Results 4,381-4,400 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The EU continues to closely monitor developments in Ukraine and EU leaders held an in-depth discussion on the situation at the March European Council meeting. The full implementation of the agreements reached in Minsk on 12 February, including a lasting ceasefire, remains the focus of the EU's efforts, as it offers the best chance to create the conditions necessary for a peaceful resolution...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Trade (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 559 and 564 together. Advancing Ireland's trade, tourism, education and investment objectives, as well as economic diplomacy more generally, is a key priority in Ireland's foreign policy and in the work of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and its Embassy network. The Government's Trade, Tourism and Investment Strategy, 'Trading and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Enlargement (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland is a long-standing supporter of the Enlargement process, which is widely seen as one of the most successful foreign policy initiatives of the European Union. Although no country is expected to join the European Union in the immediate future, we believe that it is important to actively engage with our European partners and with candidate countries to advance the accession process....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Syrian Conflict (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The conflict in Syria is entering its fifth year. More than 220,000 people have been killed, and some 7.6 million have been displaced within Syria, with almost 4 million more as refugees in neighbouring countries. This rate of displacement has accelerated over the last year. There are 1.7 million refugees in Turkey, nearly 1.2 million in Lebanon, 628,000 in Jordan and 247,000 in Iraq, with...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I am acutely aware of the need to ensure that Ireland’s development assistance is appropriately targeted so that it makes a real difference in the lives of some of the world’s poorest people. Ireland’s official aid programme, Irish Aid, has always had a strong focus on the fight to end extreme poverty, and this commitment is central to our international development...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The promotion and protection of human rights is a central objective of Ireland’s foreign policy. In the Government’s recent review of foreign policy, The Global Island: Ireland’s Foreign Policy for a Changing World, we re-affirmed our commitment to the universality, indivisibility and interrelatedness of all human rights, to accountability for human rights violations and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Terrorism (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 567 and 568 together. The issue of how best to respond to the threat posed by terrorism has been high on the EU agenda in recent months. Foreign Ministers have focused in particular on the contribution that the EU can make through its external action to the wider international effort to prevent and counter terrorism. Counter-terrorism was most...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Issues (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland’s approach to Europe’s eastern neighbourhood is based on the Eastern Partnership (EaP) which was launched in 2009 to provide a coherent framework for EU co-operation with six countries of Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. The forthcoming EaP Summit in Riga, on 21 and 22 May, was discussed at a...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: UN Issues (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: This year marks the 60thAnniversary of Ireland’s membership of the United Nations. UN membership and a commitment to multilateralism is central to Irish foreign policy. The principles and values enshrined in the UN Charter are principles and values that Ireland holds dear. In line with our commitment to providing leadership at the UN, Ireland will seek election to the Security Council...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Public Sector Pensions Data (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: With regard to the staff of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the calculation and payment of superannuation benefits is a matter for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Staff of the former Agency for Personal Service Overseas (APSO) were integrated into the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 2003. Two former APSO staff and a spouse of a deceased APSO staff...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Export Trade Council (22 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: My Department has responsibility for the Export Trade Council (ETC), which I chair, and which works to strengthen co-operation and co-ordination across all Government Departments and State agencies, which are involved in the promotion and development of trade, tourism, investment and education. The ETC, which also includes representation from the private sector, also oversees the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Relations (22 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Following the launch of the Government Trade, Tourism and Investment Strategy, a list of 27 priority markets was identified based on the experience and expertise of stakeholders and State agencies on the ground. This was formally adopted at the first meeting of the Foreign Trade Council, now the Export Trade Council (ETC), on 27 October 2010. Local Market Teams were established in each...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Global Economic Forum (22 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: There have been three Global Irish Economic Forums held to date in 2009, 2011 and 2013. The fourth Global Irish Economic Forum will take place from 19 – 21 November, 2015. The first Forum in 2009 was convened by the previous Government in response to the economic crisis that the country was facing. This Forum developed a new and more strategic level of engagement with the most...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Cross-Border Co-operation (22 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The Stormont House Agreement is a significant achievement that has the potential to advance genuine reconciliation between divided communities and progress economic prosperity for all in Northern Ireland and across this island. One of the commitments we made at Stormont House last December was to agree a report on new priorities for North-South co-operation. At the North South Ministerial...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (22 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Irish officials in Bangkok are in the process of setting up a permanent Embassy. However, in the interim period, passport queries should be directed to the offices of the Honorary Consuls of Ireland in Bangkok and Phuket. An APS2 (passport application) form should be obtained from the office of the nearest Honorary Consul.Contact details for the Honorary Consuls in Thailand may be found on...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (22 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The Passport Service operates on the presumption that an adult making an application to the Passport Office has the capacity to do so. In the rare occurrence that the Passport Service is informed to the contrary, the application is reviewed in accordance with the provisions of S6 (4) of the Passports Act 2008. Section 6 (4) states, “An application for the issue of a passport to a...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Shannon Airport Facilities (23 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 145 and 146 together. As the Deputy will be aware, permission for foreign military aircraft to land at Irish airports is subject to compliance with strict conditions, including that the aircraft are unarmed, carry no arms, ammunition or explosives, do not engage in intelligence gathering and do not form part of military exercises or operations. In my...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Shannon Airport Facilities (23 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Successive Governments have made overflight and landing facilities available at Shannon Airport to the United States for over 50 years. This period covers many crises and military confrontations and we have never withdrawn or suspended those facilities at any stage during that period. Permission for foreign military aircraft to land at Irish airports is granted subject to strict conditions....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Issues (28 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I share the horror at the recent tragedies in the Mediterranean, and the level of humanitarian crisis across the Middle East and parts of Africa. Instability and conflict across the Horn of Africa, North Africa and the Middle East have led to unprecedented numbers of people being displaced from their homes in the last five years. Almost 1600 migrants are known to have drowned in the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Council Meetings (28 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I participated in the most recent meeting of EU Foreign Affairs Ministers in Luxemburg on 20 April where discussion focused on Libya, the EU’s relations with Latin America and the Caribbean, the situation in Yemen, and the recent negotiations on the Iranian nuclear programme. The Council also received a presentation from the High Representative on her intention to carry out a Strategic...