Results 10,241-10,260 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Human Rights Issues (29 Mar 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I can confirm that my Department briefed the Taoiseach on human rights issues as part of the Taoiseach's brief for going to China. With respect to the approach taken to human rights issues, the principal political agreement concluded between the Irish Government and China was the strategic partnership agreement. It is significant and important that human rights form part of that agreement...

EU Treaties (29 Mar 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The Taoiseach joined with the Heads of State or Government of 24 other EU Member States in signing the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union, subject to ratification, as recently as 2 March. In signing the new treaty, the governments of the 25 contracting parties have indicated their support for the treaty as a demonstration of a shared commitment...

EU Treaties (29 Mar 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: My sister parties in Europe respect the right of the Irish people to make our own decision in respect of ratification of this treaty, just as we respect the right of other countries to make their decision on ratification in accordance with their own constitutional provisions. This is fundamental. We all must understand that fundamental cornerstone of how Europe does its business, to respect...

EU Treaties (29 Mar 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The only uncertainty is what is Sinn Féin's prescription if the treaty is rejected. What is the Sinn Féin position on the euro? Does Sinn Féin support the euro? Is Sinn Féin in favour of the euro? Does it want Ireland to return to sterling? What is its position on the euro? If we want to have the euro, then the rules governing the euro must be implemented and enforced and that has...

Business of Dáil (29 Mar 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I am most relieved to hear that.

Middle East Peace Process (29 Mar 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 36 together. I have been deeply concerned by the worrying rise in violent exchanges across the Gaza border in recent weeks and made this clear in a statement which I issued on 12 March. These exchanges have included not only Israeli air strikes against Gaza, in which 24 people are believed to have been killed, including five civilians, but also...

Middle East Peace Process (29 Mar 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: When I visited the Middle East at the end of January I met Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Israeli Foreign Minister, Avigdor Liberman, on the Israeli side and President Mahmoud Abbas and Foreign Minister, Riyadh al-Maliki, on the Palestinian side. The talks in Amman had just commenced at that stage, namely, the attempt to get things moving along the lines of the Quartet framework. Both...

Middle East Peace Process (29 Mar 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I cannot speculate as to what was the motivation. The attacks in both directions - the terrorist attacks on Israel and the military attacks in the opposite direction - are wrong to the extent that 25 people are dead, many of them civilians. As has been said time out of number, substantive talks to get a settlement are needed. It is disappointing that the Quartet framework has not been...

Middle East Peace Process (29 Mar 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I have been pretty clear on the attacks from both sides. We want both to end and I am glad that, as a result of the Egyptian intervention, the outbreak of violence has ended. I hope that remains the case but there is an onus on people to get talks moving again. There must be a settlement and that is why Ireland continues to press at EU and UN levels to get things moving. It is deeply...

Human Rights Issues (29 Mar 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I met the Vice President of Colombia, Angelino Garzón, when he visited Ireland on 24 January. I conveyed the concerns of the Government of Ireland at reports of human rights abuses in Colombia. Vice President Garzón acknowledged these concerns and underlined the progress that had been made in recent years to improve the human rights situation in Colombia. During our meeting, Vice...

Human Rights Issues (29 Mar 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: We will lead from the front on this issue. As Deputy Mac Lochlainn acknowledged, we strongly argued that there should be a human rights clause in the free trade agreement. The agreement provides for a suspension or abandonment of the agreement if human rights are not honoured in Colombia. I share the concern expressed about the dangers in Colombia for trade union activists. I raised that...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (29 Mar 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9, 15 and 54 together. I have on a number of occasions stated clearly my grave concerns at the deteriorating situation in Syria and condemned the unacceptable violence and repression which is now estimated to have claimed well over 8,000 lives since last March. I am particularly concerned about the urgent humanitarian needs of the civilian population in many...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (29 Mar 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 24 together. The Russian Federation Presidential Elections took place on 4 March and were the subject of an extensive monitoring mission conducted principally by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), together with partners from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe The...

Written Answers — Middle East Peace Process: Middle East Peace Process (29 Mar 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: As I have repeatedly stated in this House, I regard the continued expansion of settlements as the major obstacle to peace. It is an attempt to create demographic facts on the ground that will dictate the contours of any future Palestinian State. Settlement outposts are illegal under international law, and also under Israeli law. There can be no doubt that settlement outposts erected since...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (29 Mar 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The Government remains closely engaged at both European Union and international level in monitoring the situation in Burma and in supporting the Burmese people in their struggle for democracy and human rights. We have been encouraged by recent movements including the opening of dialogue between the Burmese Government and Aung San Suu Kyi as well as approval of the registration of her...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (29 Mar 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The Human Rights Council, at a Special Session on 25 February 2011, established the International Commission of Inquiry on Libya. The mandate of the Commission was "to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law in Libya, to establish the facts and circumstances of such violations and of the crimes perpetrated and, where possible, to identify those responsible, to...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (29 Mar 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 27 together. I have already made clear on a number of occasions, including in this House, my own deep concern and that of the Irish Government and people at the human rights situation in Bahrain. I am particularly concerned about the gravely deteriorating health of dual Danish-Bahrain citizen Mr Al-Khawaja, a leading Bahraini human rights activist and a...

Written Answers — Irish Communities Abroad: Irish Communities Abroad (29 Mar 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 16, 31 and 55 together. The welfare of our young people who are working abroad is a very important priority for the Government. I made this clear during my visit to Canada over St Patrick's Day when I had an opportunity to meet many young Irish living and working there and where I opened a centre in Toronto which will help address their needs. There are...

Written Answers — Missing Persons: Missing Persons (29 Mar 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The person referred to by the Deputy first came to the attention of my Department in November 2008. The family were concerned that there had been no contact from the individual and requested assistance in locating him. My Department has been providing consular assistance to the family since that time. In the weeks after the initial disappearance, the Embassy arranged a meeting, which...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (29 Mar 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Ireland supports the promotion of national reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka. It is Ireland's view and one shared by the other member States of the European Union that genuine reconciliation among all groups and communities in Sri Lanka is essential and requires justice and accountability for past events. The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), appointed in May...