Results 14,441-14,460 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Relations (15 Jan 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: Developing Ireland’s trade and investment relationship with India is an ongoing priority for the Government. The Export Trade Council, which I chair, is responsible for the implementation of Ireland’s Trade, Tourism and Investment Strategy. The Council includes relevant Ministers, heads of State Agencies involved in trade promotion, along with representatives of the private...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Registration of Marriages (15 Jan 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: My Department can authenticate the original document provided by the Office of the Registrar General for submission to the South African authorities. The document can be either presented at our offices in Cork or Dublin or posted to our office in Dublin (see contact details below) for authentication. The fee for authentication of a document is €40. Cork Consular Services Section ...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (15 Jan 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: The Government closely follows the situation of the Rohingya people in Myanmar/Burma and is deeply concerned by ongoing reports and evidence of serious human rights abuses. Myanmar/Burma continues to undergo a process of long-awaited transition towards full democracy. Ireland, together with our EU partners, recognises that significant progress has been made, but that difficult and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Illegal Israeli Imports (15 Jan 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 73 and 74 together. My Department’s website already contains cautionary advice in relation to buying property in Israeli settlements. I am aware of the more recent advice introduced by the British Government. I am open to considering further strengthening of our advice, but my preference would be for action at EU level. Ireland has been active in the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Nuclear Proliferation (15 Jan 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: The interim agreement reached between the P5+1 and Iran on 24 November was a very welcome first step, and I am hopeful that it may act as a springboard to the achievement of a final agreement to resolve this dispute during 2014. The active and positive engagement and leading role of the United States played a crucial part in achieving this interim agreement. The US Administration remains...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (15 Jan 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: As the Deputy notes, the Foreign Minister of the Netherlands, Mr Frans Timmermans, visited Cuba from 5-7 January last with a view to strengthening bilateral ties. I understand that Minister Timmermans met with the Cuban Foreign Minister and other members of the Cuban Government as well as with representatives of civil society. Amongst the themes of this visit, which covered issues such as...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: North South Ministerial Council (15 Jan 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: The numbers of formal meetings of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in the years 2009 to 2013 are set out in tabular form below. The NSMC meets in a number of formats. Plenary format involves the Government led by the Taoiseach and Tánaiste and the Northern Ireland Executive led by the First Minister and deputy First Minister. In Institutional format, the Irish Government...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Membership (15 Jan 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: There are five countries that currently have candidate status and have applied to join the European Union: Turkey, Iceland, Montenegro, Serbia and Macedonia, each of which is at a different stage in its relations with the EU: Turkey has been a candidate since 1999 and is currently in accession negotiations with the European Union. Following the agreement reached in June under the Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Membership (15 Jan 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: Turkey has been a candidate for EU membership since 1999 and has been in accession negotiations since 2005. There are currently fourteen chapters open in the negotiations and one provisionally closed. During the Irish Presidency last year, we laid the groundwork for the opening of the latest chapter, Chapter 22 on regional policy, the first chapter to be opened in three years. While I have...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Data (15 Jan 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: While the majority of Irish services and merchandise exports go to Europe and the US and we must continue to cultivate these markets, the Government is strongly focused on the further development of trading partnerships with other important emerging markets. Following the launch of the Government’s Trade, Tourism and Investment Strategy, ‘Trading and Investing in a Smart...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (15 Jan 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: The promotion of Ireland’s economic and trading interests overseas is a strategic priority for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and its Embassy network. Alongside its foreign policy, diplomatic and consular functions, the Embassy network is a key platform for the promotion of Ireland’s trade, investment and tourism objectives. In June 2011, certain trade promotion...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Syrian Conflict (15 Jan 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: Ending the conflict is Syria is a critical objective for the Government and the wider international community. The cessation of the present violence is essential to addressing the widespread abuses of human rights and the crimes committed by the Assad regime and opposition armed groups against the civilian population of Syria. Ireland strongly supports the efforts of the UN and the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Egyptian Conflict (15 Jan 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: The protection of human rights in Egypt remains a matter of continuing concern to Ireland. I have previously raised these concerns in discussions with my EU colleagues, most notably at the extraordinary meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council on 21 August 2013. I have also discussed our concerns directly with the interim Egyptian Foreign Minister, Nabil Fahmy. Ireland has also expressed...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Enlargement (15 Jan 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: The EU remains committed to promoting peace, democracy and stability in Europe through its enlargement policy. This commitment was most recently reiterated in the Conclusions of the General Affairs Council of 17 December. With regard to the Western Balkans in particular, the EU noted that ten years ago at the Thessaloniki Summit of 2003, the EU reiterated its unequivocal support to the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (15 Jan 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: Ireland, along with our EU Partners, pursues a strategic and comprehensive approach to countries in Africa suffering the consequences of conflict or natural disaster. This approach encompasses political and diplomatic engagement, development cooperation programming, humanitarian assistance, and support for peacekeeping operations. The top ten poorest countries in the world are in Africa....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (15 Jan 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: While there is more hope now of a peaceful resolution of the nuclear issue, the Deputy’s Question is a timely reminder that there remain very considerable human rights concerns in relation to Iran, which have generally speaking worsened over the last ten years. The new Government in Iran has made some welcome statements on improving the protection of human rights in Iran. Ireland and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Colombian Peace Process (15 Jan 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: I strongly support the Colombian peace process and hope that ongoing negotiations will bring an end to the long conflict there which has caused much suffering. During the course of 2013, negotiators reached agreement on the land reform and political participation elements of their discussions and I commend them for the progress that they have secured. In November 2013, the Secretary...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Driver Licences (15 Jan 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: Matters relating to the processing of driver’s licences in Ireland and reciprocal exchange agreements are the responsibility of the Road Safety Authority which falls under the aegis of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. I am of course aware of the issues relating to driver’s licences in Alberta, and in other provinces across Canada. This is a matter of concern to...

Leaders' Questions (16 Jan 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: There are quite a number of things I have to correct in Deputy Martin's statement. First, Irish Water is being established to modernise the way in which the water services of this country are delivered into the future. I said, and the Labour Party has said for quite some time, that the delivery of water in this country needed to be done on a national basis. Nobody, for example, would now...

Leaders' Questions (16 Jan 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: It needs to be done on a national basis, which is why Irish Water was established. There are establishment costs associated with Irish Water, and they run to about 1% of the total cost of water service delivery over the next decade. The amounts of money are very large - of course they are. That is why it is essential there is value for money for any money that is spent in the establishment...