Cormac Devlin
Question:74. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on the new diaspora strategy. [68960/26]
View answerDiaspora Issues
Questions (74)
Written answers
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that I launched Ireland’s third Diaspora Strategy covering the period 2026-2030 at the Global Irish Civic Forum on the 30th of April. Its publication delivers on the commitment set out in the Programme for Government and has been warmly welcomed by our communities overseas.
In developing our new strategy, I led the largest ever consultation with the Irish abroad, including over 27 in-person meetings, and the first ever online consultation, the Global Irish Survey, which ran throughout the summer of 2025.
The outcome of this extensive consultation process is a strategy that sets out 23 commitments built around the challenges and opportunities that were shared with us.
Supporting the most vulnerable remains at the heart of this new strategy, as is our commitment to partner with Irish communities overseas to promote our culture, music, identity and sport, and to showcase the values of a modern and diverse Ireland to a global audience.
We also address the particular challenges facing those who are considering emigrating, those who are newly arrived abroad and those looking to return.
The strategy recognises the real appetite among the diaspora for supporting our trade and economic priorities. We will step up our engagements to embrace these influential networks and vital insights in support of accessing new markets, securing Foreign Direct Investment and driving job creation and innovation.
Since May, I have had the opportunity to launch and promote the strategy in Luton, New York and Ottawa and will host the Asian launch in Hong Kong in November during the Asian Gaelic Games.
We are also regularly approached by other countries and international organisations seeking to enhance their engagement with their own diasporas and are open to sharing our experiences.
Work is well underway on delivering on a number of the commitments set out in the strategy and I will publish an Action Plan for the strategy in the period ahead.
Question No. 75 answered with Question No. 29.
Question No. 76 answered with Question No. 21.
Passport Services
Questions (77)
Cathy Bennett
Question:77. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she will consider opening a passport office in the North. [69331/26]
View answerWritten answers
The Passport Online service offers citizens the ability to apply online for their passport 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Over 97% of all passport applications are now made through Passport Online which is available to 100% of all applicants globally. It is worth noting that just 1% of passports issue through the public counter in Dublin.
Demand for passports from citizens resident in Northern Ireland remains steady. To date in 2026, over 97% of applications from citizens resident in Northern Ireland have been made through Passport Online, compared with 91% in 2025.
Last December, the Passport Service launched a new Passport Assist Service to support citizens who do not wish to use Passport Online channel and assist them to make a paper passport application. Citizens can call the dedicated Passport Assist number to receive a personalised paper form, along with a bespoke list of documents required, which they can post back to the Passport Service through their local post office. This all-island service has enhanced the paper application route by offering direct assistance to citizens.
In terms of any proposed additional passport office, there are considerable financial implications to consider. The Passport Service estimates the initial capital cost of opening an office in Northern Ireland, including purchasing and installing new printer and mailing machine, to be approximately €5.3 million. In addition, operational costs including staffing for up to 100 staff are estimated to be approximately €6.8 million per annum.
In view of the fact that the overwhelming majority of passport applicants apply online and the considerable benefits of Passport Online for all of our citizens, as well as the significant cost involved, my Department is of the view that a business case cannot currently be made for establishing an additional passport office on the island of Ireland.
Northern Ireland
Questions (78)
Darren O'Rourke
Question:78. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way in which she has raised the issue to advance the case for Irish reunification internationally. [67874/26]
View answerWritten answers
The position of the Government on Irish re-unification is determined by Article 3 of the Constitution, as amended by the people in 1998 to incorporate the framework set out in the Good Friday Agreement.
The Programme for Government states clearly that this Government is committed to the unity of the Irish people. This can only be achieved through a sustained focus on and investment in reconciliation. We remain steadfast in implementing the Good Friday Agreement in full and supporting the functioning of all of its institutions.
In my discussions with international partners, I am heartened that there is a continued interest in the peace process and on furthering reconciliation in Northern Ireland today.
Securing the peace through the Good Friday Agreement would not have been possible without the support of those international partners.
Our commitment to unlocking the full potential of the Agreement, includes addressing the legacy of the Troubles and through the Shared Island Initiative, to which we have allocated €2 billion through to 2035. Our whole-of-government approach is building a more connected, prosperous and reconciled island for people North and South. In the event of a future referendum, we will make all necessary preparations within the terms of the Constitution and the principles and procedures of the Agreement.
Dublin-Monaghan Bombings
Questions (79)
Shane Moynihan
Question:79. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she will provide an update on the British Government's response to the State's ongoing request for full disclosure and access to all relevant documents concerning the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 17 May 1974. [69164/26]
View answerWritten answers
This year marks the 52nd anniversary of the Dublin Monaghan bombings. My thoughts are first and foremost with the families who continue to seek the truth of what happened to their loved ones on that day and it was important to me that my Department was represented at the commemoration on Talbot Street in May.
In relation to contact with the British Government, I have spoken with the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Christ Bryant MP, a number of times since his appointment in July.
We have discussed our key priorities for Northern Ireland in the months ahead, particularly the need to progress the implementation of the Joint Framework on the Legacy of the Troubles, agreed last year by the two Governments. Reciprocal co-operation is at the heart of the Joint Framework, which commits the British Government to provide "cooperation to Ireland for investigations, inquiries and inquests" in this jurisdiction.
The Government has long-standing requests in place to allow access by an independent, international judicial figure to all original documents held by the British Government relating to the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. These requests arise from successive all-party motions adopted by this House.
I am disappointed at the delay in the publication of the full report of Operation Denton which reviews the Glenanne gang cases, including the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. The report was initially due last year and officials from my Department remain in contact with the Operation Denton team. We hope the report can be published within a reasonable timeframe so that the families and the wider public can access the information that they are seeking.
Question No. 80 answered with Question No. 52.
Question No. 81 answered with Question No. 53.
Departmental Programmes
Questions (82)
Paul Murphy
Question:82. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to report on her Department's engagements, if any, with the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration in relation to the Ireland-Palestine scholarship programme which the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade co-administers; if she believes the programme has been undermined by the refusal of visas to Palestinian students offered places under the programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [69247/26]
View answerWritten answers
Since the start of the Gaza crisis, my Department has facilitated nearly 400 people to exit Gaza and travel to Ireland, including students taking up studies in Ireland’s Higher Education Institutions, some of whom won places on the Ireland-Palestine Scholarship Programme.
All arrivals have been facilitated through ongoing and close coordination between my Department, the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, and Irish Higher Education Institutions.
Since the initiation of the Ireland Palestine Scholarship Programme in 2019, 176 students from Palestine have benefited. For the academic year 2026/2027, my Department offered 30 places on the Programme, of which students were able to take up 24.
I understand that one student from Gaza was unsuccessful in their visa application.
While I cannot comment on the details of individual applications, the Deputy will appreciate that any individual seeking assistance to leave Gaza must first be in possession of a valid visa to travel to Ireland. Visa policy is a matter for the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, which assesses each visa application on its own merits.
Even for those with permission to enter Ireland, facilitating travel from Gaza is complex and requires cooperation and detailed planning across multiple organisations and jurisdictions. It is also dependent on receipt of a number of permissions from the relevant authorities. While every effort is made to secure these permissions, the decision to grant or deny them rests outside the control of the Government of Ireland.
My Department is relatively limited in the assistance it can provide to non-Irish citizens, but I can assure you that my officials will continue to work with partners to provide support to those with the necessary permissions to travel.
EU Presidency
Questions (83)
Peter Roche
Question:83. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way in which Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union is being used to showcase Galway and other regions outside Dublin; and the opportunities being provided for regional communities to participate in and benefit from Ireland’s Presidency. [67436/26]
View answerWritten answers
Ireland assumed the Presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1 July this year. The Presidency is an opportunity for Ireland to play an important role in leading and shaping the EU’s policy and legislative agenda, and the Government has made a firm commitment to deliver a successful Presidency.
In the Programme for Government, we committed to bringing some of the high-level meetings of our Presidency to cities and counties across Ireland, ensuring that the entire country benefits from the profile the Presidency brings.
Overall, we expect to host more than 270 Presidency events in Ireland, with approximately a quarter of these taking place regionally. To date, 95 meetings and events have been held in locations including Galway, Clare, Cork, Dublin, Donegal, Kildare, Kilkenny, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow.
It is anticipated that five official Presidency events and meetings will take place in Galway over the course of the Presidency, facilitating discussions across a diverse range of policy areas, including environment, education and transport.
There are also ten Associated Presidency Events currently planned for Galway, organised by civil society, academia, business and representative bodies. Aligned with the themes and priorities of Ireland’s EU Presidency, these events promote and enable wider local participation in the Presidency.
Local Communities are at the heart of our Presidency outreach programme, which includes the county pairing initiative. The Irish Ambassador to Estonia, and the Estonian Ambassador to Ireland conducted a joint visit to Galway in July as part of this initiative. My Department has also allocated a total of €30,000 in funding to the Galway City and Galway County Councils, as well as the Galway Libraries, to support their programme of work around our EU Presidency and the EU more broadly this year as part of the Communicating Europe Initiative.
Passport Services
Questions (84, 89)
John Paul O'Shea
Question:84. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of passport applications that have been received from County Cork to date in 2026; the number of first-time applications and renewals; and the way in which these figures compare with the same period in 2025. [69309/26]
View answerJohn Paul O'Shea
Question:89. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to provide an update on the plans for a new passport office in Cork; the anticipated timeline for its opening; the additional capacity and public services that are planned; and whether urgent passport appointments will be available. [69292/26]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 84 and 89 together.
The Passport Service received 44,464 passport applications from County Cork between January and August 2026, comprising 9,067 first-time applications and 35,397 renewal applications.
This compares with 46,240 passport applications during the corresponding period in 2025, of which 10,300 were first-time applications and 35,940 were renewals.
In 2026 passport applications from County Cork in 2026 decreased by 1,776 applications, or 3.8%, compared with the same period in 2025. First-time applications decreased by 1,233, or 12%, while renewals decreased by 543, or 1.5%.
The Office of Public Works (OPW), in conjunction with my Department, is progressing the development of new office accommodation for the Passport Service in Cork. Any query relating to the timeline for the opening of this accommodation is a matter for the OPW.
This new passport office, which will be located at Navigation Square in Cork City, will include a public office well-equipped to serve the needs of citizens in the region.
The Cork Passport Office will continue to provide an Urgent Appointment Service on the same basis as is currently offered in Cork. Customers who need to have their passport renewed urgently can book a four day appointment at the public counter in Cork. There are currently 240 Urgent Appointment slots available each week at the Cork Passport Office.
In addition, the office will continue to offer a Digital Assist service. This service provides in-person assistance to citizens who may wish to make a Passport Online application, supporting customers to avail of the quickest and most efficient way to apply for a passport.
The Cork office will also continue to provide consular services to citizens of the region including authentication of documents and apostille services.
Question No. 85 answered with Question No. 8.
Overseas Development Aid
Questions (86)
Sinéad Gibney
Question:86. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps her Department is taking to reach the 0.7% goal for overseas development aid; and the engagements she has had with other EU member states on increasing their aid budgets. [69073/26]
View answerWritten answers
The Government remains committed to the United Nations target to provide 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI) in Official Development Assistance (ODA). This commitment was reaffirmed in A Better World, Ireland's international development policy and in the Programme for Government which commits to increases in ODA, towards the 0.7% target.
Ireland’s total Official Development Assistance (ODA) amounted to €1.88 billion in 2025, representing 0.44% of Gross National Income (GNI). In recent years, the Government has consistently increased the allocation for the Irish Aid programme managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which works to address the needs of some of the world’s poorest or most climate-exposed countries and communities and those living in areas affected by conflict.
The Budget 2026 allocation for the programme was just over €840 million, the highest ever in the 52-year history of Ireland's development programme. Ahead of Budget 2027, I am working with colleagues to ensure an ODA allocation which can continue to deliver on Ireland’s commitment to playing our role in the fight to end global poverty and hunger and to reaching the furthest behind first.
We have ensured a strong focus on development cooperation and humanitarian assistance during our EU Presidency, both in internal EU discussions and at the United Nations.
During the UN General Assembly High Level Week meetings last week in New York, I convened Development Ministers and senior representatives from EU member states and like-minded partner countries for a strategic discussion on the future of international development cooperation.
Participants discussed pressures on development budgets and the importance of maintaining public support for development cooperation. We will take these issues up again at the informal meeting of EU Development Ministers which I will chair in Dublin on 8-9 October and at the formal meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council (Development) in Brussels on 1 December.
Climate Change Policy
Questions (87)
Sinéad Gibney
Question:87. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the actions she and her Department have taken diplomatically at EU and UN level to pursue global action on climate commitments and the Paris Agreement following the heatwaves, flooding, and other extreme weather events globally in recent months. [69076/26]
View answerWritten answers
This year has seen devastating heatwaves, floods, droughts and storms affecting communities across every region of the world. The summer wildfires in Europe and the recent devastation in Nepal are stark reminders that climate change is not a future threat but a present reality, underscoring the urgency of global action.
At EU and UN level, Ireland continues to advocate for ambitious implementation of the Paris Agreement and stronger international action to address the effects of climate change. As EU Presidency, Ireland is leading engagement with EU Member States, the European Commission and international partners in advance of COP31 in Antalya in November. We are working to build consensus around outcomes on emissions reduction, adaptation, climate finance and loss and damage, with the objective of keeping the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C goal within reach.
At the United Nations, including during UN General Assembly High-Level Week, we have engaged with UN partners, fellow Member States and vulnerable countries on preparations for COP31. Ireland consistently advocates for the prioritisation of adaptation finance for Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States, with a particular emphasis on grant-based support.
This is reflected across Ireland's own international climate finance with, 89% of which supports adaptation, helping vulnerable communities to strengthen their resilience and prepare for a changing climate.
Helping countries respond to loss and damage caused by climate extremes is also a priority for Ireland. Ireland played a leading role within the EU negotiating team on this issue and now shares a seat with the European Commission on the Board of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage. The first grants from the Fund are expected to be awarded later this year with an allocation of at least 50% of the Fund's resources to Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States, a key Irish priority during negotiations.
Through our work in the European Union, the United Nations and the wider multilateral system, Ireland will continue to advocate for ambitious climate action and for effective support to those countries and communities most vulnerable to the impact of climate change.
British-Irish Co-operation
Questions (88)
Brendan Smith
Question:88. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for a report on her attendance at the recent British-Irish Association annual conference. [69043/26]
View answerWritten answers
I attended the annual British Irish Association conference in Oxford on 4 September which was held under Chatham House rules.
I was pleased to deliver opening remarks and to participate in an interactive question and answer session with participants. In my remarks, I spoke about how relations across these islands are being reshaped by the changes we are seeing in the international environment and the shared challenges these changes present us all.
I recalled the ambitious agenda for bilateral relations between the Irish and UK government, in the shape of the UK-Ireland Joint Statement.
I also spoke about our work to unlock the full potential of the Good Friday Agreement through the work of the North South bodies and through the Shared Island Initiative. I discussed the implementation of the Joint Framework on Legacy, which we agreed with the UK Government last year.
I am pleased that this year the BIA was once more designated as a Strategic Partner of the Reconciliation Fund which will provide funding of €50,000 per year for the next three years.
The BIA conference remains as an important event in the calendar of British-Irish relations which promotes mutual understanding and good relations between the people of our islands, and with a valuable focus on Northern Ireland.
Question No. 89 answered with Question No. 84.
Question No. 90 answered with Question No. 47.
Question No. 91 answered with Question No. 62.
Passport Services
Questions (92)
Thomas Gould
Question:92. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason rent is already being paid on the new passport office in Cork; and whether the new office will include a passport printer. [68492/26]
View answerWritten answers
The Office of Public Works (OPW), in conjunction with my Department, is progressing the development of new office accommodation for the Passport Service in Cork. Any query relating to the rental of this accommodation is a matter for the OPW, as the leaseholder for the property.
The Passport Online service offers citizens the ability to apply online for their passport 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Approximately 97% of all passport applications are now made through Passport Online.
The public offices of the Passport Service in Cork and Dublin 2 operate an Urgent Appointment service for renewal applications. During 2026, there were an average of 240 urgent appointments for a four-day turnaround service available in Cork each week. In 2025, just 15.6% of appointments available in Cork were booked.
The Passport Service operates three passport book printing machines: two machines located in the main production facility at the Balbriggan campus and one at the Dublin 2 Passport Office. The printing and dispatch of passports is a highly automated process in what is, essentially, an industrial production system.
The Passport Service estimates the initial capital cost of purchasing and installing new printer and mailing machine to be approximately €5.3 million. In addition to the capital investment, these highly sophisticated machines require expert engineers to be on-site while the machines are in operation to maintain and service the machines and repair them when necessary. The running and maintenance costs alone are estimated to be €600,000 per year.
For these reasons, a business case cannot be made to invest this level of funds to facilitate the small proportion of applicants who may wish to have their passport renewed within one day in Cork.