Results 6,241-6,260 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (17 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 691 and 693 to 696, inclusive, 700 and 706 together. The Government welcomes the democratic transition which is currently underway in Myanmar/Burma following elections in November 2015, and the positive steps that the new Government of Myanmar/Burma has taken in pursuit of peace and reconciliation, democratic reforms and economic growth. We in Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (17 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: My Department takes a range of factors into account when considering the expansion of the Embassy and Consular network overseas. These factors include our national political, economic and trade priorities, as well as the availability of resources. The configuration and scale of the State’s diplomatic and consular network is kept under ongoing review by the Government. My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: UN Missions (17 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: When I addressed the United Nations General Assembly in 2015, the year we marked the 60th anniversary of Ireland joining the United Nations, I recalled the great pride that Ireland takes in the loyal service of Irish peacekeepers which has been central to our engagement with the UN since 1958. In my role as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade I have had the privilege of seeing at first...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Funding (17 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: My Department administers a number of funding programmes including funding to Safe Home Programme Ltd based in Mulranny, Co. Mayo which assists older Irish born emigrants to return to secure accommodation in Ireland. The organisation negotiates with Councils and Housing Associations to secure housing throughout Ireland for applicants. It also provides an information and advisory service for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Records (17 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: My Department does not store files and records in any State-owned storage facility. The OPW rent space on this Department’s behalf for all files and records, with the exception of files and records from the Passport Service. My Department covers the cost of maintaining these files and records in these facilities rented by OPW, as well as the costs associated with preparation of files...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Military Neutrality (17 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order 1952, made under the Air Navigation and Transport Act 1946, gives the Minister for Foreign Affairs primary responsibility for the regulation of activity by foreign military aircraft in Ireland. The practical implementation of this provision is guided by and reflects Ireland’s traditional policy of military neutrality. Primary...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff Data (17 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table: Year Income Category Number of full-time equivalent staff 2007 €0 to €30,000 €30,000 to €40,000 €40,000 to €50,000 €50,000 to €60,000 €60,000 to €70,000 €70,000 to €80,000 €80,000 to €90,000 €90,000 to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Visa Agreements (17 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I am aware of the recent increase in the cost of visas to Saudi Arabia, which came into effect on 2 October 2016. Countries with existing bilateral visa agreements with Saudi Arabia, such as the United States, were excluded from the fee increase. Other countries, including other EU countries, are in the process of negotiating bilateral agreements with Saudi Arabia so that their citizens...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (17 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The actions of Oireachtas Friendship Groups or their members is not a matter for my Department to monitor. If the Deputy considers that such activities may have been inappropriate this is a matter for the Oireachtas. It is the normal work of accredited diplomats to lobby host Governments and Parliaments on issues of importance to them. If the Deputy is aware of actions here by diplomats...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Issues (17 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: This Government has already had a number of contacts with UK counterparts in the first weeks of the year. I have been in close contact over the past week with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, James Brokenshire, in relation to the political developments in Northern Ireland, including a face to face meeting in Belfast on 12 January. In that meeting, we discussed the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: US Presidential Election (17 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: On 6 January 2017, the Director of National Intelligence released a declassified version of an assessment by US intelligence services of Russian activities and intentions in relation to the 2016 US Presidential election. The US Government has taken a series of actions in response to the assessment report, including the imposition of sanctions on nine Russian entities and individuals: two...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (17 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: On 12 January, I travelled to Belfast and held meetings with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, James Brokenshire, the DUP leader Arlene Foster, and a Sinn Féin delegation led by Martin McGuinness. This followed on from contacts earlier in the week by telephone with the British Government and the leaders of the SDLP, UUP and Alliance Party. I had also spoken to Martin...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Military Aircraft Landings (17 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: During 2016, my Department received 645 requests for landings by military aircraft at Shannon Airport from 11 countries. The details are set out in the following table: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Bahrain 2 2 1 Belgium 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 Canada 1 2 1 Egypt 1 2 1 France 1 1 6 4 2 Germany 1 1 Italy 2 1 3 4 1 1...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Military Aircraft Landings (17 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: During 2016, my Department received 101 requests for landings by military aircraft at airports other than Shannon Airport from 17 countries. The details are set out in the following table: Countries Casement Aerodrome Cork Airport Dublin Airport Knock Airport Sligo Airport Waterford Airport Bahrain 2 Belgium 1 Canada 1 1 Cyprus 1 Czech Republic 1 France 6 17...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Military Aircraft Landings (17 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: Under the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order 1952, all foreign military aircraft require the permission of the Minister for Foreign Affairs to overfly or land in the State. Arrangements under which permission is granted for foreign military aircraft to land at Irish airports are governed by strict conditions. These include stipulations that the aircraft must be unarmed, carry...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (18 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I regret the circumstances which have led to the decision of the deputy First Minister to resign his office. I also acknowledge the deputy First Minister’s contribution and leadership over the last decade within the power-sharing institutions. It was clear, immediately following the resignation of the deputy First Minister, that the prospect of a resolution ahead of the triggering...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (18 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and succeeding agreements is a priority for my Department and indeed the Government as whole. In this context we are of course also guided by the aspiration contained in Article 3 of the Constitution as amended by the people in 1998. The principle of consent and the possibility of a change in constitutional status in Northern Ireland is...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (18 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I am very aware of the extremely difficult circumstances in which this individual and his family find themselves. We understand that the citizen remains on bail and is waiting for his appeal to be logged with the Philippines Supreme Court against his conviction and sentence in 2013. As this is an ongoing legal case, it is for the citizen’s legal representatives to advise him and to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Registration of Births (18 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: Applications for Foreign Births Registration generally take between four and six months to process from the time all the required documentation has been submitted. In light of the exceptional circumstances in the case to which the Deputy refers, the Foreign Births Registration Unit in my Department expedited the processing of this application. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (19 Jan 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I was utterly appalled by these atrocious acts of violence. On 19 December, I issued a statement condemning the brutal assassination of the Russian Ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov. On 1 January, I issued a statement following the shooting at the Reina nightclub in Istanbul in the early hours of that morning. I unreservedly condemned this unspeakable attack, in which 39 people...