Results 3,541-3,560 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (17 Sep 2014)

Charles Flanagan: In February 2014, following the departure from office of President Yanukovych, the Ukrainian Parliament appointed an interim President. At the same time, the Parliament duly approved a new interim coalition Government, headed by Prime Minister Yatsenyuk. The government took office on 27 February 2014. On 25 May 2014, Petro Poroschenko was elected President of Ukraine with an absolute...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: UN Committees (17 Sep 2014)

Charles Flanagan: Ms Frances Fitzgerald TD., Minister for Justice and Equality, represented the Government at a meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Committee on 14–15 July 2014 in Geneva. The purpose of the meeting was to examine Ireland’s Fourth Periodic Report under the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) which Ireland submitted in July 2012. The hearing...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Council Meetings (17 Sep 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I have attended two European Union Foreign Affairs Council meetings since mid-July, as follows: 22 July, Brussels – scheduled Foreign Affairs Council meeting; and 15 August, Brussels – extraordinary meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council. Discussions at both meetings were dominated by the ongoing crises in the EU’s Southern and Eastern Neighbourhoods. At the July...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Council Meetings (17 Sep 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1214 and 1231 together. I attended a regularly scheduled meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council on 22 July, as well as an extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council on 15 August, where the crisis in Ukraine was discussed. Conclusions were adopted at both meetings. The July meeting took place in the aftermath of the tragic downing of Malaysian Airlines flight...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (17 Sep 2014)

Charles Flanagan: Applications submitted through the public counters incur an additional fee of €15, which is €5.50 more expensive than those applications submitted through Passport Express, allowing for the Post Office charge of €9.50. The new fee was brought into effect by the Statutory Instrument 47 of 2011, which was advertised in the national press before its implementation on 11...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (17 Sep 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I can confirm that there has been no reconfiguration of services in the Cork Passport Office. Accordingly, all services which had been available in that office at the start of the year continue to be provided. However, earlier this year, the Passport Service introduced an appointment system for quick turnaround at the Passport Office in Cork. This system, which had already been running...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Dublin-Monaghan Bombings (17 Sep 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The 40th anniversary of the Dublin-Monaghan bombings on 17 May this year was a reminder to us all of the painful legacy of that terrible day, and of the questions that remain unanswered. This year, in support of the families of the Dublin Monaghan families and of other victims of the Troubles in this jurisdiction, my Department will provide €48,000 for Justice for the Forgotten. The...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (17 Sep 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1222, 1223 and 1225 to 1227, inclusive, together. On the evening of my appointment as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, I spoke by telephone with Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Theresa Villiers. Our conversation largely focused on the prospects for the 12 July parades, which were taking place the following day, but also touched upon the need...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (17 Sep 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The meeting of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in plenary format which was scheduled to take place in Dublin Castle on Friday, 4 July 2014 was postponed on account of political developments in Northern Ireland. A date for the rescheduled Plenary meeting has been proposed; discussions about the matter are continuing and we hope that it will be confirmed in the near future. In the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Council Meetings (17 Sep 2014)

Charles Flanagan: Recent Foreign Affairs Council discussions on the Middle East have been focussed on the concurrent crises in Iraq and Gaza. In relation to Gaza, the Council principally emphasised, as did Ireland nationally, the urgent need to end the fighting and restore the ceasefire, so as to bring an end to the dreadful violence being suffered by the population. However the Council also emphasised, in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Appointments (17 Sep 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below. New appointments in the Department during the period March - December 2011 Number of staff Grade 17 Ministerial Appointee 1 Professional Accountant 6 Clerical Officer TOTAL24 New appointments in the Department during 2012 Number of staff Grade 2 Principal Officer 2 Ministerial Appointee 2 Assistant...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Illegal Israeli Imports (18 Sep 2014)

Charles Flanagan: In recent years Ireland has worked within the EU to focus attention on the expansion of Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as a negative and damaging factor, and a significant driver of the continuing conflict. The EU has stated clearly that settlements are illegal under international law and a barrier to peace. Since settlements are not in Israel, goods from...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services Availability (18 Sep 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The Irish Government has fully supported the named family’s call for an independent international investigation into the killing of their son since his death in 2009. The Government has raised this issue regularly with the Bolivian authorities and also with the EU and with the UN, both with the UN Special Rapporteur for Extrajudicial, Summary and Arbitrary Executions and at the Human...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Records (18 Sep 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has a dedicated archives unit based at the departmental file repository. This unit is responsible for managing the annual transfer of records over 30 years old to the National Archives, where in turn they are preserved and held for release to the public under the terms of the National Archives Act, 1986. The departmental archives unit...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Records (18 Sep 2014)

Charles Flanagan: This facility is a secure store for all departmental files which are no longer in everyday use within the department and allows for the retrieval of files as necessary for business purposes. Two permanent staff members are based there to manage the departmental file holdings. In addition, the departmental archives unit is based at this facility and prepares files for transfer to the National...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (23 Sep 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I can confirm that the Passport Service does operate a system to provide a second passport to Irish citizens who are regularly required to travel into countries where possession of an entry/exit stamp or visa from another state would likely prevent a person’s entry into that country. A second passport is also provided in circumstances where the holder can show that their passport is...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Emigrant Support Services (23 Sep 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) provides funding to not-for-profit organisations and projects to support Irish communities overseas and to encourage closer links between these communities and Ireland. The primary emphasis of Emigrant Support Programme funding is on supporting culturally sensitive frontline welfare services targeting the most vulnerable members of our overseas...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services Provision (23 Sep 2014)

Charles Flanagan: My Department and the Irish Embassy in Cairo continue to provide consular assistance to this individual and close consular support to his family, both in Ireland and in Egypt. I have taken a close personal interest in the case. I have met with the family concerned and have had a number of phone calls and contacts with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Minister Shoukry, in this regard. In those...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (23 Sep 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The UN agency UNRWA runs some 252 schools in Gaza, located in 130 buildings throughout the Strip. During the recent conflict, most of these schools were used to provide shelter to large numbers of civilians who were fleeing from other areas. Some 111 schools were damaged in the conflict, in most cases from the effects of impacts nearby. However, in seven cases it appears that school...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Agencies Staff Remuneration (23 Sep 2014)

Charles Flanagan: There are no State or semi-State organisations under the aegis of my Department.