Results 1,321-1,340 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Leaders' Questions (28 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: There continues to be a serious problem with mortgage arrears. The Government's plan for tackling that mortgage arrears problem is based on one important premise, which is keeping the roof over people's heads. Today's figures show that some progress is being made. The statistics show a decline in the overall stock of principal dwelling houses with mortgages in arrears relative to the...

Leaders' Questions (28 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I acknowledge there is a problem with people who have been in arrears for a very long time. It obviously follows that the longer it takes to resolve those arrears problems, the more they are to go into arrears. These are people who are now suffering the legacy that Deputy Kelleher and his colleagues left to them. We need to get sustainable solutions for those people who are in arrears. It...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (28 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The Good Friday Agreement recognizes the need to define rights, supplementary to those in the European Convention on Human Rights, to reflect the particular circumstances of Northern Ireland. A Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland would ensure that these rights are given a legislative base. I have made my views on this clear to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and will continue to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (28 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: It is clear that the Legacy of the Past needs to be dealt with to allow Northern Ireland to move on to a truly peaceful and reconciled society.Efforts to address the legacy should be motivated, above all, by a commitment to making progress towards reconciliation and a cohesive society. The ongoing Panel of Parties Talks have stimulated a welcome discussion on these issues with the engagement...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (28 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: We are regularly reminded of the devastation that the conflict wrought on families and communities. Most recently, allegations of collusion and the murders described in Anne Cadwallader’s book Lethal Allies, the BBC and RTÉ documentary on ‘The Disappeared’, allegations of shoot-to-kill by the undercover Military Reaction Force and the anniversaries of the Shankill...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (27 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I have noted with interest the Asia Floor Wage campaign which has been initiated by a civil society and trade union movement alliance. I am aware that there are many countries where labour rights are poor or non-existent. Ireland’s commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights is a fundamental feature of our foreign policy. Under Ireland’s new policy for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Banking (26 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The value of services provided to the public by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade that was accepted by means of credit and debit card in the course of 2012 was €6.14 m. The additional charge that applied to credit card charges under the merchant agreement in operation in 2012 was 1.29%. There was no charge on debit cards. The total value of the additional charge was...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff Training (26 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 136 and 137 together. My Department attaches a high priority to language proficiency and it is regarded as an important skill in an officer’s career development and the conduct of their duties. The objectives of my Department’s approach to language training are: to equip diplomatic officers with the language skills necessary to carry out their...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (26 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The aims of the EU’s Eastern Partnership are to provide a coherent framework for cooperation with the six countries in the EU’s Eastern neighbourhood: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Ireland supports the aims of the Eastern Partnership and looks forward to the Summit as a significant step forward in the EU’s relationship with these countries. I...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (26 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: As this is a bilateral consular issue between the US and the Cuban authorities, the Government has no standing in the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Emigrant Support Services (26 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) provides funding to not-for-profit organisations and projects to support Irish communities overseas and to facilitate the development of more strategic links between Ireland and the global Irish. The focus of the Emigrant Support Programme is on initiatives that: address the needs of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable Irish emigrants; enhance access for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (26 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The decision taken by the Government in 2011 to close three missions, Ireland’s Embassies to the Holy See and Iran and its representative office in Timor Leste, followed a comprehensive review of our overseas diplomatic network in which particular attention was paid to the promotion of our economic interests and the return from our network of diplomatic and consular missions abroad....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff Recruitment (26 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The Public Appointments Service (PAS) is the independent body designated under the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004 to provide shared service recruitment to the public service and is responsible for the running of the Third Secretary Campaign. PAS is equipped with the specialist expertise for this task and is independent in the running of such processes....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Excise Duties Issues (26 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: As the Deputy will be aware from my previous reply, the Irish Embassy in Brussels has been in contact with the Belgian customs authorities to express my deep concern at the delay in processing the claims submitted by the company and to highlight the serious impact that this is having on their operations. Following further representations in recent days, the Embassy has been advised that the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (26 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The atrocities perpetrated in Dublin, Monaghan, Dundalk and elsewhere in the 1970s, and incidents such as the massacre of the Miami Showband stand out in the memory as particularly bloody episodes in this island’s history. In recent weeks there have been further well-publicised allegations of collusion. The late Judge Henry Barron and Patrick McEntee SC carried out detailed and...

Order of Business (21 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I do not have a date for that legislation. However, I congratulate the Garda on its success this morning. It was a rapid and efficient response. I remind the Deputy that the House will be asked to vote on a Supplementary Estimate in the amount of €51 million in a few minutes.

Order of Business (21 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The Government has no plans to introduce legislation that would prevent victims or their families from seeking justice arising from the Troubles in Northern Ireland. There is an agreement on these matters. There is an agreement on pre-1998 offences, which is part of the Good Friday Agreement. It provides for prosecution, conviction and for reduced sentences. We have no plans to depart...

Order of Business (21 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: To my knowledge, there is no legislation promised in the area of aquaculture licensing. I suggest that Deputy Mac Lochlainn takes that issue up with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The judicial council Bill is expected in mid 2014.

Order of Business (21 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy White, brought proposals to Government recently in this area. The issue is being worked upon but I do not have a date for publication of the legislation as yet.

Order of Business (21 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: There are now two Companies Bills. The first is the large, comprehensive one, the Report Stage debate on which is due to take place in the new year. The second is the Bill dealing with what is known as "examinership light". That Bill will be moved in the House next week.