Results 17,141-17,160 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Association Agreements: Motions (21 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I was aware of this morning's meeting, although I have not received a full report thereof. I certainly would be happy to pursue the issue further. It has been put to me as being a matter of urgency and I am anxious to assist in whatever way possible.

Northern Ireland and the Stormont House Agreement: Statements (20 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Yes.

Northern Ireland and the Stormont House Agreement: Statements (20 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Does the Deputy want me to correct him if he is wrong or is he asking the Chair to do so? I can correct him but I would be out of order if I did so.

Northern Ireland and the Stormont House Agreement: Statements (20 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: He asked me to correct him.

Northern Ireland and the Stormont House Agreement: Statements (20 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I welcome the opportunity to brief the House on the outcome of the political talks in Northern Ireland which concluded on 23 December last with the Stormont House Agreement. As Deputies will be aware, the British and Irish Governments convened the talks last October. It was the joint assessment of the two governments at that time that the political impasse in the North was such that the...

Order of Business (20 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Deputy Martin will continue to relive them over there.

Order of Business (20 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Deputy Martin would like to delete a lot of things, but he will not be able to.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Acht na Gaeilge (20 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Bhí Acht na Gaeilge mar chuid de dhoiciméad a leag an Rialtas faoi bhráid ó thús na bpléití agus bhí díoma orainn nach raibh tiomantas chun Acht na Gaeilge a achtú ag Westminster nó ag Tionól Thuaisceart Éireann, mar chuid den Aontas deireanach a rinneadh i dTeach Stormont ar an 23ú Nollaig 2014. In anneoin na...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services Availability (20 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, through the Embassy of Ireland in Madrid and the Consular Assistance Section in Dublin, has been providing ongoing consular assistance to the family of the missing person since first being informed of this case. I wish to assure the Deputy that my Department and our Embassy in Madrid will continue to provide all possible consular assistance to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (20 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 492 and 507 together. The conviction in the case of Raif Badawi and the nature of the penalty imposed on him is clearly a cause of concern. There is also concern about the imprisonment of the prominent human rights activist Waleed Abu al-Khair, which may be connected with that of Mr. Badawi. The case of Mr Badawi, and our concerns at his sentence have been...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services Provision (20 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: A core objective of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is the provision of high-quality consular assistance to Irish citizens who find themselves in difficulty abroad. This assistance is delivered through the Department’s network of diplomatic missions abroad and through the Department’s Consular Division based in Dublin. The individual citizen concerned was in touch...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Meetings (20 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I have included in the table below the dates of meetings of my Department's Management Advisory Committee (MAC) in 2011, 2012 and 2013. This is an updated and amended list from the table provided in response to PQs 47864/14 and 47880/14 answered together on Tuesday, 16th December, 2014. A number of informal Management Advisory Committee meetings took place to discuss internal organisational...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Programme for Government Implementation (20 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: There are no plans to transfer the Passport Service to the Department of Justice and Equality at this time. The Passport Service continues to work on a number of service enhancements and I would like to see this process completed before further consideration is given to any transfer.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: North South Ministerial Council (20 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 496 to 499, inclusive, together. The nineteenth meeting of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in plenary format was held in Armagh on 5 December 2014. At the meeting, discussions covered economic and budgetary issues in both jurisdictions. The Council welcomed the broadly encouraging prospects while recognising that challenges remain. The...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (20 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: On 2 December 2014, the Government announced its decision to request the European Court of Human Rights to revise its 1978 judgment in the case taken by Ireland against the UK. The request was filed with the Court on 4 December 2014. On the basis of new material uncovered, the Government has contended that the ill-treatment suffered by the Hooded Men should be recognised as torture. The...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Advisers Remuneration (20 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Payments to special advisors are made in accordance with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidelines. The amount spent on special advisors in my Department from 2007-2014 is outlined in the table below: SPECIAL ADVISORS COSTS 2007-2014 YEAR Expenditure 2007 €279,438.74 2008 €371,315.60 2009 €439,113.40 2010 €375,292.30 2011...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Transport (20 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The amount spent by my Department on Ministerial drivers and associated travel expenses from 2007 to 2014 is outlined in the tables below. Ministerial Drivers 2007 to 2010 MoS Treacy No. of Drivers 2007 2008 2009 2010 Salaries 2 €31,742.59 Nil Nil Nil Subsistence Nil Nil Nil Nil Total 2 31742.59 Nil Nil Nil MoS Roche No. of Drivers 2007 2008 2009 2010 Salaries 2...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Military Aircraft Landings (20 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: The Programme for Government states that the Government will enforce the prohibition of the use of Irish airspace, airports and related facilities for purposes not in line with the dictates of international law. The Government has repeatedly stated that Ireland would not tolerate the use of our airspace or airports for any illegal purpose, including torture, rendition or the unauthorised...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Military Aircraft Landings (20 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Under the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order 1952, all foreign military aircraft require the permission of the Minister for Foreign Affairs to overfly or land in the State. In 2014 permission was granted on 741occasions for the landing of foreign military aircraft belonging to the following countries to land at Shannon Airport: Argentina, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Egypt,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Application Refusals (20 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: Unfortunately, the Deputy has provided insufficient information to establish the exact circumstances of this case. However, I can make the following general points. All passport applications received are subject to the provisions of the Passports Act, 2008. One of its key provisions is the requirement for applicants to demonstrate their entitlement to Irish citizenship through the...