Results 3,441-3,460 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Enlargement (15 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: Albania applied for membership of the European Union in April 2009. Following an analysis of Albania's legislation and political readiness for membership, the European Commission published an Opinion on Albania's application in October 2010, which identified a series of reforms and challenges for Albania to overcome in order to be granted the status of a Candidate Country. A major test for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (15 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I refer the Deputy to the replies to Questions Nos. 43 and 44 of 9 July 2014. Human rights have been a priority of successive Irish governments, and are a key dimension of our foreign policy. Ireland works bilaterally and through the EU and UN to ensure that human rights are respected in Myanmar/Burma. In June 2014 the EU Delegation to Myanmar and EU Heads of Mission visited Nay Pyi Taw for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Reports (15 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: My Department intends to publish its annual report for 2013 by October this year.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Military Aircraft Landings (15 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 147 to 151, inclusive, and 157 together. The Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order 1952 gives the Minister for Foreign Affairs primary responsibility for the regulation of activity by foreign military aircraft in Ireland. In exercising this responsibility, successive Ministers have stipulated that permission for the landing of foreign military...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Tobacco Control Measures (15 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: On 10th June 2014, the Government approved the publication of the Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014 and the presentation of the Bill in the Seanad. The then Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade visited Washington D.C. from 17-19 June for a range of meetings and discussions with key political and Irish-American community figures on U.S....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Emigrant Support Services (15 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) provides funding to not-for-profit organisations and projects to support Irish communities overseas and to facilitate the development of more strategic links between Ireland and the global Irish. Funding is granted under the following categories: Capital, Heritage, Business Networks, Welfare and Welfare-Elderly. A key objective of the ESP is to support...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Emigrant Support Services (15 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) provides funding to not-for-profit organisations and projects to support Irish communities overseas and to facilitate the development of more strategic links between Ireland and the global Irish. A key objective of the ESP is to support culturally sensitive projects and initiatives that address the needs of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Public Relations Contracts Expenditure (15 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: For the period referred to by the Deputy my Department has not incurred expenditure on external public relations and communications services. From time to time, consultants or companies with a public relations and communications background are commissioned to provide other professional services such as project management, logistics and event management. DHR Communications has been contracted...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Dublin-Monaghan Bombings (15 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The Government continues to support the all-party Dáil motions of July 2008 and May 2011 urging the British Government to allow access by an independent international judicial figure to all original documents in their possession relating to the Dublin-Monaghan bombings. This is a matter which my predecessor raised with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Theresa Villiers, who...

Topical Issue Debate: Foreign Conflicts^ (16 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I thank the Deputies for raising this important issue. The current large-scale violence in and around Gaza was sparked by the dreadful murders of four young people in June and July, but quickly escalated, and has taken on a terrible life of its own. An estimated 1,260 rockets have been fired from Gaza at Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv and west Jerusalem, and at the nuclear reactor at...

Topical Issue Debate: Foreign Conflicts^ (16 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I recognise that causalities are overwhelmingly on the Palestinian side. I agree with Deputy Mac Lochlainn that it is not credible or possible, however, to address this issue as if only one side were engaged in attacks, something some others have suggested this afternoon. We recognise, as we must, that firing is going on in both directions and that both sides need to stop. Having spoken...

Topical Issue Debate: Foreign Conflicts^ (16 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I am anxious to assure the House, in particular the Deputies who raised this matter, that I will be happy to convey their views directly to the Israeli ambassador. I am most anxious that diplomatic efforts continue to bring about a ceasefire. I will be attending the Foreign Affairs Council early next week where I will be happy to convey the views of the Government and the House to the High...

Topical Issue Debate: Foreign Conflicts^ (16 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I assure the House that the Government is not silent on this matter but will be even-handed and is most anxious to bring about a ceasefire to this dreadful situation.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passports Data (16 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: In 2013 the Passport Service issued 631,499 passports. So far to date in 2014, the Passport Service has issued 384,076 passports.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (16 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: Since 3 July, officials from my Department have had some level of contact with members of all the Northern Ireland Executive parties. I spoke by phone with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Theresa Villiers, deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and Alasdair McDonnell, leader of the SDLP, on Friday, 11th July, the evening of my appointment. There have been no formal contacts...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (16 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: International election monitoring missions play an important role in the promotion of democracy and human rights around the world. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade maintains and administers a roster of observers for such missions. The Department nominates roster members to participate in missions organised mainly by the European Union and the Organisation for Security and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (16 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: International election monitoring missions play an important role in the promotion of democracy and human rights. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade maintains and administers a roster of 200 observers for such missions. The aim is to ensure that, when requested, Ireland is represented at an appropriate level in international observation missions for elections and constitutional...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (16 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade maintains a roster of individuals who are available to participate at short notice in election observation missions organised in the main by the OSCE and the EU. A full list of the observers who have served on election missions in 2013 and to date in 2014, together with the costs arising to date of each trip, is set out in the tables below. As...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Issues (16 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 to 48, inclusive, together. I refer to my reply to Question 158 (31024/14) on the same subject yesterday, which was as follows: “Following the dreadful murders of four young people in June and July, Israeli security forces detained six Israeli citizens in connection with the murder of the Palestinian youth; three of these are still in custody and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (16 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: While the main focus in recent years has been on the critical nuclear issue, Ireland and our EU partners have continued to highlight our concerns at human rights issues in Iran, and we will continue to do so. The possibility of resuming a direct discussion with Iran on this important area would be very welcome.The new Iranian government which took office last year has made a number of...