Results 5,941-5,960 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (18 Jan 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Responsibility for transposing EU measures into Irish law rests with individual Departments with responsibility for the relevant policy area. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has no EU Directives awaiting transposition. As Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade I have not participated in any debates on transposition relative to my areas of responsibility.

Written Answers — EU Presidency: EU Presidency (18 Jan 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Ireland is aiming to run an efficient and cost-effective Presidency focused on making progress in promoting Irish interests through the EU's legislative agenda. Work by Ministers and their Departments to identify priorities and emerging issues in their policy areas that are likely to be of importance during Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2013 has been ongoing...

Written Answers — EU Presidency: EU Presidency (18 Jan 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Ireland will assume the Presidency of the EU during the first six months of 2013. An important element of these preparations is close cooperation and coordination with the preceding and succeeding Presidencies and the EU institutions. The Government is working closely with Lithuania which will also hold its Presidency in 2013. I met twice last year with the Lithuanian Minister for Foreign...

Written Answers — EU Enlargement: EU Enlargement (18 Jan 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: In relation to Serbia's application for EU membership, the Commission recommended in its Enlargement Strategy for 2012 that "the Council should grant Serbia the status of candidate country taking into account progress achieved so far and on the understanding that Serbia re-engages in the dialogue with Kosovo and is moving swiftly to the implementation in good faith of agreements reached to...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (18 Jan 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Active engagement with Europe and with the other EU Member States is a core element of Ireland's foreign policy, and the work of our Embassies and diplomatic missions in other EU countries is crucial in this regard. Europe and the EU have a pre-eminent place in much of Government policy. The Government's programme emphasises the importance of restoring Ireland's standing as a respected...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (18 Jan 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The decision to close Ireland's resident Embassy to the Holy See and to appoint a non-resident Ambassador was made following a comprehensive review of the Mission network and against a background of the need for my Department to reduce its expenditure in the current difficult economic climate that we face. The Government has nominated the Secretary General of my Department, Mr. David...

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (18 Jan 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I refer to my answer to PQ 30853 of 25 October 2011. As this matter is currently before the courts, it would be inappropriate for me to discuss the case further at this time.

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (18 Jan 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The Government recently made arrangements to appoint Mr Noel White, currently serving as Director for Press and Information in my Department, as Ireland's next Ambassador to Australia. Mr White is expected to take up duty within the next month.

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (18 Jan 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: There are nine countries where Ireland maintains an Embassy abroad where there is not a reciprocal Embassy in Dublin. Of these, six are in Irish Aid priority countries: Malawi; Mozambique; Tanzania; Uganda; Vietnam; and Zambia. Our resident Missions reflect the special relationship with these developing countries. The other countries where Ireland has resident Embassies without a...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (17 Jan 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 39, 42 and 69 together. I have made clear my strong condemnation of the ongoing indiscriminate violence against those calling for greater democratic freedoms and fundamental rights in Syria, most recently in a statement on 20 December and in my reply to question number 47 on 11 January. I will be discussing the current situation in Syria, including the...

Written Answers — Election Monitoring: Election Monitoring (17 Jan 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Ireland contributed five short-term observers selected by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. A member of the Oireachtas took part in the observation mission of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and a former member of the Oireachtas observed the election at the invitation of a Russian non-governmental organisation. The OSCE ODIHR Election Observation Mission issued a preliminary...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (17 Jan 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I refer the Deputy to my answer to a previous Priority question on this matter. I would add that, in its statement of 11 January, the European Commission recalled that a stable environment, based on the rule of law, including respect for media freedom, democratic principles and fundamental rights, is the best guarantee of citizens' trust and the confidence of partners and investors, which...

Written Answers — Trade Agreements: Trade Agreements (17 Jan 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Under the provisions of the Lisbon Treaty, the European Union has exclusive competence for the EU's Common Commercial Policy. In international trade negotiations, the Commission negotiates on behalf of the Union, on the basis of a mandate that it receives from the Council. On 1 March 2010, negotiations on a Multiparty Trade Agreement between the EU and two member states of the Andean...

Written Answers — EU Enlargement: EU Enlargement (17 Jan 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I assume the Deputy is referring to the Ruling of the European Court of Human Rights in December 2009 which held that the prohibition in the Bosnian Constitution against those from the Roma and Jewish minorities from standing for election to the Parliamentary Assembly and for the State Presidency violates the European Convention on Human Rights. As outlined by the European Commission in its...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (17 Jan 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 46 together. I have made clear my strong condemnation of the ongoing violence and serious repression of human rights in Syria, most recently in a statement on 20 December and in my reply to question 47 on 11 January. The UN estimates that over 5,000 people have been killed by Syrian forces since last March. I am gravely concerned that, despite the...

Written Answers — EU Treaties: EU Treaties (17 Jan 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47, 53, 65, 66, 96, 99 to 101, inclusive, 103, 107, 112 and 113 together. Since the current economic difficulties in Europe arose, European leaders have been seized of the need to find a lasting resolution that allows us to put the crisis behind us and to focus on generating growth and jobs as a means of underpinning recovery. Significant steps have been...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (17 Jan 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The wording of successive EU-Morocco Fisheries Partnership Agreements has stated that the Agreements apply to "the waters falling within the sovereignty or jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Morocco". Morocco regards the Western Sahara and its waters as a part of its territory. However, Ireland and our EU partners do not recognise Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara. Western Sahara...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (17 Jan 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 49 and 55 together. I am gravely concerned about the lethal force used against protestors in Egypt during recent demonstrations in Cairo as well as raids last month by Egyptian security forces on local and international non-governmental organisations. I deplore such loss of life and large number of injuries occurring in the midst of Egypt's transition to...

Written Answers — Nuclear Proliferation: Nuclear Proliferation (17 Jan 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The Government is extremely concerned about the latest report of the International Atomic Energy Agency on Iran issued on 8 November which concluded that there are strong grounds for serious concerns regarding possible military dimensions to Iran's nuclear programme. The further confirmation from the IAEA in the past week that Iran has begun uranium enrichment to the 20% level at the Fordow...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (17 Jan 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Colombia has witnessed the longest period of terrorism of any Latin American country (fifty years). Overcoming the consequences of decades of terrorism, as well as the displacement of between two and three million persons, presents significant challenges. The 2007-2013 EU Country Strategy paper for Colombia recognises that the "situation as regards human rights and democracy in Colombia is...