Results 5,381-5,400 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Agreements (26 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The migration crisis remains at the top of the EU agenda and has been for the past year. The focus of activity in recent months has been Turkey, since most migrants and refugees arriving in the EU since early 2015 have travelled via Turkey. However, the European Union’s efforts to resolve the migration crisis have gone well beyond Turkey, involving countries in the Middle East, North...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: United Nations (26 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland was elected, for the first time, to serve as a member of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women on Tuesday, 5 April, 2016. Our term of membership will run from 2017 to 2021. The Commission on the Status of Women is the principal global policy-making body dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women. Membership of the Commission provides an...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (26 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The situation in South Sudan remains extremely challenging. As a result of the outbreak of conflict in December 2013 and recurrent natural disasters, South Sudan has become the world’s most fragile state. A peace agreement was signed in August 2015, but the ceasefire has not held. Violence and widespread human rights violations continue. The country is now facing one of the most severe...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (26 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: Mali has been in turmoil since the outbreak of violence in 2012. Although a peace agreement, the Algiers Accord, was signed in 2015, tensions remain high, especially in the north of the country. Jihadi Islamist groups attacked the Radisson Hotel in Bamako on 20 November 2015 and the premises of the UN’s Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) in Kidal on 28...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (26 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The requirement that adults who are applying for a passport for the first time hold a Public Services Card (PSC) and submit a copy of this card with their application was introduced from 29 March. The new requirement applies to applicants resident in the State. First time applicants resident outside the State do not need to hold a Public Services Card. However, they continue to be required...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (26 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The devastating attack in Kabul on April 19th has led to the loss of an estimated 64 lives, with hundreds more injured. The majority of those affected by the attack are civilians. I would like to extend my sympathies to those affected, and express my regret at the senseless loss of life resulting from this Taliban-claimed atrocity. This latest attack highlights the urgent need for a...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (26 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 364 and 368 together. The Government and my Department have been pursuing a clear strategy in this case which is focused on achieving a positive outcome at the earliest time possible for this citizen. That strategy is based on two key objectives: first, to see this citizen released by the Egyptian authorities so that he can return to his family and his...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Relations (26 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: Nigeria is an important trade partner for Ireland in Africa. The 2015 trade statistics published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) showed that Nigeria was Ireland’s largest merchandise trade partner in Africa, with total trade worth almost €431 million. This comprised €307 million in exports to Nigeria and €124 million in imports from Nigeria. The 2014 CSO...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (26 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The Passports Act, 2008 provides, among other things, that only Irish citizens are entitled to be issued with Irish passports. Each application received by the Passport Service must provide evidence that clearly demonstrates that person’s entitlement to Irish citizenship before a passport can issue. The child in question was born in the State in 2005. His entitlement to Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications Fees (26 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: A decision was taken in the 2005 budget to exempt applicants aged 65 and over from the passport fee. In 2011 the Government decided in light of the budgetary situation to discontinue the exemption and to apply the same ten-year passport fee to all applicants aged 18 years or over. The annualised fee for a standard ten year Irish passport compares favourably with many other jurisdictions....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Israeli Settlements (26 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The statement under reference by the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator Middle East Peace Process is in line with what Ireland has consistently been stressing for some time, in relation to the impact of Israeli settlement expansion, and the related land seizures, dispossession, destruction of homes and eviction of Palestinian families. We have highlighted these issues directly...

EU Migration and Refugee Crisis: Statements (28 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I am pleased to have this opportunity to address the House on this very important issue, which is one of the most serious facing our planet. My colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, spoke earlier about the internal EU dimensions of the migration crisis. As Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, I will speak about the external aspects of this crisis...

EU Migration and Refugee Crisis: Statements (28 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: That is the place for you.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Agreements (28 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 2016. The core intention of the EU-Turkey...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Aviation Issues (28 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: My role in relation to foreign military aircraft, as defined in the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order of 1952, is confined to whether or not to grant permission to such aircraft to fly over or land in the State. I have no statutory function in relation to overflights or landings by foreign military aircraft in other jurisdictions.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Aviation Issues (28 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 and 129 together. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport has primary responsibility for the regulation of foreign civil aircraft in Ireland. Under the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order of 1973 the carriage of munitions of war is prohibited on civil aircraft through Irish airspace or airports...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Good Friday Agreement (28 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland’s commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights is an underlying principle of our foreign policy and is a priority for the Government. Placing human rights at the heart of the peace process in Northern Ireland has helped to ensure the participation and trust of all communities. As co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, the Government takes very seriously its...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (28 Apr 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I warmly welcome the easing of US banking restrictions in relation to Cuba, which should address the banking difficulties to which the Deputy refers. On 15 March 2016 the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced significant amendments to the United States’ Cuban Assets Control Regulations, which took effect on March 16 2016. These amendments...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (4 May 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: EU Migration Crisis (4 May 2016)

Charles Flanagan: Turkey has a key role to play in resolving the current 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 2016. The core intention of the...