Results 3,841-3,860 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (11 Dec 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I am aware of reporting in relation to this individual by an Irish film maker who was recently in Gaza. My Department had not previously had any record of contact in relation to him, from family or NGOs. The NGO with which we usually deal on prisoners’ issues do not have any record of him. Another NGO has a record of an Ayman Taleb Abu Siteh, who is likely to be the same individual,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (11 Dec 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Ireland, together with our partners in the European Union, share the widespread concerns in relation to the draft Anti-Homosexuality Bill which is currently under consideration at committee level in the Ugandan Parliament. We have been advocating strongly against the adoption of the proposed law. I raised the issue directly with President Museveni when I visited Uganda in July and I asked...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (11 Dec 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: As the Deputy may be aware from previous replies in relation to this Irish citizen, my officials remain in close and direct contact with the person’s spouse and family and liaise directly with them on any request for assistance or on any development on this case. The Ambassador and officers in the Embassy in New Delhi, which is accredited to Sri Lanka, have also been very active in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Undocumented Irish in the USA (11 Dec 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The outcome of the recent US Presidential election would appear to have advanced the prospects for the necessary reform of US immigration systems and procedures that would help improve the situation of undocumented Irish immigrants in the United States. Much further debate and discussion is likely to be required within the US political system as to what such reform might comprise. Through...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Public Services (11 Dec 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Since March 2011, my Department has introduced the Certificate of Irish Heritage scheme. Having considered the technology and marketing expertise required to underpin the successful operation of the Certificate of Irish Heritage internationally, the Department decided to implement the service as a concession. This concession was awarded to FEXCO following a public tender published in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (11 Dec 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: At the outset, I should point out that the standard printed text detail on each passport is jointly in the Irish and English languages. Other languages appear in a much smaller degree in the text on the data and observation pages of the book. The text and format of this print meets ICAO standards and is consistent with best international practice. In terms of the name that can appear on a...

Financial Resolutions 2013 - Financial Resolution No. 15: General (Resumed) (6 Dec 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The hypocrisy we have heard from that quarter now comes with a price attached.

Financial Resolutions 2013 - Financial Resolution No. 15: General (Resumed) (6 Dec 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: For the people of Ireland, what this budget does is bring the end into sight. No one can understate the sacrifices and no one should overstate what has been achieved. However, we can see progress and it is being made with a purpose. Even in these most difficult times, we have the resources to drive important reforms and we have protected those who most need to be protected. This is the...

Financial Resolutions 2013 - Financial Resolution No. 15: General (Resumed) (6 Dec 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: This is a difficult and hard budget that will hit many people’s pockets. However, it also is a necessary, honest and fair budget. This budget is not an end in itself but is a step that, as a country, we must take on the road to recovery. This is the budget that takes us 85% of the way and it is a bridge to the future. For weeks, all one has heard from the Opposition is fairytale...

Estimates for Public Services 2012 (6 Dec 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I move:"Estimates for Public Services [2012]: Vote 25 — Environment, Community and Local Government (Supplementary Estimate). That a supplementary sum not exceeding €1,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2012, for the salaries and expenses of the Office of the Minister for the Environment,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Peace Process (6 Dec 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. In my statement of 3 December I made clear the Government’s concern and strong criticism of the announcement by Israel of 3,000 additional settlement units in East Jerusalem, as well as plans to proceed with settlement expansion in the critical E1 area, which would complete the isolation of arab East Jerusalem from the...

Financial Resolution No. 9: Income Tax (5 Dec 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I do not know what we did at all before Deputy Donnelly was elected.

Financial Resolution No. 9: Income Tax (5 Dec 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: No, not us. The Deputy is wrong about that. The people who destroyed the country are sitting a lot closer to him. They destroyed the country because they pursued an economic policy which is closer to what Deputy Donnelly has been advocating than what we have advocated.

Financial Resolution No. 9: Income Tax (5 Dec 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Let us deal first with the issue of preparing alternative budgets. I and my colleagues spent 14 years in opposition from the time of the defeat of the then rainbow Government in 1997 until our re-election to Government in 2011. In that 14 years we prepared, each year, alternative budget proposals. We did so seriously. We went to the Department of Finance and asked it to cost various...

Financial Resolution No. 9: Income Tax (5 Dec 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: That is confirmed in reply to a parliamentary question tabled by Deputy Spring last week. Coming in here at this late hour and offering us very erudite reasons why it could not be done and why one could only do it from last Saturday is a load of old nonsense. The fact of the matter is that none of the Opposition parties took the job of Opposition seriously enough to do a serious job of...

Financial Resolution No. 9: Income Tax (5 Dec 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I regret that because it has also diminished the quality of the budget debate today. It means, for example, that Sinn Féin announced that it could raise €800 million through a wealth tax. However, somebody spotted that they announced the same last year and proposed that it would include pensions. It does not apparently include pensions this year, but the figure is still...

Financial Resolution No. 9: Income Tax (5 Dec 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: It also explains why we get proposals from Deputy Boyd Barrett who seems to think that the entire €3.5 billion budgetary adjustment can be made up by planting some additional taxes on multinational companies. Of course, it fits the kind of juvenile approach that Deputy Boyd Barrett has to politics and to economic proposals. Multinationals are bad. They are big, bad capitalist entities...

Financial Resolution No. 6: Income Tax (5 Dec 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I move the following Financial Resolutions:

Financial Resolution No. 6: Income Tax (5 Dec 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: We have heard some reasonable arguments today and some ridiculous ones. The minimum any Member of this House should do is at least read what is in the budget proposals before making a contribution on them. This measure is being introduced because the Government believes it is unfair that people who get a severance payment of over €200,000 should get a more favourable tax regime.

Financial Resolution No. 5: Excise (5 Dec 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I move: