Written Answers Nos. 54-68
54. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Taoiseach the total number of freedom of information requests submitted to his Department in 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024; and the total number of such requests that were rejected in their entirety. [37604/24]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table beneath.
|
Year |
Number of FOI Requests Received |
Number of FOI Request Refused |
|
2022 |
325 |
107 |
|
2023 |
342 |
91 |
|
2024 (to date) |
188 |
47 |
It should be noted that requests were refused for a variety of reasons in accordance with relevant provisions in the Freedom of Information Act, including where no records relevant to requests were found to exist and where personal information or commercially sensitive information was withheld
55. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Taoiseach the projects and programmes with his Department which have been allocated funding under the EU's Recovery and Resilience Programme; the funds drawn down to date in each instance; the profiled drawdown in each of the forthcoming years of the programme; and the steps he is taking to ensure that projects and programmes are completed within the specified timeframe [37795/24]
View answerThe Department of the Taoiseach is not in receipt of funding under the EU's Recovery and Resilience Programme.
56. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs when a response to correspondence (details supplied) from this Deputy concerning difficulties securing documents will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37806/24]
View answerThe Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 enshrines in law the importance of a person knowing their origins. This includes a child, whose now deceased parent was adopted, nursed out, boarded out or subject to an illegal birth registration, being able to access information on their parent’s origins as a shared element of their own origins. This means that the child can receive the same suite of birth, early life, care, incorrect birth registration and medical information that their parent (the relevant person) would have been entitled to receive, where the records exist and are held by one of the relevant bodies that provide the birth information and tracing services. Should any such relevant records exist, and are held by either the Authority or Tusla, they must be released in full to the child of the deceased relevant person seeking them.
In this case, following an application under the Act, the person concerned has stated that Tusla was not able to provide his mother’s records, and that he was informed by Tusla that the records had been destroyed when the mother and baby care home institution was burned down. It is unfortunate that due to the historical nature of the records, in some cases information may not exist.
Should the person concerned wish to provide their express written permission, my officials will contact Tusla and request that they explore if there are any additional sources of records which may assist the person concerned with finding supporting documentation. Ultimately however, decisions on passport applications are a matter for the Passport Office, and any further documentation which may be located will need to satisfy requirements set by that office.
57. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to outline, in response to over 500 days of the conflict in Sudan, which has caused almost 10 million to be forced to flee their homes making it the world’s largest displacement crisis, the actions the Government has taken on this; and if his Department will consider actions (details supplied). [37279/24]
View answerI am gravely concerned by the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Sudan. Over 12 million people have been displaced, 25 million face acute hunger, and famine has been declared in North Darfur. The UN’s Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan has found evidence of widespread war crimes and crimes against humanity, with both conflict parties deliberately blocking urgently needed humanitarian access.Ireland has been responding to this catastrophe. On the humanitarian front Ireland has provided over €10.5 million in humanitarian aid to Sudan so far this year, and a further €2.5 million in support of Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries. Ireland has also supported UN and EU calls to facilitate cross-border humanitarian access and allow the unimpeded delivery of aid into the country.
Ireland has also provided support to civil society organisations working on peace mediation, civil society dialogue, conflict analysis and human rights, including protection for human rights defenders. Ireland is a longstanding partner of the Sudanese health system, with a focus on medical education. This is continuing, including through HSE donation of hospital equipment. Ireland has consistently emphasised the need to put civil society at the centre of Sudan’s political future. However the provision of aid on its own is not sufficient. This crisis requires international pressure for a political solution.
Last year, the Tánaiste led calls at the Foreign Affairs Council for a new EU sanctions regime against individuals undermining peace in Sudan. Twelve entities and individuals have now been listed under the new instrument. The Tánaiste is due to discuss the situation again at the Foreign Affairs Council in October.
Ireland implements sanctions on individuals and entities designated on EU and UN terrorist sanctions lists. Such a designation in the EU is a legal process which requires unanimity and must be based on a legal designation as a terrorist organisation by a member state.
Ireland is working to ensure extension of the mandate of the UN’s International Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan. For the sake of Sudan’s political future, those who violate human rights and humanitarian law must be held accountable for their actions. While it is regrettable that the UN Security Council did not adopt the Fact-Finding Mission’s recommendation to extend the current UN arms embargo from Darfur to the whole of Sudan, the current EU arms embargo on Sudan extends to the whole of the territory of Sudan.It is vital that external actors end all actions which fuel and prolong the conflict. Along with our European partners, we have called on all states that are supplying arms and funds to the belligerents to cease their support immediately, including as expressed in the April 2024 EU Statement on Sudan. We will continue to avail of opportunities to raise these issues directly with countries concerned.In view of the scale of forced displacement, Ireland will continue to provide support for the humanitarian and protection response in neighbouring countries. While, Ireland’s asylum and immigration framework is a matter for the Minister for Justice, the Department of Foreign Affairs maintains contact with representatives of the Sudanese community in Ireland, who continue to express deep concern for the catastrophic humanitarian and conflict situation.
58. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to escalate a passport application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37418/24]
View answerWith regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has issued a passport to the applicant.
59. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of an application (details supplied) made under the foreign birth register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37421/24]
View answerMy Department is responsible for processing Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) applications for people who are born abroad and claim Irish citizenship through a grandparent born in Ireland or through a parent who has claimed citizenship also through FBR, Naturalisation or Post Nuptial Citizenship.
FBR applications are currently being processed within the normal turnaround time of 9 months from receipt of supporting documents. Applications which require further supporting documents will take longer to process.
Foreign Birth Registration, by its nature, is a detailed and complex process, often involving official documentation relating to three generations and issued by several jurisdictions. Such documents take considerable time to validate.
With regard to the specific applicant to which the Deputy refers, while an online application was generated and fee paid against application number 407089 on 31/07/2023, the physical application form and supporting documents were received in the FBR Unit on 23/08/2023. Due to the complex nature of the Foreign Birth Registration process, it takes approximately 9 months to process a fully competed FBR application that requires no further submissions. The processing time begins when the application form and supporting documents are received by the FBR Unit. This application was checked on 19/06/2024 and further documents were required. These documents were received on 18/07/2024 and the application is now in the returns queue for checking.
The Passport Service Customer Service Hub has dedicated agents to deal with Foreign Birth Registration application queries. The contact number for urgent Foreign Birth Registration queries is +353 1 568 3331. This number is also available on the Department's website.
60. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to provide the figures for 2023 for Irish passport applications from individuals living outside of the State, and specifically figures from Northern Ireland, the rest of the UK, Europe, USA, Australia, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and other parts of the Middle East. [37432/24]
View answerThe Passport Service received 1,036,712 passport applications in 2023. The total number of passport applications received from applicants with addresses outside the State, for 2023, was 318,179.
The Passport Online service offers Irish citizens the ability to apply online for their passport 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is a user-friendly, efficient service that consistently offers processing times up to 4 times faster than paper-based passport renewal applications. Over 90% of all passport applications are made through Passport Online, which is now available to 99.9% of all applicants across the world.
With regard to total applications made from Northern Ireland and Great Britain in 2023, please see the figures in tabular form below:
|
Location |
Total Applications Received |
|
NI |
123,735 |
|
GB |
113,270 |
With regard to Europe, USA, Australia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and the rest of the Middle East, please see the figures for total online applications, made in 2023, in tabular form below:
|
Location |
Online Applications Received |
|
EUROPE |
18,446 |
|
USA |
28,887 |
|
AUSTRALIA |
12,633 |
|
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES |
1,737 |
|
QATAR |
229 |
|
REST OF MIDDLE EAST |
810 |
A further breakdown of the online applications made by applicants resident in countries in Europe and the Middle East are listed below:
|
Region: Europe |
Online Applications Received |
|
ALBANIA |
3 |
|
ANDORRA |
2 |
|
AUSTRIA |
393 |
|
AZERBAIJAN |
1 |
|
BELARUS |
4 |
|
BELGIUM |
736 |
|
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA |
13 |
|
BULGARIA |
86 |
|
CROATIA |
27 |
|
CYPRUS |
153 |
|
CZECH REPUBLIC |
168 |
|
DENMARK |
335 |
|
ESTONIA |
30 |
|
FINLAND |
103 |
|
FRANCE |
2,982 |
|
GEORGIA |
6 |
|
GERMANY |
2,687 |
|
GIBRALTAR |
99 |
|
GREECE |
170 |
|
GUERNSEY |
138 |
|
HUNGARY |
115 |
|
ICELAND |
23 |
|
ITALY |
796 |
|
ISLE OF MAN |
448 |
|
KAZAKHSTAN |
3 |
|
LATVIA |
47 |
|
LIECHTENSTEIN |
3 |
|
LITHUANIA |
91 |
|
LUXEMBOURG |
399 |
|
MALTA |
173 |
|
MOLDOVA, REPUBLIC OF |
13 |
|
MONACO |
33 |
|
MONTENEGRO |
1 |
|
NETHERLANDS |
1,668 |
|
NORWAY |
241 |
|
POLAND |
545 |
|
PORTUGAL |
558 |
|
ROMANIA |
99 |
|
RUSSIA |
44 |
|
SLOVAK REPUBLIC |
74 |
|
SLOVENIA |
9 |
|
SPAIN |
2,986 |
|
SWEDEN |
411 |
|
SWITZERLAND |
1,390 |
|
TURKEY |
129 |
|
UKRAINE |
11 |
|
Region: Middle East |
|
|
COUNTRY |
Online Applications Received |
|
BAHRAIN |
91 |
|
EGYPT |
90 |
|
IRAN, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF |
2 |
|
IRAQ |
9 |
|
ISRAEL |
234 |
|
JORDAN |
69 |
|
KUWAIT |
28 |
|
LEBANON |
24 |
|
OMAN |
28 |
|
PALESTINE TERRITORY, OCCUPIED |
3 |
|
QATAR |
229 |
|
SAUDI ARABIA |
229 |
|
SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC |
3 |
|
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES |
1,737 |
61. Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will press for conclusions on Sudan at the next meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council; if he will seek an extension of the arms embargo beyond Darfur and an increase in humanitarian aid to Sudan; and his views on whether steps can be taken to assist the UN and development NGO to get aid to those who need it. [37496/24]
View answer62. Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has raised the situation in Sudan with his Egyptian and Emirati counterparts; whether he has any concerns that they may be contributing to the humanitarian crisis in the country; and the date on which he last met or spoke to them. [37497/24]
View answer63. Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will press for conclusions on Sudan at the next meeting of the European Council; and if he will seek an extension of the arms embargo beyond Darfur and the provision of more humanitarian aid to those who need it. [37498/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 61, 62 and 63 together.
I am gravely concerned by the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Sudan. Over 12 million people have been displaced; 25 million face acute hunger, and famine has been declared in North Darfur. The UN’s Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan has found evidence of widespread war crimes and crimes against humanity, with both conflict parties deliberately blocking urgently needed humanitarian access.
Ireland has been responding to this catastrophe. On the humanitarian front, so far this year, Ireland has provided over €10.5 million in humanitarian aid to Sudan and a further €2.5 million in support of Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries. The level of our assistance already exceeds the pledge for 2024 which I delivered at the High Level Pledging Event for Sudan in Paris in April.
Ireland has also supported UN and EU calls to facilitate cross-border humanitarian access and allow the unimpeded delivery of aid into the country. All parties to the conflict must adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law and allow the delivery of aid to those that need it most.
However the provision of aid on its own is not sufficient. This crisis requires international pressure for a political solution.
We are continuing to work with our European partners on finding solutions to the crisis. Last year, the Tánaiste led calls at the Foreign Affairs Council for a new EU sanctions regime against individuals undermining peace in Sudan. Twelve entities and individuals have now been listed under the new instrument. The Tánaiste is due to discuss the situation at the Foreign Affairs Council in October, and Ireland will continue to consider the most effective use of the EU autonomous sanctions regime to target those engaged in egregious conduct, such as attacks on civilians and obstruction of aid.
Ireland is also working to support UN action on Sudan. This week in New York the Tánaiste will attend a Ministerial Meeting on Sudan co-hosted by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We are also working to ensure extension of the mandate of the International Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan. For the sake of Sudan’s political future, those who violate human rights and humanitarian law must be held accountable for their actions.
While it is regrettable that the UN Security Council did not adopt the International Fact Finding Mission’s recommendation to extend the current UN arms embargo from Darfur to the whole of Sudan, the EU has already addressed this issue. The current EU arms embargo on Sudan extends to the whole of the territory of Sudan.
Finally, it is vital that external actors end all actions which fuel and prolong the conflict. Along with our European partners, we have called on all states that are supplying arms and funds to the belligerents to cease their support immediately, including as expressed in the April 2024 EU Statement on Sudan. We will continue to take every opportunity to raise these issues directly with the countries concerned.
64. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if an application for a passport can be processed as quickly as possible in the case of a person (details supplied); if every effort can be made to issue their passport, given the emotional toll of their circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37546/24]
View answerThe Passport Service has issued over 855,000 passports to date this year. All passport applications are subject to the requirements of the Passports Act 2008, as amended. First-time applications are the most complex applications due to the necessary checks involved to verify the identity and citizenship status of the applicant. The turnaround time to complete first-time online applications is 20 working days.
The Passport Service takes its responsibility to protect the integrity of the Irish passport very seriously. The Irish passport has a strong international reputation due to the strength of the security features within the passport book and the robust processes involved in its issuance. The Irish passport was recently ranked third in the Henley Global Passport Index, as it provides our citizens with visa-free access to 193 countries. Accordingly, there is a rigorous checking process in place for first time applications.
The Travel Emergency service is available to citizens in cases of medical emergency or death of a family member abroad. First time passport applications are essentially applications for Irish citizenship and, as such, require very rigorous evaluation. It is important to note that the Passport Service will only expedite a passport where entitlement to Irish citizenship has been proven and all other required supporting documents have been received by the Passport Service.
With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service received the documents for this first time application on 16/08/2024. Further supporting documents for this application was requested by the Passport Service on 11/09/2024 and received by the Passport Service on 12/09/2024. It is important to note that turnaround times for applications that require supporting documents begin from the date the Passport Service receives the supporting documents are received. Travel Emergency will reach out to the applicant again to ask for further evidence of the emergency to check if the applicant meets requirements for expediating. If so, Travel Emergency will assist with expediting his application.
65. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of special envoys appointed in the years 2000 to date; the appointment process by which they were chosen; the funds allocated in each year to support their work; the intended duration of their term; if he will report on their work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37585/24]
View answerFor the period 2000 to date, a total of twenty appointments as Special Envoy were made, of which twelve were appointed in the context of Ireland’s campaign for a seat on the UN Security Council.
Information on the appointment process, the funds expended and duration can be found in the Report of the Group Established to Review the Role and Appointment of Special Envoys, completed in October 2021 and covering the period 2010-2021. The Report is available on the website of my Department: Report-of-Group-Established-to-Review-the-Role-and-Appointment-of-Special-Envoys.pdf (dfa.ie).
This Report concluded that Special Envoys appointed by Ireland are seen as having enhanced Ireland’s profile and objectives on specific policy priorities. They also contributed to the success of Ireland’s Security Council campaigns. The Government noted the contents of the Report in November 2021 and accepted the recommendations for the process of appointing future Special Envoys.
The last of the Special Envoys listed in the Report concluded their work in December 2022 and no further Special Envoys have been appointed since then.
In addition to those referred to in the Report, the following Special Envoys were appointed in the period 2000-2009:
Ms Nuala O’Loan, former Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, was appointed by then Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dermot Ahern T.D., in February 2008 as Roving Ambassador for Conflict Resolution and Special Envoy to Timor-Leste. She also held the role of Special Envoy on the UN Security Council Resolution on Women, Peace and Security (UNSCR 1325). Both appointments ended in February 2011.
Mr. Chris Flood, former T.D., was appointed by then Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dermot Ahern T.D., as a Special Envoy in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami of St. Stephen's Day 2004. His role was to outline progress in the recovery effort and, in particular, on the utilisation of Irish Government funds allocated in response to the tsunami disaster. Mr. Flood’s appointment was confirmed in January 2005 and lasted for a period of six months.
Mr. Kevin Farrell, expert on hunger and food security in the international development context, was appointed as Ireland’s Special Envoy on Hunger in January 2009 for an 18-month period, ending in June 2010. The role was developed in response to the Hunger Task Force Report by the Department of Foreign Affairs and announced in January 2009 by then Minister of State for Overseas Development, Peter Power, and then Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin.
66. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the total number of freedom of information requests submitted to his Department in 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024; the total number of such requests that were rejected in their entirety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37596/24]
View answerIn 2022, my Department received and processed 272 valid Freedom of Information requests of which 71 were issued with decisions refusing access to the requested records.
In 2023, my Department received and processed 285 valid Freedom of Information requests, of which 72 were issued with decisions refusing access to the requested records.
To date in 2024, my Department has received 210 Freedom of Information requests, of which 44 were issued with decisions refusing access to the requested records.
All valid Freedom of Information requests for access to records held by my Department are considered and processed under the terms and provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2014.
67. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the projects and programmes with his Department which have been allocated funding under the EU's Recovery and Resilience Programme; the funds drawn down to date in each instance; the profiled drawdown in each of the forthcoming years of the programme; the steps he is taking to ensure that projects and programmes are completed within the specified timeframe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37787/24]
View answerUnder the modified National Recovery and Resilience Plan, Ireland will receive €1.15 billion in grants over the period of the RRF (2024-2026) covering the priorities of Advancing the Green Transition, Accelerating and Expanding Digital Reforms and Transformation, Social and Economic Recovery and Job Creation and REPowerEU. My Department has not been allocated any funding under the Programme.
68. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the estimated cost in 2025 if the budget for the diaspora affairs fund increased by 50%. [37837/24]
View answerThe Government remains strongly committed to supporting Irish diaspora communities all over the world, in line with its Global Ireland: Ireland’s Diaspora Strategy 2020-2025.
The most tangible expression of that support is through the Emigrant Support Programme, administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs, which this year will see the disbursement of over €16 million in grants to Irish community and other organisations all over the world. The emphasis of the Emigrant Support Programme rightly remains on supporting culturally sensitive, frontline welfare services, targeted at the most vulnerable members of our overseas communities. We also channel funding to support cultural, heritage, business and Irish studies projects.
The budget allocated to the Diaspora Affairs Fund in 2024 was €1 million. The overall 2025 allocation for the Emigrant Support Programme and Diaspora Affairs Fund will be confirmed following finalisation of the budget process. Amongst the projects supported by the Diaspora Affairs Fund are:
- the provision by the Citizens Information Board of advice and support to those seeking to return to Ireland;
- the Back for Business entrepreneurship development programme for returning emigrants;
- the funding of a Historian-in-Residence in the EPIC Emigration Museum and the development of diaspora-related exhibitions.
The Government will continue to support our diaspora communities and the organisations which work with them.
