Results 6,861-6,880 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

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

Charles Flanagan: Restrictive measures (sanctions) are currently in place against some current members of the Human Rights Council. There are measures in place against Burundi in respect of human rights violations. There are also restrictive measures in place against Tunisia, Egypt and Iraq. Restrictive measures are adopted by the United Nations Security Council under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, or...

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

Charles Flanagan: Ireland regularly discusses human rights issues with Saudi Arabia. I met with the Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Nizar Madani, when I visited the Kingdom last November. We had a discussion around human rights, including the position of women in society and the use of the death penalty. The Irish Embassy in Riyadh raises human rights issues directly with the Saudi authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (11 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 157 to 160, inclusive, together. I am aware of alarming reports by international human rights organisations and in the media of a campaign of abduction, abuse and ill-treatment of men in the Chechen Republic on the basis of their sexual orientation. If confirmed, these actions would amount to serious violations of fundamental human rights. Last week,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (11 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 161 and 162 together. Issues relating to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons have 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. These issues include both the numbers of Palestinian prisoners, some being held under administrative...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (11 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be aware, all passport applications are subject to the provisions of the Passports Act, 2008 (the Act). The Act provides, among other things, that a person must be an Irish citizen before a passport can be issued to him/her. As of 29 March 2016 all first-time passport applicants aged eighteen and above who are resident in Ireland are required to present a photocopy of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (11 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The passport card, which I launched in October 2015, can be used by Irish citizens for travel within the EU/EEA and Switzerland. The card is available to all Irish citizens who are over 18 years and hold a valid Irish passport book. The passport card is a supplement to the passport book, as such, identity and entitlement requirements are assessed on the basis of the passport book...

Topical Issue Debate: Passport Applications (16 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I very much regret the difficulties being encountered by his constituents. It is not the first time Deputy Breathnach has raised this issue with me and I am anxious to ensure that the matters are resolved, notwithstanding current challenges. Different turnaround times apply to applications, depending on whether the applications are to renew a...

Topical Issue Debate: Passport Applications (16 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I again acknowledge the points made by the Deputy. I undertake to have a look at the individual questions he asked and to reply to him at the earliest opportunity. It is most important that at the outset applicants choose the most appropriate channel, and I am grateful for the assistance of Deputies in the matter of advising constituents. I ask Deputies to join me in promoting the use of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Bodies Membership (16 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The World Health Assembly (WHA) is attended by Member States of the World Health Organisation (WHO). All countries which are Members of the United Nations may become members of WHO by accepting its Constitution. Taiwan is not a Member State of the United Nations and consequently is not a member of UN subsidiary bodies such as WHO. However, in previous years it has attended the WHA in an...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (16 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 295 and 301 together. I met my Saudi Arabian counterpart, Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, at the EU-GCC Joint Council and Ministerial Meeting last July. As we met in a multilateral context, we did not have any substantive discussions outside the parameters of the Meeting. However, the issue of human rights in the Gulf was raised during the Joint Council and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (16 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 296 to 300, inclusive, together. Ireland has a very strong record on promoting the rights of women and girls at the United Nations. We are a leading voice in this field. Given the centrality of promoting and protecting human rights in Ireland’s foreign policy, my Department closely monitors human rights concerns and issues. In this respect,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (16 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The Government is aware of the challenges faced by indigenous populations in parts of Latin America and regularly raises our concerns in this area in contacts with relevant Governments. I unreservedly condemn any intimidation, violence, or discrimination perpetrated against indigenous people and those seeking to defend their rights, whether in Brazil or elsewhere. As the Deputy will be...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (16 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is authorised to issue passports to Irish citizens only. This is set out in the Passports Act, 2008. Entitlement to Irish citizenship is in turn subject to the terms of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956, as amended. Accordingly, the Passport Service is obliged to seek documentary evidence of Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Naval Vessels (17 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: On 9 May last, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was contacted by the British Embassy in Dublin in relation to an emergency medical evacuation of a crew member of a UK Royal Navy submarine, located outside of Ireland’s territorial seas. Following a request from the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency, an Irish Coast Guard helicopter carried out an evacuation and the injured...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Expenditure (17 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: Any properties occupied by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in the State are rented and discharged by the Office of Public Works, in all but one case parking spaces form part of the demised premises. The Passport office in Cork rent two spaces at an annual cost of €3,300. This rate has remained static and is the amount that has been paid each year since 2011.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Agencies Expenditure (17 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: Any properties occupied by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in the State are rented and discharged by the Office of Public Works, in all but one case parking spaces form part of the demised premises. The Passport office in Cork rent two spaces at an annual cost of €3,300. This rate has remained static and is the amount that has been paid each year since 2011.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Data (23 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 361 to 364, inclusive, together. Trade figures are available from the Central Statistics Office. I am not aware that separate statistics are kept for the Western Sahara. Trade statistics normally relate to where goods are imported from, not necessarily to ultimate point of origin. Furthermore, it is likely that the volume and value of goods from Western...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (23 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The Passport Service is currently processing almost 80,000 applications. Total applications so far this year are up over 15% on the same period in 2016. Different turnaround times apply depending on whether the applications are for passport renewal, to replace a passport that has been lost, damaged or stolen or for a passport for the first time. At present the turnaround time for Passport...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (23 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be aware, there has been a surge in passport applications in recent months. From 1 January to the end of April almost 350,000 applications had been received, representing an increase of over 20% over the same period last year. This exceptional level of demand is likely to be sustained into the summer months and my Department has put a number of measures in place to handle...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Agreements (23 May 2017)

Charles Flanagan: Opinion 2/15 of the European Court of Justice, issued on 16 May, is currently being analysed by relevant Government Departments, including the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. While the Opinion concerns the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and Singapore, the Court’s conclusions as regards identifying matters of exclusive competence and matters of shared EU...