Results 10,561-10,580 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly: Statements (17 May 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I am pleased to have the opportunity to open this debate on the 44th plenary meeting of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly, BIPA, which was held in the Seanad Chamber earlier this week. I understand this is the first occasion on which Dáil time has been specifically set aside to discuss the outcome of a plenary meeting of the assembly. It is only right that this should be so. The...

Written Answers — International Election Monitoring Missions: International Election Monitoring Missions (17 May 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade maintains a roster of observers for election monitoring missions. We aim to ensure that, when requested, Ireland is represented at an appropriate level in international observation missions for elections and constitutional referendums. Irish observers participate primarily in missions organised by the European Union and the Organisation for...

Written Answers — Middle East Peace Process: Middle East Peace Process (17 May 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I refer the Deputy to my answer to Question 157 on 15th May which is set out below. I have followed closely the hunger strikes undertaken by a large number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody. I have stated publicly my view that the widespread use by Israel of administrative detention should cease, and that the punitive conditions imposed on prisoners while Gilad Shalit was in...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (17 May 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I have reported to the House on a number of occasions in relation to my visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories in January. I would refer the Deputy in particular to my reply to Dáil Question No 101 on 31 January. During the course of my visit in January, I met with a range of political leaders in both Israel and the Palestinian territories, including President Abbas...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (17 May 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The total spend by my Department on photography since March 2011 is €71,501.62. The table below outlines the costs associated with each occasion. Event Cost State Visit of Queen Elizabeth II €22,662.70 Diplomatic Credentials Ceremonies €12,117.53 Official Visit by Chinese Vice President €7,321.58 Expenditure by Missions Abroad* €7,114.63 State Visit of Prince Albert of...

Written Answers — IFSC Clearing House Group: IFSC Clearing House Group (17 May 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is not a member of the IFSC clearing house group and does not, as a matter of course, attend its meetings or receive copies of material relating to its activities. Occasionally however, representatives from my Department participate in meetings at the specific request of the IFSC Clearing House Group, when a relevant item arises. I might also add...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (17 May 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department offered all possible assistance in this case, through our Embassy in Paris and the Consular Assistance section in Dublin, during this person's detention in France. This person and his family have been advised on several occasions over the past number of months of the necessity to engage the services of a lawyer in order to follow up on the issues...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (17 May 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 43 together. The Government's decision to close Ireland's resident Embassy to the Holy See was taken with the greatest regret and reluctance. It 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. The logic for closure was based on the fact that...

Human Rights Issues (22 May 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I anticipate there will be political representation at Ireland's Euro 2012 group stage matches, all of which take place in Poland. As regards Ukraine, the European Union had made its concerns known to the authorities there about politically motivated trials and the conditions of detention of Ms. Tymoshenko. High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine...

Human Rights Issues (22 May 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The detention and trial of Ms Tymoshenko has given rise to considerable concern about the conditions of her detention. She was sentenced on 11 October 2011 to seven years in prison and was the subject of a three-year ban on holding high public office. She was also subject to an order to repay €130 million to the state-owned gas company, having been convicted of exceeding her authority as...

Human Rights Issues (22 May 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: There has already been an international visit to Ms Tymoshenko and we have relayed the deep concerns of the Irish Government in Kiev and in Dublin. We will continue to do that. The issue of concern with regard to the Ukraine at the EU Foreign Affairs Council was not solely Ms Tymoshenko but also the conduct of the elections to be held in October and this must be taken into account.

Middle East Peace Process (22 May 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 101 and 103 together. Ireland and its EU partners have on many occasions expressed firm support for a negotiated settlement between Israel and the Palestinians and the wider Arab world, on the basis of the two-state solution. Although the talks process is at present stalled, we continue to do what we can to encourage the parties to engage and to work...

Middle East Peace Process (22 May 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I thank Deputy Mac Lochlainn for welcoming the statement from the EU Foreign Affairs Council. This strong and significant statement addresses the conditions on the ground. We all want to see meaningful talks resuming between Israel and Palestine, with a view to putting in place the two-state solution. It is not realistic to have that, however, in circumstances where settlement activity is...

Middle East Peace Process (22 May 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: We have invested a lot of effort in getting an agreed EU position and statement. That was not easy. As I am sure the Deputy is aware, there have been differing views within the EU and the Foreign Affairs Council concerning the Middle East peace process. It was a significant step forward to arrive at a conclusion last Monday upon which all 27 EU foreign Ministers were able to agree. I...

Middle East Peace Process (22 May 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: President Abbas is entitled to see an end to and a freeze on the settlements. They are illegal and should not be allowed to continue. The coming together of the new government in Israel provides an opportunity for Prime Minister Netanyahu to move into meaningful talks with the Palestinian side. However, there has to be a willingness both on the part of the Israeli side and the Palestinian...

Human Rights Issues (22 May 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The issue of prisons within Northern Ireland is a devolved matter related to the Department of Justice in Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Prison Service. Arising from the Hillsborough Agreement of February 2010, Dame Ann Owers and the prison review team undertook a review of the prison system. In October 2011 their report made 40 recommendations on prison reform in Northern...

Human Rights Issues (22 May 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: As I stated, responsibility for prisons in Northern Ireland has been devolved to the Department of Justice under the remit of the Minister, Mr. Ford, MLA. Among the issues which arise is reform of the prison service in Northern Ireland. The Minister categorically stated to us he is implementing the recommendation of the Owers report and the process is unstoppable. We have raised the issues...

Human Rights Issues (22 May 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Responsibility for prisons has been devolved to the Northern Ireland Administration under the aegis of the Department of Justice. With regard to the royal prerogative, three sentences were handed down to Marian Price; she was sentenced to two life sentences and one sentence of 20 years. My information is that the royal prerogative applied to the 20 year sentence and the life sentences were...

International Agreements (22 May 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I congratulate the newly appointed members of the French Government, including the new French Finance Minister, Pierre Moscovici, on taking up their new appointments. Throughout the presidential election campaign and since, President Hollande has made clear his intention to seek to complement the stability treaty with a growth-oriented approach. The comments by Mr. Moscovici are entirely...

International Agreements (22 May 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I am not alone. All the parties, to which the Deputy refers, support the budgetary discipline measures that are contained in the treaty. President Hollande and the French Government are seeking what the Government here has been discussing since last year. The Government was among the first to argue that we needed growth and jobs measures in order to complement the stability treaty. In...