Results 12,821-12,840 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (16 May 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The Deputy is aware that EU policy on the Middle East is co-ordinated and led by the High Representative and the European External Action Service, EEAS, of the EU, not by the rotating national Presidency. An ever present danger in the Syrian crisis has been that it would escalate to engulf the wider region. Recent events, such as the alleged Israeli bombing of a target in Syria, the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (16 May 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I am on public record as stating that I do not support the lifting of the arms embargo and the further militarisation of the conflict in Syria. The EU's sanctions regime in respect of Syria is due for renewal and I expect it will be discussed at the Foreign Affairs Council in May. As is well known, some member states have been seeking a lifting of the arms embargo. Ireland is among a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (16 May 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The US and Russia have already talked. There was a meeting between Secretary of State Kerry and Foreign Minister Mr. Sergey Lavrov just over a week ago. My understanding is that it has been agreed that a conference will be convened within a number of weeks, which would build on the conference that took place in Geneva last June. The difficulty is that the international community wants a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland Marching Season (16 May 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Contentious issues surrounding culture and identity necessarily feature in most of our discussions and contact in Northern Ireland, and particularly so in recent months. I can confirm that the specific issue of the upcoming marching season was reviewed during my bilateral discussions with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Theresa Villiers, MP, on 29 April in Belfast. It also...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland Marching Season (16 May 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The Government and the British Government are strongly of the view that the Parades Commission must be strongly supported, that its determinations must be respected, and that we support the Police Service of Northern Ireland in the implementation of same. We must look forward to the parading season this year. While a significant number of discussions are taking place at local level to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland Marching Season (16 May 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The best way to resolve parades issues is directly between the organisers and local residents. We have seen that work successfully for many parades. In the absence of such agreement it then falls to the Parades Commission to make a determination on how a parade should be organised and the various conditions attaching to it. I am very clear in that regard, as is Secretary of State Villiers....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: European Union Foreign Policy (16 May 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Deputies will be aware of my deep concerns about continued settlement expansion. There has been a worrying increase in settlement announcements in the last year, although few of these have, as yet, begun construction. It is clear, however, that settlements are now very close to making the creation of a Palestinian state, and thus a two-State solution, physically impossible, as indeed they...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: European Union Foreign Policy (16 May 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Last May the European Union adopted a very strong set of conclusions regarding settlements. At the end of that meeting I stated my belief that if the settlements did not stop, the EU would have to consider stronger measures. I suggested at that stage that we would have to consider the possibility of imposing a ban on settlement products entering the EU. In my judgment, we will not get...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: European Union Foreign Policy (16 May 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I have seen the various reports to which Deputy Crowe referred. We must be conscious of the fact that in the background, we need to get a renewed effort at a peace settlement moving again. I am encouraged by the fact that the United States has now re-engaged with that. President Obama has been to Israel recently and the Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry, has visited on a number of...

Other Questions: European Union Accession (16 May 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Ireland, and indeed all 27 member states of the European Union, fully and firmly support Bosnia and Herzegovina’s EU perspective as a future member state. It was with the intention of further strengthening its policy and its presence on the ground that the EU took the decision in July 2011 to establish a single, reinforced EU representative who would take a lead in supporting the...

Other Questions: European Union Accession (16 May 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: As the Deputy has said, Croatia will accede to the European Union on 1 July. Progress has also been made in respect of Serbia and Kosovo, and High Representative Ashton brokered a significant agreement between the two Prime Ministers a number of weeks ago which will allow for progress to be made on their accession. Progress has been made in respect of all the countries in the Balkans with...

Other Questions: European Union Accession (16 May 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I am conscious that there is a significant Bosnian community in Ireland. I am always willing to meet people and discuss their concerns. I share the concern about what is not happening in Bosnia. Membership of the European Union and the process of accession is conditional on a country reaching certain standards in respect of its democracy, human rights issues and rule of law. These are...

Other Questions: EU Diplomatic Service (16 May 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The European External Action Service, EEAS, is the European Union’s diplomatic service created to promote an EU-wide common foreign and security policy. It is staffed by officers from the European Commission, the EU Council Secretariat and the Foreign Ministries of EU member states, including my Department. The recruitment of diplomats from member states to serve in the EEAS enhances...

Other Questions: EU Diplomatic Service (16 May 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: On the numbers of Irish officers serving in the EAS, there are six diplomats, soon to be increased to seven, out of a total of 254. Our percentage is slightly higher than our overall proportion of the population at 2.4%. In addition, there are 43 Irish officials working in the European Union institutions who are also working in the EAS. That includes at the most senior level Mr. David...

Other Questions: EU Diplomatic Service (16 May 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I agree. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade strongly supports Irish candidates who are seeking positions in European Union institutions. As the Deputy acknowledged earlier, there are now more member states, with a 28th state joining in July. We have done very well as a country in terms of senior positions and influential positions in the European Union apparatus and I hope that...

Other Questions: Middle East Peace Process (16 May 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I dealt in my earlier reply with the issue of settlement products as one response to the continuing destructive impact of settlements. Labelling of settlement goods, and possibly at a future stage a ban on settlement goods, can send a strong political and moral message. As I have stated before, however, we should not focus disproportionately on this one aspect. The key issue is the very...

Other Questions: Middle East Peace Process (16 May 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: On goods from settlement areas, I do not think there is a realistic prospect of agreement on an EU-wide ban on settlement products. It is for that reason that I have concentrated our efforts on securing a labelling regime, and we are making progress on that at EU level. I hope it will be possible to agree a Europe-wide labelling arrangement. I am in discussions with other Departments about...

Other Questions: Middle East Peace Process (16 May 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Israel has not acknowledged or claimed responsibility for the military attacks on Syria. It is believed that Israel is responsible. It is also believed that it may be due to the movement of weapons to Hezbollah which, in turn, would be used against Israel. As I have stated, the further militarisation of the conflict in Syria, including militarisation by the intervention by other states in...

Other Questions: Irish Heritage Certificate (16 May 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: To date, 1,929 certificates of Irish heritage have been issued, approximately 60% in the US, 13% in Australia and 11% in Canada. with the vast majority of the global diaspora no longer eligible for Irish citizenship, the certificate of Irish heritage was introduced to recognise descendents of previous generations of Irish citizens in an official way and to give greater practical expression...

Other Questions: Irish Heritage Certificate (16 May 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I acknowledge the work that my predecessor, Deputy Martin, did on this issue and in bringing it forward. When it was originally conceived, there were issues such as the idea of a tourist discount card which would be associated with it. The priority up to now has been to get the certificate of Irish heritage launched and up and running, and my Department is in discussion with other agencies...