Results 221-240 of 1,094 for speaker:Colm Brophy in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Disability Act Employment Targets (13 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 186 to 188, inclusive, together. The Department of Foreign Affairs enables participation in a range of volunteering opportunities overseas, typically involving placement with, or by, third party organisations and which are facilitated by the Department through a range of rosters, registers, initiatives and programmes, including the Election Observation Roster...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (15 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: The current roster of volunteers available for nomination to election observation missions organised by the EU and OSCE has 199 members, as listed in the response to Parliamentary Questions No. 338 and No. 342 of 21 July 2020. Roster members were selected on the basis of an open competitive application process in 2018. The roster, which is facilitated by the Department of Foreign Affairs, is...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Emigrant Support Services (20 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: The Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) provides funding to non-profit organisations and projects to support our most vulnerable emigrants overseas, to strengthen Irish communities abroad and to facilitate the development of closer and more strategic links between Ireland and the global Irish. The budget for the programme in 2020 is €12.595 million and is a demonstration of the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (20 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: Irish Aid is the Government's official development aid programme, of which approximately 65% is managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs. Irish Aid was found by the OECD in its peer review published earlier this year to be 'a strong voice for sustainable development'. The table below sets out Irish Aid grants to countries over the reference period. Data for 2020 is preliminary: more...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Irish Aid (22 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: The severe flooding, caused by torrential rains and the overflow of the River Nile and its tributaries, has affected all of the States in Sudan.  It has caused significant damage affecting more than 875,000 people, including 150,000 refugees.  On 4 September, the Transitional Government of Sudan declared a national three-month State of Emergency and designated the country a natural...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Irish Aid (22 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: I am aware that recent floods have seriously affected large parts of Sudan. On 4 September, the Transitional Government of Sudan declared a three-month State of Emergency and appealed for international assistance with regards to water, sanitation, hygiene, shelter and health care.  UN Agencies have reported 155 fatalities. More than 875,000 people have been affected, including 150,000...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diaspora Issues (3 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: The Government is committed to holding a referendum on extending the franchise at Presidential elections to Irish citizens living outside the State. We have restored the Thirty-Ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Presidential Elections) Bill to the Dáil Order Paper. The date for the holding of the referendum will be decided once the legislation has been approved by the Oireachtas.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Irish Aid (3 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: Ireland has provided development and humanitarian assistance to the Sudanese people for many years. The country has been beset with a combination of both climate and natural disasters as well as continued human rights and poverty challenges for decades. The global coronavirus pandemic is further straining an already fragile social and health infrastructure. Since 2018, Ireland has...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (3 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: The Department of Foreign Affairs maintains a roster of Irish volunteers available for nomination to election observation missions organised by the OSCE and the EU. Due to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the OSCE and the EU suspended election observation missions until last month. In respect of forthcoming elections this month and next, in Ukraine, Georgia and Republic of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (3 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: Recent developments in Nigeria, which have seen credible allegations of the use of excessive force against protesters, are of great concern, in particular the violence of 20 October in Lagos. Armed men in military-style attire attacked a group of protesters in the Lekki area of Lagos, using live ammunition, resulting in at least 12 deaths and many people injured. I extend my deep...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Irish Aid (3 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: Yemen is the worst humanitarian crisis in the world with 24 million people, 80 per cent of the population, continuing to require assistance and/or protection. The UN is warning that the country is on the brink of famine. Yemen faces outbreaks of violent conflict, flooding, displacement, cholera and restrictions on humanitarian access. Currently COVID 19 is spreading rapidly in the country. ...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (10 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: Since the restriction measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic were implemented in March 2020, Ireland has not nominated observers to participate in international election observation missions. Due to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the OSCE suspended standard election observation missions (EOMs). The OSCE EOM to North Macedonia which had commenced activities on 1 March 2020...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (11 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: The Department of Foreign Affairs enables participation by Irish citizens in overseas election observation missions organised by the EU and the OSCE through nomination of volunteers from our Election Observation Roster. The current, five-year roster was established on the basis of an open, competitive application process in 2018, using a competency framework for ranking in line with Public...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Budget 2021 (17 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: A Better World, the Government's policy for international development, establishes gender equality as a policy priority, specifically identifying response to, and prevention of, gender-based violence (GBV) as a key focus. Ireland is consistently among those OECD countries with the highest proportion of official development assistance (ODA) invested yearly in gender equality measures. In...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (17 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: Recent developments in Nigeria, including credible allegations of the use of excessive force against protesters, are of great concern, in particular the violence of 20 October in Lagos. Armed men in military-style attire fired towards a group of protesters in the Lekki area of Lagos, using live ammunition. The number of casualties remains unclear, but reports have claimed that at least 12...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (19 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: Sixty years ago this year, Ireland opened its first African diplomatic Mission as part of a drive to strengthen ties with African countries, especially those that had recently won their independence. Today our presence has grown to twelve Embassies across the continent of Africa, including in Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Liberia in West Africa. In 2019, the Government launched...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Constitutional Amendments (19 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: The Government is committed to holding a referendum on extending the franchise at Presidential elections to Irish citizens living outside the State.  We have restored the Thirty-Ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Presidential Elections) Bill to the Dáil Order Paper.   The date for the holding of the referendum will be decided once the legislation has been approved by the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (24 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: Ireland's current International Election Observation Roster, which is facilitated by the Department of Foreign Affairs, is effective as of 1 January 2019 and will run through 2023. Roster members were selected on the basis of an open competitive application process in 2018. This process has ensured that 1) there is a suitably skilled, trained and security-vetted pool of volunteers who are...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (24 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 415 and 425 together. I am deeply concerned by the recent outbreak of armed conflict between the Federal Government of Ethiopia and the regional authorities in Tigray and by reports of atrocities and targeting of ethnic groups. There are credible allegations of mass casualties, including civilian casualties, and of human rights abuses. There is a grave...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (24 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: Information received in confidence from foreign Governments on their election observation programmes remains confidential, unless released publicly by the originating authorities in accordance with their own regulations or legislation. It would be a breach of the principle of trust in international relations with other countries or international organisations to release such information.