Results 5,361-5,380 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Migration Crisis (20 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: Turkey has a key role to play in resolving the Migration crisis, as most of the migrants and refugees who have entered the EU since early 2015 have travelled via Turkey. The EU and Turkey have engaged deeply on developing joint approaches and the EU’s engagement with Turkey was the focus of the most recent European Council on 17 and 18 March 2016The core intention of the EU-Turkey...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Migration Crisis (20 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The core intention of the EU-Turkey agreement which emerged from the March European Council is to break the business model of the people smugglers who are profiting from the suffering of the vulnerable. Critically, it should stop people getting into unsafe boats and risking their lives. Migrants arriving in the Greek islands will be registered and any application for asylum will be processed...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Migration Crisis (20 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: Migration to the European Union via the Western Balkans Route has been slowing for some time. Determining the precise factors leading to this decline is complex. It may be that weather and the progressive closing of border crossings along the migratory route north, are contributory factors. According to the UN High Commission for Refugees, the figure for average daily arrivals of refugees in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Irish Prisoners Abroad (20 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The case of this individual, who has been detained in Egypt for almost three years, continues to be of the highest priority for the Government and for my Department. We are providing ongoing consular assistance to the individual including through regular prison visits and the monitoring of all trial hearings. I can confirm that the citizen was transferred between prisons last week without...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (20 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The murder, in the south-eastern Turkish city of Diyarbakýr on 28 November, of the Kurdish human rights lawyer, Tahir Elçi, as well as that of two policemen killed nearby, was another tragic and very worrying development following the breakdown in the ceasefire between the Turkish Government and the Kurdistan Workers Party - the PKK - in July. I condemned this brutal murder in the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (20 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I have consistently condemned the acts of violence being perpetrated by Boko Haram, which has resulted in thousands of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people. The brutal activities of Boko Haram continue to represent a serious threat to the peace and security of Nigeria, and to the wider region, including Cameroon, Chad and Niger. The abduction in April 2014 of the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (20 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The domestic situation in Turkey remains a matter of concern, both for Ireland and our European partners. I would like to reiterate the serious concern I have expressed several times already in this House at the escalation of violence since the breakdown of the ceasefire between the Turkish Government and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) last summer. This breakdown has been all the more...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Anti-Terrorism Measures (20 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: A number of terrorist groups are linked to a brand of religious fundamentalism and claim that their actions are in pursuit of their religious beliefs. However, religious leaders have condemned such actions as not in accordance with religious beliefs. We must continue to make this distinction: the threat is posed not by religious belief, but by terrorist groups. The Minister for Justice and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Expenditure (20 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: As part of our response to the global challenge of climate change, Ireland is strongly committed to supporting developing countries to address its most serious and intense impact on some of the poorest communities in the world. Our policy commitments are reflected in The Global Island: Ireland’s Foreign Policy for a Changing World which recognises the impacts of climate change on...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Religious Persecution (20 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland 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 combatting all forms of discrimination and incitement to religious hatred. With our EU partners, we consistently press for effective action to counter the persecution of minorities in all relevant international fora, including at...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Issues (20 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The issue of euro-scepticism is complex and multifaceted, but is by no means a majority position across the EU or its Member States. Governments and citizens across Europe continue to hold broadly positive views on the European union. The EU, and Ireland as a Member State, engages with the big issues of the day, whether they relate to stability, jobs and growth, or to challenges external and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (20 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I welcome the resumption of the Geneva III talks on Friday 15 April, and in particular the focus by UN Special Envoy Steffan de Mistura on achieving a political transition. This remains the core issue in the conflict and no sustainable peace can be achieved without agreement on political change in Syria. The cessation of hostilities remains critical to the negotiations. There can be no...

EU-UK Relations: Statements (21 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I listened to the contribution of Deputy Eamon Ryan of the Green Party. It is on occasions such as this that we all welcome the Green Party back to the Parliament. I wish him and his colleagues success during the lifetime of the Thirty-second Dáil. I enjoyed the Deputy's comments. With nine weeks to go to polling in the UK, it is important that we have an opportunity to debate...

EU-UK Relations: Statements (21 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: Dáil reform.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Prisoner Releases (21 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The case of this individual, who has been detained in Egypt for almost three years, continues to be of the highest priority for the Government and for my Department. The Government remains focused on its two core objectives in this case, to secure the citizen’s release and to provide consular support for his welfare while he remains in detention. The Government and my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Meetings (21 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I attended the most recent Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) meeting in Luxembourg on 18 April, where migration, Libya and the Eastern Partnership were on the agenda. Foreign Ministers also had an informal exchange with the Colombian Government’s High Commissioner for Peace, Dr Sergio Jaramillo. The Council had a wide-ranging discussion on the ongoing migration crisis, including a...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: North-South Ministerial Council (21 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The existing North South Bodies, particularly Tourism Ireland and InterTradeIreland, are making a considerable contribution towards economic growth right across the island and clearly demonstrate what can be achieved when we pool our resources in key strategic areas. At the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) meetings that I have attended the focus of Ministers has been on discussing...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Peace Process (26 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland and our EU partners have consistently made clear that the Israeli settlement project in the occupied Palestinian territory is illegal under the Geneva conventions. In line with our obligations under the Conventions, Ireland does not recognise or accept the right of Israel to settle its own people in Palestinian territory, nor do we support settlements or their expansion. On the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Peace Process (26 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland has consistently highlighted and opposed, at EU level and elsewhere, the Israeli policies of land seizures, demolition of homes, eviction of families and destruction of humanitarian assistance in the West Bank. These policies are unjust, contrary to international law, deeply provocative, and destructive of the prospects for a peace agreement. Ireland, as well as the EU, the United...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Data (26 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland is a longstanding supporter of the Palestinian people and, through the Irish Aid programme, we currently provide some €10 million annually in development and humanitarian assistance. The 2014 conflict in Gaza compounded an already serious humanitarian situation, with a high level of civilian casualties and large scale internal displacement. During my visit to Gaza last year, I...