Results 12,981-13,000 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (29 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I understand that the Deputy has confirmed that the information he is seeking from my Department relates to the period of the current Government. The information requested is provided in tabular format. As the Deputy will be aware, not all Member States of the European Union are members of the OECD. Therefore, in addition to the meetings detailed below, in the course of my regular contacts...

Written Answers — Citizenship Status: Citizenship Status (29 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: There are significant numbers of people in Argentina and South Africa of Irish background but, unless they actually applied for Irish citizenship, it would not be possible to estimate the numbers who would meet the criteria to qualify under our legislation.

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (29 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Acts, 1956 to 2004, the Department of Justice Equality and Law Reform has primary responsibility for matters relating to the granting of Irish citizenship. Applications for citizenship through naturalisation, including marriage to an Irish citizen, are processed by that Department. My Department does not, therefore, retain statistics for the number...

Written Answers — Emigrant Support Services: Emigrant Support Services (29 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: My Department, through our Embassy in London and the Consular Division, have been providing a range of practical assistance to the family of the deceased since first becoming aware of the case on 21 April. The Embassy is in contact with the Royal London Hospital and St Catherine Sheltered Housing to try to assist the family in locating the documentation necessary to ensure that his remains...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (24 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Under the Government's decentralisation programme, the Development Cooperation Directorate of the Department of Foreign Affairs, which is Irish Aid's Headquarters, will decentralise to Limerick. Good progress has been made and personnel have either been assigned to, or identified for, 107 posts or approximately 86% of the 124 posts scheduled to be decentralised. An advance party has already...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (23 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: On 28 March 2008, the Secretary General of my Department met with the Chargé d'Affaires of the Embassy of Brazil, at the latter's request, to discuss the case referred to by the Deputy. The meeting was conducted in a very positive atmosphere. As to follow-on, and as the requirements for those seeking permission to enter the State are the responsibility of the Department of Justice, Equality...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (23 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Under Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs), most of my Department's expenditure relates to administrative costs. Every effort is made, on an ongoing basis, to ensure that these costs are kept under control and that value for money is obtained for all public expenditure, including through the rigorous application of public procurement procedures. Similar controls are in place in relation to programme...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (22 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 227 and 243 together. Apart from the funding provided to U.S. based international organisations, such as the United Nations, and emergency aid granted, for example, to the American Red Cross to support displaced communities in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Department has provided ongoing financial support to organisations engaged in the delivery of...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (22 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 228 to 230, inclusive, together. I am deeply concerned by the situation in Tibet, and deplore the loss of life there. In addressing events in Tibet, I have sought, both through my own statements as well as through my Department's ongoing contacts with the Chinese authorities, both in Dublin and Beijing, to: urge all sides to exercise the maximum restraint, and...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (22 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: In 1997, one officer from my Department at Assistant Secretary level attended an MSc (Management) Programme for senior managers in the public service. This Programme was organised and paid for by the Centre for Management and Organisation Development (CMOD) in the Department of Finance, which ran the Programme in association with Trinity College Dublin and the Irish Management Institute.

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (22 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: All Bills brought forward by my Department since 1997, together with the dates they were presented to either the Dáil or Seanad Éireann, are listed in tabular form as follows. In all instances the sponsoring Minister was the Minister of Foreign Affairs. For ease of reference, the names of the corresponding Acts are also listed. I understand that all Bills are published on the Oireachtas...

Written Answers — Departmental Advertising: Departmental Advertising (22 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Advertising undertaken by my Department in Ireland typically includes advisory notices on public opening hours over holiday periods, changes in passport application procedures and fees, and public information notices relating to Ireland's official aid programme. Much of this material is now placed on the Department's website but the advertising continues to be necessary in order to reach all...

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (22 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: A birth certificate is essential to obtain a passport. The Office of the Registrar General has responsibility for records relating to Births, Marriages and Deaths in the State. The person in question should first contact the Registrar General's Office which will explain the procedure for the late registration of a birth. Once the birth has been registered, the Passport Office will assist in...

Written Answers — EU Treaties: EU Treaties (22 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Reform Treaty makes a number of minor changes to the Court of Justice of the European Union in relation to procedural aspects and its jurisdiction. Article 1.20 draws together the key elements of the existing texts on the Court of Justice. Changes in relation to the Court's procedures include: establishment of a seven-person panel to offer opinions on the suitability of candidates for...

Written Answers — Military Neutrality: Military Neutrality (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The provisions of the Reform Treaty in the security and defence area are fully consistent with Ireland's traditional policy of military neutrality. In particular, the existing safeguard that the European Union's policy in this area "shall not prejudice the specific character of the security and defence policy of certain Member States" is maintained, along with the requirement for unanimity in...

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Previous passports were issued to the person in question with place of birth recorded as Jerusalem. A new Automated Passport System was put in place in 2005. The system reads place of birth as entered on the passport application form and compares it against a list of countries. When the system was being put in place no provision, inadvertently, was made in the list of locations for...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Relations: Diplomatic Relations (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: There are 192 members of the United Nations. Of these, Ireland does not have diplomatic relations with the following 25 countries: Benin Bhutan Cape Verde Central African Republic Comoros Dominican Republic Equatorial Guinea Gabon Grenada Guinea Haiti Madagascar Mali Marshall Islands Mauritania Saint Kitts & Nevis Saint Vincent & the Grenadines Sao Tome & Principe Solomon Islands Somalia...

Written Answers — Consular Services: Consular Services (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: My Department has been providing extensive consular support since first being made aware of the case referred to by the Deputy. On 5th April, our Embassy in Berne was contacted by the CEO of the company of the three persons detained in Basel and immediate consular assistance was offered. The Chargé d'Affaires of the Embassy made immediate contact with the Public Prosecutor and the three...

Written Answers — Arts Funding: Arts Funding (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: As part of the cultural and heritage aspect of the Government's Support for Emigrant Services programme, administered by my Department's Irish Abroad Unit, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann has been in receipt of grant funding for specific projects abroad in the period in question. The funding provided is detailed in the following table. Year Amount Region € 2005 79,791 Britain 2006...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The St Andrews Agreement underpins the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement. The Good Friday Agreement is the collective name given to the British Irish Agreement and Multi-Party Agreement of 10 April 1998. The British Irish Agreement is an international agreement, by which the two Governments undertook to support and, where appropriate, to implement the annexed Multi-Party Agreement. It...