International Agreements (Houses of the Oireachtas)

State - Schengen Agreement - issues relating to

Sitting date: 31/01/2017
[Written Answers] I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 107 together. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that in December 2016, An Garda Síochána entered a contract with a preferred tenderer for the development of a custom-built ICT package to link Ireland to the second generation Schengen Infor...

State - Schengen Agreement - issues relating to

Sitting date: 31/01/2017
[Written Answers]...the timeframe for Ireland's access to the Schengen information system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [Q. No(s) 106 to Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality ]

State - Schengen Agreement - issues relating to

Sitting date: 31/01/2017
[Written Answers]...if her department has reassessed protocols regarding the exchange of information of the Schengen information system between the UK and Ireland post Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [Q. No(s) 107 to Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality ]

State - Partnership for Peace - issues relating to

Sitting date: 09/11/2016
[Oral Answers]...if he will provide a categorical assurance that no Irish defence personnel will participate in any Russian deterrent force and that no Defence Forces personnel have been deployed in a manner which would facilitate other member states involvement in this military operation. [Q. No(s)...

State - Partnership for Peace - issues relating to

Sitting date: 09/11/2016
[Questions] Is the Minister of State concerned about escalating tensions and the militarisation of the borders between the European Union and Russia? Will he confirm that no Irish soldier will take part in any NATO operation or deterrent force, as it has been termed, or facilitate the setting up of...

State - Partnership for Peace - issues relating to

Sitting date: 09/11/2016
[Questions] At the NATO Warsaw summit in July this year which I attended the establishment of a military presence in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland was announced. This military presence, also known as the Russian deterrent force, is being established in the Baltic region by NATO. The establ...

State - Partnership for Peace - issues relating to

Sitting date: 09/11/2016
[Questions] The Minister of State says we will not participate in mutual defence arrangements based on NATO membership. Given that the deterrent force is to be based in the Baltic states, in particular Poland, and that a threat has been issued by the NATO chief, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, that the force...

State - Partnership for Peace - issues relating to

Sitting date: 09/11/2016
[Questions] As a matter of policy, Ireland does not participate in mutual defence arrangements and, as such, will not be participating in the Russian deterrent force. At the NATO Warsaw summit in July this year the establishment of an enhanced forward military presence in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania...

State - Partnership for Peace - issues relating to

Sitting date: 09/11/2016
[Questions] The Cold War continued for many years and drained Europe and much of the world of much-needed resources which could have been deployed more productively elsewhere. It was not meant to provoke a war. While it did not provoke a war, it provoked a stand-off which lasted for years. Is the...

State - Partnership for Peace - issues relating to

Sitting date: 09/11/2016
[Questions] Ireland receives regular requests for participation in various missions and they are considered on a case by case basis. There are a number of considerations to be taken into account when Ireland is determining the missions in which it will partake. The assessment includes whether it i...

International Agreements - Schengen Agreement - issues relating to

Sitting date: 30/06/2016
[Written Answers] The Schengen 'acquis' is derived from the 1990 Schengen Convention to implement the 1985 Schengen Agreement. It allows for the abolition of internal border controls between the participating countries. It also includes provisions on a common policy on the temporary entry of perso...

International Agreements - Schengen Agreement - issues relating to

Sitting date: 30/06/2016
[Written Answers]...the possible impact on Ireland’s opt-out from the Schengen Agreement, when Britain completes its departure from the European Union; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [Q. No(s) 55 to Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality ]

International Agreements - Partnership for Peace - issues relating to

Sitting date: 21/06/2016
[Oral Answers]...if he will attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) summit which takes place on 8 and 9 July 2016 in Warsaw; and if he will review Ireland's membership of NATO's so-called Partnership for Peace. [Q. No(s) 17 to Taoiseach and Minister for Defence ]

International Agreements - Partnership for Peace - issues relating to

Sitting date: 21/06/2016
[Questions] The purpose of the question is to ask the Minister for Defence why he would consider an invitation to attend or partake in the July NATO summit? Will he now set in motion Ireland's withdrawal from NATO's Partnership for Peace?[Ó Snodaigh, Aengus]

International Agreements - Partnership for Peace - issues relating to

Sitting date: 21/06/2016
[Questions] Ireland's co-operation with NATO is conducted through the Partnership for Peace, which we joined in 1999 following approval by Dáil Éireann. Ireland’s purpose in participating in the Partnership for Peace is to improve Defence Forces capabilities and to ensure that our Defence Forces ar...

International Agreements - Partnership for Peace - issues relating to

Sitting date: 21/06/2016
[Questions] Given that we are already committed to many UN mandated missions, for which we have a proud record that is acknowledged throughout the world, and also, regretfully, that we have committed to the EU battlegroup, why in God's name would we have anything to do with NATO or its Partnership f...

International Agreements - Partnership for Peace - issues relating to

Sitting date: 21/06/2016
[Questions] We have no plans to withdraw. The primary aim of our Partnership for Peace membership is to enhance the Defence Forces' interoperability with other professional military forces for the purpose of engaging in UN authorised peacekeeping and peace support operations led by the UN, EU or NA...

International Agreements - Partnership for Peace - issues relating to

Sitting date: 21/06/2016
[Questions] NATO's interoperability policy is designed to support the capacity for member countries to act coherently, effectively and efficiently to achieve tactical operational and strategic objectives. Specifically, it enables forces, units and systems to operate together and allows them to shar...

International Agreements - Partnership for Peace - issues relating to

Sitting date: 21/06/2016
[Questions] The Minister of State and I will probably differ on this. We have differed over the years when there have been votes on it in this House. Can the Minister of State see the logic that interoperability suggests increased funding? As we are the poor cousin, in terms of military equipment...

International Agreements - Partnership for Peace - issues relating to

Sitting date: 02/06/2016
[Written Answers] The cost of running the Partnership for Peace liaison office in the years 2011 to 2014 is set out in the following table. This figure includes staff costs, office costs, building rental and maintenance and other overheads. Year Cost 2011 €546,290 2012 €460,051 2013 €439,475 201...

International Agreements - Partnership for Peace - issues relating to

Sitting date: 02/06/2016
[Written Answers]...the cost of Ireland's North Atlantic Treaty Alliance Partnership for Peace Liaison Office in Brussels in Belgium in each of the years 2011 to 2014. [Q. No(s) 223 to Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade ]

International Agreements - Partnership for Peace - issues relating to

Sitting date: 26/05/2016
[Written Answers] Ireland has been a member of the Partnership for Peace since 1999. Our engagement with the programme is carried out via a Liaison Office in Brussels. Ireland’s participation in the Partnership aims to ensure that our Defence Forces have the necessary capabilities to continue to ...

International Agreements - Partnership for Peace - issues relating to

Sitting date: 26/05/2016
[Written Answers]...if Ireland has a permanent office in Brussels in Belgium to handle engagements with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's Partnership for Peace Programme; and the cost of running this office in 2015. [Q. No(s) 159 to Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade ]

International Agreements - Schengen Agreement - issues relating to

Sitting date: 28/01/2016
[Written Answers] I understand the Deputy is referring to Regulation (EU) No 604/2013 which establishes the criteria and mechanisms for determining the Member State responsible for examining an application for international protection lodged in one of the Member States and which is commonly referred...

International Agreements - Schengen Agreement - issues relating to

Sitting date: 28/01/2016
[Written Answers]...her views on the status of the Dublin Protocol and the Schengen Agreement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [Q. No(s) 182 to Minister for Justice and Equality ]

International Agreements - Schengen Agreement - issues relating to

Sitting date: 01/12/2015
[Written Answers]...the status of the Schengan Agreement; if members of the European Union Council want it dismantled; if it is under threat, given the atrocities in Paris in France; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [Q. No(s) 309 to Minister for Justice and Equality ]

International Agreements - Schengen Agreement - issues relating to

Sitting date: 01/12/2015
[Written Answers] The Schengen Agreement is an agreement among certain European Member States. The Agreement allows for the abolition of systematic border controls between participating countries. It also includes provisions on common policy on the temporary entry of people (including the Schengen v...