Results 3,441-3,460 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2007)

Dermot Ahern: He did not state that. Deputy Gilmore is a twister.

Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2007)

Dermot Ahern: Look it up on the website.

Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2007)

Dermot Ahern: Deputy Gilmore should go back to producing money.

Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I never delved into that. I do not have a history.

Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2007)

Dermot Ahern: Perhaps Deputy Gilmore cannot use a computer.

Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2007)

Dermot Ahern: The paucity of Deputy Gilmore's argument.

Situation in Zimbabwe: Motion (4 Dec 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I move: That Dáil Éireann, concerned at the dire economic and humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe, the plight of many millions of people suffering from food shortages, the suppression of political activists and interference with freedom of the press: welcomes the holding of the Second EU-Africa Summit in Lisbon and the EU Presidency's intention to ensure the current grave situation in...

Situation in Zimbabwe: Motion (4 Dec 2007)

Dermot Ahern: Outrages such as the ill-treatment of opposition activists and supporters in custody infringe not only UN human rights standards, but also those standards which African governments have signed up to, such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights. Ireland and the EU strongly believe that African leadership is the key to encouraging progress towards economic and political stability....

Situation in Zimbabwe: Motion (4 Dec 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I thank speakers for contributing to the debate. I was approached by Deputy Barry Andrews last week, who suggested that, as a result of the AWEPA meeting, a sizeable proportion of the House wished to pass an all-party motion and I readily agreed. I am disappointed that the House will divide on this matter. Deputy Higgins stated that we agree on the issues involved in the crisis in Zimbabwe...

Situation in Zimbabwe: Motion (4 Dec 2007)

Dermot Ahern: In effect, it is a boycott. Trócaire's recent statement makes clear it regards this as an excellent opportunity to highlight the serious nature of the crisis in Zimbabwe. Efforts were made behind the scenes to ascertain if representation could be made at some level to preserve the overall context of the conference. We are where we are in respect of the attendance of Mr. Mugabe. If we are...

Situation in Zimbabwe: Motion (4 Dec 2007)

Dermot Ahern: This is true not just from a national point of view but the EU point of view. This will give a strong message to Mr. Mugabe and his regime and particularly the fellow member states that we wish to have an excellent relationship dealing with common issues on an equal basis but we also wish to highlight issues of human rights. On the basis that it is not an issue on which the House should...

Written Answers — Emigrant Support Services: Emigrant Support Services (4 Dec 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 313 and 329 together. I welcome this report to the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body and commend the members of Committee D for focusing on the Irish Community in Britain. Most of the recommendations in the report are addressed to the British Government, but of course the Government views them with great interest. The Chairman, Lord Alf Dubs, and the...

Written Answers — Departmental Publications: Departmental Publications (4 Dec 2007)

Dermot Ahern: My Department's Annual Report for 2006 was published and laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas in February of this year. It is my intention that the 2007 Annual Report will be published and laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas in spring 2008. In addition to the overall Annual Report for the Department, a number of annual reports relating to specific areas of the Department were...

Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (4 Dec 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 315, 317 and 318 together. My Department has a number of public offices and telephone services available to the public. The Passport offices operating in Dublin and Cork have public opening hours from 9.30 until 4.30, Monday through Friday. There is also an 'out-of-hours' emergency service which operates in the evenings and at weekends. The telephone lines...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (4 Dec 2007)

Dermot Ahern: There are a wide variety of forms issued by my Department for use by both the public and other organisations. I have set out below a table of the forms and their on-line completion status. The application forms issued by the Passport Office are of particular importance as they are used by such a large number of citizens. The Passport Office provides passport application forms in both Irish...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (4 Dec 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I share deep concerns regarding the welfare of vulnerable people in institutional care in Bulgaria. The need for action to address this disturbing legacy of past policies and attitudes was highlighted during Bulgaria's negotiations for accession to the EU While some progress was made before accession, the Bulgarian authorities recognise that more needs to be done. The EU continues to...

Written Answers — Departmental Records: Departmental Records (4 Dec 2007)

Dermot Ahern: The Department of Foreign Affairs disposes of all redundant information technology equipment in accordance with the EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. I recently decided that my Department should donate the bulk of its redundant PCs at Headquarters to the charity Camara for reuse in developing countries and this...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (4 Dec 2007)

Dermot Ahern: There is one press officer in the press office of the Department, together with a Press Adviser, whom I appointed in 2004. The position in 2002 was that there were two press officers in the press office. In a number of our larger Missions abroad (for instance, London, the EU Permanent Representation Brussels and Washington), designated diplomatic officers carry out press-related duties....

Written Answers — Departmental Websites: Departmental Websites (4 Dec 2007)

Dermot Ahern: There are currently no podcasts on any websites maintained by my Department. While the Department's primary site (www.dfa.ie ) has the technical capacity to accommodate such services, there are no immediate plans to develop them at this stage.

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (4 Dec 2007)

Dermot Ahern: During 2007, two major building projects have been undertaken by the Office of Public Works (OPW) on behalf of my Department. Construction of the new Irish Aid Headquarters building in Limerick is well advanced and will be completed in the first quarter of 2008. Work is nearing completion on the new Irish Aid Volunteering and Information Centre building in O'Connell Street, Dublin. I...