Results 3,821-3,840 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Diplomatic Relations: Diplomatic Relations (8 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: At the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) on 18 February, EU Foreign Ministers underlined that Kosovo represented a unique case because of the legacy of the conflict of the 1990s and the fact that it has been under international administration since 1999 as provided for in UN Security Council Resolution 1244. The clear reality is that Serbia effectively lost Kosovo through...

Written Answers — Foreign Elections: Foreign Elections (8 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The presidential and parliamentary elections in Zimbabwe on 29 March passed off in a peaceful and orderly fashion. Despite serious concerns about the context in which the election was held, and despite the fact that neither the EU nor any of its Member States were invited to observe the election, the people of Zimbabwe showed great courage and determination in casting their votes on polling...

Written Answers — Energy Efficiency: Energy Efficiency (8 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Department promotes energy saving on an ongoing basis. It is participating in the recently launched "Optimising Power @ Work", the Staff Energy Awareness Campaign, which is being led by the Office of Public Works. This initiative, aims to achieve a minimum of 15% reduction in total annual carbon dioxide emissions, through an intensive effort to raise staff energy awareness, promote...

Written Answers — Statutory Instruments: Statutory Instruments (8 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Statutory Instruments relevant to my Department in respect of the European Communities Act 1972 (as amended), or under legislation specifically relating to same, are generally in the context of providing for institutional changes in the operational framework of the European Union or the accession of new member States to the European Union. The following is a list of Statutory Instruments...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (8 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The financial resources allocated to Irish Missions abroad, including the Embassy of Ireland in Washington and the Consulates in the United States of America are allocated in line with normal budgetary arrangements and do not involve significant discretionary funding. Decisions on Emigrant Support funding, including for Irish Immigration Centres, are taken by the Minister on the basis of...

Written Answers — Cross-Border Initiatives: Cross-Border Initiatives (8 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Department of Foreign Affairs has a limited amount of funding at its disposal through the Department's Reconciliation Fund, which is primarily targeted at voluntary organisations involved in community reconciliation work. The purpose of the Fund is to assist organisations involved in reconciliation work and to encourage and facilitate better relations within and between the two traditions...

Leaders' Questions (9 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Hear, hear.

Leaders' Questions (9 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Opposition would have increased the prices.

European Council Meetings: Statements (9 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I thank the Deputies for their remarks. I take this opportunity to say a few words about the Taoiseach and his involvement at European Council meetings for the past 11 years. I have been with him on each occasion for the past four years. Suffice to say he was held in great affection and gave great support to all his colleagues. It was often a private joke between us that he was, in...

European Council Meetings: Statements (9 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: We discussed them. The Taoiseach referred to what he discussed. The conclusions——

European Council Meetings: Statements (9 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: No, but we did discuss foreign affairs issues.

European Council Meetings: Statements (9 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Zimbabwe could have been discussed.

European Council Meetings: Statements (9 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The referendum was not on the agenda of the meeting because the ratification process is ongoing. A number of countries — I believe the figure is six — have ratified the treaty and a further ten will ratify it by the end of May. There were some discussions on the margins of the meeting and, to the best of my recollection, the Taoiseach intervened in an off-the-cuff manner to inform...

Written Answers — National Biodiversity Plan: National Biodiversity Plan (9 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: My Department contributed material to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government on the need to respect biodiversity in our overseas development programme, which was integrated into the National Biodiversity Plan 2002-2006. A separate Departmental Biodiversity Action Plan has not been produced. However, the Irish Aid Environmental Policy commits Ireland to addressing...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (9 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Government of Colombia has repeatedly stated its commitment to bringing to an end all terrorism in Colombia within the framework of the Justice and Peace Law. This Law, passed in 2005, provides an overall legal framework for the demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration of illegal armed groups into Colombian society. The Justice and Peace Law, which was adopted through a lengthy...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (9 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Department of Foreign Affairs has a limited amount of funding at its disposal through the Department's Reconciliation Fund, which is primarily targeted at voluntary organisations involved in community reconciliation work. The purpose of the Fund is to assist organisations involved in reconciliation work and to encourage and facilitate better relations within and between the two...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Relations: Diplomatic Relations (9 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: It has been the Government's consistent position that no steps will be taken to develop diplomatic relations with Burma until Aung San Suu Kyi is released. While the issue was examined in 2004, on the basis of promised political and human rights progress by the Burmese authorities, including the release of Ms Suu Kyi, the lack of progress on these issues saw the process quickly stopped. The...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Relations: Diplomatic Relations (9 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The presidential and parliamentary elections in Zimbabwe on 29 March passed off in a peaceful and orderly fashion. Despite serious concerns about the context in which the election was held, and despite the fact that neither the EU nor any of its Member States were invited to observe the election, the people of Zimbabwe showed great courage and determination in casting their votes on polling...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (9 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: On my instructions, senior officials of my Department have been, since 17 March, in regular touch with the Chinese Embassy in Dublin to seek information about developments in Tibet and to convey my deep concern at the situation there. We have sought, including in my statement of 31 March, to address the following: to urge all sides to exercise the maximum restraint, and to underline the...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (10 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Article 2 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, incorporated in the Diplomatic Relations and Immunities Act 1967, states that "The establishment of diplomatic relations between States, and of permanent diplomatic missions, takes place by mutual consent". Ireland currently has diplomatic relations with 62 countries that have accredited Ambassadors on a non-resident basis. These...