Results 1,001-1,020 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Police Ombudsman has published information on the status of the PSNI officers who were involved in the original Seán Browne investigation in her report on the original investigation published on 19 January 2004. The report states that the senior investigating officer responsible for that investigation has now retired. The ombudsman also states that under the law, a retired officer cannot...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The display of flags and emblems in Northern Ireland is an emotive and often controversial practice that has been the subject of much discussion both internally within the relevant agencies in the North and also between my officials and their British counterparts. The specific situation in Limavady was highlighted in media reports earlier in the week and, as a result, I have asked the British...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Government remains fully supportive of the African Union's crucial role in attempts to resolve the ongoing political, security and humanitarian crisis in Darfur. The AU's observer mission, AMIS, in particular, is playing an extremely valuable role in addressing the security situation in Darfur. It has been demonstrated that where AMIS is deployed in Darfur, a marked reduction in violence...

Written Answers — Military Neutrality: Military Neutrality (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Permission for foreign military aircraft to overfly or land in the State is the responsibility of the Minister for Foreign Affairs under the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order 1952. It is not the practice of the Government to release the details of individual military aircraft landings.

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I am aware of the book State Growth and Social Exclusion in Tibet: the Challenges of Recent Economic Growth by Mr. Andrew Fischer and the claims he makes based on his research. I raised the issue of Tibet and recent developments there during the official talks with Vice Premier, Huang Ju, in Dublin on 16 November 2004. In response, the Vice Premier said that the channels of communications...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Government has consistently sought to promote local accommodation in instances where parades are contentious. It has done so by promoting direct dialogue between all parties to such disputes and by consistently supporting the work of the Parades Commission. The Government has also paid close attention to the policing of parades, to monitor the way the commission's determinations are...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Department of Foreign Affairs has responsibility for two Votes, Vote 28 on foreign affairs and Vote 29 on international co-operation. The 2004 allocation for Vote 28 was €163,240,000. The Department did not return any of this allocation to the Department of Finance at year's end. Under the terms of the Administrative Budget Agreement 2002-2004, the Department of Finance approved a carry...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: It was already my Department's policy, prior to the coming into effect of the Official Languages Act 2003, to publish most classes of documentation intended for public dissemination in both Irish and English. A training programme was also in place to assist staff in developing their Irish language skills. This was and is part of a wider policy aimed at developing the Department's capability...

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 325 and 326 together. Four bodies operate under the aegis of the Department of Foreign Affairs, namely, the Advisory Board for Development Co-operation Ireland, the Development Education Advisory Committee, the Board of the Ireland-United States Commission for Educational Exchange, or the Fulbright Commission, and the Díon Committee. The three year term of...

Order of Business. (1 Jul 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Deputy Ó Caoláin clearly does not think much of Deputy Sargent.

UN Reform: Statements. (1 Jul 2005)

Dermot Ahern: This follows on from a discussion that we had in the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs with regard to UN reform. This is the 60th anniversary of the United Nations and the 50th year since Ireland joined the organisation. The United Nations has since occupied a central place in Ireland's foreign policy. A rules-based international order and strong multilateral institutions are...

UN Reform: Statements. (1 Jul 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I thank Deputies on all sides for their comments and their support for the Government's efforts on this important issue. The Secretary General referred to the logic of his recommendations: without development there can be no security, without security there can be no development and without respect for human rights there can be neither. Deputy Michael D. Higgins referred correctly to the...

UN Reform: Statements. (1 Jul 2005)

Dermot Ahern: ——but commitments were made before on overseas development aid and, unfortunately, they were not adhered to. The Government is making a genuine effort to make a decision on the commitment of reaching 0.7% of gross national product over a set timeframe. We will make our decision before September but it will be based on presumptions because we are looking into the future, although we will...

UN Reform: Statements. (1 Jul 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The fact that we are a small, neutral country with no vested interests means that we have no conflicts of interest. We are strategically represented in the EU and have a voice that has been heard over the years. One of my predecessors, Frank Aiken, was the first person to propose a treaty on nuclear non-proliferation, which was called the Irish resolution in the 1960s. Elements of the media...

UN Reform: Statements. (1 Jul 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Deputy might not want to hear what I have to say.

UN Reform: Statements. (1 Jul 2005)

Dermot Ahern: We hear a lot of nonsense and we denigrate ourselves. Many countries, however, making great strides in development aid to Africa are also trading in arms there, something we do not do.

UN Reform: Statements. (1 Jul 2005)

Dermot Ahern: We can hold our heads up high on our position. During my time as envoy, I have tried to make a contract between developed and developing countries, the core issue in the Monterey consensus. I have insisted that the EU be part of a contract with Africa when it comes to the table to discuss increased levels of ODA. The EU, which some people denigrate, has blazed a trail on ODA. As a result of...

UN Reform: Statements. (1 Jul 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Government has not yet decided what we should do. This goes to the core of what I want to achieve. No matter what city I visit, the first item on the agenda is the Security Council. It is reprehensible that so much attention is given to bums on seats. These countries should be concentrating on bringing their development aid up to standard and stopping the arms trade into Africa. There are...

Official Engagements. (28 Sep 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte should mix with the people.

Official Engagements. (28 Sep 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte should do as the Taoiseach does. He should mix with the people and not wine and dine.