Results 1,501-1,520 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (13 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: My Department supports organisations in the voluntary sector that are engaged in the delivery of advice and support services to vulnerable Irish people living abroad. Most of my Department's expenditure is disbursed in grants from the DION fund, through which we support services of benefit to our community in Britain who may be at risk of social exclusion. Since 2001, DION grants have been...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (13 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The 1944 Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation deals with civil aircraft and hence its implementation in Ireland falls primarily within the area of responsibility of the Minister for Transport. The convention provides that state aircraft, which it defines as those used in military, customs and police services, are not covered by the convention and that such aircraft may not...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (13 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The following tables set out the grades, numbers and remuneration of the personnel in the private and constituency offices of the two Ministers of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs. This table pertains to the private office of the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Conor Lenihan: Grade or position Number Remuneration Private secretary 1 Executive...

Written Answers — Ireland-China Relations: Ireland-China Relations (13 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Government places considerable importance on the development of our relations with China. Since the launch of the Asia strategy in 1999, following the success of the first official visit by the Taoiseach to China in 1998, our links and exchanges with China have developed greatly. Educational, cultural and interpersonal links have all grown. Chinese students have been welcomed to Ireland...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (13 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I travelled to the United States from 29 November 2005, returning on the morning of 2 December 2005, during which visit I attended meetings in New York and Washington, DC. On 30 November, at the United Nations in New York, I met the UN Secretary General, Mr. Kofi Annan, and the President of the UN General Assembly, Mr. Jan Eliasson of Sweden. I reviewed with them progress in the...

Written Answers — Departmental Estimates: Departmental Estimates (13 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The 2006 Estimate for the Department of Foreign Affairs consists of two Votes, that is, €186.6 million for Vote 28, Foreign Affairs, and €600 million for Vote 29, International Co-operation or overseas development assistance. The allocation provided for Vote 29 represents an increase of €129 million or 27% on the 2005 level and is the highest increase in the 31 year history of the aid...

State Airports. (14 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 35 to 37, inclusive, together. The Government is completely opposed to the practice of so-called "extraordinary rendition", whereby prisoners are transported from one jurisdiction to another contrary to international law and without recourse to the normal judicial checks and balances that attend the legitimate transfer of prisoners. That such a practice might...

State Airports. (14 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: As Minister for Foreign Affairs, I would not normally be aware of any matters relating to the last question. Ms Rice, in her discussions with me, made it clear that intelligence agencies across the world share information in the fight against terrorism. The US and other states expect that co-operation. This question relates to flights while another relates to detention centres in Europe. The...

State Airports. (14 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: No. I received an assurance on rendition, on any account and unqualified.

State Airports. (14 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Deputy cites a number of conventions. The European Court of Human Rights has determined that there must be substantial proof of a real risk of a breach of rights protected by the European Convention on Human Rights. To date, despite media speculation, we have no substantial grounds in that respect. I do not rely only on the assurances I received but also on other sources, including Human...

State Airports. (14 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The information available to me indicates that such CIA flights have been taking place for a long time, certainly the past 50 years during which various political parties have been in Government here. Having received categoric assurances which a number of other European countries have been unable to secure on this issue, we cannot go behind them. If we were to do so, it would be regarded as...

State Airports. (14 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Minister cannot order investigations which are entirely a matter for the DPP and the Garda.

State Airports. (14 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: While I share the concerns of citizens on this matter, I repeat the central point that unless and until there are substantial grounds as defined by the European Court of Human Rights, no investigation can take place.

State Airports. (14 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: On the last point, New York University prepared a study for the House of Commons which made quite clear that actual knowledge would be part of a state's assisting the issue of rendition. This State has no knowledge of these activities. The Deputy referred to a so-called discrepancy. Yesterday, the Minister for Transport answered a question from Deputy Gormley about the particular planes that...

State Airports. (14 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: We can only relate to the statistics that we have for Shannon which were provided in the parliamentary question yesterday.

State Airports. (14 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: What was the other issue the Deputy asked about?

State Airports. (14 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: At EU level generally we have raised the issue of abducting people and we have made it quite clear that we have not accepted it and do not or will not accept it. We will investigate any hard evidence that is brought to us, but to date no such evidence has been brought to us concerning the use of Shannon in any shape or form.

State Airports. (14 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Unless and until that hard evidence is brought to us, we cannot investigate it. The Government is adamant that if it does get that hard evidence, it will be investigated and we will take serious action on foot of it.

State Airports. (14 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: We have answered the question from the Council of Europe and we will co-operate fully with any investigation. We will answer the questionnaire that has been submitted. It will be done on the previously stated basis.

State Airports. (14 Dec 2005)

Dermot Ahern: We will have to cross that bridge when we come to it, but if there are black sites on EU soil, obviously the EU would have to consider seriously what action to take. We would be one of the first member states to raise this issue if there were proof of such sites.