Results 2,541-2,560 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Order of Business (16 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: Deputy Kenny was caught out.

Order of Business (16 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: Which party was that? Deputy McManus was in many parties, including the Workers Party, Democratic Left, New Agenda and now the Labour Party.

Order of Business (16 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: It is very complex.

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (16 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: There are four bodies of this type under the aegis of my Department, only one of which was established by statute. The Fulbright Commission was established under the Educational Exchange (Ireland and the United States of America) Act 1991. The role and function of the Fulbright Commission is to finance study, research, teaching and other educational activities between Ireland and the United...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (21 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: Under the Government's decentralisation programme, the Development Cooperation Directorate of the Department of Foreign Affairs, which is Irish Aid's Headquarters, and currently based in Dublin, will decentralise to Limerick. This is scheduled to take place during the third quarter of 2007 and will involve the relocation to Limerick of 124 posts. Already, 48 posts in Irish Aid headquarters,...

Written Answers — Middle East Peace Process: Middle East Peace Process (21 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 428 and 429 together. The Government is deeply concerned by the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and especially by the rising toll of death and destruction in Gaza. We have conveyed our position clearly and consistently in direct contacts with the parties, including the Israeli Ambassador in Dublin and the Israeli Government in Jerusalem,...

Written Answers — Prisoner Transfers: Prisoner Transfers (21 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The Department of Foreign Affairs has not received any such documentation from the Ecuadorian authorities regarding facilitating the transfer of prisoners. Our Honorary Consul in Ecuador, together with her EU colleagues, are in regular contact with the Ecuadorian Authorities with the objective of having the procedures of the Strasbourg Convention activated by Ecuador.

Leaders' Questions (22 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: So much for defending the workers.

Written Answers — Radon Gas Levels: Radon Gas Levels (22 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: At the request of the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland carried out radon surveys at the Department's offices in the State between July 2005 and May 2006. All measurements at the Department's offices were below the Reference Level for radon gas in workplaces as set in the "Radiological Protection Act, 1991, (Ionising Radiation) Order 2000". The...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (22 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The latest year for which information in respect of energy supplies is available is 2005. The costs relating to all of my Department's buildings in the State are as follows: ESB €435,359.41 Bord Gáis €51,639.74. While my Department has not conducted an audit of its energy use in the recent past, the question of how these supplies are procured will be addressed in its first...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (22 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The most recent figures available are for the calendar year 2005 and they are as follows: Supplier Service Location Cost € All Water Systems Supply and fit units Bishop's Square, Dublin 9,428.28 All Water Systems Supply and fit units Passport Office, Dublin 8,926.62 All Water Systems Maintenance All Buildings 6,900.71 All Water Systems Supply paper cups All Buildings 8,462.33...

Emigrant Welfare. (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The welfare of the undocumented Irish in the United States is an issue of the highest priority for the Government. I continue to raise our concerns in all my dealings with key figures in the US Administration and Legislature, including during a wide-ranging discussion which I had recently with the new US Ambassador. In the period since the mid-term elections, I have written to a number of...

Emigrant Welfare. (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: Following the election there is undoubtedly a different landscape. A number of the members of both the Democrat Party and the Republican Party who are favourably disposed to immigration reform have been re-elected, some with sizeable majorities. A number of congressmen who were on the other side of the argument and promoted strict border controls suffered in the election. There is a...

Foreign Conflicts. (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan continues to be a matter of the gravest concern for the Government. While there have been some limited signs of progress on the political front, the security and humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate. On 16 November 2006 in Addis Ababa, the UN Secretary General and the chairperson of the Commission of the African Union co-chaired a meeting...

Foreign Conflicts. (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: What was the first issue?

Foreign Conflicts. (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: On many occasions, particularly at GAERT meetings, I have said that in the context of the UN reform issue this is the first opportunity we have to put into practice the principle of responsibility to protect. Ireland and a number of other countries such as Denmark have said at the start of the current phase of difficulties in Sudan that if the sanctions are not sufficient to put pressure on...

Foreign Conflicts. (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I do not know whether this is a question, but it is hard to put one's finger on the actual number of people killed. However, there is no doubt it runs into hundreds of thousands.

Military Neutrality. (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The Government has no plans to reconsider the long-standing policy of successive Governments to extend landing and overflight facilities to US military aircraft. The policy was endorsed by the House, following an extensive debate, on 20 March 2003. US military aircraft have been landing in and overflying Ireland for more than 50 years. I recall the Taoiseach's statement to the Dáil on 20...

Military Neutrality. (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: It is somewhat ironic that Deputy Gormley, when discussing Question No. 2, was advocating the sending of UN-mandated forces to Darfur to stop a conflict in that region considering that he is now suggesting that we oppose a UN-mandated presence in Iraq.

Military Neutrality. (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: Leaving aside the sharp differences of opinion on whether the invasion of Iraq should have taken place, the fact of the matter is——