Written Answers Nos. 89-109
89. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress made on delivering a strategy to support the delivery of the International Sports Diplomacy Framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54248/25]
View answer90. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when the steering group to oversee the implementation of the International Sports Diplomacy Framework will be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54249/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 89 and 90 together.
Recognising the value of sports to Ireland's international engagement, the Government in May launched Ireland’s first ever International Sports Diplomacy Framework. The Framework aims to help build Ireland’s reputation as a premier sporting nation, while fostering opportunities for international partnerships, cultural exchange and diaspora engagement. It also considers how best to leverage the Government’s significant investment in sport at all levels to advance Ireland’s foreign policy and economic priorities and promoting Ireland’s values.
The Framework commits to developing an International Sports Diplomacy Strategy to support the delivery of this Framework. Work is underway to develop the Strategy, which will identify priorities and lessons learned from stakeholders across relevant sectors, and seek to achieve maximum impact of the Framework’s goals.
A steering group has been established to implement this Framework, jointly chaired by senior officials from the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Membership of the steering group includes eight government departments and seven state agencies.
The main purpose of this steering group is to lead development of the new International Sports Diplomacy Strategy. Two meetings of the steering group have been held to date, most recently on 09 September, where a roadmap for targeted stakeholder consultations on the new Strategy was agreed. The consultations will include a targeted engagement with key stakeholders, including National Governing Bodies for Sport, current and former athletes, relevant state agencies and local authorities, business and trade organisations, NGOs, civil society and members of Ireland's sporting diaspora.
As set out at the time of the publication of the Framework, the aim is to publish the Sports Diplomacy Strategy by end-2025 and we remain on target to achieve this.
91. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade If he will consider the concerns raised in the correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54256/25]
View answerAll passport applications are subject to the requirements of the Passports Act, 2008, as amended (the 2008 Act).
The Act provides a legal basis for the various policies and procedures that are applied by the Passport Service in the issuing of passports. Section 10 of the Act provides that a passport will issue in the name of a citizen as it appears on their birth certificate or naturalisation certificate.
In accordance with Section 10(3) of the 2008 Act, if an applicant for a passport applies to have a passport issued in a name other than the name entered in their most recent passport, the Minister shall require the applicant to produce such evidence as appears to him or her to be satisfactory of the use by the applicant of the new name before a passport may be issued to the applicant in that name.
A name change for a passport from that which appears on a person’s birth or naturalisation certificate is permitted under the Act in situations such as marriage, civil partnership, etc., where civil or legal documents are available to verify this change. If an applicant has already been issued with a passport in their birth name since their marriage, the applicant must produce evidence of two years' proof of usage of their married name, along with their original marriage certificate.
With regard to the specific applicant to which the Deputy refers, the Passport Service has liaised with the Deputy's office to obtain the contact details of the citizen to assist them with their application.
92. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to confirm if any staff devices (laptops, phones, USBs) containing departmental information or sensitive data were reported lost or stolen in the past five years; the number of devices reported; the data risk involved; and the associated cost of mitigation. [54385/25]
View answerThe number of devices lost or stolen is as follows:
|
Year |
Phone |
Laptop |
|
2020 |
2 |
- |
|
2021 |
9 |
2 |
|
2022 |
11 |
2 |
|
2023 |
10 |
4 |
|
2024 |
10 |
1 |
|
2025 |
11 |
4 |
The use of USB devices on departmental devices is not permitted.
The Department has clear procedures in place in relation to the loss, theft and replacement of devices. Staff receive training on their obligations regarding departmental data and on protocols to follow if devices are lost or stolen. To protect all data and to ensure low risk, all devices are encrypted and immediately wiped on receipt of notification of a device being lost or stolen.
The expenditure on data loss mitigation and related cyber security measures is integrated within the overall ICT expenditure.
93. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to detail the instances in which software or IT systems procured by his Department or agencies were later deemed unfit for purpose; and the costs of replacement or remediation. [54395/25]
View answerThe Department's ICT projects are managed and delivered under its Digital Transformation Strategy. There is only one instance where a software or IT system procured by the Department was deemed unfit for purpose.
A decision was made in 2023 that the contract for a new Passport Integrated and Processing System should be concluded due to the contract terms not being met. The project is now being delivered under an alternate contract.
The Passport Integrated and Processing System (PIPS) was to replace the old back office, passport operating system. This system which is called APS (Automated Passport System) was developed more than 20 years ago and is at end of life. This system facilitates the workflow around the processing of approx. 1 million passport applications annually. Following an EU procurement process the contract was signed in September 2021 and the contractor was appointed to develop this new back office operating system, called PIPS. The sum of €218,230, was paid to the contractor on 9 December 2021 on successful completion of the first milestone in accordance with the terms of the contract. As milestone payments to the contractor were conditional upon achievement of milestones no further milestone payments were made. In line with advice from CSSO the contract was terminated in September 2023, and for accounting purposes, as previously published and as reflected in the 2023 vote 28 appropriation account, the sum of €218,230 was written off, in accordance with accounting principles. No termination payments were made by the Department to the contractor on foot of the mutually agreed early termination of the contract.
Conscious of the need to replace the old APS system the Department has identified and appointed a contractor to design and implement a new system. This work is progressing well with phase 1 scheduled to roll out before the end of this year and implementation to be completed on a phased basis.
94. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the process by which persons are nominated or appointed by the State to serve as members of the permanent court of arbitration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54400/25]
View answer95. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the eligibility criteria applied in the selection of persons nominated by the State to the permanent court of arbitration; and if such criteria was publicly available in advance of the most recent appointments on 4 April 2024 and 13 May 2025. [54401/25]
View answer96. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the body or persons responsible for assessing candidates for appointment to the permanent court of arbitration; and the measures in place to ensure impartiality and independence in that assessment. [54402/25]
View answer97. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide details of the records or documentation relating to the consideration of candidates for nomination to the permanent court of arbitration; and if he will make such records available. [54403/25]
View answer98. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the rationale provided for the most recent appointments to the permanent court of arbitration on 4 April 2024 and 13 May 2025; and the way in which the process ensured transparency and fairness in accordance with best practice for public appointments. [54404/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 94 to 98, inclusive, together.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) was the first global mechanism created for the settlement of disputes between States. It was established by the Hague Conventions for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes of 1899 and 1907. Ireland acceded to the 1907 Convention in 2002.
The PCA is not a court in the normal sense, but exists to assist States in the peaceful settlement of disputes by maintaining a list of suitably qualified persons from which states that are parties to a dispute may choose to form a tribunal for the purpose of settling their dispute. These persons are referred to as ‘Members of the Court.’
Appointment as a Member of the PCA does not require performance of any function – any Member asked to serve as an arbitrator to a particular dispute must agree to do so. No Irish Member of the PCA has ever been asked to serve as an arbitrator to a dispute arbitrated under the 1907 Convention. In fact, since the 1960s it has been extremely rare for States to submit disputes to the PCA at all.
Nowadays, the principal (and, in practice, only) function of Members of the PCA is the nomination of candidates for election to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. This function is conferred upon them by Article 4 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice, which is annexed to the Charter of the United Nations.
In Ireland, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade also seeks the assessment of the Irish National Group of the candidates nominated by other states’ National Groups in advance of determining Ireland’s voting intentions in regular elections to the ICJ at the UN General Assembly and Security Council in New York.
Each State Party to the 1907 Convention is entitled to appoint up to four persons as Members of the Court. The eligibility criteria for appointment, as set out at Article 44 of that Convention, are that the persons have ‘known competency in questions of international law’, and are ‘of the highest moral reputation and disposed to accept the duties of arbitrators’. Appointments are for a renewable term of six years. Members of the Court from each State Party constitute that State’s ‘National Group’. Members of National Groups typically consist of judges, Foreign Ministry legal advisers, legal practitioners and academics. Members serve in a voluntary capacity and there is no remuneration.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade appoints Ireland’s PCA Members. The practice since Ireland became a party to the 1907 Convention has been to appoint the DFAT Legal Adviser, to invite the sitting Attorney General to become a member and to ask him or her to consult the Chief Justice on the nomination of one or more sitting judges of the Superior Courts. Previous members of the Irish national group have also included suitably qualified academics.
The current Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Legal Adviser, Declan Smyth, was appointed to Ireland’s National Group in April 2024, in succession to his predecessor. The six-year terms of the three then-incumbent National Group members expired later that year. In March 2025, the Tánaiste approved the Department’s recommendation that the current Attorney General be invited to serve as a member of the National Group, and that he and the Chief Justice recommend two members of the judiciary for appointment. Following this, in May 2025 the Tánaiste then approved the appointment of the Attorney General, Rossa Fanning SC, and Judges Aileen Donnelly of the Supreme Court and Niamh Hyland of the Court of Appeal.
99. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the proposed timescale for the implementation of the Legacy Framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54529/25]
View answer100. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the legislative measures that will be introduced in respect of the implementation of the Legacy Framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54530/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 99 and 100 together.
The Joint Framework I announced on 19 September alongside Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn, sets out a comprehensive package aimed at providing truth and accountability for victims and families who lost loved ones during the Troubles. It represents a clear break with the 2023 UK Legacy Act, which was opposed by all political parties, victims and survivors groups, and wider civil society in Northern Ireland. The Framework is a welcome return to partnership by the two Governments on Northern Ireland, working as co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement.Both Governments’ respective commitments should now be faithfully implemented in a timely fashion.
The Framework is underpinned by a commitment to reciprocal cooperation and places obligations on this Government. It commits the relevant Irish authorities to cooperating with the Legacy Commission. This includes an undertaking by the Government to enable cooperation by relevant authorities in this jurisdiction with the Legacy Commission once established, and to legislate, if that is required to make that possible. The detail and timeline for the enactment of any legislation will be dependent on consideration of the legislation to be brought forward by the UK Government to reform the Legacy Act. I expect the UK legislation to be brought forward in the near future.
A dedicated unit within An Garda Síochána will be established by the end of the year as a single point of contact for cross-border cooperation on Troubles-related cases and as a central point of contact and coordination for victims and families in relation to Troubles-related investigations undertaken by An Garda Síochána. Its full operation will also be dependent on the progress of the legislation reforming the Legacy Commission and that body becoming fully operational.
The Government is committed to the establishment of the Independent Commission on Information Retrieval (ICIR), by way of international agreement with the United Kingdom, in line with our commitments under the Stormont House Agreement. Officials from both Governments are working together to finalise revisions to the 2015 International Agreement underpinning the establishment of the ICIR to take into account of the Joint Legacy Framework.
The Joint Framework lays the ground for a profound transformation. Once faithfully legislated for and implemented, it will fundamentally reform legacy processes, bodies, and outcomes.
101. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to urgently examine the results of the investigations carried out into the source of the pollution that caused the poisoning of tens of thousands of fish in the River Blackwater, and to ensure that it never happens again (details supplied); if he is satisfied with the outcome of this investigation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54304/25]
View answerI want to acknowledge the seriousness of the fish kill that occurred on the River Blackwater and its tributaries near Mallow, Co Cork, and I fully recognise the enormous impact this incident has had on local communities, anglers and users of this important river catchment.
The investigation into the fish kill has now concluded and a summary report on the investigation was published on 25 September by Inland Fisheries Ireland on behalf of the inter-agency group set up to coordinate the investigation. This report provides a clear account of the State’s response to, and the investigation into, the incident.
The investigation conclusively ruled out systemic diseases, water quality and discharges and the evidence points to a short-lived waterborne irritant, which dissipated before it could be traced back to a source.
While it is regrettable that no specific cause was found, I can assure the Deputy that this was not due to lack of action or effort but because the event was transient. I am satisfied that every avenue was investigated with over 40 site inspections, 900-chemical screens, pathology tests and extensive monitoring, sampling and surveys carried out by the Inter-Agency Group.
The priority now is to apply lessons learned from this event, strengthen enforcement and build resilience, to ensure that we are better prepared to prevent and respond to any such future incidents.
102. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment following the impact of Storm Amy which left over 184,000 households without power and caused major transport disruption, if he will detail the number of ESB crews deployed in each county; the average restoration time per outage; the additional funding required to accelerate network resilience upgrades; and whether annual severe weather contingency funding will be increased for 2026. [54445/25]
View answer103. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the measures ESB Networks have taken to reinforce the electricity grid following repeated storm-related outages, including storm Amy; the funding that has been allocated; the emergency supports in place for rural communities affected by such events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54508/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 102 and 103 together.
My Department engaged in significant preparatory work in advance of Storm Amy last week including attending technical briefings hosted by the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM). These briefings included significant inputs from Met Eireann on the arrival of Storm Amy and the warnings that would come into play which assisted agencies in their preparedness.
Officials in my Department were in regular contact with their counterparts in ESB Networks (ESB-N) and EirGrid prior to the storm and throughout the weekend. Officials attended sub-groups hosted by the NDFEM that dealt with the humanitarian response and the impacts on all critical infrastructure.
I am advised that ESB-N entered preparedness mode in advance of Storm Amy and mobilised repair crews and contract partners to the areas that were expected to be most impacted. ESB-N developed and issued Public Safety Messages ahead of the arrival of Storm Amy, alongside Local Authorities and State Agencies. There was significant engagement between these parties to identify critical sites for urgent repairs and ensure timely access.
The information requested in relation to ESB is an operational matter for ESB and as such the Deputy may wish to contact ESB directly. ESB has a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members which is Oireachtas@esb.ie.
With regard to the safeguarding of electricity supply in coastal and rural areas, following Storm Éowyn, I asked ESB-N to prepare as a priority a Winter 2025 Resilience Plan to enhance the resilience of the grid in the most vulnerable locations for the upcoming winter. This has been progressing since April and the actions include:
ESB-N has progressed remedial works post Storm Éowyn, needed to refurbish the network.
ESB-N continues to work with Coillte and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to identify segments of the network at highest future risk. Timber harvesters have been procured and during the summer began to cut timber according to this prioritisation.
Emergency stocks of spare parts and materials are being replenished.
Staffing levels and available contractor resources are being increased through provision of targeted training programmes. In addition, my Department has progressed the issue of permits for skilled workers from outside the EU to advance urgent forestry work.
ESB-N is leading a working group at EU level to establish formal arrangements for mutual aid during extreme weather events.
ESB-N is also increasing the number of access officers who manage engagement with landowners on forestry work. My Department is preparing legislation to enhance ESB-N’s powers to manage vegetation, place the dimensions and conditions of corridors through forestry on a statutory footing, and establish principles for the compensation of affected landowners. The Government approved the Heads of this Bill in July and work on advancing the legislation continues.
I should also highlight that significant investment in the electricity grid which supports overall resilience is ongoing. The National Development Plan will provide for the provision of up to €3.5 billion in additional equity to support an unprecedented investment in electricity grid infrastructure over 2026 – 2030. €2 billion will be provided to EirGrid and €1.5 billion to ESB.
Work has commenced on Price Review 6 (PR6) which will see the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) sanction the investment in the grid to 2030. The CRU published their draft determination on PR6 on 3 July for public consultation, which closed 11 September. The CRU are proposing to approve an investment of up to €18.08 billion in our electricity system with a €14.1 billion baseline investment guaranteed over the period 2026-2030. PR6 will assist Ireland in maintaining a reliable and resilient electricity network to meet the needs of customers and society.
The impact of recent storms, most notably Storm Éowyn which caused major disruption across Ireland in January 2025, highlights the need for investment to ensure networks are resilient to climate change and these more frequent adverse weather events. 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 future-proofed and resilient.
For ESB-N no changes have been made to the allowances proposed following consideration of the original request in the Business Plan submission provided by the DSO to the CRU in November 2024. However, CRU’s analysis indicates that the proposed allowances include €0.89bn of investment to improve storm resilience, building on the Winter 2025 Grid Resilience Plan to implement lessons learned from Storm Éowyn. This is expected to include adopting robust approaches to network planning, customer service, vulnerable customer protection, organisational resilience and storm damage repair. Furthermore, should any additional specific information become available in the intervening period, then this will be considered as part of the Final Determination.
We know from Storm Éowyn that there is need for a range of supports to assist communities who are impacted the most. The Review of the response to Storm Éowyn, being led by the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage will look at the humanitarian response and recommendations arising from that Review are expected to come before Government in the next few weeks.
104. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will consider revising the existing regulations governing ESB Networks to allow apartment residents to install and use solar panels on balconies, in line with successful models already in place across continental Europe, including Germany which operates on the same electrical system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54542/25]
View answerResponsibility for the regulation of the electricity sector is a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) which is an independent regulator, accountable to a committee of the Oireachtas and not the Minister. The CRU was assigned responsibility for the regulation of the Irish electricity sector following the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999 and subsequent legislation. The CRU is responsible for oversight of the system operators, such as ESB Networks. Issues regarding the regulation and direct oversight of the System Operators associated with their obligations are a matter for the CRU.
The CRU have contact details in place for Deputies, of which they are aware, who issue to raise matters with them and in this instance this query should be directed to the CRU email oireachtas@cru.ie
105. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if a value-for-money review has been conducted on the RESS State aid scheme to ensure public funds are being used effectively; if no such review has been carried out, whether there are plans to undertake one; and his views on the way in which he is ensuring transparency, efficiency and accountability in the administration of this scheme. [54549/25]
View answerThe Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) is pivotal to the achievement of Ireland’s target of generating 80% of our electricity from renewable sources. RESS consists of a series of competitive auctions, in which successful applicants are offered a two-way support arrangement for a period of 15 years.
The RESS programme has been designed to promote investment in renewable energy generation within a competitive auction based, cost-effective framework. The scheme is operated through open and competitive auctions governed by published Terms and Conditions, detailed auction procedures and clear evaluation criteria. Successful projects, total volumes and weighted average clearing prices are publicly disclosed to ensure visibility and confidence.
The design of the RESS operates as a two-sided Contract for Difference which provides an additional protection mechanism that ensures value-for-money and transparency to consumers. Depending on wholesale price conditions, RESS projects can either charge or credit monies to customers.
The recent RESS 5 auction has provided major boost for Ireland energy transition with enough clean power for over 350,000 homes through the development of much needed indigenous onshore wind and solar capacity to secure our energy future and help stabilise energy prices. Development of renewable electricity projects also creates sustainable jobs and future-proofs the regional and local economies.
At a time of significant inflationary and other cost pressures domestically and internationally, the RESS 5 auction has delivered very competitive outcomes, in terms of both price and the volume of renewables successful in the auction. In order to ensure that homes and businesses across the country benefit further from our indigenous energy resource, it is critically important that there is a strong pipeline of renewable energy projects available to enter each RESS auction.
The RESS is subject to ongoing review and assessment to ensure value for money through each auction round and as a condition of State Aid approval by the European Commission.
106. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of external consultancy contracts entered into by his Department in the past five years, including the original estimated cost, the final cost, and the reasoning for contracting this work rather than using internal resources. [54325/25]
View answerIn total, my Department has entered into 30 external consultancy contracts over the past five years, some of which remain ongoing. The original estimated cost of these consultancies was €6,756,780. The actual expenditure to date is €2,369,643. External consultancy is only engaged when there is a clear need for specialised expertise and the appropriate skills and resources are not available internally.
There are three bodies under the aegis of my Department; the Army Pensions Board, the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces and the External Oversight Body of the Defence Forces (EOB), which was placed on a Statutory basis on 1 December 2024. Expenditure incurred in relation to these bodies is included in the totals provided above.
107. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport if there are plans to reform the legal mandate of the IAA in order that it aligns with the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54266/25]
View answer108. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport if there are plans to reform the legal mandate of the DAA in order that it aligns with the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54267/25]
View answer109. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport if there are plans to reform the legal mandate of AirNav in order that it aligns with the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54268/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 107 to 109, inclusive, together.
The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Acts 2015 to 2021 place an obligation on public bodies, including commercial semi-State companies, to carry out their functions in a manner that is consistent with our national climate action ambitions, namely a 51% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and the achievement of climate neutrality by 2050.
The Climate Action Framework for the Commercial Semi-State sector (CSS), which was approved by Government in 2022, sets out a structured approach for commercial semi-State companies, which includes the daa, AirNav and the IAA, to align their operations with Ireland's national climate objectives. It establishes a set of formal obligations and expectations to which these companies commit. These include governance arrangements for climate action objectives, emissions measurement and reduction targets, emissions valuation in investment appraisals, circular economy and green procurement, and climate-related disclosures.
Oversight of implementation is carried out by the New Economy and Recovery Authority (NewERA) under the auspices of the NTMA.
In that context I have no plans to amend the legal mandates of AirNav Ireland, the daa and the IAA.
