Results 2,281-2,300 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Corporation Tax (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 29 and 30 together. My Department has worked closely with the Department of Finance, the Revenue Commissioners, and the IDA to address inaccurate references to Ireland’s corporate tax regime arising from a recent hearing held by the US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Although the central focus of the hearing concerned perceived...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The quickest and cheapest way for customers resident on the island of Ireland to obtain their passport is to submit their applications through the passport express services offered by An Post and the Post Office in Northern Ireland. With effect from 30 June 2013, applications received by regular and registered post, which attract a higher charge and are more costly to process, will no longer...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 34 and 52 together. Customers applying through the Passport Express service are given a commitment by the Passport Service that ten days from the date of receipt by the Passport Service of properly completed applications a passport will be issued. Last year over 83% (428,000) of all persons applying for their passports in the State used Passport Express Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I am aware of the recent protests in Sarajevo over the failure of the national Parliament to adopt a law on the Unique Master Citizen Number (JMBG). In May 2011, the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina ruled that Article 5 of the Law on JMBG was not in compliance with the Bosnian Constitution because of the inaccurate use of some municipalities’ names. The Constitutional...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I have closely followed developments in relation to the Basque Country, including the outcome of the San Sebastian Conference in October 2011 and the subsequent declaration by ETA on 20 October 2011 that the organisation had “decided on the definitive cessation of its armed activity”. The Government supports and encourages any initiative that could lead to a definitive peace in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation Issues (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: As the Deputy is aware, the Government decided to appoint the Secretary General of my Department as non-resident ambassador to the Holy See, thereby ensuring that contact with the Holy See is maintained at the highest possible diplomatic level. Ambassador Cooney has travelled to the Holy See thirteen times since the announcement of the embassy closure in November 2011, nine of which have...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Shannon Airport Facilities (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 39 together. The Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order 1952 gives the Minister for Foreign Affairs primary responsibility for the regulation of activity by foreign military aircraft in Ireland. In this context, permission for foreign military aircraft to land at Irish airports is given only on condition that the aircraft are unarmed, carry...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Marching Season (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The issue of Parades features in almost all of my regular discussions with the British government, the First Minister and Deputy First Minister and with political and community leaders in Northern Ireland. I have spoken in the past two weeks with both the Secretary State for Northern Ireland, Theresa Villiers MP and NI Justice Minister David Ford. We have a shared concern about the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I welcomed the economic package for Northern Ireland announced by the British Prime Minister David Cameron and First Minister Peter Robinson and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness on 14 June, 2013. I spoke with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Theresa Villiers and commended her on the package which represents a strong commitment by the British Government in support of the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I welcome the recent progress in efforts to secure a durable solution to the crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In particular, I welcome the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework Agreement for the DRC and the Region, which was concluded in Addis Ababa on 24 February, in the presence of the UN Secretary General. The adoption of the Agreement was welcomed on behalf of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Properties (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: My Department currently utilises 138 premises abroad in pursuit of its mission on behalf of the State. These consist of offices and official residences of Heads of Mission which provide platforms for our Missions to promote Irish economic interests, provide services to the public and represent Ireland in international organisations. These premises need to be maintained, repairs are...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: On 18 June, an agreement was concluded in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, between the Malian Government and representatives of two Tuareg militant groups, the MNLA (Mouvement National pour la Libération de l'Azawad) and the HCA (Haut Conseil pour l'Unité de l'Azawad). This Interim Agreement on Presidential Elections and Inclusive Negotiations for Peace provides for an...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The escalation of the Syrian conflict has had a direct impact on the operation of United Nations peacekeeping missions in the region and the safety of personnel at these missions.Both of the United Nations peacekeeping missions operating in Syria and neighbouring countries, the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) and the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO),...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The Deputy is referring to the announcement on 18 June of the beginning of the final phase of the Transition process that will see the Afghan National Security Forces take full responsibility for security across Afghanistan by the end of 2014. I hope that this will enable Afghanistan to make further progress towards the goal of becoming a peaceful, self-governing and democratic state, based...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: As outgoing Chair-in-Office of the OSCE, Ireland is a member of the OSCE Troika this year, with current Chair-in-Office Ukraine, and Switzerland, which will assume the Chairmanship of the OSCE in 2014. Ireland has shared its experience of chairing the Organisation extensively with both Ukraine and Switzerland at official level and remains in close contact with the Missions of both countries...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The general political and security situation in Libya remains fragile. The persistence of armed militias in many parts of southern and eastern Libya, and the widespread availability of arms in general, continue to pose serious threats to the stability of the state. Most recently, heavy fighting broke out in Benghazi on June 15th after an unidentified militia attacked government troops,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I read with interest a report on the proceedings of the Belfast conference.It is the fixed policy of this government to support the Northern Ireland Executive and all the political parties in Northern Ireland as they address the challenge of securing a shared, peaceful and prosperous future for all the people of Northern Ireland. I welcome the call at the conference that a future for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Agreements (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Ireland is not a party to the Hague Convention (V) respecting the Rights and Duties of Neutral Powers and Persons in Case of War on Land, and there are no plans for it to become one. Incorporation of its provisions into domestic law accordingly does not arise. The Government is fully committed to Ireland’s traditional policy of military neutrality, which will remain a lynchpin of our...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Conflict Resolution (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: There are innumerable cases where the rights and lands of Palestinian villagers are infringed or expropriated to serve the interests of settlements planted on the hills around them. The access of Palestinian villages to major arterial routes such as Highway 60 is increasingly blocked in order to reserve the route for settler traffic, leaving the villages with long, circuitous and irrational...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Israeli Imports (26 Jun 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: It is important to be aware that EU regulations already prohibit misleading labelling of goods, which might lead a consumer to make a different choice than he or she would make if in full possession of the facts. This includes settlement goods. The essential element of voluntary national guidelines already issued by some Member States, and of the EU level guidelines now being considered, is...