Results 661-680 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Recent and Forthcoming Foreign Affairs Councils: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (4 Mar 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: I would never have accused Deputy Mitchell of walking out on me. Rather than to go through each contribution individually, I will respond thematically. I start with Ukraine and Russia, rolling back a little to 2009 when the EU embarked on the eastern partnership process with six states on the borders of the Union. It is not fair to say that progress towards association agreements has been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Recent and Forthcoming Foreign Affairs Councils: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (4 Mar 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: I thank the Chairman and other members of the committee for their invitation to attend this meeting. I welcome the opportunity to brief them on discussions at the Foreign Affairs Council in the first part of 2014. It has been a busy two months, not least in light of ongoing developments in Ukraine. I propose to address this issue first, before updating the joint committee on the many...

Government's Priorities for the Year Ahead: Statements (4 Mar 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: This Government was formed in the face of the worst economic crisis in the history of the State, at a time when the financial survival of the State was in question, unemployment was rocketing and when the banking system was broken.

Government's Priorities for the Year Ahead: Statements (4 Mar 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: At that time, in the middle of the crisis, the immediate tasks facing the Government could be expressed in a small number of statistics. The bond yield encapsulated the view from abroad of Ireland's financial position. The live register showed the rate at which jobs were being lost and lives destroyed. The number of mortgages in arrears signalled the scale of the social destruction being...

Government's Priorities for the Year Ahead: Statements (4 Mar 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: What we do now after the bailout has to be guided by four principles. First, we need a sustainable prosperity. Too many of our people still do not have work, or do not have enough work. We have to create more and better jobs. Second, we need a shared prosperity, which means that we have to invest in our people and ensure that recovery is spread across society, and across the regions....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Common Foreign and Security Policy (4 Mar 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: The Committee for Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management (CIVCOM) is responsible for advising the Political and Security Committee (PSC) on the civilian aspects of crisis management. CIVCOM plans and monitors the progress of EU civilian crisis management missions established in the framework of the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). The Committee meets twice a week....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (4 Mar 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: I am concerned about the situation in Venezuela, in particular at the reports of deaths, casualties and detentions arising from the unrest there. I urge the full, impartial investigation of incidents in accordance with due legal process. I join with the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton in calling for calm and in condemning intolerance and any recourse to violence by the parties...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Relations (4 Mar 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: A list of our current top ten non English-speaking trading partners is set out below. My Department, in close collaboration with the Department for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, co-ordinated the review of the Government Trade, Tourism and Investment Strategy which was published in February 2014. The review identifies 27 ‘High Value Markets’ and ‘Other Established...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (4 Mar 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: My Department attaches a high priority to language proficiency and it is regarded as an important skill in a diplomatic officer’s career development and the conduct of their duties, in particular when posted to one of our missions abroad. French is accorded a high priority, given its importance in the EU context and in the conduct of diplomacy generally, closely followed by German,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Translation Services Expenditure (4 Mar 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: Expenditure by my Department on translation services is set out in the table below for the period from 1 January 2013 to date. The upgrading of departmental websites and associated online services included once-off translation of a large volume of content on the website from English to Irish. Website and online translation costs over the period in question were €79,816. Other...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (4 Mar 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 16 and 21 together. I am seriously concerned about the passing of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill by the Ugandan Parliament and its subsequent signing into law by President Museveni. I have made it clear, including in direct talks with President Museveni, that the enactment of this draconian legislation will affect our valued relationship with Uganda. ...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Syrian Conflict (4 Mar 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: I am aware of the reports of attacks on 24 February 2014 on the towns of al-Neshabieh, close to Damascus, in which 2 women and 10 children were killed, al-Hosn, in Homs province, where 6 people died, the town of Talbiseh in which 4 children died, and further reprehensible use of barrel bombs against the civilian population of Aleppo which resulted in the deaths of four children. All these...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Military Aircraft Landings (4 Mar 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: I can confirm that my Department was notified that a US military aircraft had to make an emergency landing at Shannon Airport in advance of its arrival there on Monday 24 February. Confirmation was provided by the US Embassy that no munitions, explosives or hazardous material was on board, and the aircraft was not engaged in military exercises or operations.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (4 Mar 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: I have asked the Irish Embassy in Madrid to make contact with the relevant Spanish authorities to establish the position in relation to the matter which the Deputy has raised. The Embassy would of course be happy to speak to the family of the Irish man in question should they wish to make direct contact.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Agencies Staff Remuneration (4 Mar 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: There are no State agencies under the aegis of my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (4 Mar 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: I support the establishment of a Civic Forum which would provide for a broad range of voices on community relations and stimulate informed public debate in relation to key societal challenges. On my regular visits to Northern Ireland, I continue the practice of engaging with civil society representatives. In my ongoing contacts with the Secretary of State, including on 6 February last, I...

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: Deputy Donnelly is very knowledgeable and he knows how the liquidation process works. He also knows the risks to the taxpayer of an interference by the State in the liquidation process. It is easy to say "let us pause the sale". There are consequences to that which might arise from actions taken by other creditors, and other people involved in the IBRC liquidation process. One would have...

Order of Business (27 Feb 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: It is proposed to take No. 16, County Enterprise Boards (Dissolution) Bill 2013 - Order for Report, Report and Final Stages; No.13, Health Identifiers Bill 2013 [Seanad] - Second Stage (resumed); and No. 17, Health Service Executive (Financial Matters) Bill 2013 - Second Stage (resumed). It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the Dáil shall sit at 2.30 p.m. on...

Order of Business (27 Feb 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: Every day on leaders' questions and on the Order of Business, questions are put by the Opposition on the Government's priorities in respect of legislation and in respect of this, that and the other. As part of the reform of the Dáil that we proposed earlier this year, we said that we would provide an opportunity where the Taoiseach and I and other Ministers would come in and set out our...

Order of Business (27 Feb 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: That is what we are doing. It will give the Opposition an opportunity to criticise the 61,000 jobs that were created last year, the fact that unemployment fell by 14% last year, that long-term unemployment is now down to 7.2% and that we have priorities to continue.