Results 16,821-16,840 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Semi-State Bodies (15 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: There are no semi-State commercial companies under the aegis of my Department.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Stormont House Agreement: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (2 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I am pleased to have the opportunity to appear before the committee to update it on the political talks that were held in Belfast in the final quarter of last year, which resulted in the Stormont House Agreement on the eve of Christmas Eve. I acknowledge the great interest of the committee in the matter, which builds on the foundational work of the Good Friday Agreement and subsequent...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Stormont House Agreement: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (2 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I thank Deputy Ferris for his comments. This is a matter for the Department of Justice and Equality. Work has commenced on the legislation. I expect it will be enacted to allow for its operation in 2016. I expect the heads of the Bill to be published later in the summer. With regard to the consultative process, the Deputy is aware that, like all items of legislation, the Bill will go to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Stormont House Agreement: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (2 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Deputy Smith raised a number of issues. Welfare reform is a matter exclusively for the parties in Northern Ireland. Meetings have taken place at a high level over recent weeks. I take the opportunity at this committee to call on all the parties to redouble their resolve with a view towards reaching agreement on the matter, which is obviously complex as well as being important. I would...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Stormont House Agreement: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (2 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I share the Deputy's view that infrastructural improvements and developments are vital in the context of peace, stability and prosperity. The A5 dual carriageway is seen as a key infrastructural project and it was very much under discussion in the context of the agreement. I was pleased the Government reaffirmed our commitment of funding to the tune of £50 million in financial support...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Stormont House Agreement: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (2 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Institutional reform was very much on the agenda in the context of the talks, albeit one that did not directly involve the Government. I do not see an immediate appetite to change the structure as set up by the d'Hondt mechanism, the aim of which was to ensure a large degree of power sharing. I do not think the time is right for such a change. However, there is a provision for members to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Stormont House Agreement: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (2 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: As regards the Dublin-Monaghan bombings, which we discussed prior to Deputy Conlan's arrival, I reiterate that I will continue to raise this issue. It is one about which I believe we need to be supplied with appropriate information and documentation. I raised the matter recently but will continue to do so. I agree with what the Deputy has said. The issue of smuggling was aired by Deputy...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Stormont House Agreement: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (2 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I thank the Chair. On the last issue, I am sure the committee could lend its support. There was a very successful launch of the bid to stage the Rugby World Cup with the full support of all the party leaders in the North and the South. It is a very exciting opportunity and I think if the Chair were to lend his support by contacting the IRFU, it would be most helpful. I get a sense from...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Stormont House Agreement: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (2 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I thank the committee.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Military Aircraft Landings (2 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 200 and 201 together. Permission is required for such aircraft to overfly Ireland or to land at Irish airports. Requests for permission submitted to my Department by the Embassy of the country in question are circulated to relevant Departments and agencies, including the Department of Defence. All flights are expected to comply with navigational requirements...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ukrainian Conflict (2 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The next Foreign Affairs Council will take place in Luxembourg on 20 April. The agenda for the meeting will be finalised in due course by EU High Representative Mogherini, in consultation with Member States. The question of whether Ministers will discuss the situation in Ukraine, and the nature of any such discussion, will largely depend on developments there in the meantime.The crisis in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (2 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I expect that there will be a discussion of the crisis in Libya at the next meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council and I will participate in that discussion. At the March meeting of the Council, High Representative Mogherini was invited to work on possible EU actions to support a government of national unity, in case such a government is agreed at the UN brokered talks.Regrettably, no such...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (2 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: It is not yet clear whether or not there will be a further discussion of Yemen at the next meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council on 20 April. The Council most recently considered the situation at its meeting on 9 February 2015 when we set out our views on the steps required to achieve a sustainable solution to the developing crisis in the country.Regrettably,the political and security...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Terrorism (2 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: 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 effort to prevent and counter terrorism at the international level. We have discussed strategies to engage with third countries to prevent violent extremism...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (2 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland has repeatedly condemned the targeting of civilians by all parties in the course of the Syrian conflict at both the EU and the UN. As I said in my speech to the UN General Assembly in September 2014, “the flagrant violation of international law by all sides in the Syrian conflict must be confronted and referred to the International Criminal Court”. I reiterated this in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services Expenditure (2 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Embassy Tehran was operational from 1976 to 2012 and incurred expenditure of €534,738 in 2011 which was the last full year of operation by this Embassy. The Consulate General of Ireland in Cardiff was operational from 1998 to 2009; expenditure incurred in 2008 the last full year of operation was €290,410. Office expenditure includes staff, travel, office running, premises and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (2 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. Following the beginning of the trial on 29 March, a formal application for release on bail is now being considered by the Egyptian court. Embassy Officials were present in court on 29 March and will attend the next hearing on 26 April. I am aware of reports...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (2 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The Stormont House Agreement recognizes the important role to be played by civil society. The Agreement provides specifically for the establishment of a civic advisory panel to ensure that civic voices are heard, and civic views are considered, in relation to key social, cultural and economic issues. The Agreement proposes that such a panel be established by June 2015. The panel will advise...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (2 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland has always been at the forefront internationally in raising human rights issues.We raise any concerns with the Saudi authorities primarily through relevant international mechanisms, such the Universal Periodic Review of Saudi Arabia in the UN Human Rights Council, and have also done so bilaterally. We normally raise human rights issues in Saudi Arabia, including specific cases, in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (1 Apr 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The Government believes that addressing the legacy of the past is essential to further progress towards reconciliation in Northern Ireland. For this reason, the Stormont House Agreement provides for the establishment of a number of important new mechanisms, including an independent Historical Investigations Unit, which will take forward investigations into outstanding Troubles-related deaths...