Results 3,841-3,860 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Military Neutrality: Military Neutrality (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The provisions of the Reform Treaty in the security and defence area are fully consistent with Ireland's traditional policy of military neutrality. In particular, the existing safeguard that the European Union's policy in this area "shall not prejudice the specific character of the security and defence policy of certain Member States" is maintained, along with the requirement for unanimity in...

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Previous passports were issued to the person in question with place of birth recorded as Jerusalem. A new Automated Passport System was put in place in 2005. The system reads place of birth as entered on the passport application form and compares it against a list of countries. When the system was being put in place no provision, inadvertently, was made in the list of locations for...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Relations: Diplomatic Relations (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: There are 192 members of the United Nations. Of these, Ireland does not have diplomatic relations with the following 25 countries: Benin Bhutan Cape Verde Central African Republic Comoros Dominican Republic Equatorial Guinea Gabon Grenada Guinea Haiti Madagascar Mali Marshall Islands Mauritania Saint Kitts & Nevis Saint Vincent & the Grenadines Sao Tome & Principe Solomon Islands Somalia...

Written Answers — Consular Services: Consular Services (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: My Department has been providing extensive consular support since first being made aware of the case referred to by the Deputy. On 5th April, our Embassy in Berne was contacted by the CEO of the company of the three persons detained in Basel and immediate consular assistance was offered. The Chargé d'Affaires of the Embassy made immediate contact with the Public Prosecutor and the three...

Written Answers — Arts Funding: Arts Funding (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: As part of the cultural and heritage aspect of the Government's Support for Emigrant Services programme, administered by my Department's Irish Abroad Unit, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann has been in receipt of grant funding for specific projects abroad in the period in question. The funding provided is detailed in the following table. Year Amount Region € 2005 79,791 Britain 2006...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The St Andrews Agreement underpins the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement. The Good Friday Agreement is the collective name given to the British Irish Agreement and Multi-Party Agreement of 10 April 1998. The British Irish Agreement is an international agreement, by which the two Governments undertook to support and, where appropriate, to implement the annexed Multi-Party Agreement. It...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Department of Foreign Affairs is responsible for two Votes — Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs) and Vote 29 (International Cooperation). The following tables set out the names of consultants (both firms and individuals) used by the Department in 2007 and the amounts paid by the Department in each case. The table also indicates the consultants who provided services only, those who produced...

Written Answers — EU Treaties: EU Treaties (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Reform Treaty preserves the existing Treaty arrangements whereby taxation matters must be decided by unanimous vote. Therefore, there is no change in the existing position. Ireland's ability to decide on corporate and income tax rates remains a matter for the Irish authorities alone.

Written Answers — Olympic Games: Olympic Games (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Government has been invited by the Olympic Council of Ireland to be represented at the opening or closing ceremonies of Beijing Olympic Games. At this stage no decisions have been taken regarding Government attendance at the Games. In relation to the issue of Tibet, and more general concerns about human rights and fundamental freedoms in China, I continue to believe that the most...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Government remains very seriously concerned about the large number of hostages being held by FARC. Recent reports about the poor health of French-Colombian hostage Ingrid Betancourt are particularly worrying. An all-party Seanad Éireann motion in December 2007 strongly supported the ongoing efforts to seek the release of Ingrid Betancourt. This motion was subsequently debated in the...

Written Answers — European Council: European Council (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The EU operates in a manner which encourages and facilitates the search for agreement between the Member States. While the Treaties provide that the principal method of reaching Council decisions is by Qualified Majority Voting (QMV), recourse to voting is very rare because agreement is normally achieved through negotiation and the search for compromise. However, for issues of particular...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Relations: Diplomatic Relations (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: In the context of our EU Presidency, diplomatic relations with Burma were established on 10 February 2004 through the issue of a Joint Communiqué in the names of the two Governments. However, due to the deterioration in the political situation which followed shortly afterwards, including the arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi, it was decided not to proceed with an exchange of non-resident...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Relations: Diplomatic Relations (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Ireland established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China on 22 June 1979 through a Joint Communiqué signed by the Permanent Representatives of Ireland and China to the United Nations in New York. Resident Ambassadors were duly accredited in 1980.

Written Answers — Diplomatic Relations: Diplomatic Relations (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Ireland established diplomatic relations with Sudan in March 1984. The accreditations are on a non-resident basis. The Irish Ambassador in Cairo is accredited to Khartoum and the Sudanese Ambassador in London is accredited to Dublin. Ireland also has an Honorary Consul in Khartoum who took up appointment in December 2005. There have been some informal reports recently that Sudan intends...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Relations: Diplomatic Relations (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Ireland established diplomatic relations with Colombia through the exchange of notes on 10 November 1999. Since that date, the Ambassador of Ireland resident in Mexico City has been accredited to Colombia on a non-resident basis, while the Ambassador of Colombia in London has been accredited to Ireland. Ireland is also represented by an Honorary Consul in Bogotá.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (22 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 227 and 243 together. Apart from the funding provided to U.S. based international organisations, such as the United Nations, and emergency aid granted, for example, to the American Red Cross to support displaced communities in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Department has provided ongoing financial support to organisations engaged in the delivery of...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (22 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 228 to 230, inclusive, together. I am deeply concerned by the situation in Tibet, and deplore the loss of life there. In addressing events in Tibet, I have sought, both through my own statements as well as through my Department's ongoing contacts with the Chinese authorities, both in Dublin and Beijing, to: urge all sides to exercise the maximum restraint, and...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (22 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: In 1997, one officer from my Department at Assistant Secretary level attended an MSc (Management) Programme for senior managers in the public service. This Programme was organised and paid for by the Centre for Management and Organisation Development (CMOD) in the Department of Finance, which ran the Programme in association with Trinity College Dublin and the Irish Management Institute.

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (22 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: All Bills brought forward by my Department since 1997, together with the dates they were presented to either the Dáil or Seanad Éireann, are listed in tabular form as follows. In all instances the sponsoring Minister was the Minister of Foreign Affairs. For ease of reference, the names of the corresponding Acts are also listed. I understand that all Bills are published on the Oireachtas...

Written Answers — Departmental Advertising: Departmental Advertising (22 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Advertising undertaken by my Department in Ireland typically includes advisory notices on public opening hours over holiday periods, changes in passport application procedures and fees, and public information notices relating to Ireland's official aid programme. Much of this material is now placed on the Department's website but the advertising continues to be necessary in order to reach all...