Results 12,321-12,340 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Meath East By-election: Issue of Writ (5 Mar 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: -----which puts forward practical solutions to the problems the people face. I support the proposal before the House to hold the by-election, which is in line with the commitment the Government gave and for which we brought proposals to this House that by-elections should be held within a reasonable period of time of the vacancy occurring. This is now an opportunity for the people of Meath...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Conflict in Syria (5 Mar 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I understand that the initial decision by the Syrian National Coalition not to participate in a meeting of the core group of the Friends of Syria in Rome on 28 February was later reversed and that the SNC President, Dr Al Khatib, and other SNC representatives participated fully in the Rome meeting. I am glad that Dr. Al Khatib and his colleagues ultimately chose to maintain their close...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Bilateral Relations (5 Mar 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Ireland and Cuba established diplomatic relations in 1999, and bilateral engagement has increased steadily in the period since then. Last year bilateral trade in goods with Cuba reached close to €1.2 million, making Cuba Ireland’s 155th largest trading partner. I understand that a small number of Irish people are exploring business opportunities in Cuba and that several...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Appointments to State Boards (5 Mar 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: There are no State Boards operating under the aegis of my Department

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Discussion with Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (5 Mar 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I am pleased to have the opportunity to brief the joint committee ahead of the next General Affairs Council, which will take place in Brussels on Monday, 11 March. This is the second General Affairs Council of Ireland's EU Presidency and I will again have the honour of chairing the meeting. The Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Creighton, will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Discussion with Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (5 Mar 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I do not think that was a previous life.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Discussion with Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (5 Mar 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I remember it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Discussion with Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (5 Mar 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I welcome the initiative of the Chairman and the committee in the production of a paper on the involvement of national parliaments in the European semester process. It is a very important that national parliaments, which have traditionally had the primary function in regard to national budgets, should take an active role at the co-ordination level in respect of the first semester process and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Discussion with Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (5 Mar 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Deputy Timmy Dooley inquired about the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina. That matter is not on the agenda for next week's meeting. It is true, however, that there has been a regrettable lack of momentum. However, the European Union has, through the External Action Service, been working hard to encourage progress. The most recent reports suggest there may be some positive movement,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Discussion with Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (5 Mar 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: There is no specific duration. The duration will be both country and scheme specific. For example, people in this country can access JobBridge and avail of the various interventions relating to employment activation. There are also various forms of education and training arrangements. As the Senator is aware, the Departments of Social Protection and Education and Skills are expanding the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Discussion with Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (5 Mar 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Deputy Bernard J. Durkan referred to an EU-US trade agreement. The state of play in this regard is that the high-level working group has made a positive report to the effect that negotiations should take place on such an agreement. In his State of the Union address President Obama committed to progressing a trade and investment partnership with Europe. This was one of the issues we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Discussion with Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (5 Mar 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The issue is in the draft conclusions for the European Council meeting. One of the issues which will be before the General Affairs Council meeting on Monday is the preparation of the European Council meeting. The draft refers to the internal energy market and investment in infrastructure, both of which are aimed to address high energy prices.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Military Aviation (6 Mar 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order 1952 gives the Minister for Foreign Affairs primary responsibility for the regulation of activity by foreign military aircraft in Ireland. In 2012, my Department granted permission for the landing of 608 foreign military aircraft at Shannon Airport. Permission was granted in all cases subject to the normal conditions that apply to landings...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (6 Mar 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. The staffing figures take account of staff assigned from Ireland and locally engaged support staff as well as, in the cases of Madrid and Paris, staff of other Departments whose salary costs are borne by those Departments. Embassy Current staffing complement Changes since March 2010 Madrid Officers posted from...

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The position is that as announced in the budget on 5 December 2012, as of 1 July 2013, maternity benefit will be treated as income for income tax purposes. This proposal was set out clearly on budget day and the general reaction to the measure after the budget appeared to acknowledge it was only fair that two individuals earning the same amount of income should pay the same amount of income...

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: It is important to state that maternity leave will remain exempt from the universal social charge and from PRSI. The measure has no impact on women who are solely reliant on maternity benefit or low-paid workers who are outside the tax net. The measure brings the treatment of maternity benefits in line with other social welfare benefits, including illness benefits, pensions and unemployment...

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: This is not a cut at all.

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: A woman who goes out on maternity leave will have the same take home pay the week she goes out on maternity leave as the week she was at work so there is no cut in the take home income of any women going on maternity benefit.

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: What is being done here is where an employer continues to pay a woman who goes on maternity leave, the maternity benefit portion is being treated as income in the same way as all other income and is being treated the same way as illness benefit or any other social welfare benefit.

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The effect is that the take home income-----