Results 4,861-4,880 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Undocumented Irish in the USA (8 Oct 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Achieving relief for undocumented Irish migrants in the US remains a priority for the Government in our contacts with the United States. Through our Embassy in Washington and our Consulates throughout the U.S., the Irish Government continues to work closely on this agenda with high level Government contacts and with many other individuals and groups across Irish America and beyond. The aim of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Undocumented Irish in the USA (8 Oct 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Achieving relief for undocumented Irish migrants in the US remains a priority for the Government in our contacts with the United States. Through our Embassy in Washington and our Consulates throughout the U.S., we continue to work closely on this agenda with high level Government contacts and with many other individuals and groups across Irish America and beyond. The aim of these contacts is...

Financial Resolutions 2016 - Budget Statement 2016 (13 Oct 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Nobody is clapping anyone else on the back. Who brought that into it?

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Dublin-Monaghan Bombings (13 Oct 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 344 and 363 together. 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 and Monaghan bombings. I have raised this issue with the British Government on a number...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Controls (13 Oct 2015)

Charles Flanagan: On 5October I launched the passport card which will facilitate travel by Irish citizens within all thirty countries of the European Union and the European Economic Area. Last week, my Department, through the Embassy in Berne, received confirmation from the authorities in Switzerland that they will also accept the passport card for travel. Our website has been updated accordingly.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Agreements (13 Oct 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland has a strong trading relationship with Japan which has been growing in importance in recent years to the extent that Japan was our 10th largest trading partner in 2014.In 2014, exports in merchandise trade were €1.760 billion and imports were €1.761 billion. The equivalent merchandise trade figures for 2013 were exports of €1.7 billion and imports of €1.04...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Expenditure (13 Oct 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 347 and 353 together. The new passport card combines pioneering technology and security features with very strong user-friendliness and flexibility in how applications are made. Since I launched the passport card on 5 October almost six thousand applications have been received from Irish citizens around the world. The budget allocated to the passport card...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services Provision (13 Oct 2015)

Charles Flanagan: My Department has provided comprehensive consular assistance to this citizen since his original arrest in August 2013. Significant resources in Cairo and in Dublin continue to be deployed in the provision of consular assistance. Embassy officials visited this citizen in detention for the 46thtime on 11 October 2015. This very high level of consular visitation is an important practical tool...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (13 Oct 2015)

Charles Flanagan: My Department has a very clear strategy in place focussed on achieving a positive outcome at the earliest time possible. That strategy is based on two clear objectives: firstly to see this individual released by the Egyptian authorities so that he can return to his family and his studies in Ireland and, secondly, to provide consular support for his welfare while he remains in detention. ...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Issues (13 Oct 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The clearly deteriorating situation in Palestine, in particular but not exclusively in East Jerusalem, is a matter of very great concern. The more violent conflicts elsewhere in the region have somewhat masked the continual rise in tension and in localized violence in East Jerusalem over more than a year. The main factors are the operation of policies on the ground intended to push...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Meetings (13 Oct 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 351 and 352 together. Between September 26 and October 1 2015 I visited New York to take part in UN Ministerial Week. During this time, I addressed the 70th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, setting out Ireland’s foreign policy priorities. While in New York, I also attended a number of UN-related events and meetings and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services Provision (13 Oct 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, through the Embassy of Ireland in New Delhi and the Consular Assistance Section in Dublin, has been providing ongoing consular assistance to this man’s family since his tragic death in December 2014. The family were provided with the toxicological results last June, which were obtained on foot of a Third Party Note sent by the Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Expenditure (13 Oct 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The Government is strongly committed to Ireland’s overseas aid programme, which is at the heart of our foreign policy. “One World, One Future” our policy for international development, sets out our vision for a sustainable and just world, and reaffirms our commitment to the UN target of providing 0.7% of Gross National Product (GNP) on Official Development Assistance...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (13 Oct 2015)

Charles Flanagan: During the course of a meeting with the Taoiseach in New York in September, President Bill Clinton expressed his continued interest in the process in Northern Ireland and stated his availability in the event that his assistance was required. The President’s offer not only recalls his continued personal engagement with and commitment to the peace process but also reflects the wider...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (13 Oct 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 357 to 359, inclusive, together. The Foreign Affairs Council, meeting in Brussels yesterday adopted conclusions on the situation in South Sudan, following the signature of a peace agreement in August. The Conclusions call for the early, full and effective implementation of the peace agreement and commit the European Union to stepping up our engagement in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (13 Oct 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland strongly condemns all forms of persecution on the basis of religion or belief, irrespective of where they occur or who the victims are. We attach great importance to combating all forms of discrimination based on religion or belief and incitement to religious hatred. We firmly believe in tolerance, non-discrimination, freedom of expression, freedom of thought, conscience, religion...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (13 Oct 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I have repeatedly condemned the horrific crimes by ISIS against religious and ethnic minorities in Syria and Iraq. ISIS has boasted of its use of murder, torture, mass sexual violence and forced religious conversions in areas under its control. Ireland has publicly condemned ISIS and other terrorist groups at the United Nations, including at the recent Human Rights Council session. I note...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Meetings (13 Oct 2015)

Charles Flanagan: For the UN engagements on my programme during my visit I would refer the Deputy to my answer to questions no. 351 and 352.I began in New York on 27 September with a visit to the New York Irish Centre, where I heard first-hand about the great work done in the area of mental health by Pieta House in New York, supported by my Department’s Emigrant Support Programme, as well as meeting...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Sanctions (13 Oct 2015)

Charles Flanagan: In July and September 2014, the EU agreed a package of restrictive measures against the Russian Federation in relation to access to capital markets, trade in arms, dual use goods and access to sensitive technologies, particularly in the field of energy. In June, the Foreign Affairs Council extended the duration of the economic sanctions until 31 January 2016.In response to Western sanctions,...

Financial Resolutions 2016 - Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed) (14 Oct 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Budget 2016 is a positive budget which is testament to the progress we have made as a country over the last few years, coming through a most difficult time for many people, to a position where we can now introduce measures to provide relief for people, increase and enhance services and support our ongoing economic recovery. In the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, budget 2016 provides...