Results 21-40 of 4,893 for speaker:Neale Richmond

Committee on European Union Affairs: Sustainable Development Goals: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (5 Nov 2025)

Neale Richmond: I am sorry.

Committee on European Union Affairs: Sustainable Development Goals: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (5 Nov 2025)

Neale Richmond: Go raibh maith agat. I compliment the members of the committee because all of the issues that have been raised are European issues. Let us not forget that. We may be talking about matters in Sudan, Afghanistan or Gaza but there is an EU lens to all of this. That is crucial ahead of Ireland taking up the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. In relation to Deputy Gogarty's...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid (5 Nov 2025)

Neale Richmond: Sudan is now the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with nearly 12 million people forcibly displaced and over 20 million people facing crisis levels of hunger, in what is a preventable crisis. Ireland has provided substantial amounts of humanitarian assistance in responding to the crisis. In 2025, we have provided €14.3 million through UN agencies, and Irish and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Referendum Campaigns (4 Nov 2025)

Neale Richmond: A Private Members Bill on Extending Voting Rights in Presidential Elections to citizens in Northern Ireland and the diaspora was debated in Dáil Éireann on 24 May. The Government did not oppose the motion. As was noted during the debate, extending voting rights to citizens outside this jurisdiction would require a referendum and the Government continues to reflect on the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Funding (4 Nov 2025)

Neale Richmond: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade provides funding to a range of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) through a series of grant schemes dedicated to delivering on the Government's priorities at home and abroad. These include supports for international development, development education in Ireland, reconciliation on the island of Ireland, emigrant support, disseminating information...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (4 Nov 2025)

Neale Richmond: Ireland's international development programme, based on our policy, A Better World, is having a transformative impact on the lives of millions of people who are furthest behind, in over 130 countries. The Irish Aid Civil Society Partnership, which provides multi-annual funding to Irish NGOs working on development and humanitarian assistance, reached 4.2 million people in 2024 alone. ...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diaspora Issues (4 Nov 2025)

Neale Richmond: Under Global Ireland 2025, we have opened 25 new embassies or consulates general around the world from Wellington to Vancouver. Two new consulates general will become operational in 2026, in Malaga and Melbourne. A key priority for all our missions is to develop, deepen and modernise our engagement with the diaspora. This work is underpinned by the Emigrant Support Programme, which is...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Relations (22 Oct 2025)

Neale Richmond: Ireland has had diplomatic relations with Sudan since 1984, with accreditation changing from our Embassy in Cairo to the Embassy in Nairobi in 2016. A Sudanese Embassy was established in Dublin in 2016. The most recently accredited Ambassador of Sudan to Ireland departed in 2023, with a Chargé d’Affaires ad interim currently in post. On 20 October, the EU Foreign Affairs...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Relations (22 Oct 2025)

Neale Richmond: I am aware of the report to which the Deputy refers. We remain deeply concerned by the devastating conflict in Sudan, which has led to the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. More than 150,000 people have already been killed and some 12 million people forcibly displaced. The Government is gravely concerned by reports that arms continue to reach parties to the conflict, despite...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ukraine War (21 Oct 2025)

Neale Richmond: I am grateful to Deputies O'Meara and Lahart for raising this very timely issue. Ireland condemns Russia’s escalation of large-scale aerial attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities. In recent weeks, Russia has launched thousands of drone and missile attacks into Ukraine, some of which have been the largest aerial attacks since the start of the war, resulting in high numbers of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ukraine War (21 Oct 2025)

Neale Richmond: Another figure that the Ukrainian ambassador cited was that 1,000 drones are being built every day in Russia. Those drones are not being used for delivering a cup of coffee or medicine, we all know that, stark as it is. The sanctions package is very interesting. An Irishman, David O'Sullivan, has the EU responsibility of monitoring sanctions and seeing how they impact. I attended a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ukraine War (21 Oct 2025)

Neale Richmond: The primary role of the de-mining is in respect of training Ukrainian civilian authorities to clear mines. This is done by members of the Defence Forces. Ireland has a particular expertise globally in de-mining. We have been to the forefront of a number of training missions across Africa. We are still active in Uganda through the United Nations. In the last two years the Defence Forces...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Humanitarian Access (21 Oct 2025)

Neale Richmond: I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire for this pertinent question. The Government remains deeply concerned by the devastating conflict in Sudan, which has led to the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. More than 150,000 people have been killed and some 12 million people have been forcibly displaced. The conflict continues to have a catastrophic impact on civilians. Despite reports of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Humanitarian Access (21 Oct 2025)

Neale Richmond: To be frank, the two main parties to this conflict - the Sudanese Armed Forces, SAF, and the RSF - show absolutely no signs of willingness to negotiate a ceasefire, let alone a peace agreement. The conflict is becoming increasingly internationalised with external actors involved, refugee displacement and spillover risks, including in neighbouring Chad and South Sudan. Since the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Humanitarian Access (21 Oct 2025)

Neale Richmond: Ireland is gravely concerned by reports that arms continue to reach parties to conflict in Sudan despite existing UN and EU embargoes and sanctions. Specific allegations of embargo and sanction violations are primarily pursued through the appropriate multilateral forums, including the UN Security Council, the European Union and the relevant UN sanction committees. Through these channels,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Humanitarian Access (21 Oct 2025)

Neale Richmond: We have to raise it through the UN multilateral forums and all appropriate forums.

Irish Unity: Motion [Private Members] (21 Oct 2025)

Neale Richmond: It happens. I get called that regularly in south Dublin, where Deputy McDonald and I grew up-----

Irish Unity: Motion [Private Members] (21 Oct 2025)

Neale Richmond: -----but in east Belfast we were called much else. We were Lundys. We were Free Staters. We were Fenian scum. That was the language too many of us know in this House. I fear it is creeping back in. We need to take the responsibility, all of us who believe in a truly united Ireland, to call it out from all angles. It is important to acknowledge that we support the Good Friday...

Irish Unity: Motion [Private Members] (21 Oct 2025)

Neale Richmond: I thank the Opposition for tabling this motion. Commitment to the reunification of the country is a founding principle of the Government. The Government holds an aspiration for a united Ireland in common with the Opposition and, in the spirit of this debate, I underline the fact that we are not opposing this motion. Every Irish Government must be guided by Article 3 of the Constitution,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Emigrant Support Services (21 Oct 2025)

Neale Richmond: I propose to take Questions Nos. 105 and 134 together. In line with the commitments in the Programme for Government, I am committed to facilitating the easier return to Ireland for our diaspora. I am currently hosting a series of consultations with Irish communities around the world to inform our new diaspora strategy. As part of these discussions, I always ensure that time is...