I know there is very genuine concern in the House across all parties about this issue, and people have raised concerns about Hong Kong with me directly outside of the House as well. We are taking the matter very seriously. The statement I made after this law was introduced was probably stronger than any other that I can recall that was made across the EU. The UK has made very strong statements on the matter, but as a result of the statement I made, there was further contact with the Chinese Embassy. We have been ve…

What matters is the outcome. I do not see that the position taken by the UK, for example, has changed the policy position in Beijing. We will assess and are assessing, as I said earlier, the extradition treaty Ireland and a number of other EU countries have. It is equally important, however, to use our position in international fora such as the UN and the EU and to send open, honest and direct messages of concern to the Chinese Government on this issue. That is the appropriate course of action for Ireland, and I ho…

That is the key question. We can do things that allow us to position ourselves with other countries that have similar concerns. Ultimately, however, the question is how the relationship with China and the international community results in a sustained level of concern and pressure to ensure that the legitimate concerns of the international community are understood in Beijing and result in an appropriate change. That is how we should approach this in the context of UN engagement, EU engagement and our bilateral disc…

I do not see a situation in which the Chinese Government will invite monitors from the EU to monitor officially the implementation of legislation that the Chinese Government regards as a domestic matter. That said, in everything that happens in Hong Kong, I think the EU will monitor very closely how demonstrators, who are legitimately expressing concerns through protest, are treated. That will certainly inform how the EU will over time respond to the implementation of legislation about which many of us have express…

Ensuring the UK land bridge remains an effective route to market for Irish and other EU traders has been a key priority for the Government for some time in the context of Brexit. The UK's accession to the common transit convention is a key and positive step. It is important to recognise that because the UK Government has decided to be part of that convention in an effort to be helpful. This allows EU goods to transit through the UK without undergoing full customs export and import formalities on entry and exit. In …

Rosslare Europort is a priority. As the Deputy knows, the Government has, since 2018, made significant investment in the infrastructure and systems at Rosslare Europort. Substantial work is complete on a number of projects, including new inspection bays, HGV parking spaces and live animal inspection facilities. Further facilities will come on line before the end of the year. A big warehouse facility is due to be finished before the end of the year. Shipping companies have been looking at potential direct routes fro…

To try to be helpful, I will publish an update of the Government Brexit readiness and contingency action plan in September. We are working on that at the moment. The plan will outline the work taking place across Government and the steps businesses and citizens should take to prepare for the end of the transition period. This will be supported by the roll-out of a focused communications programme, also in the autumn, which will deal with land bridge issues and a range of other Brexit issues. The Minister for Public…

I will be brief. As the Deputy will know, having asked questions on this issue before, there has been significant consultation between my Department and the Department with responsibility for transport, which has had an ongoing dialogue with ferry companies. There is intense competition among ferry companies on the routes between Britain and Ireland. In addition, there has been significant increased capacity in terms of direct ferry routes between Ireland and the rest of the EU. That capacity has already been comin…

I am glad to have an opportunity to address this issue. The human rights situation in Iran remains a matter of serious concern and this particular issue forms an important part of our engagement and dialogue with Iran. Discriminatory practices in respect of access to employment, education and other basic services continue to affect Baha'i and other minority groups in Iran. Baha'i business owners face obstacles in starting and operating businesses. Baha'i students face challenges in gaining access to education, with…

I will come back to the Deputy in writing in regard to the specifics of the identity card issue. We have taken our lead from the special rapporteur in terms of reporting. I outlined in my reply the various ways in which we raise our concerns at the reports we are reading and hearing with the Iranian authorities and in multilateral fora, including the Human Rights Council and elsewhere. We need to continue to do that. I know and have met members of the Baha'i community who raised this issue directly with me and my D…

I accept the Deputy's point and agree that Ireland has a particular obligation in such matters. We constantly talk about human rights being at the centre of our foreign policy. We need to back that up and to have the uncomfortable conversations with embassies and ministers. We have already had some of those conversations in regard to the situation of the Baha'i and other ethnic minorities in Iran and we will continue to do so. It is important that we maintain a diplomatic relationship and dialogue with other countr…

I wish to back up what my colleague has said. Since the Covid crisis, our development budget is being restructured in many ways. We are looking to re-prioritise how we spend a significant amount of money. Ireland spends about €840 million on development assistance each year. We are looking at how we can effectively reshape that programme in the context of Covid-19 and we are open to talking to other countries about how they are doing the same, by using this extraordinary disruption and tragedy as a way of potential…

The Taoiseach, my Cabinet colleagues and I take every opportunity to engage with our EU partners, as well as UK counterparts, as appropriate, to advance Ireland’s priorities in matters arising from the UK's withdrawal from the EU, including the EU-UK future partnership negotiations, implementation of the withdrawal agreement and the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland. While I have not had the opportunity to meet Sir Keir Starmer over recent months because of Covid, we maintained good contact during his time a…

I will try to stick to them as well. I agree with Deputy Howlin. I also had a very good relationship with Keir Starmer when he was a Brexit spokesperson. We spoke regularly about the challenges of Brexit, as I also did with members of the Conservative Party. The dynamic and the numbers within the British Parliament have changed fundamentally since then. The current Government has a significant majority and we need to focus primarily on the people who will be making decisions, with the majority to pass them, in the …

To make one thing clear, while some voices in the Conservative party may be questioning the withdrawal agreement, this is an international treaty to which the British Government has signed up. I have certainly not seen the Prime Minister or Michael Gove move away from the commitments made in that agreement. It is hugely important to state that while there may be some views that question the sense of the withdrawal agreement, after it has been signed, this is a legal agreement between the EU and the UK and it was si…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 35 and 53 together. As I stated earlier, the Middle East peace process is a priority issue for me and for the Government, and I will continue to make every possible effort to engage constructively on this issue, through contacts with the parties, with relevant third states, with our EU partners, and with the UN. I have paid four working visits to the region in the past three years and look forward to doing so again when circumstances permit. I share the strong view of this House tha…

Since the others were given time, I am going to take a little bit of time.

That is fine, but when the questions are grouped together, I should also get a little more time to respond.

I will be quick. Deputy Costello is in a Government that cares about this issue, that has spent an extraordinary amount of time ensuring that Ireland has some influence over key decision-makers in respect of the Middle East peace process and that will continue to prioritise this issue, as we have done in the programme for Government. That is clear. Deputy Boyd Barrett, as usual, is calling for things that are more about protest than real change. I am not in the business of making decisions as a Government Minister …

I move the following Revised Estimates: Vote 27 — International Co-operation (Revised) That a sum not exceeding €549,702,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2020,for certain Official Development Assistance,including certain grants, and for contributions to certain International Organisations involved in Development Assistance and for salaries and expenses in connection therewith. Vote 28 — Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) Th…