Results 12,661-12,680 of 20,099 for speaker:Brian Stanley

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 8 - Control of Humanitarian Assistance Funding
2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (24 Jun 2021)

Brian Stanley: We will allow him to join in should he return. I have some questions myself now for Mr. Burgess. I want first to recognise the work of the Department on Brexit, including the work of the officials in Brussels, Belfast and Dublin, Their work on behalf of the State and the Oireachtas was to ensure that the worst of all Brexits and its worst effects on this country and on this State were...

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 8 - Control of Humanitarian Assistance Funding
2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (24 Jun 2021)

Brian Stanley: Perhaps Ms Jones may wish to answer this question. On the passport services, the cost of the booklet I understand in 2019 went from €800,000 to in the region of €7 million. Was there a particular reason for that? On counter services, I am aware that we have discussed this and it is good that it is happening online. She has outlined where the office is turning passports...

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 8 - Control of Humanitarian Assistance Funding
2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (24 Jun 2021)

Brian Stanley: I also seek a reply on the question of counter services. Are they available at present?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 8 - Control of Humanitarian Assistance Funding
2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (24 Jun 2021)

Brian Stanley: To clarify, is a counter service available today at the Passport Office?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 8 - Control of Humanitarian Assistance Funding
2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (24 Jun 2021)

Brian Stanley: Can people walk in and is there a front counter service available at the Passport Office today?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 8 - Control of Humanitarian Assistance Funding
2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (24 Jun 2021)

Brian Stanley: I thank Ms Jones for that reply as I wished to clarify that point. Ms Jones mentioned vulnerable people and there are many people who would not be vulnerable who still do not use computers for a number of reasons. Moving on to Palestine and the situation there, it was mentioned by one of the officials that €16.3 million is being allocated for Palestine this year. That is welcome....

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 8 - Control of Humanitarian Assistance Funding
2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (24 Jun 2021)

Brian Stanley: The statement from the Minister, Deputy Coveney, is welcome. The Dáil recently passed a motion brought forward by Sinn Féin in regard to the annexation of that part of Palestine. It is welcome that Ireland is vocal. I take on board Mr. Burgess's point that we have to bring others with us. On compensation from the Israeli Government, have we ever received compensation for damage...

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 8 - Control of Humanitarian Assistance Funding
2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (24 Jun 2021)

Brian Stanley: A great deal of work is ongoing North-South. On the funding of NGOs, what type of organisations are funded by the Department? On the Loyalist Communities Council, does it receive funding from the Department directly or indirectly?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 8 - Control of Humanitarian Assistance Funding
2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (24 Jun 2021)

Brian Stanley: Will Mr. Burgess clarify if we have received any compensation from Israel to date?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 8 - Control of Humanitarian Assistance Funding
2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (24 Jun 2021)

Brian Stanley: How many claims have been made against the Israeli Government relating to incidents such as the one I mentioned earlier in recent years?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 8 - Control of Humanitarian Assistance Funding
2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (24 Jun 2021)

Brian Stanley: I appreciate that. We move now to a second round of questions. The first questioner is Deputy Catherine Murphy. I ask that other members who wish to contribute so indicate by raising a hand signal.

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 8 - Control of Humanitarian Assistance Funding
2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (24 Jun 2021)

Brian Stanley: I have one or two other questions. There is a secretariat in Belfast and it came from the Anglo-Irish Agreement in 1983. What is the level of staffing that the State has in Belfast for that secretariat? What other staff are there and where are they in the North?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 8 - Control of Humanitarian Assistance Funding
2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (24 Jun 2021)

Brian Stanley: The administration of the North-South Ministerial Council is in Armagh. Are there half a dozen staff involved?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 8 - Control of Humanitarian Assistance Funding
2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (24 Jun 2021)

Brian Stanley: Are the officials from the Department of Justice included in the nine staff in Belfast?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 8 - Control of Humanitarian Assistance Funding
2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (24 Jun 2021)

Brian Stanley: What is the role of the Department of Justice with that office in Belfast?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 8 - Control of Humanitarian Assistance Funding
2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (24 Jun 2021)

Brian Stanley: I am just looking for an idea.

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 8 - Control of Humanitarian Assistance Funding
2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (24 Jun 2021)

Brian Stanley: In countries where we do not have an embassy we have consular services. I have come to realise in dealings with the Department over the past few years that there is a representative. In how many countries do we have such consular representation where we do not have an embassy? How does that operate? Is it a part-time role and would the person be funded by a stipend, for example? What way...

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 8 - Control of Humanitarian Assistance Funding
2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (24 Jun 2021)

Brian Stanley: They receive a stipend of €1,000 or €2,000 per year.

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 8 - Control of Humanitarian Assistance Funding
2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (24 Jun 2021)

Brian Stanley: I welcome that. I had direction experience of that service, on behalf of a constituent, in recent years. One of these honorary consuls, in a place where there is no embassy, dealt with the matter in a very satisfactory way. I often wondered how that is managed. They should receive some recognition of their work. I had direct experience of one of the consuls providing very valuable...

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 8 - Control of Humanitarian Assistance Funding
2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (24 Jun 2021)

Brian Stanley: Okay. Thank you for the reply. I thank the witnesses for joining us today, the work involved in preparing for the meeting and the very detailed information supplied. I thank the Comptroller and Auditor General and his staff, as always, for attending and assisting the committee today. I also thank the clerk and secretariat. Is it agreed that we note and publish any opening statements...