Results 16,781-16,800 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Travel Advice (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Travel advice for individual countries worldwide, including the level of caution recommended, is available on my Department's website at . This advice is published in order to make useful information available to assist Irish citizens in making well informed decisions when planning their trips and when travelling. Irish Embassies closely monitor developments in countries to which they are...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: In 1987, the Government formulated a policy to bring together, where feasible, our diplomatic and consular missions abroad and the offices of state agencies in a single location, designated as "Ireland House". The policy has been implemented on a gradual basis over the intervening years. The precise model for implementing such an arrangement would, of course, vary and have to reflect local...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Millennium Development Goals (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland is co-facilitating the intergovernmental negotiations at the United Nations to agree a framework for global development to succeed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) after 2015. The new sustainable development agenda should be adopted at a major UN summit of world leaders in New York in September. It will involve a new set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which will...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Trade (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I refer the Deputy to the following table which details the information requested. The source for this data is the Central Statistics Office. Bilateral Trade with Egypt Year Imports (€ 000) Exports (€ 000) 2007 62,859 481,453 2008 76,366 233,130 2009 76,184 316,902 2010 83,956 428,424 2011 95,937 474,447 2012 94,039 422,648 2013 60,867 458,458 2014* 25,505 166,741...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The brutal activities of terrorist groups such as al Shabab, Boko Haram and ISIS involve the clear and persistent abuse of human rights, especially of women and girls, and are a direct threat to education and education facilities. The abduction just over a year ago by Boko Haram of more than 200 schoolgirls from Chibok in north-eastern Nigeriaand the recent appalling killing of more than 140...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Issues (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 556 and 557 together. As the Deputy is aware, citizens' trust and confidence in the EU and its institutions has been negatively affected by the depth and duration of the financial and economic crisis in the Union and its Member States. It is welcome therefore that the evidence suggests that Europe is now emerging from this deep and protracted...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The EU continues to closely monitor developments in Ukraine and EU leaders held an in-depth discussion on the situation at the March European Council meeting. The full implementation of the agreements reached in Minsk on 12 February, including a lasting ceasefire, remains the focus of the EU's efforts, as it offers the best chance to create the conditions necessary for a peaceful resolution...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Trade (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 559 and 564 together. Advancing Ireland's trade, tourism, education and investment objectives, as well as economic diplomacy more generally, is a key priority in Ireland's foreign policy and in the work of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and its Embassy network. The Government's Trade, Tourism and Investment Strategy, 'Trading and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Enlargement (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland is a long-standing supporter of the Enlargement process, which is widely seen as one of the most successful foreign policy initiatives of the European Union. Although no country is expected to join the European Union in the immediate future, we believe that it is important to actively engage with our European partners and with candidate countries to advance the accession process....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Syrian Conflict (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The conflict in Syria is entering its fifth year. More than 220,000 people have been killed, and some 7.6 million have been displaced within Syria, with almost 4 million more as refugees in neighbouring countries. This rate of displacement has accelerated over the last year. There are 1.7 million refugees in Turkey, nearly 1.2 million in Lebanon, 628,000 in Jordan and 247,000 in Iraq, with...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I am acutely aware of the need to ensure that Ireland’s development assistance is appropriately targeted so that it makes a real difference in the lives of some of the world’s poorest people. Ireland’s official aid programme, Irish Aid, has always had a strong focus on the fight to end extreme poverty, and this commitment is central to our international development...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The promotion and protection of human rights is a central objective of Ireland’s foreign policy. In the Government’s recent review of foreign policy, The Global Island: Ireland’s Foreign Policy for a Changing World, we re-affirmed our commitment to the universality, indivisibility and interrelatedness of all human rights, to accountability for human rights violations and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Terrorism (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 567 and 568 together. The issue of how best to respond to the threat posed by terrorism has been high on the EU agenda in recent months. Foreign Ministers have focused in particular on the contribution that the EU can make through its external action to the wider international effort to prevent and counter terrorism. Counter-terrorism was most...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Issues (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland’s approach to Europe’s eastern neighbourhood is based on the Eastern Partnership (EaP) which was launched in 2009 to provide a coherent framework for EU co-operation with six countries of Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. The forthcoming EaP Summit in Riga, on 21 and 22 May, was discussed at a...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: UN Issues (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: This year marks the 60thAnniversary of Ireland’s membership of the United Nations. UN membership and a commitment to multilateralism is central to Irish foreign policy. The principles and values enshrined in the UN Charter are principles and values that Ireland holds dear. In line with our commitment to providing leadership at the UN, Ireland will seek election to the Security Council...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Public Sector Pensions Data (21 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: With regard to the staff of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the calculation and payment of superannuation benefits is a matter for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Staff of the former Agency for Personal Service Overseas (APSO) were integrated into the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 2003. Two former APSO staff and a spouse of a deceased APSO staff...

Leaders' Questions (16 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: That is out of order.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (16 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 168 to 171, inclusive, together. I am aware of the incidents referred to by the Deputy even if, as is often the case in these matters, it has not proved possible to establish the full facts in every instance. As the Deputy is aware, there are serious grounds for concern regarding the human rights situation in Colombia, including in the context of labour...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Relations (16 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: As I noted in my statement of 18 December, I warmly welcome the historic decision by President Obama and by President Castro on the restoration of full diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba. The recent meeting between the Presidents at the Summit of the Americas has been described as positive, and the White House has since announced President Obama’s intention to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (16 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Reports that this individual is on death row are incorrect. His case is currently before the Courts in Egypt – as matters stand he has not been convicted of any crime. I, and officials in my Department including our Embassy in Cairo, have raised this case with the Egyptian authorities on many occasions. The individual's trial has started, with the next hearing scheduled for 26...