Results 4,181-4,200 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

European Council Meeting: Statements (24 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I argued that we needed to renegotiate the terms of the deal and that is what we are doing. The separation of bank and sovereign debt was a landmark decision. In advance of the October summit people predicted that we would not implement the decisions to use the ESM for recapitalising banks and establish the single supervisory mechanism but we decided at the summit to proceed with these...

European Council Meeting: Statements (24 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I have not.

European Council Meeting: Statements (24 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I am entitled to make a contribution. I want to address the issue of loss of sovereignty, which was raised by Deputy Wallace. The whole point of this exercise is to recover our sovereignty. In many respects we lost our economic sovereignty when the deal was struck with the troika at the end of 2010. We are trying to regain our economic sovereignty.

European Council Meeting: Statements (24 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: It is my understanding for two reasons. First, the June decision explicitly states that the eurogroup will be tasked to work on proposals for improving Ireland's debt sustainability. That was a clear, separate and special mention of Ireland. We were the only state to be individually mentioned in that statement. Second, a clear statement was made that similar cases would be treated...

European Council Meeting: Statements (24 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Deputy Adams obviously remembers those times fondly.

European Council Meeting: Statements (24 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: There are questions first.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (23 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The Passports Act, 2008 provides, among other things, that only Irish citizens are entitled to be issued with Irish passports. Each application received by the Passport Service must, therefore, demonstrate that person’s entitlement to Irish citizenship before a passport can issue. As the applicant was born in Dublin on 7 May, 2009, his entitlement to Irish citizenship is subject...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Appointments to State Boards (23 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 117 and 118 together. There are no State Boards operating under the aegis of my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (23 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I refer the Deputy to my answer to Question 4 of 17 October 2012, which was as follows:The Government has consistently stated that Israeli settlements in the occupied territories are illegal under international law and are an obstacle to peace. The relentless construction of settlements in the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) is undermining the viability of a future Palestinian state....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (23 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The fastest turnaround time for passport applications is three working days. During the peak season, the Passport Service receives between 300 and 400 applications per day for passports at short notice. In these circumstances, it is not possible to provide citizens with a same day service without significantly disrupting the service to other applicants. I have therefore asked the Passport...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Driving Licences (23 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Matters relating to the processing of driving licences in Ireland and reciprocal exchange agreements are the responsibility of the Road Safety Authority which falls under the aegis of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. I appreciate that varying licensing requirements can pose difficulties for Irish people seeking to take up work in Australia. In Australia, driving licences are...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Relations (18 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Ireland’s trade with Israel currently amounts to over €1bn per annum. Israel is an important trading partner and under its trade promotion strategy, the Government is committed to growing Ireland’s exports in all foreign markets, and expanding our trade footprint outside our main trading partners. The export and import figures are laid out below. €m Services...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (18 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I am pleased to confirm that the Passport Service already offer a passport reminder service available at . The service sends passport holders a reminder by e-mail three months before a passport is due to expire. At the moment, Passport holders must register for this service, where name, e-mail address and the expiry date of the passport is all that is required. The Passport Service is...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation Expenditure (18 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The plaques in question were erected about 50 years ago when the Villa Spada was the location of our Embassy to the Holy See. They have been removed following the closure of the resident Embassy to the Holy See and are being replaced by plaques which, for the purpose of assisting Irish citizens and other visitors, will accurately identify the Villa Spada as the location of our Embassy to the...

Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (17 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 41 and 50 together. The crisis in Syria dominated discussions when I attended the UN General Assembly in New York last month. I made clear when I addressed the General Assembly on 28 September that what is happening in Syria represents an affront to humanity with indiscriminate violence, which is not just confined to one side, taking place on an...

Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (17 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: It is very difficult to quantify the number of people who have been killed owing to the restricted access. I have seen figures of 22,000 and up to 30,000, as the Deputy mentioned. Some 300,000 Syrians have been forced to flee to neighbouring countries. Approximately 1.5 million Syrians in Syria are in need of sanitation, food and medical aid. I discussed the humanitarian situation in...

Other Questions: Middle East Peace Process (17 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Germany has, for historical reasons, a particularly strong commitment to the security of Israel. The Israeli navy operates three submarines bought from Germany, with a further two understood to be under construction. The report in Der Spiegel alleges that these submarines have been adapted to carry nuclear armed missiles. The Government has no means of assessing the truth of these...

Other Questions: Middle East Peace Process (17 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I do share worries about the militarisation that is taking place in the Middle East. That is why we support the conference on a zone free of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery in the Middle East which is due to take place in December. The conference facilitator, the Finnish Under-Secretary of State, Mr. Jaakko Laajava, has undertaken substantial consultations with all...

Other Questions: Middle East Peace Process (17 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: No one is turning a blind eye to anything. There is a European Union Common Position in respect of the export from all the member states of equipment for military purposes. The armaments companies in the European Union must comply with one of the strictest export control regimes in the world. There are eight separate criteria. They take into account the effect that any arms transfer could...

Other Questions: Human Rights Issues (17 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The Government is committed to growing Ireland’s exports in all foreign markets, and expanding our trade footprint outside our main trading partners. As part of the Government’s trade promotion strategy, Saudi Arabia has been identified as a priority market with significant potential for Irish companies. Currently, Ireland’s trade with Saudi Arabia amounts to almost...