Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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328. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the docking of Russian registered ships in Irish ports will be tightened further or prohibited entirely in view of the fact that the existing levels of sanctions have not achieved an end to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. [30680/22]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Ireland has consistently supported the widest possible sanctions since the start of the Ukrainian crisis. The fifth package of EU sanctions, adopted on 8 April, included particular prohibitions on transport. Since 16 April, it has been prohibited to provide access to EU ports, including Irish ports, to Russian-flagged vessels. The prohibition also applies to vessels reflagged from the Russian flag after 24 February 2022.  My department communicated this prohibition in Marine Notice 19 of 2022 which was communicated to all ports and maritime stakeholders. On 3 June the EU adopted a further sixth package of sanctions which Ireland also fully supported.

Almost all EU sanctions regimes provide for situations where, for various reasons, the sanctions do not apply. These may take the form of exemptions, which apply automatically, or derogations, for which an authorisation issued by a Competent Authority is required.  Sanctions targeting Russia and Belarus in response to the invasion of Ukraine are no different. They contain numerous exceptions to ensure that sanctions are effective, implementable, and impact Russia more than they impact the EU.  Exemptions and derogations are included for very good reasons, including to ensure security of supply of food and other essential products on the European market.

As the Deputy may be aware, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE), through its Trade Licensing and Control Unit, is responsible for the implementation of trade sanctions in accordance with Ireland's international commitments and obligations as a member of the EU.  DETE is also a Competent Authority in Ireland for the purposes of Council Regulation (EU) No. 833/2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine, as amended by Council Regulation (EU) 2022 /576. This Regulation makes provision for a national Competent Authority (DETE) to authorise a derogation from the prohibition of Russian Vessels entering Irish Ports on limited and very specific grounds.  The EU sanction prohibiting Russian-flagged vessels accessing EU ports has an explicit derogation to allow for the import of agricultural and food products.

In this role, since April 16th , DETE has informed the Department of Transport that following recommendations received from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, it had authorised derogations for four Russian flagged vessels to enter Irish ports. The Department of Transport subsequently informed the relevant ports of this authorisation.

Discussions are ongoing at EU level, in which Ireland participates, on possible further measures to be implemented and it is important that Ireland continues to move in step our EU partners in relation to sanctions imposed.

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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329. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if international legal action will be taken by the State in respect of the unlawful seizure or unlawful re-registration of Irish registered aircraft in Russia. [30681/22]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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In March 2022, my department wrote to the Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to express Ireland's concern about the actions taken by the Russian Federation in respect of Irish registered aircraft as the deputy has outlined in his question. The Irish Aviation Authority has justifiably revoked the Certificates of Airworthiness (CofA) of those aircraft on the Irish register and in our communication to ICAO we highlighted the serious aviation safety concerns presented by the continued operation of these aircraft without valid CofAs.

While there are currently no plans for the State to take international legal action, my department continues to engage with ICAO, the leasing industry, and the European Commission on this issue.