Written Answers Nos. 156-167
156. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if her Department is preparing briefs on the expectations in terms of Ireland’s relationship with the UK if Nigel Farage becomes the next Prime Minister; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38528/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland and the UK are longstanding, likeminded partners and neighbours. We are joined together by our shared history and geography, our people-to-people ties, and our mutually beneficial trade relationship.
Our bilateral relationship is also underpinned by our role as co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement, under which Ireland and the UK are committed to working together for a prosperous and peaceful Northern Ireland.
The importance of this bilateral relationship is clearly reflected in our now annual Summits and the UK-Ireland 2030 Joint Statement, which sets out an extensive cooperation agenda between our governments, in areas such as research and innovation, security and defence, the delivery of critical infrastructure, preparing for the transition to a low carbon economy, culture and youth affairs.
Ireland and the UK cooperate extensively across international organisations and other fora, frameworks and institutions, such as the British-Irish Council, British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference, and the British-Irish Parliamentary Association.
Cooperation with our closest neighbour is not dependent on any one political party or Government, and involves long-term commitments, vision and planning, and the involvement of stakeholders at every level, from grassroots level up, including industry, research and cultural institutions among others.
The Government is firmly committed to working closely with UK counterparts for the benefit of all citizens across these islands. The next UK general elections are not expected to take place until 2029. It would not be appropriate for the Government to comment on potential or future election outcomes in other jurisdictions.
157. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if a passport will be expedited in the case of a person (details supplied). [38458/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraWith regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has issued the passport to the applicant.
158. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade she will raise the case of a person (details supplied) currently being detained in the United Arab Emirates with her UAE counterpart; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38481/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that I am aware of this case and that officials in my Department through the Embassy of Ireland in Abu Dhabi are providing consular assistance to the Irish citizen in question, who is currently in detention, and his family. Embassy officials have been working to arrange a consular visit to the citizen in detention and have made an official request to the UAE authorities to do so.
Through the Embassy and the Consular team in Dublin, my Department will continue to follow closely developments in relation to this matter and I wish to assure the Deputy that my Department will continue to provide all appropriate consular assistance to the citizen.
159. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she has received representations from an organisation in relation to the requirement by the Passport Office for renewal applications for passports for children of a deceased parent/guardian; if she will consider reviewing these arrangements so that these documents are required only for the original passport application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38494/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI fully recognise the difficulties the current process may present for bereaved families and the Passport Service seeks to be as sympathetic and supportive as possible in assisting bereaved parents throughout the application process. To this end, the Passport Service has scheduled a meeting with Widows and Bereaved Parents Ireland to discuss their concerns.
In terms of the process in place, where a child's guardian is deceased, the Passport Service requests the original death certificate of the deceased guardian and a Sole Guardian Affidavit from the surviving guardian confirming that they are the only guardian of the child.
When one guardian is deceased, it may not always be the case that the surviving parent is the only guardian of the child. For example, a guardian can, in a will or deed, appoint someone else to be a testamentary guardian after he or she dies. In addition, step-parents or other family members may have acquired guardianship of a child following the death of a parent. In order to protect the rights of children and their guardians, the Passport Service needs to confirm each time that it has the consent of all relevant guardians before it can issue a passport.
160. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she will review the requirement for widowed or bereaved parents to resubmit death certificates and sworn affidavits each time a child's passport is renewed; if she will consider introducing a once off verification system in order that these documents are only provided once unless family circumstances change; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38513/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI fully recognise the difficulties the current process may present for bereaved families and the Passport Service seeks to be as sympathetic and supportive as possible in assisting bereaved parents throughout the application process. To this end, the Passport Service has scheduled a meeting with Widows and Bereaved Parents Ireland to discuss their concerns.
In terms of the process in place, where a child's guardian is deceased, the Passport Service requests the original death certificate of the deceased guardian and a Sole Guardian Affidavit from the surviving guardian confirming that they are the only guardian of the child.
When one guardian is deceased, it may not always be the case that the surviving parent is the only guardian of the child. For example, a guardian can, in a will or deed, appoint someone else to be a testamentary guardian after he or she dies. In addition, step-parents or other family members may have acquired guardianship of a child following the death of a parent. In order to protect the rights of children and their guardians, the Passport Service needs to confirm each time that it has the consent of all relevant guardians before it can issue a passport.
161. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade her views regarding a matter relating to British soldiers (details supplied). [38539/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy thoughts are with the families of the five individuals killed in the Springhill massacre on 9 July, 1972.
I welcome the coroner’s findings, published on 30 April, which found that none of the five individuals should have been shot, and that the force used by British soldiers was not reasonable.
I know that the findings of the inquest are fundamentally important to those families.
They waited for decades, and worked for decades for these findings.
I also accept the coroner’s finding that “there is little prospect of any prosecution in these cases” given “the passage of time, the difficulties in establishing to the criminal standard who fired any lethal shots, and the associated difficulties in this case of even establishing the identity of the ciphered soldiers”.
This only serves to highlight the challenges faced by victims and families in their pursuit for justice.
That is why my attention is squarely focused on the timely and faithful implementation of the Joint Framework on legacy, agreed with the British government on 19 September 2025. Once implemented, legacy mechanisms will be equipped to provide routes to truth, accountability, and where possible, justice to victims and families.
Ultimately, it requires that both governments’ legislation must be fully in line with what was agreed under the Joint Framework, and must adhere to the European Convention on Human Rights.
162. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of occasions in 2025 and to date in 2026 where the Irish ambassador in Kuala Lumpur has met formally with the Malaysian Foreign Minister, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38614/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is committed to further deepening and strengthening the good bilateral ties between Ireland and Malaysia. The Irish Ambassador to Malaysia and the Embassy team are in regular touch with Government Ministries in Malaysia, including on behalf of other Government Departments. The Irish Ambassador engages with Malaysian Ministers, both formally and informally; most recently, she discussed the bilateral relationship with the Minister for Finance at an event earlier this month. The Malaysian Embassy to Ireland also has regular contact with my officials. There have been no meetings between the Irish Ambassador to Malaysia and the Malaysian Foreign Minister in 2025, or to-date in 2026.
An important aspect of our diplomatic engagement with Malaysia is regular bilateral consultations, which allow for comprehensive discussion of the bilateral relationship and issues of mutual concern. The last such consultations with Malaysia took place in November 2024 in Malaysia, at Director General level, and involved senior Malaysian counterparts from a number of key Ministries. Arrangements for the next round of bilateral consultations in Dublin are under consideration.
Ireland also has significant engagement with Malaysia though our state agencies, including Enterprise Ireland, whose Education lead for the region works from the same premises as the Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, with close support from my staff on matters including deepening linkages between Irish and Malaysian universities, and more systematic engagement with the thousands of Malaysian alumni of Irish Institutions of Higher Education. Ireland's trade with Malaysia is showing a positive pattern of growth, with particularly encouraging figures so far in 2026.
Ireland also regularly engages with Malaysia at the UN and through our regional groupings of the EU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The most recent EU-ASEAN Ministerial meeting in Brunei in April this year agreed a Joint Ministerial Statement which addresses the full range of issues facing both regions, including trade, preserving the rules-based international order and upholding multilateralism, energy security and climate change, digitalisation and maritime security.
163. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of, and name of, each active investor-state dispute settlement case currently under way against Ireland, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38642/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe question specifically refers to the number and name of each active investor-state dispute settlement cases currently underway against Ireland. This Department does not have a role in the out-workings of specific cases, which would sit with the relevant Government Departments.
164. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the result of any impact assessments relating to the State’s liabilities regarding international agreements containing investor courts that are ratified in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38643/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe EU’s new approach to investment protection includes the Investment Court System (ICS), which will replace the long-standing Investor-State Dispute Settlement or ISDS mechanism. The European Union and its Member States are keenly aware of the criticisms of the ISDS system. To overcome the shortcomings attributed to the ISDS system, the EU and its Member States have put forward new reforms addressing these concerns head-on. This new, progressive system contains investment protection provisions that are balanced against a State’s right to regulate in the public interest.
The Government is currently progressing the Arbitration (Amendment) Bill 2025 in the Oireachtas as part of ongoing efforts to take forward ratification of the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and other international agreements containing similar ICS investment dispute resolution provisions. The preparation of this Bill has been informed by careful assessment.
These agreements include clearly defined investment protection standards, including on fair and equitable treatment, and provide clear guidance to standing dispute resolution Tribunals on how these standards should be applied. Furthermore, in order to ensure that Tribunals in all circumstances respect the intent of the Parties, the agreements establishing these Tribunals include provisions that provide for the issuance of binding notes of interpretation where serious concerns have arisen as regards matters of interpretation. In the case of CETA, the Joint Interpretative Instrument confirms that “Canada and the European Union and its Member States are committed to using these provisions to avoid and correct any misinterpretation of CETA by Tribunals.”
These agreements include provisions that affirm that the Parties preserve their rights to regulate for public policy purposes. They also provide that investment protection provisions shall not be interpreted as a commitment from governments that their legal frameworks will remain unchanged. The agreements further clarify that the fact that a measure may negatively affect an investment or affect an investor’s expectations of profits is not sufficient to say that the measure is inconsistent with the agreement.
165. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Ireland's position on EU humanitarian and development funding for the Sahel; the steps Ireland is taking at EU level to advocate for increased long-term investment in agricultural development in the region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38679/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraWe are very concerned about the deteriorating security situation and the humanitarian crisis in the Sahel region of West Africa.
The situation remains unstable. Since 2020, there has been a series of military coups across the region, which is now estimated to account for over half of all global terrorism deaths. The UN estimates that over 24 million people across the Sahel will require humanitarian aid in 2026.
Ireland has been responding, providing over €61 million in development and humanitarian assistance across the region between 2021 and 2025. This includes a total of some €17.8 million in 2025.
Last year, the EU provided over €541 million in humanitarian, development and peace assistance to respond to the needs of displaced populations and others directly affected by the insecurity across the region.
At EU level, Ireland has actively supported the renewed approach to the Sahel adopted by the Foreign Affairs Council in November 2025. It focuses on political and diplomatic engagement; human security; and social cohesion, economic opportunities and people-to-people ties. The approach has been led by the EU Special Representative for the Sahel, João Cravinho, whom I met with when he visited Ireland for consultations this month. Ireland has been calling for a long-term EU approach to the region, with investment in human capital and essential service delivery central to addressing the root causes of violence, instability, and migration. We strongly support an integrated approach to food security, nutrition, and resilience-building. I have discussed with the EU Special Representative how Ireland can play a role in support of the renewed approach during our EU Presidency.
We have stepped up our engagement in the Sahel in recent years, not least with the opening of a new Embassy in Senegal in 2023. Our work there includes support for food security, climate action, the empowerment of women and youth, and civil society. We are supporting the International Fund for Agricultural Development, which promotes climate resilient agriculture practices, and a programme by the Food and Agriculture Organisation, co-financed by the EU, to strengthen community resilience, with a focus on the Great Green Wall area of Senegal. At multilateral level, Ireland also contributes to the Green Climate Fund and the Global Environmental Facility for their work across the Sahel region.
166. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the actions she and her Department are taking to ensure the safety of the Irish citizens aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38694/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am aware of an Israeli operation, beginning on 18 May, to intercept vessels participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters to the west of Cyprus. This resulted in the detention of 14 Irish citizens.
As I am sure you are aware, I condemned the illegal interception of vessels in international waters, and called on the Israeli authorities to uphold their obligations under international law, with a view to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all those illegally detained. In that context, I also called for the immediate release of our citizens.
While my Department has long advised against all travel to Israel and Palestine, in this case, their safety and wellbeing is my primary concern.
I assure you that officials from across my Department continue to closely monitor the situation,, and that our Embassy in Israel has also been in direct contact with the Israeli authorities to secure consular access and support for our citizens as soon as possible.
I can further assure you that consular officers in Dublin are also in direct and continuous contact with the families of those detained and with the Ireland-based Flotilla organisers.
As you know, a similar interception operation took place on Wednesday 29 April in waters close to Greece, resulting in the interception of several ships, and the detention of seven Irish citizens.
I can confirm that all seven Irish citizens were subsequently released in Greece and, were received by officials from our Embassy there, as well as our Honorary Consul, who provided consular assistance. This included the offer of food, water, support arranging accommodation, and access to the means to contact their loved ones at home.
Rest assured, that my Department will provide consular assistance to impacted Irish citizens.
167. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she will review the case of a person (details supplied); if the passport application could be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38702/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraWith regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service is actively reviewing the application and it will be approved as soon as all necessary checks are complete.
