Written Answers Nos. 208-227
208. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Taoiseach for an update on the work of the UK Ireland 2030 Steering Group; to outline the membership of this group; when the group will next meet; and the agenda for any upcoming meeting. [30902/26]
View answerAt the first annual UK-Ireland Summit held in Liverpool in March 2025, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and I agreed a programme of strategic cooperation out to 2030, known as the UK-Ireland 2030 programme.
The UK-Ireland 2030 Steering Group was established to oversee delivery of the UK-Ireland 2030 programme, as set out in the Joint Statement following that Summit meeting, and to drive progress and ambition, including identifying ways for bilateral cooperation to evolve and build over time.
It is co-chaired by the Secretary General of the Department of the Taoiseach and the UK Cabinet Secretary. The membership also includes officials from the British and Northern Ireland Affairs Division of the Department of the Taoiseach and the Ambassador of Ireland to Great Britain, together with their UK counterparts. Additional attendees are invited to attend the Steering Group as appropriate.
The Steering Group has met four times since its establishment in June 2025. It is expected to meet again in the coming weeks to review progress and discuss ongoing implementation, including in follow up to the recent UK-Ireland 2026 Summit in Cork.
209. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure will meet next. [30359/26]
View answerThe Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure works to drive infrastructure delivery, accountability and value-for-money, including the preparation and now the implementation of the revised National Development Plan.
Membership of the Cabinet Committee comprises the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment and for Transport, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, and Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport.
As set out in the Programme for Government, Government is prioritising the delivery of critical, growth enhancing infrastructure. We have a responsibility to invest in the future, and delivery of modern, sustainable infrastructure is vital for our national competitiveness, fostering regional development, delivering housing and meeting social needs.
The revised National Development Plan committed over €275 billion to investment in infrastructure over the coming decade.
In Budget 2026 we announced €19.1 billion in exchequer capital investment, an increase of €2 billion on 2025. This represents the highest annual spend in the history of the state.
On 3rd December 2025 the Government published the “Accelerating Infrastructure Report and Action Plan”, setting out an ambitious, but achievable, agenda which will overcome the barriers to delivery. The plan will see wide ranging reforms, enabling us to bridge our infrastructure deficit and continue to build our resilience as a modern and thriving society.
There will be robust oversight of the Government’s performance in achieving these actions – with regular reports on progress to the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure.
In the period ahead the Cabinet Committee will therefore oversee both the investments and the reforms required to ensure that infrastructure is delivered as efficiently and quickly as possible.
The last meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure took place on 20th April 2026. The Committee is due to meet again on 18th May 2026.
210. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the Shared Island unit in his Department. [30360/26]
View answerOur Programme for Government sets out an ambitious agenda for Building our Shared Island, backed by our €2 billion commitment to the Shared Island Fund out to 2035.
We are forging ahead with this investment and cooperation agenda across all sectors.
In November, the Government made a funding commitment of over €50 million through the Shared Island Fund to resource ten new island-wide programmes over the next five years, including on media, heritage, emergency management, greenways and air transport.
In December, I and the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment announced six successful projects under the €20 million Shared Island Sustainability Capital Grant scheme supporting 6 firms across the island and leveraging over €60m in private sector funding for capital investment for decarbonisation.
In December, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade announced almost €2 million under the 2025 Shared Island Civic Society Fund for sixty-four community-based cross-border cooperation projects.
In January, the Minister for Education and Youth and her Northern Ireland counterpart announced the Shared Island Teachers’ Research Exchange or ‘T-REX’ platform, providing educators with a digital community for professional learning and collaboration.
In February, I and the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment announced over €2.5million for thirteen projects that enhance visitor experiences along the Wild Atlantic Way and Causeway Coastal Route as part of the Shared Island Tourism Brand project.
Also in February, the Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine and his Northern counterpart launched the Shared Island cross-border cooperation programme on tackling bovine TB on a regional basis.
In March, the Minister for Justice convened a conference in Drogheda, with policing, education and social care representatives from North and South, as part of developing cooperation with Northern Ireland partners on tackling Domestic and Gender-Based Violence.
Also in March, the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, announced capital funding of €6.2 million for projects to support the Irish language and Ulster-Scots culture, heritage and language, as part of the Government’s Shared Island Initiative.
Additionally, the Shared Island research programme continues to provide high-quality evidence and analysis. In December, the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance launched a new annual ESRI report series ‘Assessing Economic trends in Ireland and Northern Ireland’. On 2 April, an ESRI Shared Island report was published on ‘Disability rates across the island of Ireland’, the first such analysis.
Through the Shared Island Initiative, the Government is investing in strategic all-island cooperation, developing our partnerships with the Executive and UK Government, and fostering deeper connections and mutual understanding across all communities and traditions of this island.
211. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Housing will next meet. [30361/26]
View answerThe Cabinet Committee on Housing works to ensure a coordinated, cross Government, approach to the implementation of Programme for Government commitments regarding housing policy.
The Programme for Government sets out our ambition to accelerate housing supply, building on progress already achieved, recognising housing as a major social and economic challenge.
The new National Housing Plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030 was published on 13th November 2025, it aims to speed up the delivery of new homes and tackle homelessness. The plan targets the construction of 300,000 homes, including 72,000 social homes and 90,000 affordable housing supports. Building on the progress of Housing for All, which saw almost 149,000 homes delivered in the last five years, the new plan will enable the State, public bodies, and the private sector to further play a critical part in accelerating delivery.
The Cabinet Committee on Housing last met on Monday, 5th March, and is scheduled to meet again on Thursday, 30th April.
212. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Health will next meet. [30355/26]
View answerThe Cabinet Committee on Health last met on the 2nd of March 2026.
The Cabinet Committee oversees implementation of Programme for Government commitments in relation to health, receives detailed reports on identified policy areas and considers health reforms including Sláintecare, the reform of Public Health and health system preparedness for future health threats.
It also receives reports in relation to Programme for Government commitments in the areas of mental health and drugs policy.
The membership of the Cabinet Committee on Health includes the Taoiseach, as Chair, the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, the Minister for Health and the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation.
The Cabinet Committee on Health will meet again in due course.
213. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Taoiseach the main policy achievements of his Department since 22 January 2025. [30486/26]
View answerSince January 2025, the Department of the Taoiseach has been working across Government, including through the system of Cabinet Committees and associated Senior Officials' Groups, to progress the implementation of policy objectives in the Programme for Government.
Achievements to date include:
• Introducing temporary, targeted measures to reduce fuel prices for households and businesses, with additional supports for key sectors of the Irish economy, in response to the increased financial pressure on households and businesses arising from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. These measures include temporary reductions to the Mineral Oil Tax, an increase in the maximum repayment allowable under the Diesel Rebate Scheme, a reduction in the NORA levy, and a four-week extension to the fuel allowance season (benefiting 470,000 households in receipt of the fuel allowance), deferral of the increase on carbon tax, a new Road Transporters Support Scheme (to assist hauliers, bus and coach operators) and a new Fuel Subsidy Support Scheme (to assist farmers, agricultural contractors and fishers).
• Finalising and commencing implementation of the new National Housing Plan, "Delivering Homes, Building Communities: An Action Plan on Housing Supply and Targeting Homelessness, 2025-2030", which aims to deliver 300,000 new homes by the end of 2030; support of working groups related to new Housing Plan.
• Supporting the preparation and implementation of "Accelerating Infrastructure", the report and action plan to help drive the efficient delivery of infrastructure across Ireland, and associated sectoral infrastructure plans.
• Establishing a stand-alone Cabinet Committee on Disability and a Disability Unit within the Department of the Taoiseach, to oversee cross-government collaboration to improve the lives of disabled people, and the launch, in September 2025, of the "National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030". The first meeting of the Delivery and Monitoring Committee for this Strategy took place on 8 December 2025, and the Strategy’s First Programme Plan of Action, covering 2025 and 2026, has been published.
• Implementing the Child Poverty and Well Being Programme Office’s Programme Plan to reduce child poverty and promote well being, including: developing a dashboard of indicators to accompany the Government’s new ambitious Child Poverty Target; developing the new Child and Family Homelessness Action Plan for publication in Q2 2026; and preparing the Office’s second Programme Plan, informed by engagement with children and young people and by the annual Summit on Child Poverty and Well Being held in September 2025.
• Establishing the Ministerial Council on National Security.
• Renewing and strengthening the British-Irish bilateral relationship, including delivering on the commitment to a series of annual UK-Ireland Summits; the second of which was hosted by Ireland in March 2026; and the British Irish Council Summit meetings, held in Northern Ireland in June and in Wales in December 2025.
• Progressing a new phase of the Shared Island Initiative, including allocations of over €100m from the Shared Island Fund to commence a range of new all-island programmes, working with the Executive and through the North South Ministerial Council, with the UK Government, and with Local Authority, Education and Civil Society partners across the island.
• Publishing a new National Digital and AI Strategy, "Digital Ireland – Connecting our People, Securing our Future", in February 2026, setting out our ambition to 2030 to strengthen Ireland’s position as a digital leader and a global hub for applied AI innovation, building on our strengths to ensure Ireland's economy reaps the benefits of digital and AI for growth and competitiveness, and that we enhance our public services and empower our people to thrive in a digital society.
• Supporting the new Government Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity and implementing a series of pro-enterprise decisions in Budget 2026 to invest in Ireland’s enterprise base, support job creation, regional development, innovation, tourism and long-term competitiveness. This includes reducing the VAT rate for Food, Catering and Hairdressers to 9%, with effect from 1 July 2026; increasing R&D Tax Credits from 30% to 35%; enhancing the existing Capital Gains Tax Revised Entrepreneur Relief by increasing the lifetime limit on gains to which the relief applies, from €1 million to €1.5 million; increasing the National Minimum Wage by €0.65 per hour; extending SARP, the Special Assignee Relief Programme, and extending Relief on Foreign Earnings to the end of 2030 to assist indigenous exporting companies and their employees overseas.
• Engaging at EU and international level to pursue our foreign policy objectives and meet our international commitments, and engaging with EU leaders to advance high-level objectives in the Programme for Government, in particular economic and competitiveness issues; energy security; EU-UK relations; external relations including response to the situation in the Middle East; as well as continuing our strong, collective EU response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
• Planning and preparing for Ireland's Presidency of the EU Council in the second half of 2026 in close consultation with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
• Supporting the Cabinet Committee on Climate Action, Environment, and Energy, which oversees implementation of Programme for Government commitments in relation to the environment, climate action, energy, and emergency planning, including meetings on severe weather/flooding preparedness, response and adaptation.
• Hosting a Government Industry Forum on Offshore Renewable Energy and subsequently establishing a Clearing House on Offshore Wind Energy to address identified impediments to the timely delivery of a vibrant offshore renewable energy sector.
• Monitoring the implementation of the Climate Action Plan, which contains key measures to help Ireland transition to a zero-carbon economy and society, and supporting the Taoiseach’s attendance at the COP30 Leader’s Summit in Belém, Brazil.
• Supporting the Cabinet Committee on Health, which oversees the implementation of Programme for Government commitments in relation to health, health reforms including Sláintecare and public health, health system preparedness for future health threats, mental health and drugs policy.
• Implementing the Well-Being Framework for Ireland and driving its whole of Government integration in policy making and budgetary systems.
• Supporting the Cabinet Committee on Water Quality, which oversees the implementation of Programme for Government commitments in relation to the range of issues affecting Ireland’s water system, including securing an extension to the derogation for Ireland from certain aspects of the EU Nitrates Directive.
• Establishing the COVID-19 Evaluation to assess Ireland’s management and experience of the pandemic to learn for the future.
• Promoting and supporting civic engagement, including through the work of the National Economic and Social Development Office; the Labour Employer Economic Forum; and exchanging ideas on an agenda and working methods for a structured dialogue between Government and churches, philosophical and non-confessional bodies.
• Supporting the work of the North-East Inner City Initiative to deliver on their new Strategic Plan.
• Supporting implementation of the Dublin City Taskforce Report, "Capital City", through the Roadmap for Delivery, published in June 2025.
• Establishing the Cork City Futures Group to guide the future development of Cork City with a view to unlocking the city’s full economic, cultural and academic potential.
• Advancing the Government’s Legislation Programme. Since this Government took office in 2025, 30 bills have been enacted, and a further 23 Bills are at various stages in the Oireachtas.
214. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Taoiseach if the CSO can provide updated and or existing statistics, broken down by age in the 15-24 profile. [30646/26]
View answerReferred to CSO for answer
The EAADS is the official source of structural earnings statistics and is based primarily on the Revenue Commissioner’s employee tax data which provides details of gross annual earnings and number of weeks worked in the year for all employments in the NACE Rev 2 Industrial Sectors B–S. The most recent estimates available are for the year 2024. For further information please see the Background Notes available on the CSO website.
Table 1 below shows the Mean Weekly Earnings and Median Weekly Earnings for those aged 15 – 24 individually
Age Mean (€) Median (€)
|
15 |
160.26 |
123.24 |
|
16 |
160.96 |
132.36 |
|
17 |
179.27 |
147.74 |
|
18 |
242.12 |
203.64 |
|
19 |
306.73 |
276.87 |
|
20 |
354.27 |
327.31 |
|
21 |
396.88 |
376.91 |
|
22 |
460.07 |
449.21 |
|
23 |
545.84 |
534.1 |
|
24 |
614.71 |
586.5 |
|
15 - 24 |
412.56 |
374.47 |
Source: CSO, Earnings Analysis using Administrative Data Sources (EAADS) 2024
215. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Taoiseach the total allocation of funding to each State agency under his Department’s remit, broken down by the allocation to each agency, for each of the past 15 years, in tabular form. [30803/26]
View answerThe National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) - the only body under the aegis of the Department of the Taoiseach - is funded by a grant allocation paid from the Department's Vote.
The total allocation of funding to NESDO is published in the annual Revised Estimates for Vote 2 – Department of the Taoiseach.
The Department’s Revised Estimate for each of the past 15 years is available to view on gov.ie here.
216. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Taoiseach the total spend on consultancy firms by each State agency under his Department's remit, broken down by the allocation to each named consultancy firm, for each of the past 15 years, in tabular form. [30821/26]
View answerThe National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) – the only state body under the aegis of the Department of the Taoiseach – has not incurred any expenditure on consulting firms in the past 15 years.
217. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she will review the current arrangements governing the appointment by the Department of clerical officers, executive officers and higher executive officers to positions in Irish embassies and missions abroad; the reason such opportunities appear to be confined to staff of the Department; whether consideration has been given to opening these assignments to suitably qualified clerical officers, executive officers and higher executive officers across the wider civil service; and the basis on which additional allowances attached to these postings are determined, particularly where such allowances bring the overall remuneration of the post to a level comparable with the next grade in some cases. [30080/26]
View answerIreland's global network of diplomatic missions includes Embassies and Consulates as well as missions to multilateral organisations such as the European Union and the United Nations.
Government Departments assign officers abroad in line with their requirements, and these opportunities are not confined to staff of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
At present, the following numbers of Clerical Officers, Executive Officers and Higher Executive Officers are posted to Irish missions abroad:
|
Grade |
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade |
Secondees from other Government Departments |
Total |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Clerical Officer |
47 |
14 |
61 |
|
Executive Officer |
26 |
16 |
42 |
|
Higher Executive Officer |
11 |
16 |
27 |
In common with other foreign services, this Department supports officers who are assigned abroad to serve the State in an official capacity through a system of Foreign Service Allowances (FSA). This is to assist in defraying the additional costs that officers and their families incur in moving and living abroad. These allowances are based on independently sourced data and are reviewed annually.
These Foreign Service Allowances are paid to all civil servants posted to our missions abroad, including Clerical Officers, Executive Officers and Higher Executive Officers, for the duration of their posting to a diplomatic mission. The amounts payable are based on officers’ grades, civil status, family circumstances and location.
The components of the Foreign Service Allowance system are:
Cost of Living Allowance (COLA), which is designed defray costs associated with a higher cost of living at the post abroad.
Local Post Allowance (LPA), which provides a contribution to the additional indirect costs arising from the representational role of officers serving abroad. This allowance is payable at all locations abroad.
Children’s Foreign Allowance (CFA), which contributes towards the additional costs incurred with regard to qualifying children of officers posted abroad.
The various components of FSA can increase, decrease or be removed altogether over the course of an officer’s posting, in accordance with changes in cost of living in the posting location and changes in officer’s family circumstances.
218. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether her Department has conducted or commissioned any analysis to identify companies importing or trading in goods or services produced by Israeli settlers in the Occupied Territories as part of their operations in Ireland, who would be subject to the provisions of the Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025 should it cover both goods and services; whether any such analysis has been conducted or commissioned in relation to a version of the Bill covering goods only; whether she will release the list of companies identified in each case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30277/26]
View answer219. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether her Department has conducted or commissioned any analysis to identify companies importing goods produced by Israeli settlers in the Occupied Territories as part of their operations in Ireland, who would be subject to the provisions of the Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025; whether she will release any such list of companies identified in the course of this analysis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30278/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 218 and 219 together.
In June 2025, the Government approved the General Scheme of the Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill.
The main purpose of the Bill is to prohibit the importation of goods into the State from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, in line with the Programme for Government commitment.
Legally, the regulation of external trade in services is considerably more complex than is the case with goods at EU level. There would also be greater complexity when it comes to implementation than is the case with regard to trade in goods.
The Government has received the Attorney General’s advice on the question of whether the inclusion of services in the Bill is permissible under EU law. Advice provided by the Attorney General to the Government is confidential and subject to legal professional privilege, so you will appreciate that I cannot be drawn to discuss or speculate on the contents of the advice. However, I can say that the advice, which is detailed and extensive, identifies a number of significant legal and practical issues with the regulation by a Member State of trade in services with a country or territory outside the EU.
Following detailed consideration by officials in my Department, clarification was sought from the Attorney General on a number of legal issues. My Department has now received this clarification and officials are closely examining it.
Any legislation must be legally robust, able to withstand challenge and progress the Government's broader policy agenda.
In regards to the identification of settlement goods, the General Scheme of the Bill proposes to use the system currently employed by the European Union for the purposes of ensuring that importers are aware of which locations are not eligible for preferential tariff treatment under the EU-Israel Association Agreement. Under this system, the postal codes of those areas in the occupied Palestinian territory are listed under a technical arrangement concluded between the EU and the Government of Israel concerning implementation of Protocol 4 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
The CSO does not currently collect data on the value or categories of goods specifically from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory entering Ireland. There are also no reliable data at EU or national level on the volume of trade in services with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, as the current method of data collection (based on Eurostat requirements) simply records the value against an overall country code, i.e. Israel.
A Regulatory Impact Assessment is currently being finalised by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Work is advancing across a number of strands at official level as well as engagement at EU level.
It remains the Government’s preference that collective action would be taken at EU level and we continue to pursue this.
220. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the total amount of taxpayers' money allocated to overseas aid for sexual and reproductive health from 2019 to date in 2026, by year and organisation receiving funding, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30384/26]
View answer221. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the total amount of taxpayers' money allocated to overseas aid specifically for abortion, from 2019 to date in 2026, by year and organisation receiving funding, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30385/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 220 and 221 together.
The Government's policy for international development, A Better World, recognises sexual and reproductive health and rights as fundamental to women's health and essential for gender equality.
Details of Ireland’s Official Development Assistance are published in the ODA Annual Report. Information is provided below on the amounts provided for sexual and reproductive health for the period 2019 to 2024. Confirmed data for 2025 will be available in the coming months.
The funds involved have been provided and used for maternal and newborn health care; treatment of complications arising from childbirth such as obstetric fistula; prevention and treatment of infertility; family planning, with a particular focus on reducing unintended pregnancies among adolescents and in humanitarian settings; prevention and management of consequences of unsafe abortion; the prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted disease, including HIV; and, the prevention of and response to sexual and gender based violence.
Our development cooperation focus on sexual and reproductive health prioritises measures that will secure better health outcomes for women, new-born children, and marginalised groups. The provision of abortion is not a central element of Ireland’s development cooperation programme and no funding is earmarked for this purpose. Ireland does not promote abortion as a method of family planning.
ODA provision for sexual and reproductive health:
|
Recipient |
2019 € |
2020 € |
2021 € |
2022 € |
2023 € |
2024 € |
|
Aidspan |
100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amref Health, Africa |
1,140,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
APCOM Hero Awards, Thailand |
|
|
|
|
|
6,000 |
|
Associascao Focus Fistula, Mozambique |
|
|
|
25,000 |
150,000 |
150,000 |
|
Associacao TV Surdo, Mozambique |
|
|
|
|
|
25,000 |
|
Brighter Communities Worldwide, Kenya |
24,710 |
24,710 |
21,846 |
25,063 |
22,487 |
|
|
Campaña Global por la Libertad de Expresión,México |
|
5,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Care Love Charity Foundation, Ghana |
|
|
|
|
10,000 |
|
|
Chanasa Malawi Trustee for Development |
|
|
5,000 |
|
|
|
|
Christian Blind Mission |
|
|
|
|
11,997 |
|
|
Clinton Foundation Health Access Initative |
1,220,000 |
1,665,000 |
300,000 |
|
|
|
|
Comprehensive Community Based Rehab, Tanzania |
|
|
|
|
550,000 |
|
|
Duyan Project (Brighter Homes), Philippines |
|
|
|
|
15,258 |
|
|
Frontline AIDS |
|
150,000 |
150,000 |
300,000 |
300,000 |
300,000 |
|
Girl Child Network |
3,920 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria |
6,250,000 |
7,500,000 |
7,500,000 |
8,750,000 |
10,875,000 |
10,750,000 |
|
Health Poverty Action |
90,000 |
81,900 |
38,000 |
71,015 |
64,641 |
|
|
HERA right to development, Macedonia |
24,989 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
International Partnership for Microbicides |
1,250,000 |
1,250,000 |
1,250,000 |
1,000,000 |
|
|
|
International Planned Parenthood Federation |
|
|
|
300,000 |
1,000,000 |
1,000,000 |
|
Irish Global Health Network & ESTHER Ireland |
|
10,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Jamacia, AIDS Support for Life |
|
|
|
|
|
26,949 |
|
Karonga Debate Club, Malawi |
|
|
|
|
|
6,037 |
|
Kota Bandung, Indonesia |
|
|
|
|
|
15,000 |
|
Mae Tao Clinic, Thailand |
|
19,143 |
6,559 |
16,802 |
5,000 |
|
|
Maternal & Childhealth Advocacy International |
100,000 |
|
198,202 |
|
|
|
|
Medici Con L'Africa, Doctors with Africa, Uganda |
|
21,319 |
800,000 |
1,000,000 |
1,000,000 |
900,000 |
|
Misean Cara |
1,103,687 |
1,254,848 |
1,010,320 |
1,132,665 |
1,069,429 |
789,351 |
|
National Forum for People Living with HIV, Uganda |
|
|
|
200,000 |
|
|
|
Nurture Africa |
90,500 |
90,500 |
90,500 |
91,000 |
107,600 |
99,600 |
|
Penabulu Foundation, Indonesia |
|
|
|
15,000 |
|
|
|
Save The Children |
|
526,499 |
|
|
|
|
|
Straight Talk Foundation, Uganda |
1,300,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Population Council, Inc |
|
|
|
|
500,000 |
500,000 |
|
UCC Dept Food Business & Development |
8,333 |
|
|
|
9,722 |
2,941 |
|
Uganda AIDS commission |
4,191 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
UNAIDS |
2,950,000 |
2,400,000 |
3,400,000 |
2,500,000 |
2,500,000 |
2,500,000 |
|
UNDP |
2,450,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
UNESCO |
500,000 |
500,000 |
|
500,000 |
1,500,000 |
500,000 |
|
UNFPA |
5,500,000 |
5,549,500 |
6,490,442 |
9,915,708 |
10,255,600 |
12,700,000 |
|
World Health Organisation |
|
|
|
|
|
1,000,000 |
|
Yayasan Rumah Rachel / Rachel House, Indonesia |
|
10,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Grand Total |
24,110,330 |
21,058,419 |
21,260,869 |
25,842,252 |
29,946,734 |
31,270,878
|
222. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade her reaction to comments made in the British parliament on Wednesday 22 April 2026 from the Northern Secretary of State that he will pursue significant amendments to the Bill currently going through the House of Commons to give effect to the British-Irish Legacy Framework; the steps the Government will take to ensure there will be no deviation from the agreement that offers British veterans protections over those of victims. [30945/26]
View answerThe British and Irish Governments published the agreed Joint Framework on the Legacy of the Troubles in September of last year, the first such agreement in more than a decade.
The focus now is on implementation of the Framework. Both governments’ legislation must correspond fully with what was agreed in the Joint Framework, and must comply with the European Convention on Human Rights.
Since taking up this role, I have discussed this on a number of occasions with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. In our recent discussions, he has assured me that his Government's amendments to the UK's Northern Ireland Troubles Bill will be in line with the Joint Framework.
Those proposed amendments have not yet been published, and we must see the exact text and details of those amendments before coming to any view.
Families have been waiting decades – some of them, for over five decades. The two governments must deliver on their commitments for all the victims of the Troubles. This includes many veterans: hundreds of British soldiers were killed during the Troubles and many more injured. Victims and veterans are not separate groups, but overlapping. As Northern Ireland's Victims' Commissioner noted recently, all victims and survivors need support and protections, including veterans; playing one against the other is not helpful.
I look forward to seeing the Secretary of State at the British–Irish Intergovernmental Conference in Hillsborough this week for a more detailed discussion of these issues.
223. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 341 and 342 of 14 April 2026, if she will confirm, specifically what judgments are of concern and in what respect; and the position regarding norms that should be disapplied or modified and with what they should be replaced with. [29563/26]
View answerOn 10 December the Ministers’ Deputies, in follow-up to an informal Conference of Ministers of Justice of the Council of Europe, required the Steering Committee for Human Rights (CDDH) to prepare elements for a political declaration reaffirming the obligation to ensure the effective enjoyment of the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights to everyone within the jurisdiction of member States in the context of the contemporary challenges posed both by irregular migration and by the situation of foreigners convicted of serious offences, taking duly into account in particular governments’ fundamental responsibility to ensure national security and public safety. The CDDH was invited to report back before 22 March 2026 to allow for the Ministers’ Deputies to finalise the declaration to be submitted, together with the other relevant documents, for adoption at the 135th Session of the Committee of Ministers in Moldova on 14-15 May 2026.
This initiative follows on from growing concerns amongst Council of Europe Member States about ensuring a fair and effective migration system, while fully respecting the integrity of the ECHR and the independence of the European Court of Human Rights. The Government believes it is important to acknowledge those concerns and, with a view to promoting effective multilateralism, that such discussions take place within the institutional framework of the Council of Europe. Ireland has thus been constructively engaging with Member States with a view to achieving a consensus around a political declaration that is fully consistent with and respectful of the Convention. The Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration and the Minister for European Affairs discussed the political declaration process with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe when he visited Ireland on 24 April.
In preparing possible elements for a political declaration, the Member States of the Council of Europe have considered a number of migration-related issues, which are considered to represent significant, complex challenges in various Member States and were either unforeseen at the time the Convention was drafted or have since evolved significantly, as follows: expulsion of foreign nationals convicted of serious criminal offences and extradition cases (and issues arising under Article 3 and Article 8 of the Convention in this regard); mass arrivals of migrants by land and sea; instrumentalization of migration; decision-making in migration cases; and innovative solutions to address migration. In respect of each of these situations, consideration has been given to relevant Convention provisions and principles and jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights, encompassing several judgments. The CDDH outcome document of 20 March 2026, which is a publicly available document on the Council of Europe website, provides further detail on this. Throughout this process, the importance of upholding the integrity of the Convention system, including the universality of human rights and the absolute non-derogable nature of the prohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading or punishment contained in Article 3, and of respecting the integrity and independence of the European Court of Human Rights has been underlined by Member States including Ireland.
224. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she will seek an increase in funding for the centrally funded scheme for seconded national experts for the post-EU Presidency period to capitalise on Irelands increased visibility and personnel networks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29613/26]
View answer225. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update in relation to the EU Careers Strategy; its achievements to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29615/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 224 and 225 together.
A Career for EU, launched in 2021, is Ireland's strategy to increase our representation in the EU Institutions and Agencies. It responds to the projected shortfall of Irish staff arising from high levels of retirement among senior and long-serving Irish officials, combined with insufficient recruitment at entry and mid-management grades. The strategy has three focus areas: promoting EU careers in Ireland, particularly within the education system; providing training and supports for Irish candidates; and advocating for reform of the EU's recruitment process. Implementation is led by the Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, Thomas Byrne TD.
Outreach and awareness-raising have expanded significantly, with third-level careers events alone estimated to have reached approximately 30,000 students in 2025. Hundreds of Irish candidates received targeted training supports across multiple competitions, including EU-specific practice materials and interview preparation. Ireland also continues to work with like-minded Member States on structural reforms, including supporting the European Parliament's defence of nationality-based competitions before the Court of Justice of the EU.
The strategy is delivering results. Ireland had 43 permanent officials at the key entry grades in the European Commission in December 2025, up from 30 in 2022. A total of 1,733 Irish people applied to the AD5 competition — the first large-scale competition since 2019 — placing Ireland 10th of 27 Member States on a per capita basis. In January 2026, Dr Lorraine Nolan took up office as Executive Director of the European Union Drugs Agency, the third Irish national currently heading an EU Agency.
Funding for the Centrally Funded Scheme for Seconded National Experts has risen from €2 million in 2021 to €4.2 million in 2026, supporting an increase from 24 SNEs to 53 over the course of 2025 — giving Ireland the highest number of SNEs per capita in the European Commission among all Member States.
226. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding the administrative error that led to the non-reporting of US military flights over Ireland (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29632/26]
View answer227. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the mechanisms being put in place to ensure that the administrative error that led to the non-reporting of US military flights over Ireland (details supplied) will not happen again; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29633/26]
View answer228. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way in which the administrative error that led to the non-reporting of US military flights over Ireland (details supplied) came to light; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29634/26]
View answer229. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding the assessment being carried out in relation to the cargo of the non-reported US military flights over Ireland (details supplied); if this has been or can be established; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29635/26]
View answer233. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade how 248 overflights of Ireland's airspace by US military aircraft went unreported; if she can stand over her comment that there is "no reason to believe" US aircraft involved in the Iran war are overflying Ireland, when she did not know the full numbers of flights involved, much less the contents and destinations of them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29789/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 226, 227, 228, 229 and 233 together.
Under the terms of the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order, 1952, all foreign military aircraft wishing to overfly, or land in, the State, require diplomatic clearance from the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Diplomatic clearance is subject to strict conditions including that the aircraft is unarmed; that it carries no arms, ammunition or explosives; that it does not engage in intelligence gathering; and that the flight in question does not form part of a military exercise or operation. This policy is well known and fully understood by the United States and other international partners.
Each month, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade collects and publishes statistics detailing foreign military aircraft overflights in Irish airspace and landings in Ireland.
The Department has expressed its regret that, due to an administrative error, a figure relating to US overflights for the period from September 2025 to March 2026 had been misreported on the Department’s website. The error has been corrected and I have been briefed on the matter by my officials. Upon my instruction, officials in my Department have revised the system for the preparation and publication of these statistics to ensure that this regrettable error cannot occur again.
