Results 16,801-16,820 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Undocumented Irish in the USA (16 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Achieving relief for undocumented Irish migrants in the US is 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. All of this work is aimed at achieving relief...

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

Charles Flanagan: In accordance with the review and monitoring provisions of the Stormont House Agreement, quarterly review meetings are held involving the Northern Ireland Executive party leaders and the British and Irish Governments. The second such meeting took place in Belfast on 27 March at which I represented the Government. The meeting reviewed progress made to date on the detailed implementation...

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

Charles Flanagan: Ireland has strongly engaged with the efforts of the European Union to promote a political resolution of the current conflict in Syria. We have repeatedly stressed that only a political solution can achieve a sustainable peace in Syria. We will also continue to address the humanitarian consequences of the conflict and provide urgent assistance and support to the civilian populations within...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Application Refusals (16 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The Department wrote to the applicant’s parents on 27 November, 2014 to give notice of its intention to refuse him a passport under the Passports Act, 2008 (the Act) on the grounds that he was not an Irish citizen. This letter explained that the submitted application did not demonstrate their son’s entitlement to Irish citizenship under section 6A of the Irish Nationality and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Undocumented Irish in the USA (15 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Achieving relief for undocumented Irish migrants in the US is 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. All of this work is aimed at achieving relief...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (15 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 647 and 648 together. The EU Foreign Affairs Council most recently considered the situation in Yemen at its meeting on 9 February 2015. At this meeting, I participated in a discussion of the crisis in Yemen with my fellow Ministers and with the High Representative. In light of this, conclusions were published which set out the EU’s views on the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (15 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I, and officials in my Department including our Embassy in Cairo, have raised this case with the Egyptian authorities on many occasions. The Irish Government has formally supported applications by this individual’s lawyers for his release. I have spoken personally to my Egyptian counterpart on a number of occasions, including as recently as 2 April, to underline our support for this...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Irish Language (15 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: In accordance with the Official Languages Act 2003 and the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language, my Department is committed tocontinued implementation of the regulations under the Official Languages Act, includingincreasing the number of functional bilingual officials to promote the use of the Irish language and to deliver services in Irish. The most recent skills audit of all staff...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Irish Language (15 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: All Passports are issued in accordance with the Passport Act 2008. When it is brought to the attention of the Passport Service that a passport applicant has reduced capacity, then the provisions of S6 (4) of the Passports Act 2008 are applied. Section 6 (4) states, “An application for the issue of a passport to a person who is suffering from a physical or mental incapacity may be made...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Citizenship Status (15 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The Passports Act, 2008 (the Act) provides, among other things, that only Irish citizens are entitled to be issued with Irish passports. Each application received by the Passport Service must, therefore, contain relevant evidence that demonstrates that person’s entitlement to Irish citizenship before a passport can issue to him/her. The child in question was born in the State in 2012....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Relations (15 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I am following the situation in Venezuela closely and with great concern. Increasing tension and political polarisation, coupled with a severe economic crisis, have resulted in serious shortages in medical supplies and daily goods for the people of Venezuela. If the situation is not resolved soon, I fear that a severe humanitarian crisis may develop. As I have indicated before, the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (15 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland has consistently condemned the dispossession and eviction of Palestinian people in order to clear land for Israeli settlements. This is clearly contrary to international law.We have also consistently made this clear at EU level, and urged stronger action to oppose this policy. The report cited by the Deputy in relation to Bedouin communities in East Jerusalem is part of this general...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (15 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland will continue to press, at EU level and elsewhere, to maintain focus on the need both to reconstruct Gaza and to work to break the cycle of violence which has operated there. The EU has consistently called for the opening of Gaza, and a broad change of Israeli policies there, most recently in the Conclusions of the Foreign Affairs Council in November last. I made these points...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Civil Registration Documentation (15 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issues civil letters of freedom (known as Certificats de Coutume) to facilitate Irish citizens who wish to get married or enter into a civil partnership abroad. It is not an Irish requirement, but rather a requirement of the country abroad where the marriage or civil partnership is taking place. I am aware that the individual concerned is planning...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Military Aircraft Landings (15 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 657 and 658 together. The US is granted blanket permission for overflights by unarmed military aircraft. The US Embassy provides my Department with post hoc monthly statistical returns on the total number of overflights by such aircraft. Its return for February 2015 states that there were 48 such overflights by transport, passenger and refuelling...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Agreements (15 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: On behalf of the Government, I wholeheartedly welcome the agreement in principle reached between representatives of the international community and the Government of Iran on 2 April. I urge all responsible parties to support this agreement and the work of their governments to finally bring it to a successful conclusion.The extended presence at the negotiations in Lausanne of the EU High...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (15 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 660 to 662, inclusive, together. Ireland and our EU partners have consistently called for the opening of Gaza to normal movement of both people and goods. As people can only leave Gaza through either Israel or Egypt, it is important that those countries allow transit through their territory to reach other destinations, to the greatest extent possible. ...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: North South Ministerial Council (15 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The North South Ministerial Council meets in three formats: Plenary, Institutional and Sectoral. The next Plenary meeting is scheduled to take place in June 2015, and to be chaired by the Taoiseach. While the agenda for the meeting has yet to be finalised, it is likely that discussions will touch on financial and economic issues affecting both jurisdictions and that Ministers from North...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (15 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The protracted crisis in Syria and the region has led to immense human suffering. More than 200,000 people have lost their lives, and there are now over 12 million people in need of life-saving support within Syria. Due to the violence and the lack of access to aid, 3.8 million people have left Syria for neighbouring countries. I am very concerned by reports of the suffering of the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diaspora Policy (15 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: On 17 February my colleague the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, announced that he was not proposing to proceed with the development of a National Diaspora Centre but rather he was encouraging local communities to develop their own unique narratives of diaspora engagement. The enhancement of our connections to the global Irish community remains central to Government policy. The...