Results 13,921-13,940 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation Expenditure (5 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Ireland’s diplomatic network includes 56 Embassies, 7 multilateral missions and 10 Consulates General and other offices. In addition to their country of residence, many Ambassadors are also accredited to additional countries on a concurrent basis which enhances the cost-effectiveness of our external representation. Our missions abroad work very closely with the state agencies in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: US Surveillance in EU Institutions (5 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 126 and 127 together. Following allegations of US surveillance of European Union institutions earlier this year, the EU has engaged regularly with the US authorities in both Washington and Brussels to seek clarification on the issues raised. An EU-US High Level Expert Group on data protection has been established, where this and related matters are...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (5 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Ireland is actively engaged on the many humanitarian, legal and political issues presented by the Syrian conflict and contributes to the formulation of international policies on Syria in many fora. Officials at all levels based in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's headquarters and its network of missions abroad are involved in these efforts. I have repeatedly discussed...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (5 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The Deputy will appreciate the necessity for Ambassadors to conduct official business with a degree of discretion, and for that reason I do not propose to provide a list of persons with whom the Ambassador has met since his appointment. However, I can assure the Deputy that I am satisfied with the range of the Ambassador's diplomatic contacts, both within the Secretariat of State and the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (5 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I am aware of the case to which the Deputy refers, which occurred in Botswana in 2006. My Department through the Embassy of Ireland in Maputo and the Consular Assistance Section in Dublin has provided consular assistance to the family of the deceased following his death and throughout the subsequent investigations. I wish to advise the Deputy that following the 2007 report of the initial...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Expenditure (5 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has responsibility for Vote 27 -International Cooperation, and Vote 28 - the Departmental vote. Budget 2014 provides a gross allocation to the Department in respect of both Votes in the sum of € 693 m, consisting of € 687 m in current expenditure and € 6.5 m in capital expenditure. The main monetary effect year-on-year...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (5 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The author of the book to which the Deputy refers kindly briefed my officials on the main conclusions shortly in advance of publication. Several of the murders mentioned would have been raised with the British side over the years, following representations from politicians and clergy in the area. We are now examining the text in detail and will consider further action in light of that...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Child Abduction (6 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The person referred to by the Deputy first came to the attention of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 2009 when his family contacted the Consular Assistance Section. My Department has been providing consular assistance through our Embassy in Egypt and the Consular Assistance Section in Dublin. Cases of this nature are complicated by the fact that Egypt is not a signatory to the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff Redeployment (6 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Four locally recruited staff were employed at the Embassy of Ireland to the Holy See with length of service ranging from 1 to 18 years. One of the locally recruited staff was employed on a part time temporary contract which expired at the end of December 2011, and one member of cleaning staff, whose services were no longer required, was made redundant as a result of the closure of this...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Council Meetings (6 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 33 and 34 together. I attended the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 21 October where developments in relation to Syria represented one of the major items for discussion, with particular focus on the OPCW chemical weapons disarmament process, the prospects for the ‘Geneva II’ talks and the ever-challenging humanitarian situation. The...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Arms Trade Treaty: Motion (6 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I thank the Chairman and members. As always, it is a pleasure to come before the select committee. The Arms Trade Treaty was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 2 April last by a very large majority of states. The text was negotiated at two diplomatic conferences held in July 2012 and March 2013. It is the product of a very positive and constructive process in which all states...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Arms Trade Treaty: Motion (6 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I thank members for their support for the motion. Deputy Smith suggested the imposition of a levy to generate resources in respect of implementation. That is a worthwhile proposal. A UN trust fund - UNSCAR - which is designed to facilitate implementation and provide help to NGOs which are involved in assistance programmes has been established. This could possibly be used for the purpose...

Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The Government's priority in the area of health is to ensure that patient care is at the top of all considerations. It is unfortunately the case that budgets for the health services have had to be reduced in recent years. As we know, that is because the present Government inherited an incredible mess in the public finances. There is no doubt that this year will also be challenging for the...

Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: None of us should do anything other than to go to every length to provide medical care for children and to look after them when they are ill. However, it is difficult to listen to lectures about the health service, particularly as it pertains to children, from a party that neglected it so badly in Government. For years it spoke about and looked around the idea of a children's hospital.

Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: During the good times, when money was available, it did not build one.

Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: This Government is proceeding with the construction of the children's hospital, which is long overdue.

Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: We have provided the funding for it.

Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The priority for the Government is to deliver the best quality of care, particularly to children, in every circumstance of medical need. It is challenging at times because of the limitations on resources, but the Government's priority is to provide the best possible care for children when they need it.

Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Approximately 5,000 additional social housing units will be provided in 2014. This will include new builds, units leased from the not-for-profit sector and general leasing units. We are also on track to secure 500 social housing units from NAMA this year and will deliver 2,000 social housing units through NAMA in the lifetime of the Government. In the recent budget we returned, albeit on a...

Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I do not know if the Deputy missed it, but the country was broke. It ran out of money at the end of 2010 and the Government has had to restore its finances. We are in the fortunate position of having done so and about to exit the bailout programme. The Government has not abandoned the issue of social housing provision, far from it.