Results 4,641-4,660 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Nuclear Proliferation (11 Jul 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Ireland has a very long and proud track record of promoting non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament and that position remains absolute and consistent. This is position is not applied differently to Iran or to anywhere else. We want to see a nuclear-free zone with countries completely free of nuclear weapons in the Middle East. This means no nuclear weapons in Israel, no nuclear weapons...

Human Rights Issues (11 Jul 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Deputy Wallace knows a thing or two about double standards.

Overseas Missions (11 Jul 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: On 21 April, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2043 (2012) authorising the establishment of the UN supervision mission in Syria, UNSMIS, for an initial 90 day period. Six members of the Defence Forces have been deployed as unarmed military observers to the mission since 11 May. UNSMIS's mandate is to monitor and report on the security situation and on any transgression...

Overseas Missions (11 Jul 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: As Deputy Ó Fearghaíl acknowledged, I attended last Friday's meeting of Friends of Syria at which 107 countries were represented, about half at ministerial level. We heard from representatives of the Syrian opposition of the atrocities being committed in Syria. About 16,000 people have been killed in Syria and there is continuing violence and attacks on the civilian population. A robust...

Overseas Missions (11 Jul 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: My response to calls for military intervention, including UN military intervention, in Syria is that the Syrian opposition leadership would not welcome such an intervention at this point. One concern is the possibility of the deterioration of the situation in Syria to full-scale sectarian civil war. The situation on the ground is complex and the focus of the international community is on...

Nuclear Non-Proliferation (11 Jul 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The nuclear non-proliferation treaty makes no specific reference to a right to engage in uranium enrichment. Article IV (1) of the treaty provides that states are entitled to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. This entitlement must be exercised in conformity with Article II, under which non-nuclear-weapon states, including Iran, undertake not to...

Nuclear Non-Proliferation (11 Jul 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The IAEA set out at some length its concerns about possible military dimensions to Iran's nuclear programme in its report of 8 November. This report concluded that the available information indicates that Iran had carried out activities relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device. Its most recent report, which was published in May, states that because Iran is not providing the...

Nuclear Non-Proliferation (11 Jul 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The approach that Ireland is taking, in co-operation with other EU member states, is intended to avoid bringing the region to the brink of conflict. The objective of the sanctions was to persuade Iran to come to the negotiating table. We believe the Iranian nuclear issue can only be resolved through negotiation and agreement within the E3+3 process. As the Deputy has acknowledged, the...

Human Rights Issues (11 Jul 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The incident referred to by the Deputy involving the death of two journalists Sagar Sarwar and his wife Meherun Runi in Dhaka February 2012 is one of a number of attacks on journalists which have taken place in Bangladesh in recent months. Ireland's diplomatic relations with Bangladesh are maintained by secondary accreditation via our embassy in New Delhi. I have requested that officials at...

Human Rights Issues (11 Jul 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The case raised by Deputy Halligan is indeed serious. The safety and protection of journalists are matters to which we attach a very high importance. Journalists should be able to go about their work without being at risk. The responsibility for investigating the crime lies with the authorities in Bangladesh and they must be allowed to carry out that investigation. Ireland, along with our...

Human Rights Issues (11 Jul 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: As I said, we do not have resident representation in Bangladesh; our embassy accreditation is through New Delhi. We will continue to work with the representations of EU colleagues in Bangladesh and will continue to seek a full and fair investigation of the cases that Deputy Halligan has raised.

Consular Assistance Abroad (11 Jul 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I am aware of the situation concerning the person referred to by Deputy Ó Fearghaíl and have already addressed this matter on a number of occasions previously. As the person referred to is not an Irish citizen, it is not possible for my Department to offer him consular assistance. The Greek authorities are under no legal obligation to assist our embassy with any requests made in...

Written Answers — Consular Services: Consular Services (10 Jul 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 72 together. My Department has provided extensive consular assistance to the named person's family since her disappearance in 2008 and continues to liaise with the relevant authorities on their behalf. The police investigation case remains operational and when Embassy officials met with the Judicial Police in Malaga last month they were advised that...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (10 Jul 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The European Stability Bill 2012 passed all stages in the Dáil on 20th June and all stages in the Seanad on the 27th June 2012. The European Stability Mechanism Act 2012 (No. 20 of 2012) was signed into law by President Higgins on the 3rd day of July, 2012.

Written Answers — Consular Services: Consular Services (10 Jul 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 74 and 76 together. I am aware of the situation concerning the two men referred to by the Deputies. As neither of them is an Irish citizen it is not possible for my Department to offer them consular assistance. The Greek authorities are under no legal obligation to assist our Embassy with any requests made in connection with this case, as we have no locus...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (10 Jul 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: There are no State agencies, offices or bodies under the aegis of my Department.

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (10 Jul 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 77, 78 and 82 together. In my replies to earlier Questions about Palestinian hunger strikes, I made clear my continuing concern for Mr. Akram Rikhawi, who was continuing with his protest. He has been on hunger strike now for over 80 days. Although he was for much of this period taking mineral and vitamin supplements, he is believed now to be only taking water,...

Written Answers — Prisoner Releases: Prisoner Releases (10 Jul 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The various measures included in the package agreed at Weston Park in August 2001 addressed four issues to assist in the successful implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: policing, normalisation, the stability of the institutions and decommissioning. Proposed draft legislation by the British Government to deal with this specific issue as referred to in paragraph 20 of the Weston Park...

Written Answers — Prisoner Releases: Prisoner Releases (10 Jul 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 80 and 99 together. I have discussed this case with the Secretary of State on a number of occasions, most recently on 27 April. I have been assured that the process which has led to the prisoner's detention fully adhered to the law and that advice was sought from an independent body to verify that this action was pursued in a correct manner. The NIO has...

Written Answers — Treatment of Prisoners: Treatment of Prisoners (10 Jul 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The issue of prisons within Northern Ireland is a devolved matter to the Northern Ireland Executive and, specifically, to the Department of Justice in Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Prison Service. Arising from the Hillsborough Agreement of February 2010, Dame Ann Owers and the Prison Review Team undertook a review of the prison system. In October 2011 their report made forty...