Results 6,741-6,760 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Written Answers — Emigrant Support Services: Emigrant Support Services (4 Oct 2011)

Eamon Gilmore: The Emigrant Support Programme, administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, provides funding to non-profit organisations and projects to support Irish emigrant communities overseas and to facilitate the development of more strategic links between Ireland and the global Irish. Between 2004 and 2010 almost €81.5million was provided to organisations, the majority of which...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (4 Oct 2011)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 91 to 93, inclusive, together. The calculation, payment and tax-treatment of superannuation benefits payable to retiring and retired staff of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade are matters for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. However, I can advise the Deputy that three individuals who retired from the former Agency for Personal...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (4 Oct 2011)

Eamon Gilmore: My Department engages the services of a range of professionals in the course of its work. They are used to provide specialist skills where they do not exist in my Department, to provide extra resources where necessary or to provide an external perspective where this is appropriate. In engaging such professionals full account is taken of the need for the service to provide added-value to...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (4 Oct 2011)

Eamon Gilmore: My Constituency Office is staffed by one Personal Assistant, one Personal Secretary and one Clerical Officer receiving combined annual salaries amounting to €132,963. While staff are not paid on a daily basis, I estimate that the salary cost of employing them for the first 100 days following my appointment was €36,428.

Written Answers — EU Presidency: EU Presidency (4 Oct 2011)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 100, 102, 104 and 105 together. I retain overall Ministerial responsibility for the co-ordination of EU affairs, including preparations for Ireland's Presidency of the EU in 2013. Following the transfer of the European Union Division at my Department to the Department of the Taoiseach, the Second Secretary General of the Department of the Taoiseach will be...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (4 Oct 2011)

Eamon Gilmore: The St Andrews Agreement provided that, under the auspices of the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC), a review group would be appointed objectively to examine (1) the efficiency and value for money of existing implementation bodies and (2) the case for additional bodies and areas of co-operation within the NSMC, where mutual benefit would be derived. The group would also input into the...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (4 Oct 2011)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to issue the regular 6 Monthly and Annual reports on Developments in the EU over the coming year.

Written Answers — North-South Ministerial Council: North-South Ministerial Council (4 Oct 2011)

Eamon Gilmore: Since the previous meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in plenary format on 10 June 2011, meetings in sectoral format covering all areas of co-operation have been taking place and it is expected that a full range of meetings will be held before the next NSMC Plenary meeting scheduled for November. In addition, I met yesterday with the First Minister and deputy First...

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (4 Oct 2011)

Eamon Gilmore: The Passports Act 2008, details the circumstances in which the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade may offer emergency travel facilities to Irish citizens. Section 15 of the Act provides that the Minister may issue an emergency passport to a person where (a ) a passport that was issued to the person has been lost, stolen or damaged or is temporarily unavailable or the person does not...

Written Answers — Trade Relations: Trade Relations (4 Oct 2011)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 117 and 122 together. The Government's decision to assign additional responsibilities in the trade promotion area to my Department has enhanced further the already close working relationship with Enterprise Ireland both at headquarters level and in the field throughout the Embassy network. Enterprise Ireland clients are successfully exporting to major...

Written Answers — EU Treaties: EU Treaties (4 Oct 2011)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 118 and 119 together. I have not discussed any substantive Treaty change with my colleagues. As the Taoiseach has recently said, the Government does not believe further Treaty change is necessary in order to deal with current difficulties in the euro area. We are, however, pursuing the process of having the guarantees given to Ireland at the time of the...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (4 Oct 2011)

Eamon Gilmore: The human rights situation in Iran is profoundly disturbing, and the period since the Presidential election of 2009 has been characterised by an intensification of human rights abuses on many fronts. I am greatly concerned about the targeting of the academic community and educators in Iran, amid a widespread and intentional erosion of political and civil freedoms in Iran. Within this context,...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (4 Oct 2011)

Eamon Gilmore: Human rights concerns remain central to our foreign policy. Together with our EU partners, Ireland closely monitors the human rights situations in many countries throughout the world, on the basis of information obtained from a variety of sources including official channels, reports of the United Nations human rights Treaty Monitoring Bodies, reports of Independent Experts and Special...

Written Answers — Trade Missions: Trade Missions (4 Oct 2011)

Eamon Gilmore: Trade missions, including those organised by the relevant State Agencies, are a valuable support to Irish business in developing the exports which are crucial to our economic recovery. This is particularly the case in countries where Government-to-Government contacts are a prerequisite for doing business. My Department and our Embassy network work closely with the agencies and other...

Undocumented Irish in the United States (4 Oct 2011)

Eamon Gilmore: I thank the Deputy for his kind remarks. I understand and sympathise with the plight of people who find themselves undocumented in the United States and are unable to return home for funerals and for other family contacts. It is a very difficult situation. We are optimistic that the legislation will be introduced, and obviously we must work with the promoters of the legislation to ensure...

Undocumented Irish in the United States (4 Oct 2011)

Eamon Gilmore: There is no embassy in Washington more effective at lobbying Capitol Hill and the American political system than the Irish Embassy. We have had outstanding service there over the years from our ambassadors and diplomats, including those currently serving there. They miss no opportunity to lobby on this issue and this country's other issues. In respect of the reciprocal arrangement mentioned...

Middle East Peace Process (4 Oct 2011)

Eamon Gilmore: I have consistently made clear, including in my address to the UN General Assembly last week, that the Government opposes Israel's illegal settlement of occupied Palestinian territory and that we want an immediate halt to such activity. This policy is stated at every opportunity, both directly with the Israeli authorities, in international fora and in discussions at EU level. The illegal...

Middle East Peace Process (4 Oct 2011)

Eamon Gilmore: President Obama is a very good friend of Ireland. This country has very warm and close relations with the United States which we will continue. President Obama will state his country's position on international issues at the UN, just as I stated Ireland's position on this issue. In respect of the expansion of the settlements, I said in reply to an earlier question that we strongly condemn...

Middle East Peace Process (4 Oct 2011)

Eamon Gilmore: On several occasions since I came into office, I have spoken to the Israeli ambassador and representatives of the Israeli Government. I have also spoken to its Foreign Minister Mr. Lieberman. He and I were to have met at the UN General Assembly but there were changes on the Israeli side to that arrangement and the meeting did not take place. It is fair to say the Israeli Government is in...

Middle East Peace Process (4 Oct 2011)

Eamon Gilmore: I refer to my approach to this issue in the European Union context. There are domestic and political considerations which influence the way the United State responds to this issue and the way it engages with it, and I think Deputy Wallace referred to this. Therefore, the European Union has a particular role to play in seeking to make progress. There is a framework around the quartet...