Results 1,221-1,240 of 2,771 for speaker:Colm Brophy

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (24 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: Ireland's current International Election Observation Roster, which is facilitated by the Department of Foreign Affairs, is effective as of 1 January 2019 and will run through 2023. Roster members were selected on the basis of an open competitive application process in 2018. This process has ensured that 1) there is a suitably skilled, trained and security-vetted pool of volunteers who are...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (24 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 415 and 425 together. I am deeply concerned by the recent outbreak of armed conflict between the Federal Government of Ethiopia and the regional authorities in Tigray and by reports of atrocities and targeting of ethnic groups. There are credible allegations of mass casualties, including civilian casualties, and of human rights abuses. There is a grave...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (24 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: Information received in confidence from foreign Governments on their election observation programmes remains confidential, unless released publicly by the originating authorities in accordance with their own regulations or legislation. It would be a breach of the principle of trust in international relations with other countries or international organisations to release such information.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (24 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: The total amount of Ireland’s overseas development aid increased from €647.51 million in 2015 to €869.87 million in 2019. Information on the recipients of this ODA, and the channels through which ODA is delivered, can be found in the annual reports from Irish Aid. A link to the report can be found at: In 2018, 45% of Ireland’s funding to multilateral...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (24 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: Ireland’s development co-operation programme recognises that international trade can play a major role in the promotion of economic development and the alleviation of poverty. The World Trade Organisation-led Aid for Trade initiative seeks to mobilise resources to address the trade-related constraints identified by developing and least developed countries. Aid for Trade programmes are...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (24 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: In 2019, Ireland provided a total of €869.87 million in official overseas development assistance. Of this, €512.44 million (or 58.9%) was bilateral aid, and €357.44 million (or 41.1%) was multilateral aid. Both bilateral and multilateral channels play important and complementary roles in ensuring that Ireland’s ODA is directed to where it is needed most and in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (24 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: Ireland works with our EU partners to provide needs-based humanitarian assistance to the people affected by man-made and natural disasters, with particular attention to the most vulnerable victims. Aid is channelled impartially to the affected populations, regardless of their race, ethnic group, religion, gender, age, nationality or political affiliation. The European Commission’s...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (24 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: Ireland strongly condemns all 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 and to prevent their attacks, especially against civilians. Ireland continues to monitor the activities of these groups and to assist populations affected by their actions. The UN is...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (24 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: Although the Horn of Africa has seen some positive developments in recent years, internal conflict, weak governance and historically strained relations between neighbours persist. Fragile political transitions and peace processes are taking place against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is affecting the entire region politically, economically and socially and adding to the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (24 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: We know from many examples that rates of violence against women and girls rise significantly during conflict and crisis. Ireland has stayed the course and continued funding protection in protracted crises. Some of these have seen women and children trapped in limbo in camps for decades, as in the case of Somali refugee camps in northern Kenya. Protection is more important than ever before....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (24 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: Access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation is a precondition for success in the fight against poverty, hunger, child deaths and gender inequality, and has taken on a renewed importance since COVID-19 emerged. Water system management is critical to establishing sustainable food systems, and Ireland will work to ensure that this is discussed at next year's Food Systems Summit. The...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (24 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: Ireland is a long-standing advocate for these issues, including at the EU and the UN. For example, in 2016, Ireland co-facilitated the UN Summit on Refugees and Migrants. This Summit agreed the New York Declaration, which led to the Global Compact for Refugees and the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. In October, Minister Coveney addressed the Executive Committee of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (19 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: Sixty years ago this year, Ireland opened its first African diplomatic Mission as part of a drive to strengthen ties with African countries, especially those that had recently won their independence. Today our presence has grown to twelve Embassies across the continent of Africa, including in Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Liberia in West Africa. In 2019, the Government launched...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Constitutional Amendments (19 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...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Budget 2021 (17 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: A Better World, the Government's policy for international development, establishes gender equality as a policy priority, specifically identifying response to, and prevention of, gender-based violence (GBV) as a key focus. Ireland is consistently among those OECD countries with the highest proportion of official development assistance (ODA) invested yearly in gender equality measures. In...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (17 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: Recent developments in Nigeria, including credible allegations of the use of excessive force against protesters, are of great concern, in particular the violence of 20 October in Lagos. Armed men in military-style attire fired towards a group of protesters in the Lekki area of Lagos, using live ammunition. The number of casualties remains unclear, but reports have claimed that at least 12...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Search and Rescue Service Provision (12 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: I will ensure that she receives a copy. It is important to listen to what people are saying, as the Deputy pointed out. I will reiterate a couple of the points I made in my reply, as she may not have taken them on board the first time. Personnel from the Department of Defence and members of the Air Corps are key stakeholders in the steering group that is progressing this contract....

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Search and Rescue Service Provision (12 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: I wish to take the opportunity to reply on behalf of the Minister for Defence, who is unfortunately unable to be present in the Chamber due to previous commitments. He has asked me to respond to this matter and to highlight the important role played by the Defence Forces, including the Air Corps, in supporting a wide range of public-facing services. I thank the Deputy for raising the issue...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (11 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: The Department of Foreign Affairs enables participation by Irish citizens in overseas election observation missions organised by the EU and the OSCE through nomination of volunteers from our Election Observation Roster. The current, five-year roster was established on the basis of an open, competitive application process in 2018, using a competency framework for ranking in line with Public...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (10 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: Since the restriction measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic were implemented in March 2020, Ireland has not nominated observers to participate in international election observation missions. Due to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the OSCE suspended standard election observation missions (EOMs). The OSCE EOM to North Macedonia which had commenced activities on 1 March 2020...