Results 881-900 of 3,797 for speaker:Ciarán Cannon

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: UN Funding (31 Jan 2019)

Ciarán Cannon: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is a long standing supporter of UNFPA and provides non-earmarked core funding to the agency on an annual basis. In 2018, the Department provided €3,500,000 in core funding to UNFPA, an increase of €700,000 on our 2017 core contribution. As outlined in the speech of the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (31 Jan 2019)

Ciarán Cannon: I am deeply concerned about the violence which has accompanied recent protests in Sudan, including credible reports of the use of live fire by the Government of Sudan and of multiple deaths. Demonstrations, triggered by spiralling costs of living, began in the city of Atbara in the north east of the country on 19 December last year, spreading to over twenty towns and cities. While...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (30 Jan 2019)

Ciarán Cannon: As a result of a selection process held during 2018, a new roster of international election roster observers was put in place in January 2019. There was a particularly high number of applications, with almost twice the number of applications to roster places. A number of unsuccessful candidates have asked that their applications are formally reviewed by way of an appeals process. It would not...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (30 Jan 2019)

Ciarán Cannon: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade administers and maintains a roster of suitably skilled individuals who are available to deploy on international election observation missions organised, in the main, by the European Union (EU) and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). A new roster was put in place in January 2019. This followed a selection process...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Issues (29 Jan 2019)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 61 and 67 together. Ireland is a longstanding and steadfast supporter of the Palestinian people and of a two-State solution. In 2018, we provided €15.38 million in development and humanitarian assistance to meet the needs of the most vulnerable Palestinian men, women and children, our highest level ever.   In the Tánaiste's recent...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (29 Jan 2019)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 76 and 94 together. I am deeply concerned by the humanitarian situation in South Sudan, primarily the consequence of a conflict which began in 2013, but compounded by many years of instability and strife.  Violations of human rights and international humanitarian law serve to perpetuate the crisis, with a negative impact on its scale and with devastating...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (29 Jan 2019)

Ciarán Cannon: Ireland's election observer roster does not require volunteers to be habitually residented in Ireland. It does require all volunteers on the election observation roster to be citizens of Ireland, in order that Ireland complies with a European Union requirement that EU election observers are citizens of an EU Member State, or a citizen of Switzerland or Norway. Accordingly no questions...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (29 Jan 2019)

Ciarán Cannon: The Government is strongly committed to Ireland’s international development cooperation programme, and to its place at the heart of our foreign policy. In line with our commitment to the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, our bilateral aid programme is focused on reducing poverty and hunger, promoting inclusive and sustainable growth, and building more equitable and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid (29 Jan 2019)

Ciarán Cannon: In 2017, over 95 million people were affected by disasters linked to natural hazards worldwide; over 9,000 people directly lost their lives; and economic losses from major disaster events were estimated at almost US$335 billion. Comprehensive figures for 2018 are not yet available, but the year saw another significant number of people around the world impacted by natural disasters, notably...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid Provision (29 Jan 2019)

Ciarán Cannon: The number and complexity of humanitarian crises globally has increased in recent years, with the UN estimating that over 130 million people are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance and protection. Conflict is the most significant driver of this increased need. Critical to maximising Ireland’s response is our central and enduring commitment to effective multilateralism,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Terrorism (29 Jan 2019)

Ciarán Cannon: The recent attack in Nairobi reminds us of the immediate impact of radicalisation and violent extremism on civilians in many countries in the world today. I remain deeply concerned by the threat to peace and security represented by armed groups such as Boko Haram and Al Shabaab. The Government consistently condemns their brutal attacks on civilian populations, and particularly the impact of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid Provision (29 Jan 2019)

Ciarán Cannon: The Horn of Africa is currently experiencing a period of tremendous political change and transition. Since his appointment in April last year, the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has pursued an ambitious programme of political, economic and social reform, on which he briefed the Taoiseach when they met in Addis Ababa in January. However, the Ethiopian reform process is complicated...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (29 Jan 2019)

Ciarán Cannon: The recruitment and use of child soldiers during conflict remains a serious problem globally. Tens of thousands of children are recruited and used as soldiers in conflicts around the world. Since 2002, the Secretary-General of the United Nations has issued an annual report on children and armed conflict which lists all armed groups – both state and non-state – that recruit and...

Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018 [Seanad]: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Jan 2019)

Ciarán Cannon: -----but it would also be a betrayal of our principles as members of the European Union and as a member state with a foreign policy based on rules and respect for the commitments into which we have entered. The Government is in no doubt that if the Bill is passed, Ireland would be brought before the European Court of Justice and found in breach of the treaties, with all the negative costs...

Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018 [Seanad]: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Jan 2019)

Ciarán Cannon: The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade has made clear in numerous Seanad debates that the Government respects absolutely the motives and the intentions of the proponents and supporters of the Bill. We reject attempts made in other jurisdictions to demonise people who sincerely support this political approach and we will continue to do so. There are few foreign policy...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Irish Aid (23 Jan 2019)

Ciarán Cannon: The decision of the organisation in question to close its international department is an internal matter for that organisation.   Irish Aid works with a broad range of partners in order to deliver our policy goals. Should the organisation in question revisit its decision regarding international activities, it would be open for that organisation, as with any other Irish NGO active...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Election Monitoring (23 Jan 2019)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 59 to 61, inclusive, together. International election observation missions play an important role in the promotion of democracy and human rights. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade aims to ensure that, when requested, Ireland is represented at an appropriate level on international election observation missions. Irish observers participate...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Why the Arts Matter: Discussion (23 Jan 2019)

Ciarán Cannon: I thank our guests for their powerful and compelling contributions. My instinctive reaction was to clap for every contribution but I do not think that is allowed in this setting. I do not know if it is possible to make the contributions available to Members of the Houses.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Why the Arts Matter: Discussion (23 Jan 2019)

Ciarán Cannon: I am referring to the video. Each should be separated and made available as a single contribution because their message would resonate deeply with thousands of people. I acknowledge that we grossly underfund the arts in this country. Mr. Dorgan spoke about the art that happens every single day along the rural highways and byways and in the estates of this country. We must create an...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Why the Arts Matter: Discussion (23 Jan 2019)

Ciarán Cannon: I am grateful, as I have to leave. My apologies, but I will read the contributions afterwards.