Results 2,321-2,340 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

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

Dermot Ahern: As indicated to the House, most recently on 24 May 2006, the case for ratification of this Convention has been examined by my Department in conjunction with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, which has lead responsibility on the issue. Both Departments are aware of the advice referred to by the Deputy. However, as previously indicated, the rights of migrant workers and their...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (29 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 151 together. I refer the Deputy to my replies of 30 May and 14 June 2006 to Questions on this matter. I remain concerned about this case, which has been raised with the Israeli authorities by our Embassy in Tel Aviv. The Embassy is continuing to monitor the situation closely, in cooperation with the Embassies of other EU Member States. The person...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Relations: Diplomatic Relations (29 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: While the Government has in the past had contact with Prime Minister Djukanovic, most notably during the visit which my predecessor Minister Cowen made to the region in May 2003, I have not myself been in direct contact with him. At its meeting on 20 June 2006 the Government, in line with the common EU position as agreed at the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 12 June,...

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

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 120 and 121 together. I refer the Deputies to my answer to a similar Question on 24th May of this year. As indicated on that occasion, the Convention was opened for signature on 9 December 2003 and was signed by Ireland on that date. It entered into force on 14 December, 2005. My colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, who has lead...

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

Dermot Ahern: In 2005, a decision was taken that children travelling from Belarus for recuperation visits under the auspices of various Chernobyl groups would require visas to enter Ireland. This requirement was made effective for most groups as from 1 January 2006 and will apply to all groups from 1 January 2007. Prior to the visa requirement coming into effect, detailed discussions took place between the...

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

Dermot Ahern: The EU currently has three candidate countries, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey. Accession negations have begun with both Croatia and Turkey. In line with the conclusions of the European Council meeting in Copenhagen in June 1993, in order to be granted candidate country status, applicant states are expected to have made progress towards meeting the necessary...

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

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 161 and 165 together. On 5 May 2006 the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA), negotiated under the auspices of the African Union with active support from the EU, UN and US, was signed by the Government of Sudan and Minni Minnawi, leader of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) faction with the largest number of fighters on the ground. However, the heads of the Justice and...

Written Answers — Democratisation Initiatives: Democratisation Initiatives (29 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 forty 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....

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (4 Jul 2006)

Dermot Ahern: At its meeting on 20 June 2006 the Government, in line with the common EU position as agreed at the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 12 June, decided to recognise Montenegro as an independent State, and to establish diplomatic relations on a non-resident basis. Our Ambassador in Hungary will be accredited to Montenegro. Following that Government decision, I wrote to the...

Written Answers — Military Neutrality: Military Neutrality (4 Jul 2006)

Dermot Ahern: There have been three such landings to date this year, all by Boeing 707 aircraft. The first took place on 23 April, the other two on 5 May. The first flight left on 24 April and the others on 7 May. The landings were for refuelling and crew rest. The grant of permission in these cases was made subject to the normal conditions that apply to landings at Irish airports by foreign military...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (4 Jul 2006)

Dermot Ahern: This Department's capital spending envelope for the five year period 2006 to 2010 is €111 million distributed as follows: 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 €31M €20M €20M €20M €20M While a small proportion of My Department's capital funding is attributed to Vote 29 (International Co-operation), the bulk of the allocation...

Written Answers — Information Technology: Information Technology (4 Jul 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The projected information technology purchasing requirements for the second half of 2006 is set out in the following table. The Department procures all its information technology requirements in accordance with EU and national procurement regulations and in consultation with the Department of Finance. Those requirements, for which tender requests have not yet issued, will be advertised in...

Written Answers — Information Technology: Information Technology (4 Jul 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The Department of Foreign Affairs procures all its information technology requirements in accordance with EU and national procurement regulations and in consultation with the Department of Finance. The Department has recently established a Procurement Unit to oversee and to advise on all procurements in the Department, including on information technology procurements.

Written Answers — Information Technology: Information Technology (4 Jul 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The Department of Foreign Affairs procures all its information technology requirements in accordance with EU and national procurement regulations and in consultation with the Department of Finance. The Department does not use company size or turnover as criteria for awarding contracts and as such does not have access to details relating to a respondent's SME status. The Department has no...

Written Answers — Information Technology: Information Technology (4 Jul 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The average size of information technology procurement contracts currently awarded by the Department of Foreign Affairs is €1,038,379. The Department's figure is unusually high due to the information technology elements of the biometrics in passports project underway at present.

Written Answers — Information Technology: Information Technology (4 Jul 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The Department of Foreign Affairs procures all its information technology requirements including software in accordance with EU and national procurement regulations and in consultation with the Department of Finance. The Department endeavours to award all contracts for its information technology requirements in an open and fair manner, ensuring the best value for money to the Department and...

Written Answers — Irish Prisoners Abroad: Irish Prisoners Abroad (5 Jul 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 294 to 298, inclusive, together. I am aware that, as a result of the recent controversy in Britain about the release and reoffending records of foreign born prisoners, the British Home Office announced a full review of its policies in relation to foreign born prisoners. I understand that this policy review is still ongoing. In the meantime, pending the...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (5 Jul 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my reply of 29 June 2006 to question number 12 on this matter. On 29 July 2005, as part of the preparations for the opening of Turkey-EU accession negotiations and in accordance with the conclusions of the December 2004 European Council, Turkey signed the Ankara Agreement Protocol to take account of the accession of the new Member States, including the Republic of...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (5 Jul 2006)

Dermot Ahern: Earlier this year, in the context of the expanding budget of Ireland's official aid programme, Drury Communications were hired to provide assistance in developing a communications strategy for Irish Aid. While this short consultancy is nearly completed, as yet no payments have been made. No other press or public relations consultancy firms were appointed by the Department since 2002. However,...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (5 Jul 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following tables: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dermot Ahern, T.D. Function/Position 2004 2005 2006 (to date) € € € Special Adviser (non-established) 25,781.34 81,435.86 43,038.99 Press Adviser (non-established) 23,187.20 97,331.04 45,822.01 Personal Assistant (non-established) 11,314.61 54,868.55...