Results 2,241-2,260 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passports for Investment Scheme (27 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Visa and immigration decisions are solely a matter for the authorities of the country to which the application relates and are therefore outside of my remit. The person should contact the relevant Embassy directly to ascertain the current status of his application.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (27 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I believe that all parties in this house will share my frustration at the lack of progress on a Bill of Rights. A Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland is a very important outstanding provision of the Good Friday Agreement. I believe that many of the contentious issues around parades, flags and identities have rights at their core and resolution of these issues can only be facilitated through...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff Recruitment (27 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The Government’s Employment Control Framework has established a staffing ceiling for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of 1,348 posts by end 2015. This figure represents a significant reduction in staff numbers compared with an equivalent figure of 1,572 from March 2009 - a loss of a total of 224 or approximately one in every seven posts since the introduction of the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Council Meetings (27 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I attended the most recent meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg on Monday 24 June.As you will be aware, the Council had a very busy agenda; the final Council Conclusions agreed may be accessed on the official EU website . Before dealing in detail with the outcome of the meeting, I should mention that the Council adopted new Guidelines on Freedom of Religion or Belief, and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Council Meetings (27 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: On 25 June 2013, I chaired the final General Affairs Council (GAC) meeting of the Irish Presidency. The main items on the agenda were the enlargement and stabilisation process; a proposal by some Member States for an initiative on democracy, fundamental values and rule of law; preparation of the European Council of 27/28 June 2013; and the Multiannual Financial Framework. Ministers discussed...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation Issues (27 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The decision to appoint an Honorary Consul in Almaty had been made prior to the commencement of the review of the Honorary Consulate network. The appointment, which was approved by the Kazakhstani authorities last month, is expected to raise Ireland’s profile in Kazakhstan and to assist in promoting trade between the countries.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation Issues (27 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The appointments of our nominees for Honorary Consul in Kathmandu and Antalya were both approved recently by the Nepalese and Turkish authorities respectively. The Honorary Consul in Antalya has already commenced providing consular services and will be fully operational very shortly. The Honorary Consul in Kathmandu is also in the process of being established and is expected to be...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff Redeployment (27 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The following table sets out details by grade and institution or body of staff currently on secondment from my Department. The durations of staff secondments to other Government Departments vary as they may be terminated at relatively short notice, or extended, by agreement with the other Department and the staff member concerned. Secondments to international organisations are approved...

Other Questions: Human Rights Issues (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 24 together. It is the intention of the consul at our embassy in Vilnius to attend on 27 June the appeal hearing of the person mentioned. The Embassy of Ireland in Lithuania and the consular assistance section in Dublin have provided consular assistance to the person in question since his initial detention in Lithuania and will continue to do so. The...

Other Questions: Human Rights Issues (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I have taken an interest in this case since Deputy Martin Ferris raised it directly with me some time ago and expressed his concern about conditions in Lukiškės Prison. As the Deputy is aware, the man concerned was transferred from Lukiškės Prison to another prison. The information I have on Pravieniškės Prison is that it is located in a forested area...

Other Questions: Human Rights Issues (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The man concerned was found guilty of trying to purchase and smuggle weapons and received a sentence of 12 years. There is an appeal, which Deputy Martin Ferris mentioned. There is a Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons but that cannot be activated until the appeal process is completed. Deputy Ferris referred to two other cases in which extradition requests...

Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Absolutely. There are no worries about it.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland Marching Season (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: As Deputy Crowe pointed out, it is important that we move forward. The Cardiff talks are ongoing and I understand there will be further meetings in Belfast. That engagement is to be welcomed and I hope it will ensure the language used during the parade season, particularly in respect of the 12th, will be measured and supportive of the difficult tasks the PSNI must carry out during the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland Marching Season (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I agree that everybody shares a responsibility to step back. The Cardiff statement contains a number of elements, the first of which is respect for the PSNI's duty to uphold the law, while at the same time holding it to account. The appropriate way to hold the PSNI to account is by means of the Northern Ireland Policing Board. I encourage everybody to minimise tensions during the parading...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: First, it is important to state there is a unified European Union position that we have to find a peaceful solution to the crisis in Syria. Second, there is a unified European Union position that it put its money where its mouth is. On the provision of humanitarian assistance, the European Union has provided €1.25 billion to date, with €400 million having been allocated on...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Yes, we have. We have drawn attention to the fact that there are countries that have made commitments to provide humanitarian aid and that these commitments have not been delivered on. We have delivered on our commitments and the European Union is also delivering. We support the holding of the Geneva II talks. A special preparatory meeting took place under Special Envoy Brahimi in early...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland Marching Season (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I fully support the talks which were held in Cardiff on 18 and 19 May about the challenges facing policing in Belfast. The talks were organised by the PSNI, with representation from community leaders in the city. I was greatly encouraged by the cross-community nature of the meeting and the fact that the attendees included all of the main political parties, the Policing Board, community and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Our view is very clear. Any of the measures used to combat terrorism must comply with international law, particularly the laws on armed conflict and human rights. Our view on this is well-known to the United States, among others. On the possible banning of drones, I draw the Deputy's attention to a recent statement by the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, which...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: What the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross stated was the provision of current humanitarian law, not his opinion. We have always led on the issue of disarmament. We want to reduce the use of weapons and the killing of people. This approach is very well known across the world. I do not see a prospect of an agreement to ban the use of UAVs. I want to see a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The ongoing conflict in Syria was a key item on the agenda of the Foreign Affairs Council, which I attended in Luxembourg on Monday, 24 June. The Council had a thorough exchange of views on recent developments on the ground against the background of mounting casualties, with the death toll now estimated by the UN at more than 93,000, and the catastrophic humanitarian situation unfolding in...