Results 14,021-14,040 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: The Government gave a commitment in the Good Friday Agreement to actively promote and develop respect, reconciliation and mutual understanding between the different traditions on the island of Ireland and between Ireland and Britain. Following this, the Department of Foreign Affairs has provided assistance and grant aid to groups involved in cross-community and cross-border reconciliation and...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: Ireland signed and ratified the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) on 23 December, 1985. Ireland is strongly committed to the implementation of the Convention. States Parties to the Convention must submit periodic reports to the Committee on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women on progress in implementing the Convention....

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: In the recent White Paper on Irish Aid, the Government committed to undertaking a major review of the management of the Aid programme in the light of the very substantial increase in the funding available to it. The review will embrace the financial and administrative systems, approval, monitoring, audit and evaluation mechanisms, management information systems and the management and...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I met with an SDLP delegation on 24th January last to discuss the Police Ombudsman's report into the circumstances surrounding the killing of Raymond McCord junior and to consider the report's implementation and follow-up. Our discussions also focussed on the broader issues surrounding collusion. I stressed that the Government would press the British Government to ensure that the...

Written Answers — EU Constitution: EU Constitution (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 51, 58 and 193 together. To date, eighteen Member States have ratified the Constitutional Treaty. Luxembourg and Spain have done so by referendum, while sixteen Member States have ratified by parliamentary means. As the House is aware, the Constitutional Treaty was rejected in referendums held in France and the Netherlands in 2005. Following the outcome to...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 52, 96 and 110 together. The Government shares the widespread concern at the deterioration of the situation in Iraq. Developments have been dominated by the appalling security situation, with daily bomb attacks aimed specifically at the civilian population and a continuing spiral of vicious sectarian violence. The violence is effectively blocking the...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: The building costs for the decentralised Irish Aid staff in Limerick will be borne, in the normal way, by the Office of Public Works. Accordingly, they will not impact on the funds allocation to my Department in 2007, i.e. Votes 28 (Foreign Affairs) and 29 (Irish Aid).

Written Answers — Nuclear Disarmament Initiative: Nuclear Disarmament Initiative (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 55 and 115 together. There are currently no negotiations under way between the EU3 and Iran. The last discussions to take place were between High Representative Solana, on behalf of the EU3, with lead Iranian negotiator Ali Larijani. They met on a number of occasions in September 2006 but failed to agree an acceptable formula for commencing negotiations on...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: The 13th Report of the Independent Monitoring Commission was requested by the two Governments as part of the St Andrews Agreement. The Report finds unambiguously that "terrorism and violence have been abandoned" by the Provisional IRA leadership. The decision of the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis to endorse policing, as well as the significant efforts made in securing that endorsement, are recognised...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: The Taoiseach visited Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates from 14 to 18 January 2007. I was not part of the delegation. The Taoiseach was accompanied by the Ministers for Agriculture and Food, Enterprise Trade and Employment and Education and Science. A business delegation of 114 people, organised by Enterprise Ireland and Invest Northern Ireland, also travelled. While the primary...

Written Answers — Visa Requirements: Visa Requirements (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: The Department of Foreign Affairs, through the Embassy in Mexico, has made representations over the last number of years to the Colombian authorities on the need for Irish citizens to obtain a visa to travel to that country. I am now pleased to be in a position to inform the Deputy that our representations have been successful and, with effect from 1 January 2007, Irish citizens wishing to...

Written Answers — Ethics in Public Office: Ethics in Public Office (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: In terms of reporting requirements, I follow those set out for Members of the Oireachtas and office holders in the Ethics in Public Office Acts 1995 and 2001, the associated government guidelines, and the guidelines to the Acts provided by the Standards in Public Office Commission. The requirements include an annual statement of my registrable interests to the Standards in Public Office...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: In the context of suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2002, the two Governments, in order to protect and maintain the achievements of the Good Friday Agreement, entered into an Agreement to ensure the continuation of the necessary public function performed by the North/South Implementation Bodies. At the same time, the two Governments agreed that no new functions would be...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: At present, thirty-three Mission properties abroad, including Chanceries and official Residences, are owned by the State. The estimated valuation of all these properties comes to €123,791,000. On the other hand, ninety-nine of our Mission properties abroad are leased. The annual rents of these ninety-nine properties amount to €13,245,550. It is the policy of my Department to purchase...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: The draft Passport Bill is currently being finalised, and it is expected that the Bill will be circulated to Government Departments for observations within the next two weeks. Following consideration of the views of Departments, a Memorandum for Government will be submitted seeking approval for the text of the Bill as drafted.

Written Answers — Cluster Munitions: Cluster Munitions (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 67, 74 and 94 together. I would like to set out the present context for the efforts to develop an international instrument to address the humanitarian concerns related to the use of cluster munitions. But let me make my position clear at the outset. I call for a total ban on cluster munitions. The Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) is the...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to previous replies to similar questions concerning the United Nations Convention against Corruption, most recently on 23 November 2006. The Convention was adopted by the UN General Assembly in October 2003 and was signed on behalf of Ireland, when it opened for signature, in December 2003. The Convention entered into force on 14 December 2005. My colleague, the Tánaiste...

Written Answers — EU Constitution: EU Constitution (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 70 and 111 together. The Spanish and Luxembourg Governments convened an informal meeting of Ministers for European Affairs to discuss the European Constitution in Madrid on Friday, 26 January. The meeting, entitled "Friends of the European Constitution, for a better Europe," was held with a view to bolstering support for the Constitution and to assisting the...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Relations: Diplomatic Relations (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 of 25 October 1971 recognised the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole representative of China. Although Taiwan continues to exercise autonomy and to term itself 'The Republic of China', this is not recognised in international law. Taiwan's official status is that of a Province of China. In common with most Member States of...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I understand that the individuals in question have refused solid foods for about two months in protest at the conditions of their detention. Mr. Stockwell Day, the Canadian Minister of Public Safety, visited the Kingston Immigration Holding Centre on 25 January 2007 but subsequently stated that he was not in a position to discuss these cases due to privacy protection rules and a pending...