Results 3,861-3,880 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (22 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: A birth certificate is essential to obtain a passport. The Office of the Registrar General has responsibility for records relating to Births, Marriages and Deaths in the State. The person in question should first contact the Registrar General's Office which will explain the procedure for the late registration of a birth. Once the birth has been registered, the Passport Office will assist in...

Written Answers — EU Treaties: EU Treaties (22 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Reform Treaty makes a number of minor changes to the Court of Justice of the European Union in relation to procedural aspects and its jurisdiction. Article 1.20 draws together the key elements of the existing texts on the Court of Justice. Changes in relation to the Court's procedures include: establishment of a seven-person panel to offer opinions on the suitability of candidates for...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (23 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: On 28 March 2008, the Secretary General of my Department met with the Chargé d'Affaires of the Embassy of Brazil, at the latter's request, to discuss the case referred to by the Deputy. The meeting was conducted in a very positive atmosphere. As to follow-on, and as the requirements for those seeking permission to enter the State are the responsibility of the Department of Justice, Equality...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (23 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Under Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs), most of my Department's expenditure relates to administrative costs. Every effort is made, on an ongoing basis, to ensure that these costs are kept under control and that value for money is obtained for all public expenditure, including through the rigorous application of public procurement procedures. Similar controls are in place in relation to programme...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (24 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Under the Government's decentralisation programme, the Development Cooperation Directorate of the Department of Foreign Affairs, which is Irish Aid's Headquarters, will decentralise to Limerick. Good progress has been made and personnel have either been assigned to, or identified for, 107 posts or approximately 86% of the 124 posts scheduled to be decentralised. An advance party has already...

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (29 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: An application for the issue of a passport may be made on behalf of a child by his or her parent or guardian, or by a person authorised by an order of a court in the State to give consent to the issue of a passport. Where a child has been in foster care pursuant to a statutory care order for a period of less than five years, an application for a passport for that child must be made by the...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (29 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 primarily for administrative costs, allocated in line with normal budgetary arrangements, and do not involve significant discretionary funding. Any funding decisions are taken by the Minister on the basis of careful consideration of...

Written Answers — Departmental Legislation: Departmental Legislation (29 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: All Bills brought forward by my Department since 1997, together with the dates they were presented to the Oireachtas and the dates they were introduced to either the Dáil or Seanad Éireann in Second Stage, are listed in tabular form. For ease of reference, the names of the corresponding Acts are also listed. I understand that all Bills are published on the Oireachtas website upon...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (29 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 256 and 258 together. As I made clear in my reply to the Deputy's question on 22 April, when my colleague the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government expressed his serious concern about the situation in Tibet and appealed for dialogue between the Chinese authorities and representatives of the Dalai Lama, he was reflecting Government...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (29 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I understand that the Deputy has confirmed that the information he is seeking from my Department relates to the period of the current Government. The information requested is provided in tabular format. As the Deputy will be aware, not all Member States of the European Union are members of the OECD. Therefore, in addition to the meetings detailed below, in the course of my regular contacts...

Written Answers — Citizenship Status: Citizenship Status (29 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: There are significant numbers of people in Argentina and South Africa of Irish background but, unless they actually applied for Irish citizenship, it would not be possible to estimate the numbers who would meet the criteria to qualify under our legislation.

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (29 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Acts, 1956 to 2004, the Department of Justice Equality and Law Reform has primary responsibility for matters relating to the granting of Irish citizenship. Applications for citizenship through naturalisation, including marriage to an Irish citizen, are processed by that Department. My Department does not, therefore, retain statistics for the number...

Written Answers — Emigrant Support Services: Emigrant Support Services (29 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: My Department, through our Embassy in London and the Consular Division, have been providing a range of practical assistance to the family of the deceased since first becoming aware of the case on 21 April. The Embassy is in contact with the Royal London Hospital and St Catherine Sheltered Housing to try to assist the family in locating the documentation necessary to ensure that his remains...

Written Answers — Accidents Overseas: Accidents Overseas (30 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 and 104 together. Over the past decade, the number of Irish citizens travelling and living abroad has increased dramatically. For instance, Irish residents made almost 8 million visits abroad in 2007. As a result, the number of requests to my Department for consular assistance and support has increased significantly. While the vast majority of visits...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (30 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Together with our European Union partners, Ireland is closely monitoring developments in regard to Colombian Supreme Court investigations in connection with the alleged association of members of Congress and Government officials with paramilitary groups in Colombia. We respect the fact that the due process of law is being applied. Any association between elected representatives and officials...

Written Answers — Extraordinary Rendition: Extraordinary Rendition (30 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The issue of extraordinary rendition has been raised on numerous occasions in this House. As has been made repeatedly clear, the Government are completely opposed to the practice of the extraordinary rendition of prisoners. The Government has received specific assurances from the US authorities that such prisoners have not been transferred through Irish territory, nor would they be, without...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (30 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Irish Embassy in Paris was first advised of the arrest of the person referred to by the Deputy by a member of his family on 10 April. The person concerned was travelling on a British passport and, at his request, has been receiving considerable consular assistance from the British authorities. However, our Embassy in Paris is following the case closely. Officials from the Embassy are...

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (30 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: A passport was issued to the person in question on 11 August, 2006. The application for this passport was submitted by the applicant through the Irish Embassy in New Delhi. It was not processed through the office of any Government Minister or Member of the Houses of the Oireachtas. The applicant submitted a certificate of post-nuptial citizenship, as his evidence of his Irish citizenship.

Written Answers — Situation in Kenya: Situation in Kenya (1 May 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The political and humanitarian situation in Kenya has continued to improve, following the peace deal signed between the government and opposition on 28 February 2008. Under the deal, a coalition government has been established and a new post of Prime Minister created, to which Mr. Raila Odinga, the leader of the Orange Democratic Movement, has been appointed. Agreement has also been reached...

Written Answers — EU Treaty: EU Treaty (1 May 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Taoiseach has stated that the referendum will be held on 12 June. In accordance with Section 10(1) of the Referendum Act 1994, once the Twenty-Eighth Amendment of the Constitution Bill has been passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government will make an Order setting the polling day for the referendum. The Order must fix the polling...