Results 3,741-3,760 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (11 Mar 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The UN Human Rights Council is holding its seventh regular session this month in Geneva. The session, which began on Monday 3 March, will run until 28 March. The seventh session began with a high level segment which included statements by the President of the Council, Doru Costea, the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, and the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour. The...

Written Answers — Continental Shelf: Continental Shelf (11 Mar 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, a coastal state is entitled to a continental shelf of 200 nautical miles (approx. 370 km) in breadth regardless of whether its continental shelf physically extends that far, subject only to similar rights of its coastal neighbours. It may also claim a broader shelf where it can show that the natural prolongation of its land...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (11 Mar 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Officials from my Department have regular and ongoing contact at all levels with their counterparts in the Northern Ireland Executive. We have offered the Northern Ireland administration all the support we can, including through our Ambassador to the United States and his colleagues there, to ensure that the US Investment Conference which takes place in Belfast in May is a success. Both the...

Written Answers — Constitutional Amendments: Constitutional Amendments (11 Mar 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 101, 152 and 271 together. Under the Referendum Act 2001, the Referendum Commission is expected to prepare statements containing a general explanation of the subject matter of the referendum and to publish and distribute these statements, including by print and broadcast media. The 2001 Act supersedes the Referendum Act 1998, under which the Commission had the...

Written Answers — State Airports: State Airports (11 Mar 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Government is totally opposed to the practice of extraordinary rendition and we have reiterated our position on numerous occasions, both domestically and internationally. The Government has received specific assurances from the US authorities that no prisoners have been transferred through Irish airports, nor would they be, without our permission. The assurances are of a clear and...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Relations: Diplomatic Relations (11 Mar 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ireland and Cuba in 1999, Ireland has been accredited to Cuba through our Embassy in Mexico City. In 2001, Cuba established a resident Embassy in Dublin, which has been headed by a resident Ambassador since October 2005. Both Embassies are active in promoting links between our two countries. Recent initiatives undertaken by my Department...

Written Answers — Middle East Peace Process: Middle East Peace Process (11 Mar 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106, 127, 129, 130, 141, 147, 274, 281 and 289 together. I have already outlined the Government's views on the appalling violence in Israel and the Occupied Territories and its implications for the political process in my earlier reply to a Priority Question on the issue. I have spoken clearly in a number of public statements and in the Oireachtas over the...

Written Answers — Energy Resources: Energy Resources (11 Mar 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 107 and 120 together. The latest dispute between Russia and Ukraine must not be allowed to place the EU's long-term energy security at risk. For this reason, we welcome their recent agreement over gas supply contracts and would urge both sides to avoid any further actions which could lead to supply constraints. However, as a high percentage of Ireland's gas...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (11 Mar 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Much careful consideration is given to determining appropriate destinations for Ministerial visits for St. Patrick's Day to ensure that Ireland's economic, trade, social and cultural interests are effectively represented and promoted. This year, an awareness of the fact that many people from the countries of central and eastern Europe have made their home in Ireland, and of the value of...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (11 Mar 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 109, 122 and 273 together. I remain deeply concerned about the economic hardships and political repression which are affecting the ordinary people of Zimbabwe. Some now estimate inflation in Zimbabwe at over 100,000%, as a pre-election increase in government spending has produced another major increase in prices. President Mugabe will face two principal...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (11 Mar 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 110 and 124 together. I remain very concerned at the situation in Somalia. The country has been without an effective government since 1991, and despite an initial period of stability after Ethiopian troops and Transitional Federal Government (TFG) forces defeated the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) in December 2006, the situation has worsened in recent months....

Written Answers — EU Treaties: EU Treaties (11 Mar 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 136 together. The Reform Treaty will have no effect on Ireland's traditional policy of military neutrality. The Bill for the referendum on the Reform Treaty retains the Constitutional prohibition on participation in an EU common defence, should one ever be proposed. In addition, the Treaty retains the provision that the Union's security and defence...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Relations: Diplomatic Relations (11 Mar 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Ireland established diplomatic relations with Chad in 2000 through our respective missions to the UN in New York. The Government decided in December 2007 to request the Government of Chad to accept the accreditation of a non-resident Ambassador, based in Abuja, to facilitate communications and foster relations between Ireland and Chad, in the context of Ireland's lead role and participation...

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (11 Mar 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Passport Office provides a comprehensive range of options for citizens to apply for passports. Applications may be made by express post through some 1,000 post offices across the country and some 70 passport offices in Northern Ireland. A guaranteed 10 working day service is available for such applications which are complete and in order. Less urgent applications can also be made by...

Written Answers — UN Resolutions: UN Resolutions (11 Mar 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Government strongly shares the widespread international concern about the nature of Iran's nuclear programme. We fully support the continuing efforts of the EU and its international partners to achieve a diplomatic solution. On 22 February the International Atomic Energy Agency reported on the results of a six month work programme with Iran to resolve outstanding questions about its...

Written Answers — EU Treaties: EU Treaties (11 Mar 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Qualified Majority Voting (QMV) has long been an important feature of decision making within the Union. Many of the EU's achievements, such as the creation of the Single Market, would not have been possible without use of QMV. Under the Reform Treaty, QMV becomes the standard rule for adoption of legislation, known as "the Ordinary Legislative Procedure", although sensitive areas such as...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (11 Mar 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Following the 19 February Presidential elections in Armenia, won by the government candidate Serzh Sarkisyan, the International Election Observation Mission noted that the vote was conducted mostly in line with OSCE and Council of Europe commitments and standards but that further improvements were necessary to address remaining challenges. The EU statement of 25 February congratulated the...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (11 Mar 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Antarctic Treaty opened for signature on 1 December, 1959 in Washington DC and came into force in 1961. The stated aim of the Treaty is to ensure "in the interests of all mankind that Antarctica shall continue forever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and shall not become the scene or object of international discord." While the Treaty has been in operation since 1961, only 46...

Written Answers — Irish Communities Abroad: Irish Communities Abroad (11 Mar 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Maintaining and strengthening links with Irish communities abroad is a key priority of my Department. Our Embassies and Consular Offices work dedicatedly to promote all Irish interests. A central part of this is attending to the concerns and interests of our communities overseas. In their representational and promotional outreach, our Missions work directly with Irish communities across a...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (11 Mar 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The conclusion of the 22-member observer delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) that the result of the Presidential elections of 2 March in the Russian Federation reflects the will of an electorate whose democratic potential was not tapped is persuasive. Even though first- hand information on the conduct of the election around the country is lacking, I...