Results 3,981-4,000 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Topical Issue Debate: Overseas Development Aid (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: On the final issue raised by the Deputy, the matter is on the agenda for discussion at this week's meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels. It will continue to be accorded prominence on agendas for the forthcoming months. Regarding the post-2015 development goals, our ambassador to the United Nations, Mr. David Donoghue, will play a most prominent role by chairing the...

Topical Issue Debate: Human Rights Issues (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The case of Raif Badawi which the Deputy raised is clearly a matter of ongoing and serious concern to the Government. Our concerns relate both to the conviction of Mr. Badawi for activities widely regarded here as the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of opinion and expression and also to the nature of the sentence which included corporal punishment. The carrying out of this...

Topical Issue Debate: Human Rights Issues (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I wish to reiterate for the benefit of the Deputy and the House that the case to which the Deputy refers is clearly a cause for serious and deep concern. As I mentioned earlier, Ireland has always been to the fore internationally in raising issues of human rights and the Government's ongoing commitment to human rights is expressed in the recently published Irish foreign policy review. I...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Anti-Terrorism Measures (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: UN Resolution 2178 provides that all States shall take steps to prevent the movement of terrorists or terrorist groups. These steps include the introduction of controls on the issuance of travel documents and measures to prevent counterfeiting, forgery or fraudulent use of such documents. The Passports Act 2008 Section 12 provides a statutory basis for refusal to issue and for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I have strongly condemned the appalling acts of violence being perpetrated in Nigeria and the neighbouring region by the terrorist group Boko Haram. These include the recent killings of a large number of civilians in an attack in the north-eastern state of Borno, and the kidnappings in recent days in Cameroon. I am appalled by reports of the use of innocent young children to carry primed...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The case of Raif Badawi is clearly a cause of concern. This includes both his conviction, for activities which would be widely regarded here as the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of opinion and expression, and also the nature of the sentence, which included corporal punishment. These concerns have been raised by the European Union on behalf of its Member States, including...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The case of Raif Badawi is clearly a cause of concern. This includes both his conviction, for activities which would be widely regarded here as the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of opinion and expression, and also the nature of the sentence, which included corporal punishment. These concerns have been raised by the European Union on behalf of its Member States, including...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I am strongly committed to the protection of the rights of domestic workers in Ireland, including those employed by diplomatic staff. Under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, it is the duty of all persons enjoying diplomatic privileges and immunities to respect the laws and regulations of the host State. Consistent with its obligations under the Vienna Convention, my...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I remain deeply concerned at this individual’s continued detention as well as the recent further postponement of his trial. Previous PQs have set out my approach to this case in some details and the steps taken. Most recently I discussed the case with EU High Representative Mogherini in Dublin on 12 January. She confirmed that the EU and its institutions would continue to assist...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Dublin-Monaghan Bombings (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The Government fully supports 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. I have raised this issue with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Theresa Villiers MP, including most recently when...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The Government’s approach to the question of recognition of Palestine was set out in detail during the course of the debate held in the Dáil on 9 and 10 December. The Dáil motion called on the Government to recognise a State of Palestine as a further positive contribution to securing a negotiated two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Achieving and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Correspondence (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Further to the statements in both Houses of the Oireachtas in recent months by my colleague the Minister for Justice and Equality, I can confirm that my Department has been in contact with the British Embassy on the subject of these reports. The messages that were conveyed to the British Embassy were along the lines contained in a letter from my Department’s Secretary General to the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I am aware of the case of Abdallah Abu Rahme, who was convicted of obstructing military operations in the West Bank, by blocking a military bulldozer engaged in construction. His is one of a series of cases of concern related to the protests around construction of the separation barrier on Palestinian land belonging to the villagers of Bil’in. The size of the Irish mission in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Shannon Airport Facilities (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The executive summary of the Senate Intelligence Committee’s report, which was released on 9 December 2014, does not identify specific countries where interrogation or detention took place, nor countries through which prisoners were transferred. Therefore, it is currently not possible to confirm whether the report makes any reference to Shannon Airport. I can confirm that, at my...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Conflict Resolution (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: A dedicated unit of my Department has responsibility for Ireland’s efforts to resolve and prevent conflict. This Conflict Resolution Unit works closely with our Permanent Missions to the United Nations, the European Union, the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe as well as with the relevant departments of those bodies to prevent and resolve...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Issues (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Palestine deposited its instrument of accession to the Rome Statute with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, acting in his capacity as depository, on 2 January, and the Secretary-General has informed states parties that the Rome Statute will enter into force in respect of Palestine on 1 April 2015, in accordance with Article 126(2) of the Statute. Ireland is, of course, a very strong...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Undocumented Irish in the USA (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Through our Embassy in Washington and our Consulates throughout the U.S., we are working closely with many individuals and groups across Irish America and beyond towards achieving some relief for undocumented Irish migrants in the United States. Our diplomatic missions will continue to work in partnership with the excellent Irish immigration centres in the United States, whose work my...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: UK Referendum on EU Membership (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I set out the Government’s position on this question in a speech in London on 14 November. While the question remains for now a matter of speculation, pending a decision by a British Government to pursue negotiations with EU partners in advance of holding a referendum on UK membership of the Union, we want the UK to remain a full and integral member of the EU. We firmly believe this...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I remain deeply concerned at this individual’s continued detention as well as the recent further postponement of his trial. Previous PQs, including my response to question 19 today (2657/15), have set out my approach to this case in some details and the steps taken. Most recently I discussed the case with EU High Representative Mogherini in Dublin on 12 January. She confirmed...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I utterly condemn the outrageous acts of violence being perpetrated by the terrorist group Boko Haram. These include the recent killing of a large number of civilians in an attack by militants in the north-eastern state of Borno in Nigeria and the kidnappings in recent days in Cameroon. I am appalled by reports of the use of innocent young children to carry primed explosives. I have...