between Ireland and the US remain key objectives for the Government. Our Embassy in Washington and Consulates elsewhere in the US are very active in advocating for immigration reform, while the issue is also regularly addressed in high level political contacts between Ireland and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Application Refusals (18 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: All passport applications are subject to the provisions of the Passports Act, 2008, as amended (the Act). The Act requires that a person must be an Irish citizen before a passport can issue to him or her. The person in question has applied for a passport. However, her entitlement to Irish citizenship under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956 (as amended), is the subject of a...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Meetings (18 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I attended the EU Foreign Affairs Council yesterday, at which the crisis in Aleppo was discussed in depth. I also discussed the situation in Syria and Aleppo in my meetings with EU and other international partners at the UN last month, as well as with UN Secretary-General Ban. From the outset of the Syrian conflict, Ireland has been clear that we believe that this is a crisis of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Issues (18 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 348 and 349 together. Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union sets the framework for a Member State leaving the EU. The article provides that when the terms have been negotiated between the EU and the departing State, the Council concludes the agreement, acting by a qualified majority, after obtaining the consent of the European Parliament....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation Expenditure (18 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The total figure for 2015 for accommodation for approximately 350 public servants posted overseas with their dependents to Ireland’s diplomatic missions is €12,761,000. The figure spent to date in 2016 is €9,556,000. These figures include the rental costs of official accommodation for Heads of Mission and the rent reimbursements provided to other officers where...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation Expenditure (18 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland’s diplomatic service abroad consists of a network of 80 diplomatic and consular offices, often called "missions”. The network consists of 61 Embassies, 7 multilateral Missions, 11 Consulates General and one Representative Office. The size and scale of our diplomatic network is considered by the Government on an ongoing basis having regard to clear national priorities...