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

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (12 Oct 2004)

Dermot Ahern: On 30 September, together with the Taoiseach, I met a DUP delegation at Government Buildings. The delegation was headed by the leader of the party, Dr. Ian Paisley. This meeting was the first with the DUP leadership to be held in Dublin and was a welcome opportunity to discuss further the outstanding issues from the Leeds Castle talks. As we made clear in the joint statement after these...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (12 Oct 2004)

Dermot Ahern: I have spoken out strongly on the continuing fighting in the Gaza Strip, both in a public statement on Monday 4 October and subsequently in the debate on the Adjournment which took place on 6 October. I have strongly urged the Israeli authorities to take every precaution to avoid causing civilian casualties and to conduct operations in full conformity with the obligations of international...

Northern Ireland Issues. (19 Oct 2004)

Dermot Ahern: The comments I made at Hillsborough on 12 October were in response to specific questions from the media on the implications for participation in government in this jurisdiction if the issue of IRA weapons were conclusively and definitively resolved and the DUP were asked to accept Sinn Féin as partners in the Northern Ireland Executive. My response was clearly predicated on circumstances...

Northern Ireland Issues. (19 Oct 2004)

Dermot Ahern: The whole premise on which the peace process is based is to ensure that those perpetrating violence on this island take the constitutional route from day one. We would get those involved in violence or those within their ranks who participate in it to do so. That is exactly the basis on which I made my remarks, which were quite clear. I specifically stated that there might be only one...

Northern Ireland Issues. (19 Oct 2004)

Dermot Ahern: At no stage in the interview did I postulate a scenario where Fianna Fáil would enter a coalition with Sinn Féin. However, it is ironic that the Deputy is saying that. In no way did I suggest that there would be a coalition between Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin. No person on this side of the House has had to deal with Sinn Féin in his own constituency like I have. I was born and bred five...

Northern Ireland Issues. (19 Oct 2004)

Dermot Ahern: I find it a little ironic listening to Deputy Allen criticise the suggestion, which was not made by me. His party said in 1992 that it would never participate in a coalition with Democratic Left. Two years later it changed its mind.

Northern Ireland Issues. (19 Oct 2004)

Dermot Ahern: Big change, that.

Services for Emigrants. (19 Oct 2004)

Dermot Ahern: The report of the task force on policy regarding emigrants is being implemented progressively. As my predecessor noted in welcoming the report, it contained many detailed recommendations that are wide-ranging and whose implementation can only come about on a phased basis over several years. Already there has been considerable progress, with action initiated on a large number of the...

Services for Emigrants. (19 Oct 2004)

Dermot Ahern: I thank the Deputy for his kind remarks. I have some knowledge of this matter as a result of my five years as Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs and during my tenure in that Department I sought to see if we could give some help to Irish pensioners returning to Ireland and wishing to avail of free travel. The Deputy may say this is the usual bureaucratic response but it was not...

British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. (19 Oct 2004)

Dermot Ahern: The then Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Cowen, with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Paul Murphy MP, co-chaired a meeting of the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference at Farmleigh on 7 July this year. The then Minister, Deputy Cowen, was accompanied at the meeting by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, and the then Minister of State at...

British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. (19 Oct 2004)

Dermot Ahern: I was not present in Leeds Castle and I do not want to touch on the issues currently being discussed among the parties following the talks held there. The comments made by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, were reported to me. I was asked a specific question with regard to a time when we would have complete peace, full decommissioning and an end to...

British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. (19 Oct 2004)

Dermot Ahern: I cannot anticipate questions asked by journalists. I am not a clairvoyant.

British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. (19 Oct 2004)

Dermot Ahern: No. I answered the question when it was put to me. I gave an answer which showed that on one hand we cannot dictate that the DUP and others should sit in government with Sinn Féin in a time of peace. I did not suggest that there would be a coalition between Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil. On this side of the House, within Fianna Fáil, I am probably one of the people who would be vehemently...

British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. (19 Oct 2004)

Dermot Ahern: As I said, I cannot anticipate questions asked by journalists. I discussed my interview with the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste and the former fully verified my account publicly in Bodenstown where he said that I made the essential point, namely that there can be no allegiance to another army, that no organisation can come in from the cold until it professes and accepts allegiance to Óglaigh na...

Middle East Peace Process. (19 Oct 2004)

Dermot Ahern: The Government believes that the roadmap remains the most likely framework within which to achieve a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The members of the international quartet — the European Union, Russia, the United States and the Secretary General of the United Nations — remain committed to the roadmap. This commitment was reiterated in the quartet's statements of 4 May...

Middle East Peace Process. (19 Oct 2004)

Dermot Ahern: The Government still regards Yasser Arafat as somebody who has significant influence and input in respect of this matter. From discussions I had with Kofi Annan in the past week, I am aware that this is also the position as far as he is concerned. I do not agree that Mr. Arafat has been discredited and I am of the opinion that he has an important role to play. One of the main things we must...

Middle East Peace Process. (19 Oct 2004)

Dermot Ahern: It is important that we are not overly critical of one side or the other in respect of this matter. We must contend with the violence perpetrated by Hamas on one hand and the over-reaction of the Israeli Government on the other. However, we must also accept that people on both sides, including Yasser Arafat and Ariel Sharon, are endeavouring, as best they can, to bring peace to that part of...

Middle East Peace Process. (19 Oct 2004)

Dermot Ahern: First I will answer Deputy Ó Snodaigh's question on the European neighbourhood policy. It is a policy of the EU to maintain good relations, from a political, economic and institutional point of view, with nations in and around its borders and we support it. As regards Israeli participation in the plan of action in that respect, we also welcome their involvement. By getting Israel involved in...

Irish Language. (19 Oct 2004)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 and 181 together. The Government decided on 14 July to initiate a process of discussions with the other EU member states and EU institutions with a view to seeking official and working status for the Irish language in the EU under Regulation 1 of 1958. The regulation is the legal instrument that governs the official and working language regime of the EU...

Irish Language. (19 Oct 2004)

Dermot Ahern: It is not a question of "yes" or "no". The contacts that have been made were made at diplomatic level with all the countries involved. While some progress has been made, there is a difficulty in respect of some countries with regional languages which may want to obtain recognition in that regard. As stated earlier, unanimity is the issue. A sensitive sounding out of the positions of other...