Results 17,061-17,080 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (28 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: An additional charge applies if a passport is sought and received within a short period, that is, faster than the five-day turnaround period.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (28 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The point at issue is defining what constitutes an emergency. In the event of there being a bereavement or death abroad, an extra charge does not apply to the procurement of a passport. The only additional charge arises in cases where non-emergency applications for a passport are made seeking a quick turnaround. Where a person in a non-emergency case requires a passport to issue in a time...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (28 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The amount allocated for the programme for 2015 is €20 million, an increase of €2.5 million on the provision for 2014. The maintenance of peace, stability and economic growth in Northern Ireland remains a priority of the Government. The focus for 2015 will be on the implementation of the Stormont House Agreement. A review meeting has been convened by the UK and Irish...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (28 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: On the matter of reconciliation, the whole objective and aim of the funding is to foster a spirit of reconciliation in areas where that has not been possible over the years. Since the fund was first established back in 1982, over €44 million has been disbursed to approximately 2,000 projects. It is important to stress that the International Fund for Ireland is focused on...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (28 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: My Department's commitment to international peace, security and human rights is channelled through programme D, which has a total allocation of just over €69 million. This compares to a provision outturn of €63 million in 2014. Most of the expenditure under this programme relates to Ireland's mandatory contributions to international organisations of which we are a member,...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (28 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I acknowledge the comments of Deputies Eric Byrne, Quinn and Smith and everybody on the very positive contribution made by Ireland to international peace, security and human rights. As Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, I find everywhere I go that the contribution over a long number of years and the status of Ireland in this area are widely acknowledged and very much in evidence. It is...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (28 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I apologise to Deputy Crowe because I did not deal with his question on the Palestinian situation, Gaza and our contribution. Members will be aware that at the Gaza reconstruction conference in Cairo in September, Ireland committed a further €25 million towards the reconstruction of Gaza, which is a crisis of enormous dimensions. It is regrettable that progress on that reconstruction...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (28 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Yes they are. It was remarkable on the occasion of the conference how a wide number of states coming from a particular ideological background were prepared from a humanitarian perspective to make a contribution. Our contribution to that region - our contribution to the Palestinian situation - amounts to in excess of €10 million per annum, which is a substantial sum in the general...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (28 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: This is an issue we continue to raise. I had the opportunity in September in my first address to the UN General Assembly to make a particular point in condemning all forms of persecution and discrimination based on belief or religion. I specifically highlighted the persecution of Christians and other minorities in the Middle East. As was mentioned to some effect in Poland at a very...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (28 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo involves one of the most complex and enduring humanitarian crises in the world. This is the result of decades of political and economic mismanagement, exacerbated by difficult relations with neighbouring countries, ongoing violence in the Great Lakes region and chronic underdevelopment. I share the strong international concern at the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (28 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I am aware of the case of Abdallah Abu Rahme, who was convicted of obstructing military operations in the West Bank, by blocking a military bulldozer engaged in construction. His is one of a series of cases of concern related to the protests around construction of the separation barrier on Palestinian land belonging to the villagers of Bil’in The size of the Irish mission in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (27 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Passports belonging to a mother and her four children were declared lost in October 2012. The Passport Office has referred the circumstances of the loss of these passports to An Garda Síochána and investigations are still ongoing regarding this matter. Pending the outcome of these investigations passports with a restricted validity were issued in accordance with section 9(1) and (2)...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Missions (27 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Japan is a priority market under our Government Trade, Tourism and Investment Strategy. In December 2013, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny visited Japan where he met with Prime Minister Abe. Together they launched the Japan-Ireland Partnership for Innovation and Growth. The Taoiseach was accompanied for part of this visit by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine, Mr. Simon Coveney, T.D. During...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Air Navigation Orders (27 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The regulation of civilian aircraft is governed by the Convention on International Civil Aviation (the Chicago Convention)which came into force on 4 April 1947. Ireland’s rights and obligations under the Convention have been incorporated into Irish law through the Air Navigation and Transport Act 1946, as amended. The legislation provides that the Minister for Transport has primary...

Topical Issue Debate: Human Rights Issues (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I wish to reiterate for the benefit of the Deputy and the House that the case to which the Deputy refers is clearly a cause for serious and deep concern. As I mentioned earlier, Ireland has always been to the fore internationally in raising issues of human rights and the Government's ongoing commitment to human rights is expressed in the recently published Irish foreign policy review. I...

Topical Issue Debate: Human Rights Issues (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The case of Raif Badawi which the Deputy raised is clearly a matter of ongoing and serious concern to the Government. Our concerns relate both to the conviction of Mr. Badawi for activities widely regarded here as the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of opinion and expression and also to the nature of the sentence which included corporal punishment. The carrying out of this...

Topical Issue Debate: Overseas Development Aid (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I thank Deputy Mitchell for raising this issue and allowing me to put on the record of the House the Government's welcome of the designation of 2015 by the EU Foreign Affairs Council as European Year of Development. This year is a hugely important year for development as it coincides with important intergovernmental negotiations on development and climate change which will take place...

Topical Issue Debate: Overseas Development Aid (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: On the final issue raised by the Deputy, the matter is on the agenda for discussion at this week's meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels. It will continue to be accorded prominence on agendas for the forthcoming months. Regarding the post-2015 development goals, our ambassador to the United Nations, Mr. David Donoghue, will play a most prominent role by chairing the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Missing Persons (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The Embassy of Ireland in Madrid and the consular assistance section of my Department provided consular assistance at the time of this individual’s disappearance, and have continued to maintain contact with family members and to provide assistance in the years that have followed. Our embassy in Madrid remains in ongoing contact with the local police authorities regarding the case....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Missing Persons (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I can assure Deputy Flanagan that I have requested the Head of Council to keep me fully informed and briefed on any discussions or developments in this case. I also can assure him that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has provided extensive and continuous assistance to the family since Amy's disappearance in 2008. The Department has also liaised consistently with the appropriate...