Written Answers
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20 November 2018 Written Answers. The following are questions tabled by Members for written response and the ministerial replies as received on the day from the Departments [unrevised]. Questions Nos. 1 to 11, inclusive, answered orally. Questions Nos. 12 to 20, inclusive, resubmitted. Official Engagements 20/11/2018WRAAA0060021. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent en- gagement with the President of the European Parliament, Mr. Antonio Tajani. [45717/18] 20/11/2018WRAAA00700The Taoiseach: I had a bilateral meeting with the President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, in the margins of the European Council on 18 October. We discussed the state of play in the Brexit negotiations between the EU and the U.K. I thanked President Tajani for his ongoing strong solidarity in relation to our concerns and reiter- ated the need to ensure a legally operable and robust backstop in the Withdrawal Agreement. I am pleased that agreement was subsequently reached at negotiator level on the draft With- drawal Agreement and an outline of the Joint Political Declaration on the future relationship. I look forward to attending the special meeting of the European Council this Sunday, where it is hoped that the 27 EU leaders will formally endorse the draft Withdrawal Agreement and Joint Political Declaration. Questions Nos. 22 to 28, inclusive, resubmitted. Northern Ireland 20/11/2018WRAAA0090029. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meet- ing with the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, Ms Arlene Foster. [45718/18] 20/11/2018WRAAA01000The Taoiseach: I met the leader of the DUP Ms Arlene Foster on October 15. We discussed many issues including the current political situation in Northern Ireland and Brexit. I emphasised the Government’s full commitment to the Good Friday Agreement, and our continuing determination to secure the effective operation of all of its institutions. We dis- cussed what could be done to get the institutions in Northern Ireland up and running again. I re-iterated to Ms Foster that the Government wants to put a political process in place that can secure an agreement on the operation of the devolved institutions and that we will continue 1 Questions - Written Answers to engage with the British Government and the political parties in Northern Ireland to seek ur- gent progress in the period immediately ahead. We agreed that we can continue to build on existing practical North South co-operation. We also discussed Brexit including negotiations on the backstop to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland. Questions Nos. 30 to 33, inclusive, resubmitted. Official Engagements 20/11/2018WRAAA0120034. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent visit to County Cavan; the engagements he undertook; and if he met with stakeholders to discuss the impact of Brexit. [45719/18] 20/11/2018WRAAA01300The Taoiseach: I visited Counties Cavan and Monaghan on Friday 12th of October when I had a number of different engagements. In the morning, I visited the Cavan County Museum in Ballyjamesduff, the new Autism Unit in Bailieborough Community School and Bailieborough Courthouse. In the afternoon, I visited Cootehill where I had the pleasure of turning the sod on the new Holy Family School. Finally, I spoke at a Cross-Border Childcare Conference in Emyvale, Co. Monaghan. While I had no formal meetings with business people on this visit, I did of course meet a wide variety of invited guests and members of the public at the events I attended. During the course of my visit Brexit was to the fore. The Cross Border Childcare Conference afforded me the opportunity to engage with those attending on the subject of Brexit. Questions Nos. 35 and 36 resubmitted. National Digital Strategy 20/11/2018WRAAA0150037. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the recently an- nounced consultation process in respect of the national digital strategy. [46732/18] 20/11/2018WRAAA01600The Taoiseach: A new overarching National Digital Strategy is currently in development. The Strategy will help Ireland to maximise the economic and societal benefits from ongoing digitalisation and its transformative effects. In 2013, Ireland’s previous National Digital Strategy was launched, and focused on Doing more with Digital. Five years on, the Government is seeking to develop a new National Digital Strategy to take full advantage of the evolving opportunities of digital transformation, and deal with the many challenges thrown up by the swift pace of technological advancement. The Strategy is being led as a shared effort by the Department of the Taoiseach; Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment; Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation; and the Office of the Chief Information Officer in the Department of Public Expen- diture and Reform, reflecting the spread of areas it will cover. 2 20 November 2018 An Interdepartmental Group, which includes representatives from all Departments, is assist- ing the development of the Strategy ensuring a comprehensive whole-of-Government approach. As committed to in the Action Plan for Jobs, a Framework for Developing the new National Digital Strategy has been completed, which went to Government in July, and reflects prelimi- nary stakeholder consultations with civic society, enterprise representatives, industry, education providers and academia. A public consultation, to allow citizens to feed in and influence the development of the Strategy, is currently underway and will run for a month until Friday, November 23rd. Citizens can submit their views online, by email or by post. The public’s submissions will help us carve out the issues that matter to the people of Ire- land, and create a strong new National Digital Strategy based on the real concerns, needs and ambitions of the country. In parallel with the public consultation, consultation with stakeholders and sectoral special- ists is taking place, to further inform the development of the Strategy. The final Strategy will map out how we can positively embrace digital advances and provide for a national narrative to understand the impacts of digital technology on Ireland. Questions Nos. 38 to 40, inclusive, resubmitted. Official Engagements 20/11/2018WRAAA0180041. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his attendance at the recent ASEM summit. [46733/18] 20/11/2018WRAAA01900The Taoiseach: I attended the 12th ASEM Summit, or Asia - Europe Meeting, on the 18th and 19th of October in Brussels. The focus of the recent Summit was on improving trade and connectivity between Europe and Asia, and on reinforcing the multilateral, rules-based system of governance on issues like international trade, peace and security, sustainable development and climate change. As well as attending the plenary sessions, I held bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Sol- berg of Norway, President Battulga of Mongolia and the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dr. Wan Azizah, focused on strengthening bilateral relations. I also raised Ireland’s candidature for an elected seat on the UN Security Council for the term 2021-2022. I engaged informally with a number of other leaders including Chinese Premier Li, Japanese Prime Minister Abe, Russian Prime Minister Medvedev, Vice President of India Naidu, and the foreign ministers or special envoys of Laos, Myanmar, Australia, Kazakhstan and New Zea- land. These were primarily courtesy conversations about bilateral relations, though in several instances I raised Ireland’s candidacy for the UN Security Council. Questions Nos. 42 and 43 resubmitted. Departmental Advertising Expenditure 20/11/2018WRAAA0210044. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the proposed budget for social media advertising in his Department for 2019. [46734/18] 3 Questions - Written Answers 20/11/2018WRAAA02150The Taoiseach: The cost for any social media advertising undertaken in 2019 will be met from my Department’s administrative budget. Costs incurred are expected to be significantly less than the spend on digital advertising in 2018 which is estimated at approximately €450,000. Question No. 45 resubmitted. Official Engagements 20/11/2018WRAAA0225046. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent visit to County Derry. [45930/18] 20/11/2018WRAAA02275The Taoiseach: I visited Derry City on Friday 26th October where I had several engage- ments. I was pleased to visit the Apprentice Boys Headquarters and Museum where I enjoyed a tour of the Museum. I also had the opportunity to meet the Chair of the Management Committee Mr William Moore and a number of his colleagues. I then visited Creggan Enterprises in the Rath Mór Centre in the Creggan where I spoke with local business people and members of the community. I also met those involved in projects operating from the Centre and met briefly with the local MP, Ms Elisha McCallion. Finally, that evening I spoke at the St Columb’s College Annual Dinner which this year was in honour of one of St Columb’s former students, Mr Mark Durkan. Questions Nos. 47 to 75, inclusive, resubmitted. Questions Nos. 76 to 83, inclusive, answered orally. Human Rights 20/11/2018WRAAA0240084. Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way in which concerns regarding the safe repatriation of the Rohingya to Myanmar can be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48085/18] 20/11/2018WRAAA02500Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Deputy Simon Coveney): Since military security operations began in Rakhine State, Myanmar in August 2017, approximately 720,000 refugees, mostly Rohingya, have fled to Bangladesh. The people and government of Bangladesh have demonstrated extraordinary generosity in receiving such a large influx of refugees in very difficult circumstances. I remain very concerned at the ongoing situation in Myanmar and the plight of these refugees who are living in extremely precarious conditions in overcrowded refugee camps.