Results 2,261-2,280 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (27 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 307 and 308 together. When the Taoiseach and Prime Minister Blair met at Farmleigh on 26 January, they said that 2006 would be the decisive year for the peace process. Since that meeting, the Taoiseach and I have been engaged in intensive efforts, in conjunction with Prime Minister Blair and Secretary of State Hain, with the aim of achieving fully functioning...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (27 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The person mentioned by the Deputy is in direct contact with officers of the Consular Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs. Through the Irish Embassy in Spain and the Honorary Consulate in Malaga (Fuengirola), he is being given all possible consular assistance, particularly in the matter of obtaining further copies of the death certificate of his father, who died in Malaga on 6 June...

Written Answers — Equal Opportunities Employment: Equal Opportunities Employment (27 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The target for the employment of people with disabilities in the Civil Service is 3%. Policy in relation to this target is the responsibility of the Minister for Finance. The compilation of statistics in this very sensitive area is dependent, to a large extent, on voluntary self-disclosure of a disability by staff. However, I am satisfied that the percentage of staff with a disability in the...

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (27 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 312 and 313 together. A passport is an identity document issued by the State to facilitate foreign travel. It is issued in the official name of the holder of the passport which is usually the name in which the person's birth was registered or in their married name when so requested. The long form of the birth certificate and, as the case may be, the marriage...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (27 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I am very conscious of the statement issued by the Bishops' Commission for Justice and Social Affairs issued regarding Darfur on 12 June. The Government has been particularly supportive of efforts to improve the situation in Darfur. Members of the Permanent Defence Forces, for instance, have served with the African Union Monitoring Mission in Sudan (AMIS) and, in 2004-5, the Government...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (27 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 315 and 316 together. The Minister of State with special responsibility for Overseas Development and Human Rights and the Minister of State with special responsibility for European Affairs were appointed under Section 1 of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1977, as amended by Section 2 of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1980...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (28 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The Department of Foreign Affairs provides travel advice to Irish citizens wishing to visit the Holy Land through its website. The current advice can be found at www.dfa.ie/services/ traveladvice/01.asp. The number of Irish citizens travelling to Israel annually is estimated at less than 3,000. Only a limited proportion of these would be pilgrims. Most pilgrim sites in Israel and in Jerusalem...

Written Answers — Middle East Peace Process: Middle East Peace Process (29 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 11, 34, 65, 70 and 80 together. The Government shares the widespread concern about the lack of progress in the Middle East Peace Process and the serious situation in the Occupied Territories. The immediate priority is to ensure there is no further escalation of the situation in Gaza. It is essential that all parties exercise restraint over the coming days. The...

Written Answers — EU Enlargement: EU Enlargement (29 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 159 together. I last met the Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul in the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York in September 2005 and he used the opportunity to discuss the Cyprus issue. On that occasion he made it clear that while Ireland did not believe recognition of Cyprus by Turkey should be a condition for starting accession negotiations,...

Written Answers — European Council Meetings: European Council Meetings (29 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 24 together. I represented Ireland at the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) on 12 June. The Council heard a report by Commissioner Mandelson on the status of the negotiations in the World Trade Organisation. Minister Ahern intervened to underline Ireland's insistence on the need for a balanced outcome to the current round of WTO...

Written Answers — Nuclear Disarmament Initiative: Nuclear Disarmament Initiative (29 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 15 together. Ireland has a particularly close association with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which came into being following an initiative taken by the late Frank Aiken. His pioneering efforts were recognised when Ireland was invited, following the Treaty's negotiation, to be its first signatory in 1968. As the Minister...

Written Answers — Nuclear Programmes: Nuclear Programmes (29 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 and 89 together. The question of Iran's nuclear programme is kept under constant review within the European Union at official level and is also the subject of regular discussions at Ministerial level, most recently at the General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting of 12 -13 June, which Minister Ahern attended. At this meeting Ministers discussed...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (29 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17, 68 and 164 together. The crisis in Timor-Leste erupted in late April with the dismissal of some 600 soldiers, a third of the armed forces. Ensuing violence cost at least 37 lives and drove some 10-15% of people from their homes into makeshift camps. The security situation in Timor-Leste has been brought under control but the country remains tense. There...

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (29 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 81 together. I was approached by sporting figures in Northern Ireland who were concerned that the requirements for Northern Ireland players were to change under FIFA regulations. The reported change would have had the effect of obliging all players who want to represent Northern Ireland to carry a British passport. This change, if brought into effect,...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (29 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22, 56, 86 and 92 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 call for the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi, to condemn the abuse of human rights and fundamental freedoms and deplore the lack of progress...

Written Answers — Democratisation Initiatives: Democratisation Initiatives (29 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: In the aftermath of Operation Murambatsvina launched by the Zimbabwean government in May 2005 and which resulted in an estimated 700,000 people being left homeless or without a livelihood, the former President of Mozambique, Mr. Joaquim Chissano, was requested by the African Union (AU) to act as a Special Envoy and mediate with both the Zimbabwean government and the opposition parties in...

Written Answers — EU Enlargement: EU Enlargement (29 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25, 37, 88 and 158 together. Accession negotiations are underway with two countries — Turkey and Croatia. Negotiations were opened with both countries on 3 October 2005 and an extensive screening process is currently ongoing, which scrutinises the compatibility of Croatian and Turkish legislation with that of the EU. The fact that this screening process is...

Written Answers — EU Enlargement: EU Enlargement (29 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 26, 41, 83, 97 and 101 together. The forthcoming accession of Bulgaria and Romania will mark the completion of the Union's 5th enlargement — increasing its membership from 15 to 27 Member States. The June European Council confirmed that it is the Union's common objective to welcome both countries as members on 1 January 2007. The EU could, however, postpone...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (29 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my response of 10th November, 2005. On 18 December 2002, the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Draft Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment (OP-CAT). Ireland, along with other EU partners, fully supported the draft Optional Protocol and worked for its adoption at the UN General...

Written Answers — Common Foreign and Security Policy: Common Foreign and Security Policy (29 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 71 together. The ambition of the EU to be able to respond quickly to emerging crises has, and continues to be, a key objective of the development of the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP). An important aspect of ESDP is the development of a standby military rapid response capacity, in the form of Battlegroups. Almost all EU Member States have...