Results 901-920 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Military Neutrality: Military Neutrality (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: At last November's European Union military capabilities commitment conference, Ireland indicated that it was prepared to enter into consultations with partners with a view to potential participation in the battlegroups initiative. As reported previously to the House, I have subsequently undertaken consultations with my counterparts from Sweden, Finland and Austria on the role that...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Polisario are still holding 408 Moroccan prisoners, 14 years after the ceasefire between the two sides in 1991. A number of the prisoners are believed to have been held already for some years prior to 1991. They are visited in detention by the International Red Cross. Over 800 prisoners held by Polisario have been released in the last two years. The Government firmly believes that there...

Written Answers — Residency Applications: Residency Applications (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I am aware of the case to which the Deputy refers and I share the widely held concerns about it. The person concerned was placed under a number of restrictions as a condition of his release from prison in 2004 at the end of the prison sentence which he had served. These restrictions include a prohibition on him leaving Israel, and on contacting the media and foreign governments. I understand...

Written Answers — Middle East Peace Process: Middle East Peace Process (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I welcome the fact that the withdrawal announced by the Israeli Government includes withdrawal from a number of settlements in the West Bank and I hope that this will mark the beginning of a comprehensive retreat from the occupied territories. The Government, together with Ireland's partners in the EU, has repeatedly reaffirmed its position that the proposed Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Recent reports and incidents indicate that the security situation in Afghanistan remains volatile. On 1 June 2005, at least 20 people, including the Kabul police chief, Mohammed Akram, are believed to have been killed in a suspected suicide bomb attack on a mosque in Kandahar. On 7 May, a suicide bombing attack on an Internet café in Kabul resulted in the deaths of two Afghan nationals and...

Written Answers — Humanitarian Relief: Humanitarian Relief (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the House to the replies I made on 8 March 2005 and 28 April 2005, respectively. I understand that the current position is that efforts to secure a deferral in any enforced departures among the Montserrat group continue to be made in the US Congress. Any decision on this is a matter for the US authorities but, as I have previously said, we very much appreciate the humanitarian impulse...

Written Answers — EU Budget: EU Budget (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Negotiations on the future financial perspectives for the enlarged Union 2007 to 2013 have now entered an intensive phase. Negotiations, with a view to preparing discussions by Heads of State or Government, are being conducted by the General Affairs and External Relations Council, supported by COREPER, with Finance Ministers contributing also through ECOFIN. The Presidency is conducting the...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 58 and 170 together. The political and humanitarian situation in the Darfur region of Sudan remains a matter of the deepest concern for Ireland. The Government continues to use all avenues open to it to urge action in addressing the urgent humanitarian, security and political challenges which exist there. While the overall level of violence in Darfur has...

Written Answers — EU Council Meetings: EU Council Meetings (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The General Affairs and External Relations Council met in Brussels on 23-24 May. The May meeting is traditionally attended also by Ministers for Defence for an exchange of views on developments in European Security and Defence Policy. Moreover, the second day of the Council was devoted to development issues as is the practice once during each Presidency. I attended the Council, accompanied by...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: As the Deputy will be aware, Mr. Peter Hain, MP, was appointed Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, following the Westminster election in May. I spoke by telephone to Mr. Hain shortly after his appointment to offer my congratulations and to arrange for an early meeting. I subsequently met Mr. Hain on 18 May in Dublin. This meeting was a valuable opportunity to consider the post-election...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I addressed the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference at the United Nations on 2 May and will address the United Nations General Assembly during the general debate in September.

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: It is not our practice to provide details on contacts between Government officials, Irish or British, and political parties in Northern Ireland. Nevertheless, I am not aware of recent contacts of the nature referred to in the Deputy's question. My contacts with Sinn Féin since the beginning of the year included the meeting on 25 January when the Taoiseach, the Minister for Justice, Equality...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Amnesty International Report 2005 documents the human rights situation in 149 countries around the world. The report was launched last week and is currently being studied in my Department. It provides a very useful overview of the human rights situation around the globe. The Government shares Amnesty International's concern for the effective promotion and protection of human rights...

Written Answers — International Boundaries: International Boundaries (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Article 77 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 provides that a coastal state exercises over its continental shelf sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring and exploiting its natural resources. It exercises these rights out to a maximum distance of 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured, or further if the...

Written Answers — Senate Committee Hearings: Senate Committee Hearings (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I am aware of the hearings in the United States Senate, and of allegations made concerning misuse of Iraqi oil resources both under the former Iraqi regime, and in the early months of the occupation of Iraq after March 2003. It is not clear yet if these hearings will result in any findings, or to what extent the allegations made will be substantiated. It would clearly be a matter of serious...

Written Answers — Middle East Peace Process: Middle East Peace Process (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I am aware of the situation to which the Deputy refers, and share her concerns about the plight of the people affected. My Department has actively raised these concerns with the Israeli authorities, and will continue to do so as the situation warrants it.

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Government has consistently condemned the lack of progress towards democracy in Burma and the continuing abuse of human rights and fundamental freedoms in that country. Together with our EU partners, we remain acutely aware of, and gravely concerned about, the continuing house arrest of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, other opposition activists and a number of MPs elected in 1990. Aung San Suu Kyi,...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 73, 79 and 80 together. Following the elections on 30 January, and lengthy negotiations between the parties, the new transitional Iraqi Government under Mr. Al-Jafaari was formed at the beginning of May. It includes representatives of all the major groups in the Assembly. It also includes six Sunni Ministers, despite the under-representation of the Sunni...

Written Answers — International Boundaries: International Boundaries (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The issue of Rockall has in the past been a source of legal and political controversy in both Ireland and the United Kingdom. Much of that controversy was due to fears at the time that jurisdiction over Rockall and similar rocks and skerries would be a crucial factor in establishing rights over mineral and other resources in the adjacent seabed and to fishing rights in the surrounding seas....

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: On 5 March Syria began to withdraw its forces from Lebanon, as required under Security Council Resolution 1559, and the process appeared to be complete by the end of April, in keeping with the commitment given by President Assad. On 23 May, the initial report of the UN verification mission indicated that the mission had encountered no Syrian forces still in Lebanon. There were some areas...