Results 2,921-2,940 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Leaders' Questions (18 Apr 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: At the end of 2012 there had been over 20,000 fewer people on trolleys than at the end of 2011. That was an improvement of 24%. Up to 5 April 2013, 2,600 fewer people had been on trolleys compared with the same period in 2012. There are strains on the health service, particularly at this time of year. We have come through a period of particularly unseasonable weather. Winter time and...

Leaders' Questions (18 Apr 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Nobody is saying everything is fine.

Leaders' Questions (18 Apr 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: As I have said, in the health service there are always strains and demands and the question is how best to manage them. The Minister for Health and the HSE are managing as best they can. If the Minister needs to turn somewhere for advice on how to manage better it will not be to Deputy Martin because he, of all people, was not able to manage the health service in the best of financial...

Leaders' Questions (18 Apr 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: As everybody is aware just over two years ago this Government inherited the biggest financial and economic crisis ever to face this State. We determined that we would fix the problem. We have made a lot of progress in that respect. We are now 85% of the way there. There is a piece remaining to be completed, approximately €3 billion in savings in public expenditure. The pay and...

Leaders' Questions (18 Apr 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: First, from the very outset the priority of the Government has been to unblock access and to improve the flow of patients because patients are its number one priority. As set out in the programme for Government, the Minister for Health established a special delivery unit immediately on foot of the Government entering office. The aim of the special delivery unit is to unblock access to acute...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Emigrant Support Services (18 Apr 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Emigrant Support Programme, ESP, provides funding to non-profit organisations and projects to support Irish communities overseas and to facilitate the development of more strategic links between Ireland and the global Irish. The emphasis of the Emigrant Support Programme is on supporting culturally sensitive, frontline welfare services, targeted...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Good Friday Agreement (18 Apr 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The Government remains firmly committed to ensuring the full and effective implementation of the Good Friday and St. Andrew’s Agreements. I will avail of a planned meeting later this month with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to have a further discussion on a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland. I will also continue to urge all the parties in the Assembly to engage in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (18 Apr 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The situation in Syria was the major issue discussed at the most recent Foreign Affairs Council meeting, which I attended in Brussels on 11 March, and also at the informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers which I co-hosted with High Representative Ashton in Dublin on 22-23 March. These discussions focussed on how the EU can best promote a peaceful resolution to the crisis and alleviate the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (18 Apr 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The Passport Service cannot locate a record of a passport application for this person on the basis of the limited information provided. Accordingly, it is not possible to provide a specific answer in relation to this case. However, if the applicant can make direct contact with Mr. Kevin Walzer at the Passport Office, Balbriggan, the application can be progressed. His contact details are -...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Undocumented Irish in the USA (18 Apr 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The Government has identified the position of the undocumented Irish in the United States and the need to provide for future flows of migration between the two countries through the E3 visa programme as important priorities in our bilateral relationship. This has included direct discussion of the issue at the highest level with President Obama, Vice President Biden, Speaker of the House...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Bodies (18 Apr 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The Export Trade Council (ETC) has met on three occasions since its inaugural meeting in September 2011. I have chaired each of these meetings. Members of the Council include Minister Bruton, Minister Varadkar, Minister Coveney and Minister of State Costello. Other relevant Departments are represented at senior official level, while the Chief Executive Officers of Bord Bia, Enterprise...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Relations (18 Apr 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Ireland, together with our partners in the European Union, is in close contact on matters of concern involving the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea). We continue to engage with key partners to build a firm and unified response. Recent actions by North Korea directly threaten peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and are a clear violation of the country’s...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Adviser Pay (18 Apr 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 55 and 56 together. Name Position held Annual Salary Mark Garrett Chief Adviser - Office of the Tánaiste €168,000 Colm O’Reardon Economic Adviser - Office of the Tánaiste €155,000 Jean O’Mahony Special Adviser - Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade €86,604 Niamh Sweeney Special Adviser...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Agreements: Motion (17 Apr 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: First, on the populations covered, there are approximately 250 million people in Indonesia, 50 million in South Africa and 50 million in South Korea. The three agreements between them involve 350 million people and are quite significant. In reply to Deputy Smith, the agreements provide for co-operation in the area of climate change. It is already built into them. In response to Deputies...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Agreements: Motion (17 Apr 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I thank the committee for the opportunity to discuss the three motions referred to the committee for consideration. The motions seek Dáil approval of the terms of EU international agreements with South Africa, the Republic of Korea and Indonesia. As members of the committee will be aware, the three agreements in question involve mixed competence. This means that some of the areas...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Agreements: Motion (17 Apr 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: We keep our diplomatic representation under continual review. I am currently looking at what we need to do in terms of our representation abroad to better promote trade and investment opportunities. That includes looking at our current representation, areas where we need to be represented and ways to do that in a more joined-up way between the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Foreign Affairs Councils: Discussion with Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (17 Apr 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Yes, we discussed the issue of population on Monday and Tuesday. As Senator Norris himself has made the point, by 2050 the population of the world will have grown to approximately 9 billion people, which constitutes a tripling of the world population if one frames its within one's own lifetime. At a practical level and where the issue was relevant to our conference, it is estimated that it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Foreign Affairs Councils: Discussion with Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (17 Apr 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Indeed, yes. On the other hand, it also is estimated that the effects of climate change will wipe out one quarter of the world's agricultural produce over the same period. Consequently, it is pretty clear that the issues of population, climate and of course hunger and nutrition are highly interconnected. This is the reason we decided to pull them together. Our intention now is to carry...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Foreign Affairs Councils: Discussion with Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (17 Apr 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I take the view that the rights of people, that is, human, democratic and civil rights, are universal. The approach the Government takes at the United Nations Human Rights Council is that irrespective of what country or who is involved, the universality of these rights is solid. Ireland stood for election to the aforementioned council last year and was highly successful and was elected with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Foreign Affairs Councils: Discussion with Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (17 Apr 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Yes indeed, everywhere.