Results 4,641-4,660 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (2 Jul 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I warmly welcome the historic decision by President Obama and by President Castro in December on the restoration of bilateral diplomatic relations, and subsequent developments including the removal of Cuba from the US State Department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism. Talks are ongoing between the US and Cuba with a view to the normalisation of relations between the countries, and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Communications (2 Jul 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Travel advice for individual countries worldwide, including the level of caution recommended, is publicly available to individuals and travel companies on the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade’s website at . This advice is published in order to make useful information available to assist Irish citizens in making well informed decisions when planning their trips and when...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Funding (2 Jul 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The recent significant visit to Ireland by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall celebrated the depth and potential of contemporary Irish-British links, while also acknowledging more difficult moments from the past. Peace and reconciliation were key themes of this visit. The programme also highlighted modern research and educational links, as well as promoting Ireland’s...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Expenditure (2 Jul 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The table below set out the mileage and subsistence expense paid to me as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and to my predecessor Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Eamon Gilmore T.D. in the period March 2011 to June 2015. - IN OFFICE MILEAGE EXPENSE CLAIMS SUBSISTENCE 2011 € € € Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore T.D. March to Dec Nil~ Nil Nil...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (7 Jul 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 444 to 446, inclusive, together. Almost 50% of passport applications are received in the months April to July. So far this year through the extreme spike in passport applications average turnaround times for passport express have remained at 10 or 11 days. Additionally approximately 250 customers are seen daily by appointment at our public counters in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (7 Jul 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Full details for Ireland’s Honorary Consuls abroad are available on the Department’s website . The general practice now is that Honorary Consuls are appointed for a five year term. However, the specific tenure of each individual Honorary Consul appointment may vary in accordance with the terms agreed at the initial date of appointment and any contract put in place at that...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (7 Jul 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I am aware of the case raised by the Deputy. My thoughts are with the family concerned. I am aware also of the difficulties and frustrations faced, over a long period of time, by so many families bereaved by the conflict as they have sought to pursue truth and justice. The Irish Government continues, in our ongoing bilateral relations and through the European Court of Human Rights at...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Schemes (8 Jul 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has a number of funding schemes for which community, voluntary and sporting organisations may be eligible. Details of the total amount paid for each of these schemes for each of the past four years are set out in the table below: Grant Scheme 2011 2012 2013 2014 Emigrant Support Programme (1) 11,297,365 11,455,364 10,539,850 11,998,575 The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (8 Jul 2015)

Charles Flanagan: As always, I welcome this opportunity to address the committee on recent developments at the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels and Luxembourg. My statement will focus on meetings held in April, May and June, along with the joint meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council and Justice and Home Affairs Council, which was held in April. As the Chairman said, I will look ahead to the Council...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (8 Jul 2015)

Charles Flanagan: As the Chairman is aware, this consular case is a matter that continues to be treated with the utmost priority by me, as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and by officials in my Department. As the committee will be aware, from previous briefings and recent correspondence, we have a very clear strategy in place which is focused on achieving a positive outcome within the earliest...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (8 Jul 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I thank members for their comments and questions, the particulars of which I will endeavour to address. I might not address them in the particular order in which they were put to me.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (8 Jul 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I might not address the questions in the order in which they were put to me on the basis that there is an element of duplication. I would like to regionalise the questions or address them under the various headings. I thank Deputy Smith for his comments, especially his comments on the recent atrocity in Tunisia, with particular reference to the work of our consular team. It is an important...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (8 Jul 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Senator Norris will have an opportunity to speak later. He was not present when I referred to the matter earlier. I spoke about my visit to the region, the current debate, and debates in the Oireachtas and at European Union level which are all factors to be taken into consideration. I fully support, as previous Governments have, the full achievement of Palestinian statehood. We believe...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (8 Jul 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I could continue, but there is the matter of the vote. Other issues were raised.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (8 Jul 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I wish to deal with Cuba and issues about Latin America raised by Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (8 Jul 2015)

Charles Flanagan: A number of issues were raised by Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan which I did not address in my initial response. The first is the 0.7% of GDP commitment. As the economic position permits, this is constantly under review, but the commitment stands that we will reach the target by 2030. There is an ongoing debate in that regard. The Deputy was anxious that the matter of tax be taken into...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (8 Jul 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I will answer their questions first, but I wish to address the points raised by Deputy Mitchell and some of the issues raised by Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan, although I might drop the latter a note, as she is not present.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (8 Jul 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I will deal with the question of the feis, as it is important. Senator Norris has left. Reverting to the matter of Ibrahim Halawa, I apologise to the committee if it appears that I am taking an inordinate amount of time with this, but it is a serious issue. It appears in the newspapers on a daily basis. It is an issue to which much political consideration has been given in recent times....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (8 Jul 2015)

Charles Flanagan: In respect of the charges and as in any court case, we are reliant on the information given to us by the lawyers. They are the local legal advisers. They are the closest to the proceedings. They are involved on a daily basis in the subject matter of the detail of this case. Notwithstanding that, we have been circumspect in public references to the charges, as this is a serious situation...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (8 Jul 2015)

Charles Flanagan: No.