Results 5,461-5,480 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: UK Referendum on EU Membership (26 May 2016)

Charles Flanagan: A fully developed plan B for Ireland is not possible without knowing the terms and conditions of the future relationship between the UK and the European Union. However, Government Departments, including mine, have been working for some time to identify the key strategic and sectoral issues that will arise for us if the UK votes to leave the European Union. We will continue to deepen our...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: UK Referendum on EU Membership (26 May 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I wish to assure all Deputies that we all will be as prepared at as it is possible to be in the circumstances. It is not possible for the European Union or any individual member state to fully prepare for a possible vote by the UK to leave the European Union. This is because the terms and conditions of the arrangements to be put in place would only become clear through a long process of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: UK Referendum on EU Membership (26 May 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The Deputy is right. We will continue to make every effort to ensure that our position is clearly set out bilaterally and at European Union level. While we recognise that the referendum on 23 June is solely a matter for the UK electorate to decide, I am co-ordinating a package of visits by Ministers. I was in London recently and I met once again with Secretary of State, Philip Hammond. I...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Colombian Peace Process (26 May 2016)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland strongly supports the peace negotiations in Colombia. The advances made in the talks over the past year are highly encouraging and there is now a historic opportunity to bring a definitive end to more than 50 years of violence and internal displacement of people. Ireland, through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and our embassy in Mexico, is actively engaged in assessing...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Colombian Peace Process (26 May 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I assure the Deputy that we continue to raise human rights issues in relation to matters in Colombia in keeping with our commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights and human rights defenders. It is one of our core foreign policy objectives. We condemn unreservedly all attacks and threats against human rights defenders, wherever they take place. Human rights are also a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Colombian Peace Process (26 May 2016)

Charles Flanagan: There are a number of issues in which we can become involved. Deputy Crowe is correct to talk about the importance of ensuring that Ireland plays its part. I am very pleased to record the work of the former Tánaiste and my ministerial predecessor, Eamon Gilmore, in his capacity as envoy with special responsibility. He was appointed by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs....

Other Questions: Dublin-Monaghan Bombings (26 May 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I welcome Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan back to the House. I had been looking over towards her more familiar spot opposite me but I welcome her to the upper reaches of the benches. Dealing with the legacy issues of the past relating to the conflict in Northern Ireland and the Dublin-Monaghan bombings is a major priority for me as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and for the Government....

Other Questions: Dublin-Monaghan Bombings (26 May 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I assure the Deputy this issue will continue to be a priority in my deliberations with the Secretary of State and the British Government. I also am aware of the Taoiseach's positive and constructive engagement in this regard. Last week on 17 May, the forty-second anniversary of the bombings, I represented the Government at the commemoration ceremony and stood in solidarity with the families...

Other Questions: Dublin-Monaghan Bombings (26 May 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I remind the House that addressing the needs of victims and survivors is at the core of the Government's approach to dealing with the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland. Indeed, this is reflected in the recently agreed programme for Government, as published. We will continue to work to build on the progress made in the all-party talks last autumn, to see the establishment of a new...

Other Questions: Irish Prisoners Abroad (26 May 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 13 and 24 together. This case remains a high priority for the Government and my Department. We are continuing to pursue every constructive avenue to secure the release of this citizen and we will continue to bring all of our influence to bear on his behalf through all appropriate channels. All of the sustained and focused actions that have been...

Other Questions: Irish Prisoners Abroad (26 May 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I wish to assure both Deputies that we will continue to use all our influence in this matter in order to secure the objective, which is the release of the individual in question. I am pleased to note that is the considered view of everybody in this House. It is important that we all work together on this issue. I acknowledge that there have been many different views and suggestions for...

Other Questions: Irish Prisoners Abroad (26 May 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I acknowledge the positive comments of both Deputies and I assure them I will keep them and the House fully informed of developments, if any, in this case. I assure Deputy Gino Kenny that the case has been discussed by the Taoiseach and myself with our Egyptian counterparts. I have taken careful note of the points raised. It remains clear from all our contacts with the Egyptian authorities...

Other Questions: Humanitarian Aid Provision (26 May 2016)

Charles Flanagan: Are we going back to Question No. 6?

Other Questions: Human Rights Issues (26 May 2016)

Charles Flanagan: There is no procedure by which the Government confers recognition on persons as human rights defenders but protection of human rights defenders is a critical element of the protection of human rights anywhere. Rights and protections do not effectively exist if they cannot be invoked and defended on the ground. The person in question is a leading advocate of the movement for boycott,...

Other Questions: Human Rights Issues (26 May 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I ask the Deputy and other Members to recognise that there is a difficulty regarding this matter in so far as there is no definition of the term "human rights defender". I note that this individual's case is one that has been raised by Front Line Defenders, which is a highly respected NGO with which my Department works closely and whose bona fides I fully accept. As I outlined in my reply,...

Other Questions: Human Rights Issues (26 May 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The Government has noted the Deputy's comments and the comments of international organisations in that regard but I remind the Deputy and the House that this case has only just emerged with the non-renewal of the travel documents of the person. This is the beginning of the review status and not the end. He will have legal opportunities to challenge any change in status. More...

Other Questions: Trade Data (26 May 2016)

Charles Flanagan: Trade in goods with Israel in 2015 amounted to €987 million, which consisted of exports of €871 million to Israel and imports of €117 million from Israel. I am rounding off these figures for the purpose of the reply. Trade in services, for which the most recent figures I have are for 2014, amounted to €649 million, of which Irish exports were €559 million...

Other Questions: Trade Data (26 May 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The purchase of military equipment for the Defence Forces is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Defence. The normal criteria for such purposes include the effectiveness of the equipment for the protection of Irish troops and value for money. Of its nature, suitable military equipment is often only available from a small number of countries.

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

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 17 and 28 together. The European Union and Turkey have engaged deeply on developing joint approaches to the migration crisis and the EU’s engagement with Turkey was the focus of the European Council on 17 and 18 March 2016. The core intention of the Agreement which emerged from the Council is to break the business model of the people smugglers...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Reports (26 May 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The Irish Embassy in Paris reports continually on all significant political and economic developments in France, including the question of labour law reform. The issue of labour law reform is an internal matter for France and I do not propose therefore to comment further on this matter.