Results 13,001-13,020 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Department of Foreign Affairs is responsible for two Votes — Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs) and Vote 29 (International Cooperation). The following tables set out the names of consultants (both firms and individuals) used by the Department in 2007 and the amounts paid by the Department in each case. The table also indicates the consultants who provided services only, those who produced...

Written Answers — EU Treaties: EU Treaties (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Reform Treaty preserves the existing Treaty arrangements whereby taxation matters must be decided by unanimous vote. Therefore, there is no change in the existing position. Ireland's ability to decide on corporate and income tax rates remains a matter for the Irish authorities alone.

Written Answers — Olympic Games: Olympic Games (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Government has been invited by the Olympic Council of Ireland to be represented at the opening or closing ceremonies of Beijing Olympic Games. At this stage no decisions have been taken regarding Government attendance at the Games. In relation to the issue of Tibet, and more general concerns about human rights and fundamental freedoms in China, I continue to believe that the most...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Government remains very seriously concerned about the large number of hostages being held by FARC. Recent reports about the poor health of French-Colombian hostage Ingrid Betancourt are particularly worrying. An all-party Seanad Éireann motion in December 2007 strongly supported the ongoing efforts to seek the release of Ingrid Betancourt. This motion was subsequently debated in the...

Written Answers — European Council: European Council (17 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The EU operates in a manner which encourages and facilitates the search for agreement between the Member States. While the Treaties provide that the principal method of reaching Council decisions is by Qualified Majority Voting (QMV), recourse to voting is very rare because agreement is normally achieved through negotiation and the search for compromise. However, for issues of particular...

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

Dermot Ahern: In the context of our EU Presidency, diplomatic relations with Burma were established on 10 February 2004 through the issue of a Joint Communiqué in the names of the two Governments. However, due to the deterioration in the political situation which followed shortly afterwards, including the arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi, it was decided not to proceed with an exchange of non-resident...

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

Dermot Ahern: Ireland established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China on 22 June 1979 through a Joint Communiqué signed by the Permanent Representatives of Ireland and China to the United Nations in New York. Resident Ambassadors were duly accredited in 1980.

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

Dermot Ahern: Ireland established diplomatic relations with Sudan in March 1984. The accreditations are on a non-resident basis. The Irish Ambassador in Cairo is accredited to Khartoum and the Sudanese Ambassador in London is accredited to Dublin. Ireland also has an Honorary Consul in Khartoum who took up appointment in December 2005. There have been some informal reports recently that Sudan intends...

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

Dermot Ahern: Ireland established diplomatic relations with Colombia through the exchange of notes on 10 November 1999. Since that date, the Ambassador of Ireland resident in Mexico City has been accredited to Colombia on a non-resident basis, while the Ambassador of Colombia in London has been accredited to Ireland. Ireland is also represented by an Honorary Consul in Bogotá.

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (10 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Article 2 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, incorporated in the Diplomatic Relations and Immunities Act 1967, states that "The establishment of diplomatic relations between States, and of permanent diplomatic missions, takes place by mutual consent". Ireland currently has diplomatic relations with 62 countries that have accredited Ambassadors on a non-resident basis. These...

Written Answers — National Biodiversity Plan: National Biodiversity Plan (9 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: My Department contributed material to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government on the need to respect biodiversity in our overseas development programme, which was integrated into the National Biodiversity Plan 2002-2006. A separate Departmental Biodiversity Action Plan has not been produced. However, the Irish Aid Environmental Policy commits Ireland to addressing...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (9 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Government of Colombia has repeatedly stated its commitment to bringing to an end all terrorism in Colombia within the framework of the Justice and Peace Law. This Law, passed in 2005, provides an overall legal framework for the demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration of illegal armed groups into Colombian society. The Justice and Peace Law, which was adopted through a lengthy...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (9 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Department of Foreign Affairs has a limited amount of funding at its disposal through the Department's Reconciliation Fund, which is primarily targeted at voluntary organisations involved in community reconciliation work. The purpose of the Fund is to assist organisations involved in reconciliation work and to encourage and facilitate better relations within and between the two...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Relations: Diplomatic Relations (9 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: It has been the Government's consistent position that no steps will be taken to develop diplomatic relations with Burma until Aung San Suu Kyi is released. While the issue was examined in 2004, on the basis of promised political and human rights progress by the Burmese authorities, including the release of Ms Suu Kyi, the lack of progress on these issues saw the process quickly stopped. The...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Relations: Diplomatic Relations (9 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The presidential and parliamentary elections in Zimbabwe on 29 March passed off in a peaceful and orderly fashion. Despite serious concerns about the context in which the election was held, and despite the fact that neither the EU nor any of its Member States were invited to observe the election, the people of Zimbabwe showed great courage and determination in casting their votes on polling...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (9 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: On my instructions, senior officials of my Department have been, since 17 March, in regular touch with the Chinese Embassy in Dublin to seek information about developments in Tibet and to convey my deep concern at the situation there. We have sought, including in my statement of 31 March, to address the following: to urge all sides to exercise the maximum restraint, and to underline the...

European Council Meetings: Statements (9 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I thank the Deputies for their remarks. I take this opportunity to say a few words about the Taoiseach and his involvement at European Council meetings for the past 11 years. I have been with him on each occasion for the past four years. Suffice to say he was held in great affection and gave great support to all his colleagues. It was often a private joke between us that he was, in...

European Council Meetings: Statements (9 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: We discussed them. The Taoiseach referred to what he discussed. The conclusions——

European Council Meetings: Statements (9 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: No, but we did discuss foreign affairs issues.

European Council Meetings: Statements (9 Apr 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Zimbabwe could have been discussed.