Results 5,961-5,980 of 7,777 for speaker:Joe Costello

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Syrian Conflict: Discussion with Minister of State at Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (16 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: There is a camp in Gaza but there is only that one camp in Lebanon. The vast majority of the population are living in what I would not describe as normal set-ups but they are living in the community apart from those two camps in Gaza and Lebanon. It is different in Jordan. They are in camps. It is different in Turkey and Egypt. Is there a strong commitment to a two-state solution? The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Syrian Conflict: Discussion with Minister of State at Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (16 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Syrian Conflict: Discussion with Minister of State at Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (16 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: That issue did come up. The Deputy is quite right in that it is an issue that could inflame the situation. The Palestinian leaders raised that issue as something abhorrent that should not have happened and that could cause trouble in the future.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Syrian Conflict: Discussion with Minister of State at Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (16 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: In response to Deputy Durkan, there is concern on the part of the neighbouring host countries that the international community is not doing enough in respect of accepting a burden of the refugees from Syria who are piling into neighbouring countries. They believe that the international community seems to be satisfied with providing humanitarian aid but that this is not enough to relieve the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Syrian Conflict: Discussion with Minister of State at Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (16 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: Exactly. That is the message they wanted us to get out very strongly to the international community. The issue of prisoners is an ongoing saga. I would have loved to have visited the prisons while I was there but, unfortunately, that was not possible. However, we did meet the Minister with responsibility for prisons and detainees in the Palestinian Authority and received a strong...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Syrian Conflict: Discussion with Minister of State at Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (16 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: We are not aware of any basis for that rumour. The best information we have on the tunnel is that it was started over a year ago and that construction on it had stopped over two months ago. In other words, construction had stopped at a particular time so we are not sure how long the Israelis knew it was there or what function it was going to serve. What is life like in Gaza? I would have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Syrian Conflict: Discussion with Minister of State at Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (16 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: A considerable amount of work was done after the tunnels opened to Egypt. Some of the tunnels were large enough to allow vehicles through and a large amount of material was smuggled into Gaza. That has since been closed down and approximately 85% of the tunnels are out of operation. The situation has been tightened greatly. A partial element of normal economic life was permitted through...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Provision (22 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: I propose to take Questions Nos. 116 and 117 together. The Government is strongly committed to Ireland's overseas aid programme and to its place at the heart of Ireland's foreign policy. Last week's Budget demonstrated that we have broadly stabilised the funding for overseas development assistance despite the very difficult economic circumstances. This will enable Ireland to maintain our...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Alternative Energy Projects (23 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: My colleague, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, has the lead on Government policy in relation to bio-fuels and the negotiation of EU policy on bio-fuels. This includes the ongoing consideration of the European Commission's proposal to limit the use of foodcrop-based bio-fuels in transport to 5% by 2020. Ireland, during our EU Presidency, worked hard to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: UN Resolutions (5 Nov 2013)

Joe Costello: The 7th session of United Nations Human Rights Council in March 2008 adopted by consensus a Resolution (7/22) which recognised the existence of human rights obligations relating to access to safe drinking water and sanitation. Ireland actively supported this Resolution and was amongst those United Nations member states which co-sponsored it. Ireland actively engaged in the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Issues (5 Nov 2013)

Joe Costello: The Government is strongly committed to Ireland’s overseas aid programme and to its place at the heart of Irish foreign policy. The programme reflects the values of the Irish people and is a concrete expression of our determination to help those less fortunate than ourselves. Our new policy on international development - One World, One Future - maintains the Government’s...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (12 Nov 2013)

Joe Costello: International election monitoring missions play an important role in the promotion of democracy and human rights. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade maintains and administers a roster of observers for such missions. The aim is to ensure that, when requested, Ireland is represented at an appropriate level in international observation missions for both elections and constitutional...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Issues (12 Nov 2013)

Joe Costello: Through the Government’s development cooperation programme, Ireland is committed to providing long term strategic assistance to nine key partner countries. Working in partnership with other donors and with Governments in our partner countries, Ireland has made a significant contribution to development and the fight against poverty. In the past decade there have been important...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid (14 Nov 2013)

Joe Costello: I propose to take Questions Nos. 31 to 33, inclusive, together. A total of over 9.6 million people have been affected by Typhoon Haiyan across 41 provinces in the Philippines, according to latest estimates, and almost 630,000 persons have been displaced. While the media is reporting unconfirmed estimates of up to 10,000 deaths, the official Government figures already stand in the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Biofuel Obligation Scheme Targets (19 Nov 2013)

Joe Costello: My colleague, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, has lead responsibility for Government policy on biofuels. By 2020, 10% of energy used in transport must come from renewable sources, according to the 2009 renewable energy directive. In October 2012, the Commission proposed amendments to mitigate the potential negative effects occurring as a result of the use of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Biofuel Obligation Scheme Targets (19 Nov 2013)

Joe Costello: What I said was that during our Presidency we had fought hard to make the Commission's amendment, namely, a rate of 5%. We failed to obtain agreement at that point. We would like to achieve the lowest possible level, but at this point there is very substantial disagreement among member states, particularly Poland and eastern European states, which want a higher level. Many of them want no...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Biofuel Obligation Scheme Targets (19 Nov 2013)

Joe Costello: The current position is that the cap is 10%. It is an amended position put forward in 2012. The Deputy should not forget that the original position in 2009 meant a cap of 10%. That will remain the position, unless we make an amendment securing a reduction. It is a question of working towards the best cap we can get and continuing with that work. We fought hard during our Presidency for a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Middle East Issues (19 Nov 2013)

Joe Costello: It is not the only time we care about the people of Gaza. We are concerned about the situation there all the time. Amid the turmoil in the Middle East, it remains essential to keep a focus on the unacceptable and unsustainable conditions in Gaza which I visited last month as part of a visit to view the Irish Aid programme in the occupied Palestinian territories to see what conditions were...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Middle East Issues (19 Nov 2013)

Joe Costello: I replied to the Deputy on the issues that he has raised again. I agree that the situation is getting progressively worse. For a considerable time essential supplies for Gaza could be moved through tunnels on the Egyptian side. Since the overthrow of the Morsi Government in Egypt, 85% of these tunnels have been closed which has meant food, medicines, building materials, water and other...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Middle East Issues (19 Nov 2013)

Joe Costello: Israel is not allowing access through the natural hinterland for Gaza through to Israel and the West Bank. As I said in my reply, we have constantly raised these issues with Israel. They are not security issues. Security measures can be put in place. These are restrictions on a population of 1.2 million, 800,000 of whom are reliant on American Near East Refugee Aid, ANERA, for essential...