Results 2,841-2,860 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — European Council Meetings: European Council Meetings (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: The Council on 22 January was particularly noteworthy for three reasons. It was (a) the first held since Irish became an official and working language of the Union, (b) the first in which an intervention was made in Irish and (c) the first since the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Union. The Council considered the Commission's Annual Progress Report on the Lisbon Strategy. Ministers...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I understand from media reports that the individual referred to by the Deputy, a trade union president, has been accorded protective measures by the Government of Colombia since 2004. While I am aware of reports that a number of the protective measures previously granted by the Colombian Government to the individual in question have been withdrawn, I have no information on the involvement of...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: President Mubarak visited Ireland on 6-7 December 2006, the first visit ever by a Head of State of the Arab Republic of Egypt. He was accompanied by an important Ministerial delegation, including Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit and Trade and Industry Minister Rasheid. The programme for the President's visit included meetings with President McAleese and with the Taoiseach, and a Ministerial...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I am currently scheduled to accompany the Taoiseach to Washington for a number of high level meetings over the St. Patrick's Day period, including with President Bush and Members of Congress. I will also participate in the traditional ceremonies at the White House and on Capitol Hill, where discussions will cover bilateral issues of mutual interest, including the peace process and immigration...

Written Answers — Military Neutrality: Military Neutrality (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: In my interview with The Irish Times on 29 December last, I observed that Ireland's foreign policy is entering a new phase. This reflects the progress of Ireland's development, from the initial stages as a newly independent nation where our foreign policy focused on securing international recognition, through the more recent years where we have focused on securing peace and prosperity on the...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: The Independent Monitoring Commission confirmed in its 13th Report that efforts by some in the leadership of the UVF and UDA to move those organisations away from violence and criminality are continuing, but that progress on this front remains mixed and limited. While it is to be welcomed that the level of loyalist shootings has "continued to decline sharply" in the period of the report, and...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I presume the Deputy's question refers to the two trials currently under way of Ethiopian opposition politicians, journalists and civil society activists who were detained in early November 2005, after post election tensions resulted in violent demonstrations in June and November 2005 in which 193 civilians and six members of the security forces were killed and 834 people were injured. On 23...

Written Answers — African Union Summit: African Union Summit (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: Ireland was represented at the African Union (AU) Summit held in Addis Ababa on 29- 30 January 2007 by the Director for Sub-Saharan Africa in the Department of Foreign Affairs. The Summit was attended by Heads of State or Government and Foreign Ministers from all AU Member States, except Eritrea. The new UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the Palestinian Authority President Abbas, and the...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: As indicated to the House, most recently on 11 October 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. As previously indicated, the rights of migrant workers and their families are already protected under existing national legislation and...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (8 Feb 2007)

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 (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 195 and 200 together. Human rights remain central to our foreign policy. Together with our EU partners, the Government monitors the human rights situations in many countries, on the basis of information obtained from a variety of sources including both official and non-governmental organisations. Where the situation warrants, we make known our concerns about...

Written Answers — EU Constitution: EU Constitution (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: To date, eighteen Member States have ratified the Constitutional Treaty. Luxembourg and Spain have done so by referendum, while sixteen Member States have ratified by parliamentary means. As the House is aware, the Constitutional Treaty was rejected in referendums held in France and the Netherlands in 2005. Following the outcome to the referendums in France and the Netherlands, the European...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: The situation in the Horn of Africa is a high priority for Ireland, the EU and the United Nations. The problems of the region include the ongoing conflicts in Darfur and Somalia; a prolonged stalemate in the Ethiopia-Eritrea peace process; the need to rebuild southern Sudan following decades of civil war; and challenges relating to development, including recurrent food security problems....

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: Ireland has a network of 74 resident diplomatic and consular Missions abroad, as well as the British-Irish Intergovernmental Secretariat in Belfast and the North-South Ministerial Council Joint Secretariat in Armagh. While the opening of new Embassies abroad is considered by the Government on an ongoing basis, any expansion of our diplomatic network can only be undertaken having regard to...

Written Answers — Missing Persons: Missing Persons (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: On the basis of the information provided by the Deputy, the Irish Embassy in London has been unable to locate the person concerned. If there is any more detailed information which might be available, the Embassy would be very pleased to renew its efforts. A possible alternative approach might be through the Irish Red Cross at 16 Merrion Square, Dublin 2, which provides an International...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (13 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: As the Deputy will know, the issue of a bridge at Narrow Water has been mooted for many decades. I am delighted to inform the Deputy that in the National Development Plan for the period 2007 to 2013, the Government proposed, for the first time, significant investment in projects and initiatives for mutual benefit, North and South. The Government wishes to agree and implement these with the...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (13 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: The Votes relating to the Department of Foreign Affairs did not include any allocation of European Union funds for the years in question. All of the funds allocated to the Department are voted by the Dáil as part of the normal Estimates process.

Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: Knowing Labour Members are 60-plus and rising, they are tired.

Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: 60-plus Pat. You would not answer on Saturday.

Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: The socialists are 70s.