Results 2,221-2,240 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (20 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: Ireland takes a consistently strong position on Burma, including in the European Union framework and at the United Nations. Together with our EU partners, we avail of all opportunities to condemn the abuse of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Burma and deplore the lack of progress towards democracy. The recent visit by Mr. Gambari, the UN Under-Secretary-General, to Burma from 18-20...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (20 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The Government regrets the recent deaths at Guantánamo Bay. While the full circumstances surrounding the deaths remain unclear the fact that three detainees committed suicide is deeply troubling. I welcome the fact that the US government has promised a full review of procedures at the camp and that it has been agreed that the International Committee of the Red Cross may shortly undertake...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (20 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The new Iraqi national unity Government was approved by Parliament on 20 May 2006, and the outstanding positions of Defence, the Interior and National Security were filled on 8 June. Iraq now has a sovereign and democratic Parliament and Government, mandated for four years. This is a very significant step in the rebuilding of a democratic Iraq following years of brutal dictatorship. In order...

Written Answers — Emigrant Support Services: Emigrant Support Services (20 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: Maintaining and strengthening links with Irish communities abroad is a key priority of my Department. Officials in our diplomatic missions and in the Irish Abroad Unit are very active in this regard and work closely with Irish community organisations across a wide range of issues. The Government's firm commitment to enhance support for our communities abroad is reflected in the very...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (20 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: Presidential and parliamentary elections are now scheduled to take place in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on 30 July 2006. These will be the first multi-party elections in the DRC in over 40 years. A total of 33 candidates will contest the presidency while some 260 political parties and over 9,300 candidates will compete for the 500 legislative seats in the new parliament. Over...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (20 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: Belarus became independent only in 1991 and for some years after that its citizens travelled using USSR passports. Ireland has no representation in Belarus, but the Embassy in Moscow is accredited to that country. The vast majority of visas for Belorussian citizens are, as a result, issued by our Moscow Embassy. Figures for the numbers of visas issued to Belorussian citizens by the Embassy in...

Written Answers — Emigrant Support Services: Emigrant Support Services (20 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: Supporting the Irish community in Britain, in particular the more vulnerable members of our community there, is a key priority for the Government. In view of this, most of the Government's emigrant services funding is directed to organisations in Britain that are engaged in a wide range of activities of benefit to our community there. In 2004, the initial allocation to groups in Britain was...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (20 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The EU-Morocco Fisheries Partnership Agreement was adopted by the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 22 May 2006. When Morocco has completed its ratification procedures, the Agreement will come into force following an exchange of notifications by both sides. The Agreement states that it applies to the waters falling within the sovereignty or jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Morocco. As the...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (20 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 279 and 282 together. On 13 June, I gave the House a detailed account of the matter to which the Deputy's questions refer. On the basis of my and my Department's discussions with the US authorities, I have no reason to believe that this was other than an isolated incident which arose from an administrative error. At my meeting with him on 12 June, the US...

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (20 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 280 and 281 together. In accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 253 of 1968, which imposed mandatory sanctions on the illegal regime in what was then Southern Rhodesia, new passports, or the renewal of existing ones, were not processed in the period 29 May 1968 to 21 December 1979 to Irish citizens for emigration to Southern Rhodesia nor to...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The information available to my Department regarding the status of the investigation into the deaths of the two former members of the Burundian Parliament, Mr. Sylvestre Mfayokurera and Mr. Innocent Ndikumana, remains as stated in my original reply to the Deputy of 5 May 2005. A related but wider concern is to seek to end the culture of impunity which has persisted for too long in Burundi....

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The information available to my Department regarding the status of the investigation into the attempted assassination of Mr. Ndihokubwayo remains as stated in my original reply to the Deputy of 5 May 2005. A related but wider concern is to seek to end the culture of impunity which has persisted for too long in Burundi. The establishment of a national truth and reconciliation commission and...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I am aware that on 12 May the Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union adopted a further resolution concerning the dismissal of Mr. Chang Song, Mr. Siphan Phay and Mr. Savath Pou from the Cambodian Senate in 2001. There have been no developments since my reply to the Deputy's question No. 227 on 11 October 2005 on this matter. I can assure the Deputy that Ireland and our EU partners...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 115, 116, 117, 128 and 129 together. I am aware of the Deputy's ongoing concern and that the cases she is referring to are being monitored inter alia by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and that the IPU's Governing Council most recently adopted a resolution concerning them at its 178th session in Nairobi on 12 May 2006. In my responses of 5 and 10 May 2005...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 118, 135, 136 and 137 together. Ireland takes a consistently strong position on Burma, including in the European Union framework and at the United Nations. Together with our EU partners, we avail of all opportunities to condemn the abuse of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Burma and deplore the lack of progress towards democracy. The recent visit by UN...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The situation in this case remains as was set out in my replies of 10 May 2005 and 11 October 2005 to Questions from the Deputy. The Government shares the concerns which have been expressed about the conduct of the case and conditions under which the person is being held. We continue to monitor the case. In bilateral contacts with Israel, and together with its partners in the EU, the...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The only additional information available on the ongoing investigation into Dr. Hitimana's disappearance is that the Rwandan parliament referred the case of Dr. Hitimana to the Rwandan National Commission for Human Rights in October 2005 and that body is now pursuing the official investigation. I look forward to an early completion of these investigations and to the National Commission for...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I understand that the two persons referred to in the Deputy's Parliamentary Question No. 238 of 11 October 2005 were released from prison in January 2006. In welcoming their release, the EU called for the immediate release of all remaining political prisoners in Syria.

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: There have not been any developments since my reply to question number 239 on 11 October 2005 to the Deputy on this matter.

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I note that the Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union adopted a further resolution regarding Mr. Anwar Ibrahim, the former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, at its most recent session on 12 May. The only significant development since my reply to question number 240 from the Deputy on this matter, on 11 October 2005, is that Mr. Anwar filed a lawsuit on 27 January against...