Results 3,781-3,800 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (25 Nov 2014)

Charles Flanagan: In any given year, Heads of Mission may seek sanction for engaging additional members of local staff at their missions for a variety of reasons. They may be seeking to fill a post on a permanent basis or on short term temporary contracts, including temporary cover for a staff who may be ill or to manage specific projects or to meet unforeseen demands. Our HR unit deal with these requests...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (25 Nov 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I am following developments in Colombia’s peace process closely and with some concern. Together with my EU colleagues, I welcome progress made to date in the peace talks in Havana. I earnestly hope that the parties to the talks will be in a position to agree a resumption to the talks at an early stage and will proceed thereafter to a comprehensive peace agreement. Recent...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Agreements (25 Nov 2014)

Charles Flanagan: On 17 October, the President of the UN General Assembly appointed Ireland’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations to co-facilitate the major international negotiations to agree a new set of global development goals to replace the Millennium Development Goals. The Permanent Representative of Kenya was also appointed. The new goals, which will take effect after 2015, will be...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Religious Persecution (25 Nov 2014)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland condemns all forms of persecution on the basis of religion or belief, irrespective of where they occur or who are the victims. Ireland, with its EU partners, has previously expressed concern over the climate of intolerance towards religious groups and minorities in a number of countries around the world. The elimination of religious intolerance and persecution has been at the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Emigrant Support Services (25 Nov 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The Global Diaspora and Development Forum was hosted in Dublin earlier this month by the UCD Clinton Institute. Its aim was to bring together key thinkers, policy makers and members of Global Diasporas to further the growing international dialogue on the importance of linkages between Diaspora and development. The Forum was opened by my colleague Jimmy Deenihan TD, the Minister of State...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Dublin-Monaghan Bombings (25 Nov 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I raised the issue of the British Government granting access to these documents when I met with Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Theresa Villiers in Belfast on 30 July. She assured me that she would reflect afresh on what the British Government can do to respond. She confirmed that there was ongoing work within their system on what it may be possible to do but she was not in a...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (25 Nov 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The Government has consistently raised the issue of the need to establish an independent review into the Ballymurphy cases, both at the level of the Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. On 29 April 2014, the Government issued statements expressing disappointment at the decision of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland not to appoint a Hillsborough-style panel to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Contracts (25 Nov 2014)

Charles Flanagan: No contracts have been awarded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to the company referred to since 9 March 2011.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland Issues (26 Nov 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I thank Deputy Brendan Smith and his party for their encouragement, support and assistance on this issue. Since 16 October, discussions have been ongoing in the political talks in Northern Ireland convened by the Irish and British Governments. These talks bring together the Northern Ireland Executive parties and the two Governments to address several key issues that have badly impacted on...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland Issues (26 Nov 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I accept Deputy Brendan Smith’s point about funding for community and victims groups. The issue of victims is centre stage at the current talks with particular reference to dealing with the past. Unless and until this issue is addressed, there will be lasting scars of a serious nature in society in Northern Ireland and, to an extent, across the island. A significant proportion of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland Issues (26 Nov 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I expect to announce a further round of funding for reconciliation projects before the end of the year. The Deputy referred to outstanding commitments in the agreements. He is right to point out that a number of elements of the Good Friday Agreement and the St. Andrews Agreement have yet to be fully implemented. He mentioned the establishment of the independent consultative forum which...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Undocumented Irish in the USA (26 Nov 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The Deputy will be aware that this is and will remain a key priority for the Government in our bilateral relationship with the United States. Through our embassy in Washington, headed by our ambassador, Ms Anne Anderson, and our consulates throughout the United States we are working closely with many individuals and groups across Irish America and beyond towards achieving some relief for...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Undocumented Irish in the USA (26 Nov 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I do not wish to raise expectations on this issue. Undoubtedly, this is a step in the right direction and represents real and substantial progress. It is an acknowledgement of the hard work undertaken over a long number of years but particularly in recent times by the Ministers of State at my Department, Deputies Sean Sherlock and Jimmy Deenihan, who visited the US on numerous occasions,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Undocumented Irish in the USA (26 Nov 2014)

Charles Flanagan: This is a very important first step. I was pleased to hear Mr. Billy Lawless, the Chicago-based campaigner who has worked for many years on the matter of the undocumented Irish, give the President's announcement a very forthright welcome. However, I agree with Deputy Crowe that while the President's initiative is very important and positive, it is no substitute for legislative action by...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland Issues (26 Nov 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The Deputy will be aware that policing and justice powers were devolved to the Northern Ireland institutions following the Hillsborough Agreement of February 2010. Since that time, David Ford, MLA, has been Minister for Justice with responsibility for prison policy. An executive agency of his Department, the Northern Ireland Prison Service, is responsible for implementing prison policy. A...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland Issues (26 Nov 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The recent stock take report was accepted by the Northern Ireland Prison Service and by the relevant prisoners and opens an opportunity to resolve outstanding matters in order that the unimplemented elements of the Roe House agreement can be achieved. The independent assessors recommend a timeline of six months for the resolution of outstanding issues. I would encourage all concerned to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland Issues (26 Nov 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I am most familiar with the regime in Portlaoise Prison in my constituency but I am also cognisant of the points made by the Deputy regarding the meetings of the prison reform group concerning the strip-searching regime and the increased access to landings, all of which have been included in the stock take report. It is generally accepted, including by the Northern Ireland Prison Service,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Middle East Issues (26 Nov 2014)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland has worked for many years under successive Governments to achieve a two state solution to the Middle East conflict involving the realisation of a sovereign Palestinian state. We have always looked forward, therefore, to being in a position to recognise a state of Palestine in reality and not just as a symbolic gesture. Successive Governments and Ministers for Foreign Affairs have...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Middle East Issues (26 Nov 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I was pleased to have the opportunity to speak in the course of the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council. I repeated the point I made at the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade when I expressed concern at growing tension and increasing violence on the ground in the Middle East. I also noted that if the violence and the expansion of settlements by the State of Israel continue, the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Middle East Issues (26 Nov 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The strongest measure against settlement products is that higher tariffs must be paid on such products when they enter the European Union, whereas goods produced in Israel enjoy reduced rates. Work on these issues is continuing, although I accept Deputy Smith's point that it is not progressing at the pace people would like. Guidelines for the labelling of settlement products were put to one...