Written Answers Nos. 1-14
1. Deputy Máire Devine asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the case of an Irish citizen (details supplied) who is incarcerated in Cambodia and requires urgent medical attention; what action he and his Department will take in support of this citizen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3689/25]
View answerI can confirm that officials in my Department are aware of this case and are providing ongoing consular assistance to the citizen and their family.
I appreciate that this is a difficult situation for all concerned.
As with all consular cases, my Department has assigned a dedicated case officer to the family and they remain in regular contact with them. Their case officer will continue to provide assistance to them.
I can further confirm that officials in the relevant Irish Embassy are actively engaged on this case and have very recently raised it with the relevant local authorities via the appropriate diplomatic channels.
I want to assure the Deputy and the family that officials in my Department and in the Irish Embassy will continue to provide all possible consular assistance to the citizen and their family.
2. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to provide a detailed breakdown of all funding allocated for the year ahead or spent in the past fiscal year by his Department on artificial intelligence systems or artificial intelligence research; what programmes or Department operations are conducted using artificial intelligence tools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3708/25]
View answerMy Department is actively exploring the opportunities presented by artificial intelligence and the various policy considerations that arise. None of the Department’s current programmes or services are driven by Generative AI models.
A limited amount of research has been done within the Department’s ICT Unit on Large Language Models (LLM) that has incurred approximately €25,000 in infrastructure costs. There is no specific allocation for next year. There are no agencies under my Department’s aegis.
3. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will instruct his Department to work with an organisation (details supplied) on an order to deliver aid to Gaza in light of the dire humanitarian crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3728/25]
View answerIreland has provided over €62 million in support of the Palestinian people since the beginning of 2023. Of this, more than €50 million has been provided in assistance since October 2023. This includes €38 million in core support to UNRWA, as well as the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the World Food Programme and others. Ireland’s support also includes the recent arrival in Ireland of eight patients as part of a medical evacuation and delivery of over 116 tonnes of relief supplies through Ireland’s rapid response initiative. The Government will be providing significant additional humanitarian assistance in the near future, as the situation develops, and will decide on the most effective channels in the light of the circumstances on the ground.
Our assistance to date has included direct support to Irish NGOs under Ireland’s Civil Society Partnership for A Better World (ICSP), and indirectly to NGOs working in Gaza, through our funding to the UN OCHA Humanitarian Fund. The ICSP is the Government's five-year funding scheme which partners with the ten major Irish civil society organisations with the capacity to deliver long-term development and humanitarian programmes overseas. The current scheme runs from 2023 to 2027.
Since 2023, over €2.5 million has been allocated to Irish NGOs working on long-term development programmes in the Occupied Territory and Israel. The bulk of this has been provided to Christian Aid Ireland and to Trócaire, for work on peacebuilding and human rights initiatives with a focus on women, girls and on other vulnerable groups. Plan International Ireland and Oxfam, with ICSP funding, also provide emergency support to the people of Gaza in the form of food and first aid kits, and safe drinking water for impacted communities.
The Department will consider proposals for the delivery of assistance from other organisations and agencies. However, given the complexity of the situation in Gaza, the organisation mentioned might consider having their volunteers offer their services to aid agencies which have already been working in Gaza and have the necessary support structures and specialist training programmes in place. Many of these agencies are currently increasing their immediate assistance and beginning the process of planning longer-term interventions. The UN has also detailed the key partners it is using to address humanitarian needs in its Flash Appeal for Palestine 2025.
4. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the position regarding the Government's policy on the independence of Somaliland; if any research or diplomatic efforts have been carried out by his Department in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3735/25]
View answerIreland has provided consistent humanitarian and development support to the people of Somalia through the Government's international development programme. Since 2018, in the face of multiple crises in the country, our assistance has amounted to a total of €58 million. We have worked with partners to assist Somalia in dealing with the combined impact of conflict, climate change and significant development challenges. In addition, the European Union provides substantial support to the Federal Government of Somalia, amounting to some €4.3 billion since 2009, providing assistance as it combats the continuing Al Shabaab insurgency, and works on the challenges of political and economic reform and development. The EU has been a key funder of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia, and the newly-authorised African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission.
With respect to the status of Somaliland, Ireland, in common with our EU partners, the UN and the African Union, considers Somaliland to be a region of Somalia, with a special autonomous status.
We believe that a permanent solution to the status of Somaliland should be reached through negotiations between the authorities of Somaliland and the Federal Government of Somalia. This solution must be acceptable to both parties and we do not seek to influence the outcome of the process. We continue to monitor developments across Somalia, including through our Embassy in Nairobi, which is accredited to Somalia.
5. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the dates in 2024 the Irish Consul based in Austin, USA, has met with the Mayor of Dallas, Texas, in tabular form. [3764/25]
View answerStrengthening our relationship with the United States is a key priority for me and for this Government. Strategic political engagement is an important part of that effort at both Federal and State level.
Ireland’s Consul General in Austin did not meet with the Mayor of Dallas in 2024. However, the Consulate of Ireland in Austin General engages regularly with elected officials and broad range of stakeholders, across its consular region including in Dallas. The Consulate also supports high level visits from Ireland to the state of Texas, taking opportunities that these visits offer for further political engagement.
In August 2024, Minister of State Thomas Byrne T.D. undertook a programme in Dallas as part of a wider four day programme in Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri. The Minister met with members of the Irish business community and also participated in a roundtable discussion hosted by the World Affairs Council of Dallas with leaders drawn from the Dallas sports business community and local government. Dallas Council Member Zarin Gracey, and a senior City of Dallas official participated in this roundtable.
6. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the details of each time his Department, or public bodies under the aegis of his Department, enlisted the services of consultants in 2023 and 2024; the purpose, value and duration of each contract in relation to public bodies under the aegis of his Department, including where consulting contracts are classified under ‘business-as-usual outsourcing’ for annual reporting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3783/25]
View answerThe Department of Foreign Affairs is responsible for two Votes - Vote 27 (International Cooperation) and Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs). Overall expenditure under both Votes for consultancy services engaged by my Department in 2023 and 2024 to date are set out in the schedule at the link below. As a number of contracts are multi-annual, their expenditure in each year of 2023 and 2024 are listed separately in the schedule.
My Department engages external expertise in line with national and EU procurement rules when it is clear the skills are adding value to the wide range of skills already available in the Department and in particular where independent appraisal and evaluation of policies and projects is necessary. Such external expertise may involve the provision of expert reports, expert analysis or expert services to the Department. External expertise has informed, and continues to inform, my Department's strategies and policies and the effective delivery of our services to our citizens in a transparent and accountable manner.
The policy of the Department is to operate competitive tendering as standard procedure in order to achieve best value for money. Procurement takes place in the context of Directive 2014/24/EU and supported by Procurement Guidelines published by the Office of Government Procurement (OGP). The Department participates fully in ongoing initiatives of the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) focusing especially on achieving procurement savings, including the use of shared framework agreements for the provision of different categories of supplies and services.
7. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the position regarding the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018; the progress to date on any amendments or new legislation in this regard, as committed to in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3807/25]
View answerAs set out in the Programme for Government, the situation in the Middle East remains a central foreign policy priority, notably advocating for a sustainable peace between Israel and Palestine through the realisation of the two-State solution.
Settlements are illegal under international law and undermine the realisation of the two-State solution.
As the House is aware, in light of the July 2024 Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice and the subsequent advice of the Attorney General, the Government decided to review the Occupied Territories Bill. The Government’s analysis is that substantive amendments would be required to most, if not all, of the Bill’s provisions in order to bring it in line with the Constitution and to try to reduce the risk of EU infringement procedures.
Work will be progressed in line with the Programme for Government. In parallel, Ireland continues to press for action at the EU level in light of the ICJ Advisory Opinion.
8. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he plans to engage with the new US Administration with a view to ensuring the continuation of the J1 USA visa programme for 2025 and beyond, given its importance to thousands of Irish students every year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3836/25]
View answerIreland and the US enjoy deep and strong bilateral relations. As is outlined in the new Programme for Government, it is a priority for Ireland to strengthen our political, cultural, economic and trade relationship with the US at all levels, recognising the unique significance of the mutually beneficial relationship between us.
An element of these important reciprocal relationships are the many strong people-to-people links between American and Irish people, including those supported through travel exchanges between our two countries. One of the most prominent of these is the J1 Student Work and Travel Programme. Thousands of Irish students avail of the J1 visa to travel and work in the US every year.
The Government recognises the importance of this reciprocal scheme in allowing Irish and American students to work and travel in each other's countries. We look forward to continuing our strong and trusted relationship with the US in respect of this scheme, including with the new US administration.
9. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to address the lack of phone coverage for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3873/25]
View answerThe roll-out of infrastructure for mobile telecommunications services in Ireland is primarily a matter for private mobile network operators, operating on a commercial basis in a liberalised market, regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). ComReg is statutorily independent in the exercise of its functions in accordance with section 11 of the Communications Regulation Act 2002.
To assist consumers to choose the network provider that best meets their needs, ComReg continually updates and enhances its online national outdoor mobile coverage map (available at: coveragemap.comreg.ie/map), which provides clear information on where operators have good 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G coverage.
ComReg completed a Multi-band Spectrum Award in January 2023 to assign long term rights of use in four spectrum bands to enable the market to provide improved services to meet increasing consumer demand for mobile data and new services. This award represents a 46% increase in the harmonised spectrum assigned for the provision of wireless broadband services in Ireland and includes significant coverage obligations for operators.
Outages experienced on the telecom networks can be due to the lack of power to fixed and mobile infrastructure. While many key sites have battery backup to maintain service, once battery capacity was exhausted some network areas would have experienced outages. Deployment of generators maintained connectivity at core sites across the country. For example, the estimated effect of Storm Éowyn on the telecoms networks was the largest in ComReg recording history.
A key focus for government, the National Emergency Coordination Group and all organisations involved is to find ways to support power restoration works that will make the most impact in terms of restoring water, communications and other services.
10. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide a detailed breakdown of all funding allocated for the year ahead or spent in the past fiscal year by his Department on artificial intelligence systems or artificial intelligence research; what programs or Department operations, if any, are conducted using artificial intelligence tools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3706/25]
View answerMy Department continues to take advice from the National Cyber Security Centre in respect of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and are following recommendations provided in June 2023.
All applications used within the Department are required to be in line with Departmental policies and procedures. No licenses nor subscriptions to AI tools have been purchased. Therefore, no Department systems nor operations are conducted using AI.
11. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the amount the ESB has paid each year since 2020 on external legal fees contesting appeals made to the Office of the Commissioner for Environmental Information and Information Commissioner in relation to freedom of information and access to information on the environment regulations requests, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3774/25]
View answerESB is a commercial State body under the aegis of my Department. This is an operational matter for ESB, therefore I will ask the body in question to respond to the Deputy directly.
12. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the amount Bord na Móna has paid each year since 2020 on external legal fees contesting appeals made to the Office of the Commissioner for Environmental Information and Information Commissioner in relation to freedom of information and access to information on the environment regulations requests, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3775/25]
View answerBord na Móna is a commercial State body under the aegis of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. This is an operational matter for Bord na Móna, therefore I have asked the body in question to respond to the Deputy directly.
13. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the details of each time his Department, or public bodies under the aegis of his Department, enlisted the services of consultants in 2023 and 2024; the purpose, value, and duration of each contract in relation to public bodies under the aegis of his Department, including where consulting contracts are classified under ‘business-as-usual outsourcing’ for annual reporting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3781/25]
View answerI am advised that the list of all consultancies engaged by my Department for the years 2023 and 2024, indicating the duration and purpose of each consultancy, is as set out in the tables at the following links.
With regard to the agencies under my Department's remit, I have asked that they reply directly to you in regard to their respective consultancy spends.
14. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications what steps are being taken to reduce the risk of power outages rurally in severe storms and other weather events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3896/25]
View answerThe subject of these Questions relates to storm responses and particularly that of Storm Éowyn, which caused an unprecedented level of damage to our networks. I wish to acknowledge the work of ESB Networks in responding to the aftermath and international colleagues who have come to our assistance.
Issues regarding the development of the national electricity grid rest with EirGrid and ESB Networks, who are independent of me as Minister in the exercise of their respective functions. EirGrid, as Transmission System Operator, have responsibility for the development of the Transmission Network and ESB Networks, as Distribution System Operator, have responsibility for the development of the Distribution Network. Both entities are overseen by the independent regulator, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities. Notwithstanding this, a key focus for Government, the National Emergency Co-ordination Group and all organisations involved is to find ways to support current power restoration works as expeditiously as possible and I am monitoring the situation closely.
The Government does not have any role in the delivery of electricity infrastructure on the ground. This is consistent with the 2012 Government Policy Statement on the Strategic Importance of Transmission and Other Energy Infrastructure which states: ‘The Government does not seek to direct EirGrid and ESB Networks or other energy infrastructure developers to particular sites or routes or technologies’. Planning, building, safely operating and maintaining the electricity system are functions which are assigned to the respective Distribution and Transmission system operators and for which they are accountable to the CRU. It is for system operators to determine the means of delivery of infrastructure.
Investing in our grid is undertaken in 5 year cycles, known as Price Reviews, sanctioned by the CRU. Price Review 6 will see the CRU sanction the investment in the grid for 2026 to 2030, and has seen ESB Networks request a base line investment of €10.1 billion, with the potential to grow to €13.4 billion. To deal with the disruptive events of storms and long term impacts of climate change, as part of PR6, ESB Networks are planning to implement a strategic approach to asset management to ensure that the investments are futureproofed and resilient.
Given the subject matter of this question the Deputy should engage directly with ESB Networks and EirGrid in the first instance regarding the issues that they are raising. The CRU, EirGrid and ESB Networks have respective contact email address for Deputies should they wish to raise matters of concern.
