Results 6,841-6,860 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diaspora Issues (4 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I can confirm that the Interdepartmental Committee on the Irish Abroad met on 30 March 2017 as planned. There was good discussion on the ongoing work of the Committee to address the various barriers that have been reported as facing citizens when returning to live in Ireland. Useful discussions took place on updates provided by relevant Departments on specific issues that have been raised,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (4 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Passport Service provides a range of application channels designed to accommodate individual applicants’ circumstances. These channels include online, postal and in-person options. In order for the Passport Service to provide the most effective assistance possible, applicants are advised to select at the outset the channel that best suits their...

Ireland and the Negotiations on the UK’s Withdrawal from the EU: Statements (9 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: As we celebrate Europe Day and given that this year is the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, I wish to begin by setting this issue in its wider context. Brexit, the decision of the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Union - or call it what one will - came about as a result of the UK referendum on 24 June last year, which was a bleak day for the European Union. Not only was...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services Remit (9 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The promotion and protection of human rights is a key foreign policy priority for Ireland, and one which is largely expressed through our strong support for the international human rights framework. Binding obligations to protect the rights of older persons without discrimination are implicit in the core international human rights treaties, including the Covenants on Civil and Political...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (9 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland, along with a group of like-minded countries, successfully pressed for the adoption of a resolution by the UN General Assembly in December 2016 to establish the International Impartial and Independent Mechanism to assist in the investigation and prosecution of persons responsible for the most serious crimes under international law committed in Syria. In addition, Ireland has agreed...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications Data (9 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The number of passports issued in 2016 was 733,197 and this generated total receipts of €46.9m. Between 1 January 2017 and 5 May this year 279,544 passports issued. This generated receipts of €13.6m. The monthly revenue generated by the issuance of passports cards since November 2016 is as follows: Month Amount November 2016 €53,755 December €37,310...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Application Refusals (9 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be aware, all passport applications are subject to the terms of the Passports Act, 2008 (the Act). The Act provides the legal basis for the policies and practices that are applied by the Passport Service. Section 10 of the Act broadly provides that a passport will issue in the name of a citizen as it appears on his/her birth certificate. Issuing a passport in a different...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (9 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I am advised by officials in the Passport Service that the passport in question was already in production prior to receipt of this Parliamentary Question and has been dispatched. As the Deputy will be aware, the Passport Service is currently processing over 80,000 applications. Every effort is made to issue passports as swiftly as possible within the constraints of resources and in a way...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Cases (9 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I am familiar with the case of the person in question, with his work as a human rights defender, and with his treatment by the Bahraini authorities since June 2016, and indeed before this. My Department has recently been made aware of his health issues, which have reportedly deteriorated seriously during his most recent incarceration. Last week, officials from my Department also had...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: United Nations (9 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: At the UN voting on resolutions takes place in public and there is transparency about the policy positions adopted by countries. Since 1947 the rules of procedure governing General Assembly elections provide that UN elections take place by secret ballot. The well-established convention among the 193 Member States of the UN is that votes are not publicly disclosed as to do so could...

Questions on Promised Legislation (10 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I am very concerned about the ongoing delay in having this matter reach a conclusion. The matter was heard in court in Cairo yesterday. Officials from my Department were present, as indeed they were present on each and every occasion on which the case was heard over recent years. I am satisfied, however, that matters are now moving towards a conclusion. The hearing has been returned for...

Topical Issue Debate: Middle East Issues (10 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The position of Palestinian prisoners jailed by Israel is an issue which Ireland has consistently raised over recent years in our dialogue with Israeli authorities. This has included contacts both here in Ireland and in Israel as well as in our discussions at EU and UN level. Our concerns have related to both the incidence and the conditions of detention. This has included the increased...

Topical Issue Debate: Middle East Issues (10 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I will not comment on specific issues which have been raised by the strikers as I do not regard it as appropriate. I assure the Deputy that Ireland will continue to be active on this issue. Officials from my Department yesterday spoke to the Israeli ambassador in respect of this matter.

Topical Issue Debate: Middle East Issues (10 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: We have been active for many years in regard to prisoners' issues. We have raised directly with the Israeli authorities the current situation of the hunger strikers. These contacts are being kept low key. I do not want to do anything that might exacerbate the situation. European Union missions in Palestine, including Ireland's, are aware of the situation and are actively engaged. We have...

Ireland and the Negotiations on the UK's Withdrawal from the EU: Statements (Resumed) (10 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I welcome the draft guidelines published by the European Commission last week. These reflect Ireland's position and take on board some additional concerns and issues that have been identified in the Government's document, which is currently under discussion. As I have emphasised over the last year, the positions that are adopted by the UK in negotiations with the EU will be critical to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: UN Commission on the Status of Women (10 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: At the UN voting on resolutions takes place in public and there is transparency about the policy positions adopted by countries. Since 1947 the rules of procedure governing General Assembly elections provide that UN elections take place by secret ballot. The well-established convention among the 193 Member States of the UN is that votes are not publicly disclosed as to do so could seriously...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: UN Commission on the Status of Women (10 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The UN Charter defines the purpose of the organisation as to achieve international cooperation in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion, and states that the UN is to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends. There are many countries...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (10 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I am aware of the testimony given in private session to the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement on 6 April last and of the family impact of the imprisonment of the relevant individual, which was outlined in that evidence. As the Deputy will be aware, my officials have raised the circumstances of the case in question with the Northern Ireland Office. I...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Issues (10 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The incidence and conditions of detention of Palestinians by Israel is an issue which has consistently featured over recent years in our dialogue with Israeli authorities, both here in Ireland and in Israel, as well as in our discussions at EU and UN level. Within those representations, there has been a particular focus on detention of children, and Ireland raised this question in our...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: UN Human Rights Council (10 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe and for addressing situations of human rights violations and make recommendations on them. It has the ability to discuss all thematic human rights issues and situations that require its attention throughout the...