Results 15,921-15,940 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Terrorism (17 Dec 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I refer the Deputy to the answer I gave to Deputy Micheál Martin earlier this week concerning these issues. I discussed the threat posed by terrorist groups operating in Syria to the peoples and States of the Middle East region and the European Union and the need for coordinated international action with Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond in London on 23 November. Ireland fully...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Missions (17 Dec 2015)

Charles Flanagan: On 16 November, in the wake of the horrific attacks in Paris, President Hollande stated that France was invoking Article 42.7 of the Treaty on European Union. The article states that “If a Member State is the victim of armed aggression on its territory, the other Member States shall have towards it an obligation of aid and assistance by all the means in their power, in accordance with...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Visa Agreements (17 Dec 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Achieving relief for undocumented Irish migrants in the US remains a priority for the Government in our contacts with the United States. Through our Embassy in Washington and our Consulates throughout the U.S., we continue to work closely with high level Government contacts and with many other individuals and groups across Irish America and beyond. The aim of these contacts is to achieve...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (17 Dec 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 491, 492 and 512 together. My Department has a clear strategy in this case which is focused on achieving a positive outcome at the earliest time possible for this citizen. That strategy is based on two key objectives: first, to see this citizen released by the Egyptian authorities so that he can return to his family and his studies in Ireland and, second,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Syrian Conflict (17 Dec 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Ending the catastrophe which has befallen Syria, and which has imposed enormous burdens on the States neighbouring Syria, is critical to the stability of the Middle East region, the security and safety of the Syrian people and their neighbours. This has been a key priority for Ireland and its EU partners in recent years. I welcome the announcements of 30 October and 14 November by...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid (17 Dec 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 494 and 498 together. Conflicts and crises in the wider Middle East region continue to be of great concern to the international community, and to feature prominently on the agenda of the Foreign Affairs Council. Some of these conflicts have followed directly from the events of the Arab Spring, when authoritarian regimes were challenged and in some cases...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid (17 Dec 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The scale of the migration challenge facing the international community is enormous. The conflict in Syria - the biggest driver behind this year’s migrant flows - has led to the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. But the problem is bigger than Syria. An estimated 60 million displaced people worldwide are on the move, the highest since World War II. They are coming not just...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Peace Process (17 Dec 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 496 and 505 together. On a number of occasions in recent years it has proven possible, albeit with very considerable international effort, to bring both Israelis and Palestinians into a process of direct talks. International pressure has not, unfortunately, been sufficient to bring those talks successfully to a conclusion. Many reasons can be suggested for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid (17 Dec 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Ethiopia is currently experiencing one of its worst droughts in almost 30 years. Official Ethiopian Government figures indicate that 10.2 million people will require food assistance in early 2016. This is in addition to the 7.9 million people receiving food and cash transfers as part of the Government’s Productive Safety Net Programme. The Ethiopian Government is leading the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Peace Process (17 Dec 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Turkey is a candidate country for accession to the European Union. As such, it is working towards aligning itself with all aspects of the acquis communautaire, including Chapter 31 which deals with foreign, security and defence policy. The European Union maintains regular dialogue with Turkey, including on issues of foreign policy, and at a meeting of heads of state or government on 29...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (17 Dec 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland, along with our EU and UN partners, has consistently condemned the brutal activities of Boko Haram which represent a serious threat to the peace and security of Nigeria, and the wider region, including Cameroon, Chad and Niger. They also involve the clear and persistent abuse of human rights, especially of women and girls, and a direct threat to education and education facilities. ...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid (17 Dec 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Food security, human rights and the use of child soldiers remain key concerns for the United Nations and the European Union, including in the Horn of Africa. The region is facing severe food security challenges over the next six months. Unpredictable weather conditions, due to the current El Niño weather event, are already causing severe droughts and flooding in Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Western Balkans Issues (17 Dec 2015)

Charles Flanagan: There are currently five countries which have Candidate Status, including four in the Western Balkans – Montenegro, Serbia, the Republic of Macedonia, and Albania. Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo are potential candidate countries. Ireland has long been a supporter of Enlargement. The European Commission continues to work actively to support prospective member states in implementing...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (17 Dec 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland is continuing to support efforts by the Iraqi Government, together with the EU and UN, to promote a political resolution of the current conflict in Iraq. We have repeatedly stressed that only a political solution based on reconciliation which recognises the rights of all Iraqis, in line with the September 2014 programme of the Government of PM Al-Abadi, can achieve a sustainable peace...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Issues (17 Dec 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The issue of euro-scepticism is complex and multi-faceted. The Spring 2015 Eurobarometer survey provides some insights into the views of EU citizens, recording that the image of the EU across the Union improved for the fourth consecutive time since autumn 2013. The same study showed that the proportion of Europeans who see the EU in a positive light has increased by six percentage points in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (17 Dec 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The situation in Ukraine remains a key concern for the European Union. On Monday, the Foreign Affairs Council considered Ukraine as part of a broader discussion on Eastern Partners and it is expected that Ministers will discuss Ukraine, again, early in the New Year. The European Council meets today and tomorrow in Brussels where Ukraine will feature on the agenda. As the deadline of 31...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (17 Dec 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The recent elections in Myanmar, which attracted significant international attention, mark a historic moment in the country’s democratic transition. Along with my counterparts in the EU and the wider international community, I welcome the broadly peaceful and well-organised manner in which the elections were carried out, while stressing that the legal framework of the electoral process...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (17 Dec 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland’s development co-operation programme, which is at the heart of our foreign policy, 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 encourages developing country Governments and donors to recognise the role that trade can play in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (17 Dec 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The advancement of Ireland’s trade, tourism, investment and education promotion objectives is of central importance to our foreign policy and of the work of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and its Embassy network. Irish Embassies and Consulates-General provide a global platform for the promotion of Ireland as a business, investment, tourism and education destination. While...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Emergency Planning (17 Dec 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Under Ireland’s Rapid Response Initiative, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade manages a roster of highly skilled and experienced individuals who make themselves available to deploy overseas at short notice to work in severe, large-scale humanitarian and emergency crises around the world. The Rapid Response Corps roster currently comprises 120 individuals with specialised...