Results 6,041-6,060 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Issues (25 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: As part of an intensive programme of political engagement across the EU as a whole, including contacts with all 28 member state foreign ministers and with the EU institutions, I have been engaging with a number of ministers from the UK government. I met with Secretary of State for Exiting the EU, David Davis MP, last month in Dublin and I was joined in this meeting by the Tánaiste...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (25 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The European Union maintains a strong focus on South Sudan where ongoing violence and human rights abuses compound an extremely serious humanitarian situation in one of the most fragile countries in the world. Despite the formation of a Transitional Government of National Unity in April 2016, acts of violence and human rights abuses continued in South Sudan. In July, a serious outbreak...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (25 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland has consistently condemned the violence perpetrated by Boko Haram, which has resulted in the deaths of thousands of people and the displacement of over 2 million. The activities of the group continue to pose a serious risk to the peace and security of Nigeria and the wider region, including Cameroon, Chad and Niger. In a UN report released in June of this year, UN human rights...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Enlargement (25 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: There are currently five countries which have Candidate Status, including four in the Western Balkans – Montenegro, Serbia, the Republic of Macedonia, and Albania. Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo are potential candidate countries. Ireland has long been a supporter of Enlargement. The European Commission continues to work actively to support prospective member states in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Oversight (25 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I am keenly aware of the need for the distribution of our development assistance to be carefully monitored, ensuring that it reaches its intended beneficiaries and makes a real difference in the lives of the poorest people. Peer reviews by the OECD of the Irish Aid programme have singled out Ireland's focus on the poorest countries in the world. These reviews have commended our aid...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (25 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The promotion and protection of human rights in the Horn of Africa region remains a critical issue on the international agenda. In 2016, the UN Human Rights Council passed resolutions on several countries in the region, including Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan. In addition, the Council received the final report of the Commission of Inquiry on Eritrea, and established a...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Religious Persecution (25 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I have repeatedly condemned the crimes committed against religious and ethnic minorities across the Middle East, including Christians, who have been the victims of appalling crimes, including murder, sexual violence, enslavement and forced conversions. In recent years, we have contributed to strengthening international frameworks to uphold the rights of religious minorities. The actions...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Immigration Policy (26 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The French authorities recently announced that they would close the unofficial migrant camp in Calais by the end of this year and move the approximately 9,000 inhabitants to new accommodation in reception centres across the country. For unaccompanied minors, there will be specific accommodation arrangements. President Hollande has said that this was being done to “guarantee the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services Representations (26 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: My Department's policy is to establish a single point of contact in consular assistance cases in order to ensure clear communication with the individual citizen or family concerned. In order to protect the privacy and confidentiality of consular cases, my officials do not disclose to third parties details of their consular correspondence. I can confirm that my Department officials are in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Rockall Island Ownership (26 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: Rockall is a small uninhabitable rock located approximately 160 nautical miles west of the Scottish islands of St. Kilda and 230 nautical miles to the north-west of Donegal. It marks a point at which the Rockall Bank, part of the very large Hatton-Rockall area of continental shelf extending under the north-east Atlantic Ocean, protrudes 21 metres above sea level. During the 1960s and 1970s...

Seanad: Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (Hague Convention) Bill 2016: Second Stage (27 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The purpose of this Bill is to make necessary provision in Irish law to enable the State to ratify the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, and the 1999 protocol that supplements it. The 1954 convention and the 1999 protocol are instruments of international humanitarian law, which is the branch of international law that regulates armed...

Seanad: Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (Hague Convention) Bill 2016: Second Stage (27 Oct 2016)

Charles Flanagan: I thank Senators for their contributions and consideration of the Bill. As I indicated in my opening statement, this Bill has something of a narrow focus. It is concerned with the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict. Its enactment will nevertheless be a further important demonstration of Ireland's support for international humanitarian law and the vital role that...

Calais Migrant Camp: Statements (2 Nov 2016)

Charles Flanagan: With the approval of the House, it is my intention to share my time with my colleagues, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, and the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Katherine Zappone. The situation in Calais has become a matter of great and understandable concern. I know that many members of the public and many Deputies are genuinely motivated...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: UK Referendum on EU Membership (2 Nov 2016)

Charles Flanagan: Engagement with our EU partners as well as with the EU Institutions is and will continue to be an essential pillar of the Government’s efforts in response to the result of the UK referendum on EU membership. The foundations of our outreach work with EU partners were laid far in advance of the June referendum, where every opportunity was availed of to sensitise interlocutors, both...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: North-South Ministerial Council (2 Nov 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The next Plenary meeting of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) will be held on 18 November in Armagh. I expect that we will have a further substantive discussion with our Northern Ireland colleagues on the implications of the UK referendum result. The agenda will also cover discussions on economic and financial matters, as well as a range of other issues including the North West...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Appointments (2 Nov 2016)

Charles Flanagan: International election monitoring missions play an important role in the promotion of democracy and human rights. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade maintains a roster of election observers for such missions. The aim is to ensure that, when requested, Ireland is represented at an appropriate level in international observation missions for both elections and constitutional...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: UK Referendum on EU Membership (2 Nov 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The Government received pre-action correspondence notifying of the two sets of proceedings which were heard concurrently at the Belfast High Court in relation to the UK-EU referendum. In accordance with the relevant Northern Ireland practice directions, such correspondence may be sent to those whom the applicant considers to have an interest in the proceedings. I note that a judgment on...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Legal Costs (2 Nov 2016)

Charles Flanagan: My Department generally seeks advice on domestic legal matters from the Office of the Attorney General and/or the Chief State Solicitor’s Office. Depending on the subject-matter, litigation is dealt with on my Department’s behalf by the Attorney General’s Office, the Chief State Solicitor’s Office or the State Claims Agency which engage lawyers to act for the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Organised Crime (3 Nov 2016)

Charles Flanagan: The Fresh Start Agreement of November 2015 saw the two Governments, in Dublin and London, and the Northern Ireland Executive agree a way forward to ending paramilitarism and tackling organised crime. This was a recognition that while great progress has been made in Northern Ireland more needed to be done to complete the transformation of society. In addition to measures to tackle...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Agreements (3 Nov 2016)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland signed the Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking in Human Organs on 8 October 2015. The purposes of this Convention are to prevent and combat trafficking in human organs, to protect the rights of victims of the offences and to facilitate co-operation at national and international levels on action against the trafficking in human organs.