Results 6,621-6,640 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Good Friday Agreement (22 Mar 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 171 and 173 together. The Government’s firm position is that the Good Friday Agreement and the successor Agreements must be implemented in full, and this is reflected in the Programme for Partnership Government. The Agreements, and the principles and values underpinning them, are at the core of the Government’s approach to peace,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services Provision (22 Mar 2017)

Charles Flanagan: My Department’s consular officials, at headquarters in Dublin and in our mission network worldwide, provide advice and practical support to Irish people who find themselves in difficult or distressing circumstances abroad. However, the Department has no role in relation to immigration or visa decision-making abroad, and so neither I nor my officials are in a position to intervene...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (22 Mar 2017)

Charles Flanagan: There is currently a very high volume of passport applications in the system - over 60,000. Between 1 January and 16 March a total of 191,428 applications were received compared to a total of 155,163 for the same period last year. This represents an increase of over 23% in volume. The Passport Service is working extremely hard to manage the ongoing surge in passport applications. A total...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (22 Mar 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 176 and 178 together. Following the Assembly election, I spoke on 5 March with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and the Taoiseach spoke with Prime Minister May. Both Governments agreed on the need for intensive engagement to address outstanding issues and commitments to ensure the early establishment of an Executive. As co-guarantors of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (22 Mar 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The Good Friday Agreement recognised the importance of respect, understanding, and tolerance in relation to linguistic diversity, including in Northern Ireland, the Irish language, Ulster-Scots and the languages of the various ethnic communities. The Irish Government ratified the Council of Europe Framework Convention on National Minorities in 1999 further to the commitment to do so under...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Irish Prisoners Abroad (23 Mar 2017)

Charles Flanagan: This long-running and complex consular case continues to be a top priority for the Government and exceptional levels of resources are being devoted to the provision of consular support to the citizen and his family. The Government is doing everything it possibly can in our ongoing engagement with the Egyptian authorities to seek to have this young man returned to his home and his family at...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Expenditure (23 Mar 2017)

Charles Flanagan: My Department made payments to broadcasters here in the years 2014, 2015 and 2016 and to date in 2017 as detailed in the table. Payments made to broadcasters here in the years 2014, 2015 and 2016 and to date in 2017. Division/Unit Year Payee Amount Reason for Payment Irish Abroad Unit 2014 RTÉ €50,000 This amount was paid to RTE in connection with broadcasting of the...

Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (Hague Convention) Bill 2016 [Seanad]: Second Stage (28 Mar 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." The purpose of this Bill is to make the necessary provision in Irish law to enable the State to ratify the 1954 Hague Convention on 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,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Issues (28 Mar 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The British Government has confirmed that it will trigger Article 50 on 29 March. Once Article 50 has been triggered, the Government’s immediate focus will be on working as part of the EU 27 team to adopt guidelines defining the framework for the negotiations. The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, has committed to circulating draft guidelines to the EU27 within 48...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: United Nations (28 Mar 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 266, 271 and 272 together. I am aware of the resignation of the former UN Under-Secretary General and Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) Executive Secretary, Rima Khalaf, and also of the report commissioned and published by the ESCWA member states on 15 March. I understand also that another ESCWA report was withdrawn last month on the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (28 Mar 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I am concerned about reports of cases of DPRK refugees and asylum seekers being arrested in China and facing refoulement to the DPRK. I would urge the Chinese authorities to ensure that they do their upmost to meet their international and humanitarian obligations in this regard. The risk of serious harm for the returned is very high, as documented by the 2014 Report of the UN Commission...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (28 Mar 2017)

Charles Flanagan: Every country has of course the right to determine for itself the conditions for entry to its territory. Nonetheless I consider that the recent Israeli law on visa restrictions, which was strongly opposed by many parties in the Knesset, is deeply regrettable and unjust. It aims to exclude people on the basis of their having expressed non-violent political opinions, and is cast in the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Protected Disclosures Data (28 Mar 2017)

Charles Flanagan: Any worker in my Department who has a reasonable belief in relation to one or more of the serious wrongdoings set in the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 can disclose the relevant information to any designated person of grade equivalent to or not lower than Principal Officer in my Department in the first instance. Where, after an initial assessment, it is decided investigation of a disclosure...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Cases (28 Mar 2017)

Charles Flanagan: This matter is an urgent priority for the Government and exceptional levels of resources are being devoted to the provision of consular support to the citizen and his family. My Department does everything possible to monitor the health and welfare of this citizen and we have at all times emphasised the need to protect his health and welfare directly with the Egyptian authorities. I raised...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (28 Mar 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 273 and 274 together. For a number of months now, we have experienced a rise in passport applications. This increased volume of applications is likely be sustained into the summer months and my Department has put in place a number of measures to mitigate the impact. The Passport Office is working hard to address the rise in applications. 230...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (28 Mar 2017)

Charles Flanagan: Applicants with no immediate travel plans or who are travelling in three weeks or more should submit their application through the An Post Passport Express Service. Passport Express is the cheapest and most convenient option for applicants and is available at post offices nationwide. The target turnaround time for standard, accurately completed passport applications submitted via Passport...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Data (28 Mar 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The Passport Service has issued a total of over 42,000 passport cards since the launch in October 2015 (see the table). The convenience of the card in facilitating travel to 31 countries in Europe, along with its portability and innovative security features, have clearly resonated with the public and I am very pleased with its success to date. I will launch a new online service for adult...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Insurance Costs (28 Mar 2017)

Charles Flanagan: In replying to this PQ, as agreed with Deputy McGrath, my Department has focused solely on our building portfolio in Ireland. As the Department is covered in terms of its buildings under State indemnity, the issue of insurance does not arise. The Department is currently processing two claims under the State Claims Agency in relation to its buildings. It is not possible to estimate the cost...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (28 Mar 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The expenditure allocated to the Passport Service from 2012 to 2017 to date is outlined in the table. These figures include salary costs for all years except 2017 and they exclude accommodation costs. Year Expenditure 2012 €24,914,421 2013 €24,879,963 2014 €22,612,818 2015 €27,347,875 2016 €31,637,414 2017 (to-date) €3,323,833 The figures...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation Expenditure (28 Mar 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The Department is responsible for two Votes – Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs and Trade) and Vote 27 (International Cooperation). The work of our embassy and consulate network around the world continues to be important in Ireland’s economic recovery and the restoration of our international reputation. Our Embassies’ work in support of Ireland’s interests includes: -...