Results 4,281-4,300 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (16 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade plays an active role in providing support to Irish companies and promoting foreign earnings opportunities for Irish business, including through the implementation of the Africa Strategy which I launched last year. Last month my colleague, the Minister of State for Trade and Development, Mr. Joe Costello, T.D., launched the ‘Winning Business...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (16 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Applicants applying at the Passport Service public offices can ask to have an application expedited in the case of urgent travel need. In such cases, the Passport Service will issue a passport within 3 working days. A fee of €55, which is additional to the applicable fee for the issue of a passport, must be paid by the applicant. When applying through a public office, the applicant...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Presidency Expenditure (16 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 129 and 148 together. An overarching focus of the Government in planning for Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union during the first half of 2013 is to run an efficient and cost-effective Presidency. The Government decided in December 2011 to allocate a budget in the order of €60m over 2012 and 2013 to resource the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Illegal Israeli Settlements (16 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 131 together. I have answered many questions on the issue of settlement products and the situation has not changed. Notwithstanding the EU’s view on the illegality of Israel’s settlement activity in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, there is, in my view, no prospect of securing agreement on the banning of products produced in the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff Career Breaks (16 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 132, 154 and 155 together. Details by grade of the thirty-one staff currently availing of career breaks, including under the 2009 special incentive career break scheme, are provided in the following table: Grade Standard career break Special incentive career break First Secretary 2 1 Third Secretary 3 1 Clerical Officer 17 1 Total 28 3...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Expenditure (16 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: As the Deputy will be aware the aim of the Official Languages Act 2003 is to increase and improve in an organised manner over a period of time the quantity and quality of services provided for the public through Irish by public bodies. The intention of the legislation is to create a space for the language in public affairs in Ireland. My Department is fully committed, through its customer...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Statistics (16 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 in the following table. €m...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Common Foreign and Security Policy (16 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Mr. Pierre Vimont, Secretary General of the European External Action Service, visited Dublin on 3 October. While here, he met with the Secretary General of my Department and other senior officials. I was unable to meet Mr Vimont on that occasion as I was in Brussels for consultations between the Government and the EU Commission on plans for our EU Presidency. Bosnia and Herzegovina features...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Presidency Expenditure (16 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: As Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union nears, many of my recent high-level meetings have focussed on the emerging priorities for Ireland’s six month term in office. During all meetings I have stressed that the priority of the Irish Presidency will be to work on measures dedicated to creating jobs (particularly for younger Europeans), including by working to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Presidency Expenditure (16 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 137, 145 and 151 together. The Government is committed to making Jobs and Growth the central focus and thematic approach to the Irish Presidency. To successfully deliver on that objective we need to tackle the ongoing financial crisis, and restore stability to the Euro zone, but the focus must be on generating growth in the EU economy and getting Europe back...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (16 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The deeply worrying situation in Syria was one of the principal items addressed at the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg on 15 October which I attended. Discussion focussed on the heightened tensions currently existing between Syria and Turkey and the dangers of the conflict spreading into the wider region. Considerable attention was also devoted to the worsening humanitarian...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (16 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 139 and 140 together. This summer's parades in Northern Ireland were once again marred by outbreaks of violence, most significantly in North Belfast where there were serious disturbances in the Ardoyne on 12 July and in the Carrick Hill/Carlisle Circus area over several evenings in late August and early September. Such violence is totally unacceptable. The...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: North-South Implementation Bodies (16 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The Government is firmly committed to developing cross border cooperation in every possible respect. It is a vehicle for reconciliation and better understanding on the island but is also a mechanism for ensuring a more efficient delivery of services and a more coordinated approach to job creation and recovery, North and South. The establishment and first meeting last week of a North/South...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Treaties (16 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 142 and 144 together. At the request of the European Council, President Van Rompuy is currently examining how to strengthen Economic and Monetary Union and will bring forward a final report in this regard before the end of the year. In this, he will explore what is possible within the current Treaty framework, and whether any proposed steps would require...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Peace Process (16 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I was pleased to be able to meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu during my visit to the Middle East in January, and to have a good discussion with him on a range of issues. I have reported to the House on my discussions during that visit. I have not been in contact with Prime Minister Netanyahu more recently. As he has now called a general election in Israel, it is perhaps less likely that I...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Council Meetings (16 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: While I am not aware of any particular plans to discuss these events, along my with my fellow EU Foreign Minister colleagues, I am, of course, concerned by the incidents of unrest that have occurred in a number of European countries. Whatever the specific underlying reason in each case, such events have reinforced my determination, and that of my colleagues in Government, to continue to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Mission Numbers (16 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: As the Deputy will be aware, proposals for Trade Missions to be led at Ministerial level in 2012 were submitted by Enterprise Ireland last December simultaneously to the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and to me for consideration and approval. The agreed programme for this year was presented to the Export Trade Council at its 16 February meeting. It is still too early to discuss...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Banking (16 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade operates a number of Bank accounts at home and also at each diplomatic mission. At Headquarters level, the Department has accounts with the following banks: Bank of Ireland All Vote 27 payments, Payroll and Sterling payments from Vote 28 CitiBank Payment to suppliers and travel and subsistence payments from Vote 28 AIB Passport Office...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Presidency Expenditure (16 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Preparations for Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union during the first half of 2013 are continuing and are on track. The Programme for Government makes a clear commitment to restoring Ireland's standing as a respected an influential member of the EU and the wider international community. Ireland’s Council of the Presidency of the EU during the first six months...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Council Meetings (16 Oct 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I can inform the Deputy that the issue he has referred to is not on the agenda of the European Council.