Results 5,681-5,700 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Human Rights Issues (21 Feb 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The settlements in the West Bank are another aspect of the very oppressive regime in which Palestinians have to live. I drew attention in particular, when I was meeting with the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, to the implications of going ahead with the planned settlement in the area known as E1, on the fringes of East Jerusalem, which, if proceeded with, will have the effect of...

Human Rights Issues (21 Feb 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Deputy Boyd Barrett has a separate question on Khader Adnan. When we reach that question I will expand more fully on the subject but I understand from our officials that an understanding might have been reached in the last few hours, which would include Mr. Adnan ending his hunger strike on the basis of certain understandings he has reached. A supreme court case was due to be heard this...

Diplomatic Representation (21 Feb 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: While the details have not been finalised it is estimated the annual cost of a Dublin based diplomatic representation to the Holy See will be under €25,000. This includes the cost of maintaining a small office in the Villa Spada compound, staffed on a part-time basis by a locally recruited secretary. It is intended, in principle, that the ambassador to the Holy See would travel to Rome...

Diplomatic Representation (21 Feb 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: As the Villa Spada is State-owned, there were no rental costs associated with the operational costs of the mission. This meant the running costs of that mission were low compared with those of other missions abroad. The plan is that both the chancery and the residence will be closed down and that the residence of the ambassador to Italy and the office of the embassy will be located in the...

Diplomatic Representation (21 Feb 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The decision to close Ireland's resident embassy to the Holy See was taken by the Government in response to budgetary pressures and on the recommendation of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade which sought to assess where budget cuts would impact least on the national interest at this time of economic crisis. The total cost saving in a full year from the closure is estimated at...

Diplomatic Representation (21 Feb 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The issue of which embassies might be closed in these difficult economic times had been under consideration in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for some time. The Deputy's party leader, my immediate predecessor, acknowledged here recently that while he was Minister, the possible closure of the Embassy to the Holy See had been under consideration. The confusion may have arisen...

Diplomatic Representation (21 Feb 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The recommendation, the memorandum to Government and consideration of the issue by Government was done in the normal way. Deputy Ó Feargháil will be quite well aware of the doctrine of Cabinet confidentiality with which we all are obliged to comply. The issue was considered by the Government in the normal way. As the Minister concerned, I take political responsibility for making the...

Middle East Peace Process (21 Feb 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: It still remains very much my conviction that the continuing Israeli military occupation of the Palestinian territories and the growth of illegal settlements on occupied lands represent the major obstacles to securing political progress in the Middle East peace process. I have visited Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories in recent weeks and had an opportunity to see for myself the...

Middle East Peace Process (21 Feb 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The international community is very much engaged on this issue. As the Deputy knows, at the UN General Assembly in September a statement was agreed by the Quartet, comprising the United Nations, the European Union and so on, setting down a timetable for discussions to take place between Palestine and Israel. It is regrettable that this timetable has not been complied with and has slipped...

Middle East Peace Process (21 Feb 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Ireland has taken a very strong interest in the Middle East peace process, particularly the situation on the West Bank and in Gaza. I have conveyed our concerns in clear terms at meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union. I set them out clearly in my statement to the United Nations General Assembly last September. The Deputy and other Members urged me strongly in the...

Foreign Conflicts (21 Feb 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Ireland has been working intensively with the European Union, the United Nations, the Arab League and other partners in the international community to compel the Syrian regime to cease its appalling and unacceptable attacks on the Syrian people through a series of robust economic, political and diplomatic measures. At EU level, the Foreign Affairs Council agreed on 1 December and 23 January...

Foreign Conflicts (21 Feb 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I thank the Deputy for commending me on the actions the Government has taken on the situation in Syria and the successful visit of the Vice President of China over the weekend. The Foreign Minister of China also was part of the delegation and I had the opportunity to talk to him separately. We discussed the situation in Syria and shared our respective views on the seriousness of the issue....

Foreign Conflicts (21 Feb 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Deputy Ó Fearghaíl has attempted to broaden this debate by inquiring about my discussions with the Chinese delegation. I engaged in a discussion on broader human rights issues with the delegation at the weekend and I would be happy to answer questions on the matter if they are tabled. On Syria, the approach being taken at this stage is multilateral in nature. I do not believe that, at...

Human Rights Issues (21 Feb 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The programme for Government states that "we will enforce the prohibition on the use of Irish airspace, airports and related facilities for purposes not in line with international law". I have placed on record on numerous occasions my abhorrence at the illegal activity known as extraordinary rendition. There is no evidence that Shannon or any other Irish airport has ever been used for this...

Human Rights Issues (21 Feb 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: We have a procedure in place. It is not just a question of accepting assurances. There is a procedure in place whereby if prisoners are to be transported through any of our airports, the permission of the Irish Government must be sought and obtained. No such permission has been sought or granted and I have made it absolutely clear that under no circumstances will we grant permission for...

Human Rights Issues (21 Feb 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Rendition flights are not possible. They are illegal. The use of our airports for rendition purposes would be illegal. If any country wants to transport prisoners through our airports, they must seek permission from the State. As I stated, no such permission has been sought or granted and no such permission will be granted in the case of possible rendition.

OSCE Chairmanship (21 Feb 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: On 1 January this year Ireland assumed its year-long chairmanship-in-office of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe. Comprising 56 participating states in Europe, Central Asia and North America, the OSCE is the world's largest intergovernmental regional security organisation, dealing with a range of issues in the areas of democratisation, human rights, arms control and...

OSCE Chairmanship (21 Feb 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I am very happy to have the Deputy and his party colleagues share in the achievements of the Government in the area of foreign affairs. I have no difficulty in acknowledging that the agreement that Ireland should take the chair of the OSCE was made in 2009. The contribution Ireland intends to make on the issue of conflict resolution is to draw on the experience of it in Northern Ireland....

OSCE Chairmanship (21 Feb 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: As the Deputy will be aware, the OSCE has field offices in respective countries of the Balkans. The good news is that this year the field office in Croatia has been wound down because Croatia is acceding to membership of the European Union, which is a sign of progress. Also, the applications for EU membership made by states in the Balkans present an issue. The Minister of State, Deputy...

Written Answers — Summit Meetings: Summit Meetings (16 Feb 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I am aware of the UK-Nordic-Baltic Summits which were held in London in January 2011, and in Stockholm earlier this month, under the title 'The Northern Future Forum'. These are informal meetings, attended by representatives of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden and Britain, and are organised outside European Union structures. Ireland was not invited to...