Results 10,301-10,320 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (18 Apr 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 62 and 63 together. The names and salaries of the Special Advisers appointed to my Department are set out in the table below. The figure for Ms Jean O'Mahony includes a scale increment awarded on 10 March 2012 in line with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidelines relating to Special Advisers. No salary increase has been sought in respect of or...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (18 Apr 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: My Department avails of the Mobile Telephony Services Framework operated by the Department of Finance. Under this Framework, as the most economically advantageous response received, O2 was awarded the contract from May 2010 and previously from October 2008. However, for contingency purposes, my Department also draws down a limited range of services from Vodafone. The contract was...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (18 Apr 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 65 and 66 together. I would expect the Colombian government, no less than any responsible government, to fully investigate the abduction and apparent murder two of its citizens, in this case Manuel Ruiz and his 15 year old son, Samir de Jesus Ruiz. I would also expect the Colombian authorities to seek to protect the remaining members of Mr. Ruiz's family...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (18 Apr 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The Open Government Partnership (OGP) is an ad hoc international initiative which was launched in 2011 and which is overseen by a multi-stakeholder International Steering Committee involving Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Norway, Philippines, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States. The Committee also includes civil society representatives: the Africa Center for Open Governance...

Written Answers — EU Presidency: EU Presidency (18 Apr 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 68 and 76 together. Preparations for Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union during the first half of 2013 are continuing and are on track. Ireland's Presidency programme will be published in December 2012, and work on identifying key issues and priorities will continue until then to ensure that the programme reflects current developments and...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (18 Apr 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: As I confirmed to the Deputy on previous occasions, my officials remain in close and direct contact with the wife and family of the person mentioned by him and they liaise directly with her on any request for assistance or on any development on his case. The Ambassador and officers in the Embassy in New Delhi, which is accredited to Sri Lanka, have also been very active in pursuit of...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (18 Apr 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: My Department is responsible for two Votes: Vote 27, International Cooperation and Vote 28, Foreign Affairs and Trade. The Department is very conscious of the need the achieve value for money and is in full compliance with national and EU procurement regulations. A table outlining the contracts to consultancy firms for 2011 and the first quarter of 2012 is provided below. The vast...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (18 Apr 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Ireland continues to support the right to self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, and the continuing engagement of the United Nations in the search for a political solution in the territory based on the principle of self-determination. UN Secretary General Ban's Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, Christopher Ross, has convened several rounds of informal talks, most recently last...

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (18 Apr 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: A passport reminder service is available on the Passport Service website www.passport.ie The reminder service sends an e-mail, to those who have registered, three months before a passport is due to expire. Registration is simple and merely requires those interested to record their name, e-mail address and the expiry date of the passport. It is possible to register a number of different...

Written Answers — Middle East Peace Process: Middle East Peace Process (18 Apr 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I wholeheartedly welcome and support the UN-Arab League Special Envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan. It offers the only realistic basis for resolving the current crisis in Syria and bringing the unacceptable violence to an end. Ireland's strong support for the Annan peace plan was clearly articulated at the meeting of the Friends of the Syrian People which took place in Istanbul on 1 April. I...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (18 Apr 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The key distinguishing feature of Ireland's bilateral relationship with the Philippines is the extent and contribution of the Filipino Diaspora in Ireland, many of whom are employed in health care roles in HSE hospitals and nursing homes. For many decades Irish Catholic missionary orders, in particular the Columban Fathers, have worked in educational development and social justice in the...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (18 Apr 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: In November 2011, the Government announced its decision to close Ireland's resident Embassy to the Holy See, along with our Embassy in Tehran and our Mission in Timor Lester. This decision, taken with the greatest regret and reluctance, was driven by economic factors deriving from our need to cut public expenditure and focus the modest resources of our diplomatic service on economic recovery....

Leaders' Questions (19 Apr 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I join the Deputy in expressing my sympathy and sadness and that of the Government and Labour Party on the death of Mr. Paul Barry who served us so well in the Houses for so many years. Paul was a man who showed great courtesy and offered great assistance to all of us and we are saddened this morning to hear of his passing. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam. The budget introduced by the...

Leaders' Questions (19 Apr 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Deputy Micheál Martin made an assertion that the budget had hit those on the lowest incomes and I am making it very clear that the budget we introduced protected those on the lowest incomes-----

Leaders' Questions (19 Apr 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: -----and reversed the cruel measure introduced by the Government led by the Fianna Fáil Party to cut the minimum wage. The work the Minister for Social Protection is doing is to reform the social welfare system, something that has been long overdue and was neglected during the years, particularly during the good years Deputy Micheál Martin's party was in government. The changes the...

Leaders' Questions (19 Apr 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Deputy Martin knows very well it is quite normal practice that when legislation is brought before the House and enacted, there are provisions for the commencement of various sections of that legislation. The proposal in the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012 is that for new recipients from May 2012, a one-parent family payment will be made until the youngest child reaches the age of 12,...

Leaders' Questions (19 Apr 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I ask the Deputy to bear with me.

Leaders' Questions (19 Apr 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: It is being done in the context of reforming the way in which child care is being delivered. The Minister for Social Protection has made it clear that those measures go hand in hand with those reforms. Clearly, the Minister for Social Protection will be engaging with the Minister for Education and Science and the Minister for-----

Leaders' Questions (19 Apr 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Of course she has. The Deputy has been long enough in government to know that when legislation is introduced, particularly reforming legislation - perhaps he does not know because he did not do much reforming - provision has to be made for the implementation of those reforms. As the Minister for Social Protection has made clear, the changes in the social welfare system and the changes in...

Leaders' Questions (19 Apr 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Nobody in this House or in this country would leave a seven year old without care of an adult. Let us get that clear first. This legislation is not about the age at which children should be left on their own. Nobody would leave a child on his or her own at seven years of age and nobody is contemplating that. The legislation is addressing the age at which the lone parent's allowance is...