Emer Currie
Ceist:206. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Taoiseach the data on the percentage and number of men who availed of additional paternity leave in each of the years 2020 to 2025. [14433/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraPaternity Leave
Ceisteanna (206)
Freagraí scríofa
Referred to CSO for answer
As additional paternity leave is not linked to a benefit payment, the data requested is not available.
The CSO publication “Employment Analysis of Maternity and Paternity Benefits” contains data on those that were in receipt of Paternity Benefit and was first published in June 2020 with a follow up release in May 2023 as part of the CSO’s Frontier Series Outputs. CSO Frontier Series may use new methods which are under development and / or data sources which may be incomplete, for example new administrative data sources.
Maternity Leave
Ceisteanna (207)
Emer Currie
Ceist:207. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Taoiseach the data on the percentage and number of women who availed of additional maternity leave in each of the years 2020 to 2025. [14436/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Referred to CSO for answer
While there is a statutory entitlement to additional maternity leave, it is not linked to a benefit payment. As such, the data requested is not available.
The CSO publication “Employment Analysis of Maternity and Paternity Benefits” contains data on those that were in receipt of Maternity Benefit and was first published in June 2020 with a follow up release in May 2023 as part of the CSO’s Frontier Series Outputs. CSO Frontier Series may use new methods which are under development and / or data sources which may be incomplete, for example new administrative data sources.
Question No. 208 answered with Question No. 201.
Passport Services
Ceisteanna (209)
John Brady
Ceist:209. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to provide an update on a passport application (details supplied) given the applicants travel date is imminent [15007/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, supporting documents for this application were received on 09 February 2026. The processing time for a first time passport application is 20 working days. This application is within the turnaround time and has not yet reached its issue-by date.
Departmental Investigations
Ceisteanna (210)
Paul Lawless
Ceist:210. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the analysis her Department has undertaken into the environmental impact of the Mercosur trade agreement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14909/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Ireland’s membership of the EU makes us part of a growing network of EU Free Trade Agreements, supporting more opportunity for exports and investment, helping support jobs and growth at home, maintaining strict EU standards on food safety, animal and plant health, and supporting better environmental and human rights standards around the world.
Ireland supports the efforts of the EU to promote values-based trade, linking trade to sustainability issues such as climate change, labour standards and human rights. EU Free Trade Agreements provide the opportunity to set high levels of standards and commitments between trade partners on climate change through dedicated chapters on Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD). Ireland also fully supports EU Free Trade Agreements as a means to develop strategic partnerships for critical supplies that support the green transition.
Throughout the negotiations of the EU-Mercosur agreement, the Government made clear to the Commission Ireland’s key requirements in regard to the deal. We repeatedly raised concerns in relation to our priority areas of climate, biodiversity, deforestation, as well as protections and assurances in regard to incomes of farmers in Ireland.
In response to pressure from Ireland and other Member States, the original Agreement reached in 2019 was re-opened to address concerns in relation to the environment, particularly concerning deforestation. The ensuing negotiations with Mercosur, which concluded in December 2024, led to an additional interpretative legal instrument addressing sustainability commitments.
As a result, the EU-Mercosur Agreement reflects the latest EU standards on TSD and contains a number of improvements over the original agreement in 2019. For example, it makes the Paris Agreement, a legally binding international treaty on climate change, an essential element of the EU-Mercosur relationship. Concrete commitments to tackle deforestation from 2030 are included – this is the first time that parties to an agreement subject to dispute settlement have made commitments to stop deforestation. The instrument also contains commitments on the development of sustainable supply chains and provisions to promote trade in sustainable products that help conserve biodiversity.
The Government will continue to engage with the Commission and with other EU Member States in the time ahead to ensure the full implementation of the commitments obtained from the Commission to address our concerns with the Agreement, including on trade and sustainability, should the Agreement be implemented.
Departmental Properties
Ceisteanna (211)
Malcolm Byrne
Ceist:211. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the total number of buildings leased by her Department, or bodies or agencies under its aegis, during 2025; the total cumulative sum paid under these leases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14020/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade does not lease any properties within this jurisdiction. The Office of Public Works is responsible for all accommodation utilised by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade within the State.
The Department has extensive lease arrangements for its network of over 100 embassies and consulates across the globe. The total amount paid for rent for such premises in 2025 was €23.7 million.
Foreign Policy
Ceisteanna (212)
Carol Nolan
Ceist:212. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether she or the Government considers the recent murder of tens of thousands of civilians by the Government of Iran to constitute a 'genocide'; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14084/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Ireland has unequivocally condemned the brutal repression of protestors by the authorities in Iran. The scale and extent of the violence meted out by the Iranian state against its own population is shocking and appalling.
Accurate reports as to the numbers killed, injured and interned continue to be hindered by the continuing communication blockages by the Iranian authorities. Reputable sources indicate that over 7,000 deaths can be verified, with many more thousands still under investigation. Over 50,000 people have been detained, and we fear for their safety. While state violence has for the moment driven protestors from the streets, the underlying issues have not been addressed and the evident disenchantment of Iranian people remains undiminished.
There are clearly very serious breaches of human rights taking place, and our abhorrence of the violent actions of the Iranian authorities is clear.
Ireland supported the holding of an emergency session of the UN Human Rights Council about the events in Iran, where we co-sponsored a resolution condemning the violence of the authorities. At the EU Foreign Affairs Council in January Ireland supported the placing of additional sanctions on Iranian persons complicit in this violence, and agreed to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran as a terrorist organisation. This designation was formally adopted by the Council on 19 February.
Ireland will continue to monitor the situation in Iran, and calls for the end of further violence and the restoration of communication services. The Government will remain in close coordination with our EU partners on this issue.
Flood Relief Schemes
Ceisteanna (213)
Pearse Doherty
Ceist:213. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to provide an exhaustive list of flood related compensation, paid from her Department's vote allocations over the past ten years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14101/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has not provided any flood-related compensation to any individual or organisation over the past ten years.
Foreign Policy
Ceisteanna (214, 215, 230)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Ceist:214. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the Government was consulted, through the Foreign Affairs Council or otherwise, by the European Commission in advance of its announced participation in the so-called Board of Peace meeting on 19 February 2026; if she is concerned by the participation of the European Commission in an initiative which includes wanted war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu and which was described as an effort to ‘undermine, replace, usurp the United Nations’; her views on whether the European Commission is undermining the United Nations or granting legitimacy to associated war criminals by taking part; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14195/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAengus Ó Snodaigh
Ceist:215. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if it is the Government’s position that the institutional balance enshrined in the EU treaties envisages members of the European Commission other than the High Representative of the Union on Foreign Affairs and Security Policy speaking on behalf of the European Union and Ireland on matters of foreign affairs and security policy, as appears to be the intent of Commissioner Šuica’s attendance at the so-called Board of Peace meeting on 19 February 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14196/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMalcolm Byrne
Ceist:230. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Ireland's approach to the Board of Peace as established by US President Donald Trump. [15112/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 214, 215 and 230 together.
The Board of Peace held its first meeting on 19 February in Washington DC. 48 countries were in attendance, with many taking part as observers. To date, two EU Member States have signed the Charter of the Board as sitting members: Hungary and Bulgaria.
Ireland has not signed up to membership of the Board of Peace and does not have plans to do so. As stated by President António Costa after the informal European Council meeting in January, the EU remains ready to work with the US on implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Plan for Gaza, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2803, and all relevant UN resolutions. Ireland supports this position.
The coordination of international efforts to advance the reconstruction of Gaza was a key theme for the inaugural meeting. In this context, EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean Šuica, along with EU Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process Christophe Bigot, who acts under the authority of the High Representative/Vice President, attended the meeting in an observer capacity. The Commissioner’s attendance was not formally discussed with Member States in advance of the decision to attend. In addition to Hungary and Bulgaria, 12 other EU Member States also attended this meeting in observer capacity, including: Romania, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Italy, Greece, Croatia, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, and Austria.
Ireland’s position, which aligns with the EU position, continues to be guided by our firm commitment to the United Nations, the primacy of the UN Charter, and our belief in the unique mandate of the UN to maintain international peace and security.
Question No. 215 answered with Question No. 214.
International Agreements
Ceisteanna (216)
Shane Moynihan
Ceist:216. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the actions her Department has had enacted since Ireland adopted the Sendai Disaster Framework. [14216/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Disasters represent an immense cost to the world economy, and the human cost globally is immeasurable. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, adopted in 2015, seeks to prevent and reduce disaster risk including through investment in resilience, enhanced preparedness and building back better. Ireland supports this approach. The Government's international development policy, “A Better World”, commits to strengthening our approach to Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in line with the Sendai Framework.
The Government has aligned our Sendai commitment with our key development policy priorities of Reducing Humanitarian Need and Climate Action. This has encouraged greater policy coherence between our climate, development and humanitarian assistance.
We work with a variety of partners on DRR. In partnership with the Asian Development Bank, we established the Ireland Trust Fund for Building Climate Change and Disaster Resilience in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), through which Ireland has contributed to efforts to advance DRR and Disaster Risk Management (DRM) measures in the Pacific. We have also supported the Pacific Disaster Resilience Programme the SIDS.
Since 2015, Ireland has supported the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Disaster Emergency Response Fund (DREF) with €12.6 million in funding. The DREF supports communities affected by small-to-medium sized disasters. We have also provided €6.5 million to the IFRC Global Climate Resilience Fund, which delivers locally-led climate action through early warning, anticipatory action and shock-responsive social protection.
The Government has provided climate finance to humanitarian partners, including over €10 million to the UN OCHA CERF Climate Action Account since 2023, and €3.7 to the UN Systematic Observations Financing Facility. We are also strong supporters of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage and the Global Shield Solutions Platform. The Global Shield helps vulnerable countries to manage losses from climate change by providing pre-arranged financial protection for governments, businesses and communities. Together, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment have provided €10 million so support the Platform. The Loss and Damage Fund was established in 2023 at COP28 to support developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to climate change with rehabilitation, recovery and reconstruction actions. Ireland shares a seat on the Board of the Fund with the European Commission. We have contributed €25 million to date.
As a guest country of the South African Presidency of the G20, Ireland participated last year as an observer in the G20 DRR Working Group. We strongly supported the important deliverables achieved, including the Ministerial Declaration on DRR. Building on this, we will work to ensure greater complementarity in our joint efforts with vulnerable countries to realise the ambition of the Sendai Framework, the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals.
State Bodies
Ceisteanna (217)
Marie Sherlock
Ceist:217. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to provide a list of all State agencies within her Department that allocate programme and project funding to section 39, section 56 and section 10 organisations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14391/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade does not have any State Agencies under its aegis.
Pension Provisions
Ceisteanna (218)
Marie Sherlock
Ceist:218. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the State agencies within her Department that have made provision for the pension auto enrolment payment as part of their allocation to funded organisations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14409/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
There are no State, semi-State or commercial semi-State agencies under the aegis of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.