I say that as somebody some of whose family has very much been in that category. I want to give a commitment that we will certainly look at that issue. As I say, if a British person living in Ireland wants to get an Irish passport and he or she has been living here for years, that person is more than welcome to become an Irish citizen and we will facilitate that in as seamless a way as possible, from both a timeline and an expense perspective. I am conscious I need to wind up. It is a little unfortunate that some i…

We have been working on the Santa Claus issue for a number of weeks. It is important to point out to all children in the country that we regard the travels of Santa Claus as essential travel for essential purposes, so he is exempt from the need to self-quarantine for 14 days and should be able to come in and out of Irish airspace and homes without having to restrict his movements. However, children should not stay up at night because he needs to socially distance. People need to keep at least 2 m away at all stages…

I have been asked questions on this issue a number of times previously and I have said we have an open mind on it. This is more than a conversation across the EU as it is something on which the European Commission is also giving leadership. While corporate governance in a domestic context falls outside the remit of my Department, the European Commissioner for Justice has announced he will bring forward a new initiative next year in the area of sustainable corporate governance. A public consultation is now under way…

Ireland remains open to looking at options for progress on a legally binding treaty. The sixth session of the open-ended intergovernmental working group on transnational corporations and other business enterprises took place from 26 to 30 October last. The European Union delivered a statement and separately raised specific concerns relating to the draft text on behalf of Ireland and other member states. The EU statement welcomed some of the changes to the latest draft of the legally binding instrument, highlighted …

This is a very relevant question given the broader multi-annual financial framework, MFF, considerations generally, and the fact that very significant funds could be held up, which Ireland may well need to access, in particular in the context of the Brexit adjustment fund. As the Deputy will be aware, agreement was reached in the European Parliament on 5 November for a general scheme of conditionality for the protection of the EU's budget. This follows the July European Council conclusions on the MFF-Next Generatio…

I do not disagree with the Deputy's concerns but we still have to find a way forward. That is the nature of politics. It is the responsibility of whoever holds the Presidency of the European Union to try to find a way forward. Respect for the rule of law is one of the EU values enshrined in the treaties, alongside respect for human dignity, equality and human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. Ireland is a firm supporter of these EU values. Hungarian Government reforms, mainly in the j…

We need to find a way forward that respects the values of the EU but that also allows us to go ahead with the budget.

Ireland has welcomed the agreement reached on the rule of law conditionality mechanism, which has been an important issue for Ireland and for the wider MFF negotiations. We support the current text as the best possible compromise available. The agreement has a broader scope than the Presidency proposal and we have welcomed it as an improvement on the original text from 2018. Ireland has consistently supported the position of like-minded member states on the importance of introducing strong and effective rule of law…

We have discussed this matter of demolitions and settlements before at Question Time. The demolition by Israeli authorities of private property is of grave concern. Demolition and confiscation of humanitarian assets, including education infrastructure, is contrary to Israel’s obligations under international humanitarian law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention. The only conclusion we can draw from the systematic nature of these policies, especially in areas where illegal Israeli settlements have already been …

We are taking action. I understand the frustration in this House about the Israel-Palestine matter in general. I am glad it is raised every time I take questions. However, I assure the Deputy that we are using all the tools we think can be most persuasive in bringing about change in that relationship. We potentially have an opportunity, with a change of US President, to be able to refocus on the Middle East peace process and the relationship between Israelis and Palestinians. I want Ireland to be in the middle of t…

I understand the Deputy's perspective on this. As the Minister for Foreign Affairs, my job is to use my judgment to consider how we can create a position where Ireland can be as influential as possible in the bigger picture. That is how to work with other governments around the world to create an environment where Israeli and Palestinian negotiators can sit around a table negotiating a permanent solution to a conflict that has been going on for decades. That is the issue. Of course, there is also the question of ho…

Passports are internationally recognised travel documents that attest to the identity and nationality of the bearer. The Irish passport is an invaluable identity document and its integrity is paramount to the maintenance of the level of visa-free access that Irish citizens enjoy to 93 countries worldwide today. Any changes to the format of the Irish passport must be fully compliant with International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, regulations and standards. The ICAO is a UN specialised agency which defines in d…

Yes. We would like to see more co-ordination at an EU level although there has already been quite a lot, in terms of the traffic light system which is now providing a lot more certainty. The truth is that very few people are travelling anyway. The Government guidelines are very clear that any international travel should be limited to essential travel under level 5 restrictions but we are working towards a situation where we hope that can change as we move into next year. The passenger locator form is not something …

I can assure Deputy Harkin that we are thinking about it and have been thinking about it all year in the context of international travel. It would be safe to say that Ireland has been one of the most restrictive countries in the EU in terms of international travel. We have taken a lot of criticism from the airlines and there has been huge frustration at our airports because of that. We believe it is for good reason, despite the fact that Ireland, arguably, relies on air travel more than any other country in the EU,…

This Government has offered congratulations to President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris. We look forward to working with the new administration, once it is in place, to progress international peace and security, including during our time on the UN Security Council and on the important global challenges of Covid-19, economic recovery and climate change. Deputy Connolly refers to the use of commercial aircraft by the US Government. While the Department of Transport has primary responsibility for civil ai…

I agree with the Deputy on many things in respect of Ireland's role in the world and being a voice advocating for human rights, peace and peacekeeping. We do advocate for all of those things. These are some of the reasons we fought so hard for a place on the UN Security Council, beginning 1 January. The priorities we have set for our term on the Security Council are built around peace, peacekeeping and holding countries to account for their actions under international law. That is what we campaigned on and that is …

With respect, the way for Ireland to maximise its influence to promote peace is to build relationships with countries all over the world that are involved in conflict so that we can try to influence the decisions they make. That is how the world works when it comes to international politics, as opposed to countries taking stands that may sound good domestically but which get nothing done internationally. With regard to the use of Shannon Airport, the practical implementation of the conditions for granting permissio…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 40 together. Negotiations on the EU-UK future relationship have entered an even more intensive phase since 21 October, with negotiating teams working daily to close the gaps between the two sides. Due to a member of one of the negotiating teams falling ill with Covid-19, talks at chief negotiator level were temporarily suspended late last week. The talks have now resumed and the negotiating teams are continuing their work online. A brief update on Brexit was provided by Presid…

I will address Deputy Ó Cuív's questions first. I will then respond on fishing, although I imagine Deputy Ó Cuív is interested in fishing too in the context of Ros an Mhíl and other ports. First, we want a deal. That is absolutely the case. We have been working towards that end for four and a half years now. Since the UK made the decision to leave the European Union, we have been working with all sides to try to find a fair and acceptable deal that protects Irish interests, Ireland's place in the EU Single Market a…

I am interested in fish, first and foremost, and in keeping the fishing industry intact, as opposed to relying on compensation.