Results 1,501-1,520 of 2,792 for speaker:Colm Brophy

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (6 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: Development cooperation is an essential element of Ireland’s foreign policy and national presence overseas, enabling us to respond to complex human needs and humanitarian crises around the world. In the Programme for Government, the Government committed to making incremental, sustainable progress towards achieving the UN target of 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI) to Official...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (6 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: The Department of Foreign Affairs continues to advise against non-essential travel to most overseas destinations due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is based on official public health advice and is in place to protect people's well-being, which is our first priority. In the case of election observation missions in particular, the risks posed by overseas travel at this...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Irish Aid (6 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: Ireland's international development policy, A Better World, has as its overarching objective the commitment to reach the furthest behind first. Peer Reviews by the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) have consistently found Ireland's development cooperation to be of the highest quality, commending our poverty focus and commitment to Least Developed Countries. Ireland works with a...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Irish Aid (6 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: Ireland's development cooperation has maintained a strong reputation for targeting and delivering support to countries and communities in greatest need across the globe. Our Official Development Assistance (ODA) is delivered with, and through, a wide range of bilateral and multilateral partners. The OECD Development Assistance Committee's recent peer review (May 2020) found that Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (6 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: Ireland condemns the acts of violence and terror perpetrated by Boko Haram and Al Shabaab. Ireland supports the EU, UN and other international efforts to reduce the influence of Boko Haram and Al Shabaab in the region and to prevent their attacks, especially against civilians. The UN is active in working to undermine the influence and impact of Al Shabaab and Boko Haram. The UN continues to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (8 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: I am deeply concerned by the prolonged and complex crisis in Zimbabwe, where growing political and economic challenges and spiralling humanitarian needs have been exacerbated by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. I am particularly concerned by the recent and significant escalation in reported human rights abuses in Zimbabwe. The arrest and prolonged pretrial detention of journalist...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Covid-19 Pandemic (8 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: Launched in April 2020, the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, is a ground-breaking global collaboration to accelerate development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines. The ACT Accelerator brings together governments, scientists, businesses, civil society, and philanthropists and global health organizations. Ireland is broadly in support...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (8 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: The serious and ongoing deterioration in the security and humanitarian situation in Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique, where a violent insurgency has been underway since 2017, is of grave concern. Ireland is closely monitoring the situation through our Embassy in Mozambique, from where we are providing significant humanitarian assistance to those impacted by violence, including up to...

Seanad: Ireland-China Relations: Motion (8 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: I am pleased to join Members in the Upper House this afternoon and to contribute to this important debate. I thank Senators Mullen and McDowell for bringing this matter to the attention of the Seanad. The situation in Xinjiang is of great importance and it deserves attention in Ireland and in the Oireachtas. The Senators are right in highlighting Ireland’s proud history of supporting...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (13 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: The Government is firmly committed to growing Ireland's Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme. In 'Our Shared Future', the Programme for Government, the Government committed to making incremental, sustainable progress towards achieving the UN target of 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI) to ODA by 2030. In making this commitment, the Government recognised that reaching 0.7% would...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Disability Act Employment Targets (13 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 186 to 188, inclusive, together. The Department of Foreign Affairs enables participation in a range of volunteering opportunities overseas, typically involving placement with, or by, third party organisations and which are facilitated by the Department through a range of rosters, registers, initiatives and programmes, including the Election Observation Roster...

Financial Resolutions 2020 - Financial Resolution No. 7: General (Resumed) (15 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: Budget 2021 is the largest investment in the history of the State, at a time when we need it most. It is about allowing the Government to respond to the challenges and opportunities we face both at home and abroad. In budget 2021, I have worked with the Minister, Deputy Coveney, and my colleagues in the Department of Foreign Affairs to secure funding that will help those suffering from the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (15 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: The current roster of volunteers available for nomination to election observation missions organised by the EU and OSCE has 199 members, as listed in the response to Parliamentary Questions No. 338 and No. 342 of 21 July 2020. Roster members were selected on the basis of an open competitive application process in 2018. The roster, which is facilitated by the Department of Foreign Affairs, is...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Emigrant Support Services (20 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: The Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) provides funding to non-profit organisations and projects to support our most vulnerable emigrants overseas, to strengthen Irish communities abroad and to facilitate the development of closer and more strategic links between Ireland and the global Irish. The budget for the programme in 2020 is €12.595 million and is a demonstration of the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (20 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: Irish Aid is the Government's official development aid programme, of which approximately 65% is managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs. Irish Aid was found by the OECD in its peer review published earlier this year to be 'a strong voice for sustainable development'. The table below sets out Irish Aid grants to countries over the reference period. Data for 2020 is preliminary: more...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Irish Aid (22 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: The severe flooding, caused by torrential rains and the overflow of the River Nile and its tributaries, has affected all of the States in Sudan.  It has caused significant damage affecting more than 875,000 people, including 150,000 refugees.  On 4 September, the Transitional Government of Sudan declared a national three-month State of Emergency and designated the country a natural...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Irish Aid (22 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: I am aware that recent floods have seriously affected large parts of Sudan. On 4 September, the Transitional Government of Sudan declared a three-month State of Emergency and appealed for international assistance with regards to water, sanitation, hygiene, shelter and health care.  UN Agencies have reported 155 fatalities. More than 875,000 people have been affected, including 150,000...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Defence Forces Veterans (23 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Unfortunately, the Minister, Deputy Coveney, is unable to be present due to previous commitments and has asked me to respond to the Deputy. The siege of Jadotville was a prominent event that occurred during Ireland's peacekeeping mission in Congo in September 1961, as the Deputy outlined. A Company 35th Infantry Battalion took responsibility for...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Defence Forces Veterans (23 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: I have listened to the Deputy's response. It is regrettable that he would refer to a contribution made by me as trash considering that I spent a lifetime believing that the members of our Defence Forces are some of the bravest people and that they defend our country in all circumstances. They defend it on peacekeeping missions and have defended it at home for many years in support of the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diaspora Issues (3 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: The Government is committed to holding a referendum on extending the franchise at Presidential elections to Irish citizens living outside the State. We have restored the Thirty-Ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Presidential Elections) Bill to the Dáil Order Paper. The date for the holding of the referendum will be decided once the legislation has been approved by the Oireachtas.