Results 4,001-4,020 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Development Aid (14 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I agree that this money, which was intended to go to programmes in areas like HIV-AIDS, schools and medical facilities, clearly should not have been misappropriated. We will not tolerate any misappropriation of Irish Aid funds. That is why we have acted so quickly in this matter. I assure the Deputy who referred to the recommendations of the audit committee that my Department takes the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Development Aid (14 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I am deeply concerned about the recent misappropriation of Irish development funding in Uganda. Ireland has no tolerance for fraud or any other form of financial irregularity in our development co-operation programme. This is clearly known to all of our development partners, including the Government of Uganda. I have suspended approximately €16 million of Irish development assistance...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Development Aid (14 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I thank the Deputy for his support in this matter. It is important to remember that the misappropriation of funds was discovered by the Auditor General of Uganda. We take reassurance from this because our aid programme has been working to support institutions such as the Office of the Auditor General of Uganda. Therefore, the system worked. Second, we should remember that not only Irish...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Development Aid (14 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Efficient and fair tax systems in developing countries are essential for sustainable growth, poverty reduction and the provision of basic services. They are also vital for the promotion of good governance. Tax avoidance and evasion, therefore, present a major issue for developing countries seeking to drive their own development. Ireland is playing a strong role at national level and in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland Issues (14 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I take the opportunity to condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the brutal killing of prison officer David Black on Thursday, 1 November. This was a murder, pure and simple, carried out by people who have no regard for human life. The universal condemnation from across the political spectrum in Northern Ireland and the unified reaction from the two Governments underlined the solidity of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland Issues (14 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I thank the Deputy for his support and acknowledge the presence of the Fianna Fáil leader at the funeral of Mr. David Black. The Deputy referred to the claim of responsibility for this murder from a newly merged group of dissident republicans. According to news reports, responsibility for the murder of Mr Black has been claimed by a group of so-called dissidents comprising the Real...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Undocumented Irish in the USA (14 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The Government continues to attach particular importance to the welfare of the Irish abroad in general and especially to the position of undocumented Irish immigrants in the United States. A resolution of the situation for undocumented Irish migrants will continue to be pursued by the Government in our ongoing contacts with the US Administration and Congress, including by myself and the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (14 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: This Government is strongly committed to Ireland’s aid programme. Every day it makes a real difference in the lives of millions of the world’s poorest people. The programme is central to our foreign policy, has an enviable international reputation, and consistently enjoys strong political and public support. Over the past few years, and despite the very challenging fiscal...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (14 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 45 and 60 together. Ever since the Syria crisis erupted 20 months ago, Ireland has worked tirelessly together with its EU and international partners to end the appalling violence that has so far claimed the lives of more than 20,000 people and to launch a necessary dialogue among all Syrians for a peaceful resolution of the conflict. Since his...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (14 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: My colleague the Minister of State for Trade and Development, Joe Costello, T.D., held bilateral meetings with the Presidents of Malawi and Mozambique on 16 October while he was in Brussels for the series of meetings and discussions organised by the Commission at the annual European Development Days event. Malawi and Mozambique are two of the eight priority countries for the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Holders (14 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Some 4,600,399 people currently hold Irish passports.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (14 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The Government and our EU partners are closely monitoring the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Since the end of the all-out civil war in 2003, progress has been made in establishing a democratic system of government in the DRC. However, while much of the country has achieved a degree of stability, several localised conflicts have continued, in particular in the east...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (14 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 25 together. The fifteenth Plenary meeting of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) was held in Armagh on 2 November 2012. At the outset, Ministers extended their sympathies to the family of prison officer David Black who was brutally murdered on his way to work on 1 November and condemned those who carried out this atrocity. Along with our...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (14 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The peace process and the Good Friday Agreement have resulted in a transformation of society in Northern Ireland, perhaps most visibly in the normalisation of daily life and the dramatic decrease in terrorist-related incidents and violence. There remains, however, a threat from paramilitary groups who continue to assert their determination to impose a return to conflict on the people of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (14 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 48 together. I remain very concerned about the overall situation in Bahrain and the increasing divisions in Bahraini society. This includes the recent indiscriminate bomb attack in Manama city which resulted in the deaths of two foreign workers. I have noted the recent decision by the Bahraini Government to ban protests, which I fear is likely...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (14 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I keep the operation of the Diplomatic Service under constant review in order to ensure that the service my Department provides to Irish citizens, the Oireachtas and other stakeholders continues to meet the high standards they have come to expect. In that context last year, and taking into account reduced resources, significant changes were made to the structures of the Department which...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (14 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The individual referred to has been detained since 13 May 2011, following the revocation of her life licence by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Genuine concerns have repeatedly been raised about several aspects of this case in the House on many occasions, and I have raised them very frankly with the British Government. As the record of the House will show, I raised this case...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Missions (14 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: President Michael D. Higgins, accompanied by my colleague, Mr Joe Costello T.D., Minister of State for Trade and Development, recently visited Chile, Brazil and Argentina. Their programme had a strong trade dimension. During the visit to Brazil, now the world’s sixth largest economy, Minister Costello led an Enterprise Ireland trade mission. The President’s visit to Brazil,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff Recruitment (14 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Details of the staff recruited by my Department during the period in question are provided in the following table: 2010 Grade No of officers Location Full time / Part time Status Intern 7 Dublin Full time Temporary Special Adviser 1 Minister’s Office Full time Temporary Third Secretary 9 Dublin Full time Permanent Third Secretary 1 Limerick Full time...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Presidency (14 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The jobs and growth agenda remains the main priority of Ireland’s upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Tackling the effects of the financial crisis will remain an important challenge for the Union, but the focus must now shift to creating the conditions for economic recovery and job creation. Delivery on concrete initiatives, building on the Compact for Jobs and...