Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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433. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the measures taken by his Department to assist in the transfer and relocation of Afghan citizens following the takeover of the government of Afghanistan by the Taliban; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42177/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Last month I announced, together with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and the Minister of State for Law Reform, Youth Justice and Immigration, that places would be allocated to Afghan nationals under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP).

The IRPP was created in 2015 as part of Ireland’s response to the migration crisis in central and southern Europe. It allows a predetermined number of people in need of international protection to be granted refugee status in Ireland. Places on the programme have been allocated to approximately 300 Afghans. Priority was given to those working on human rights issues, including the rights of women and girls, as well as those working with NGOs and European and international organisations.

Meanwhile, we are liaising with partners, including those who have a presence on the ground, to advise on safe options for Irish citizens and immediate family members, and people who have a right to Irish residency who are in Afghanistan, who wish to leave the country in the period ahead. 

We remain fully engaged with the situation in Afghanistan, both at UN level and at EU level, in particular focusing on the protection of the human rights of the Afghan people, and the humanitarian situation in that country. In response, Ireland has offered an additional €1 million in emergency aid to the UNHCR to support Afghan refugees and other host countries. We will continue to engage in the humanitarian response in Afghanistan at the upcoming High Level Ministerial Meeting on 13 September 2021, in Geneva.