Results 1,181-1,200 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (6 Oct 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court entered into force on 1 July 2002 and to date has been ratified or acceded to by 99 states. An additional 44 states have signed the statute, subject to ratification. The United States of America signed the Statute of the International Criminal Court in December 2000. However, in May 2002 the US informed the Secretary General of the United...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (6 Oct 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I support the principle of having legally binding international agreements on the control of arms exports, with as wide a participation as possible. This is particularly important with respect to small arms and light weapons, which are responsible for widespread death and injury. Ireland is committed to working with others to ensure that the international community deals with the illicit...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (6 Oct 2005)

Dermot Ahern: As the Deputy will be aware, Kosovo has been under UN administration since the end of the conflict in June 1999, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1244. The head of the UN interim administration mission in Kosovo, UNMIK, has been working closely with the provisional institutions of self-government to encourage the implementation of a wide-ranging reform process, based on...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (6 Oct 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The sum of €920,220 was paid by the Department of Foreign Affairs to Murray's Chauffeur Drive Limited for transport services provided in connection with meetings and other events which took place in Ireland during the EU Presidency in 2004. A further sum of €45,166 was paid to the same company by the press section of the Department for transport services provided in connection with the...

Written Answers — Humanitarian Situations: Humanitarian Situations (6 Oct 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Government fully supports the African Union's crucial role in resolving the ongoing political, security and humanitarian crisis in Darfur, including the very valuable work of its observer mission, AMIS, in addressing the security situation. Where AMIS has been deployed in Darfur a marked reduction in violence has followed. In April, the AU decided to expand AMIS from 3,200 to more than...

Written Answers — Humanitarian Situations: Humanitarian Situations (6 Oct 2005)

Dermot Ahern: While Liberia has made remarkable progress since the comprehensive peace agreement of August 2003, it still faces the major challenges of a successful return to democracy and sustaining the peace process. Parliamentary and presidential elections are scheduled for 11 October 2005. These elections will mark the return of a constitutional democracy to Liberia after 14 years of civil war. The EU...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (6 Oct 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Department of Foreign Affairs is aware of 29 Irish citizens, including seven Irish troops serving with the International Security Assistance Force contingent living and working in Afghanistan. The personnel concerned, who also include 14 people with dual Irish and other citizenship, work mainly with non-governmental and international organisations. There is a standing arrangement,...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (6 Oct 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The major priority in the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, continues to be the organisation of national elections early next year which will mark the culmination of the transition process inaugurated by the 2002 Sun City peace accords. These local, legislative and presidential elections are expected to take place between March and May 2006. Voter registration is under way, with 13.6 million...

Written Answers — EU Membership: EU Membership (6 Oct 2005)

Dermot Ahern: On 29 July this year, as part of the preparations for the opening of Turkey EU accession negotiations and in accordance with the conclusions of the December 2004 European Council, Turkey signed the Ankara Agreement Protocol to take account of the accession of the new member states, including the Republic of Cyprus. At the same time however, Turkey also issued a declaration stating that its...

Written Answers — Nuclear Disarmament: Nuclear Disarmament (6 Oct 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Negotiations between the EU3 and Iran are suspended following Iran's decision of 8 August 2005 to recommence conversion of uranium at its Isfahan facility. This action was in breach of the Paris Agreement signed by Iran and the EU3, France, Germany and the United Kingdom, in November 2004. Under this agreement, Iran, inter alia, reaffirmed that it did not and would not seek to acquire nuclear...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (6 Oct 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The announcement last week that the IRA had put all of its arms beyond use is a victory for the democratic process. That many of us had hoped that this positive development would have occurred sooner does not detract from its significance. We now look forward to confirmation by the Independent Monitoring Commission, in its reports scheduled for October and January, that all paramilitary and...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (6 Oct 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Government strongly and repeatedly condemned the abuses at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq when they came to light. Our concerns were conveyed directly to the US authorities. The Taoiseach raised the issue with President Bush at the EU-US summit at Dromoland Castle in June 2004, during Ireland's Presidency of the EU. Once the situation became clear, the US authorities committed themselves to...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (6 Oct 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The 14th report of the Oversight Commissioner documents the solid progress that has been made towards the full implementation of the Patten report. Some 65% of the Patten recommendations have been fully implemented. The oversight commissioner praises the efforts made by the main institutions of policing in making a new beginning. Of crucial importance is the manner in which the reforms are...

Written Answers — UN Meetings: UN Meetings (6 Oct 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Following my appointment at the beginning of April 2005 as envoy of the UN Secretary General for the September summit on UN reform, I met 46 of my Foreign Minister colleagues in advance of the summit, as well as the European Commissioner for External Relations, Ms Ferrero-Waldner and the EU High Representative-Secretary General Solana. For the period referred to by the Deputy, I held meetings...

Written Answers — Security Issues: Security Issues (6 Oct 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I am conscious of the importance of addressing all aspects of the terrorist threat. My European Union colleagues and I regularly review developments in the area of emergency planning. The EU plan of action on combating terrorism addresses all aspects of the European Union's action against terrorism, including emergency planning. The plan of action was adopted in December 2001 in the follow up...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (6 Oct 2005)

Dermot Ahern: In the 18 months since former President Bertrand Aristide resigned and left Haiti in February 2004, the political situation in the country has remained volatile and insecure. The transitional government led by Prime Minister Gerard Latortue has had very limited success in stabilising the security situation in the country and the Haitian national police continues to struggle to maintain law...

Written Answers — Departmental Reviews: Departmental Reviews (6 Oct 2005)

Dermot Ahern: A thorough review of departmental practice with regard to the use of the diplomatic bag for the transmission of correspondence to officers serving abroad was carried out by officials in my Department in late 2004 and early 2005. This included consideration of the practices in other countries. The review arose from the distribution on one occasion of generic election material to a number of...

Written Answers — Middle East Peace Process: Middle East Peace Process (6 Oct 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The EU strongly supports the work of the quartet's special envoy for disengagement, the former chairman of the World Bank, James Wolfensohn. He is working with the parties to finalise an action plan for the economic revitalisation of Gaza following the withdrawal of Israeli settlers and troops. He is also working to broker agreement on a border regime for Gaza and to ensure effective...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (6 Oct 2005)

Dermot Ahern: As I set out in my replies to Questions Nos. 603 of 28 September 2005 and 616 of 28 September 2005, I am aware of a recent media report that Martin Scheinin, the UN Commission on Human Rights special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, has been contacted by Irish citizens regarding allegations about the use of Irish...

Written Answers — EU Diplomatic Relations: EU Diplomatic Relations (6 Oct 2005)

Dermot Ahern: To date, action plans under the European neighbourhood policy, ENP, have been agreed with Israel, Jordan, Moldova, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, Tunisia and Ukraine. Discussions on action plans with Egypt and Lebanon are continuing. It is hoped that it may be possible to conclude these before the end of 2005 but this depends on progress. The General Affairs and External Relations...