Results 14,061-14,080 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: The EU-Morocco Fisheries Partnership Agreement was adopted by the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 22 May 2006. When Morocco has completed its ratification procedures, the Agreement will come into force following an exchange of notifications by both sides. The Agreement states that it applies to "the waters falling within the sovereignty or jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Morocco". As the...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 195 and 200 together. Human rights remain central to our foreign policy. Together with our EU partners, the Government monitors the human rights situations in many countries, on the basis of information obtained from a variety of sources including both official and non-governmental organisations. Where the situation warrants, we make known our concerns about...

Written Answers — EU Constitution: EU Constitution (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: To date, eighteen Member States have ratified the Constitutional Treaty. Luxembourg and Spain have done so by referendum, while sixteen Member States have ratified by parliamentary means. As the House is aware, the Constitutional Treaty was rejected in referendums held in France and the Netherlands in 2005. Following the outcome to the referendums in France and the Netherlands, the European...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: The situation in the Horn of Africa is a high priority for Ireland, the EU and the United Nations. The problems of the region include the ongoing conflicts in Darfur and Somalia; a prolonged stalemate in the Ethiopia-Eritrea peace process; the need to rebuild southern Sudan following decades of civil war; and challenges relating to development, including recurrent food security problems....

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: Ireland has a network of 74 resident diplomatic and consular Missions abroad, as well as the British-Irish Intergovernmental Secretariat in Belfast and the North-South Ministerial Council Joint Secretariat in Armagh. While the opening of new Embassies abroad is considered by the Government on an ongoing basis, any expansion of our diplomatic network can only be undertaken having regard to...

Written Answers — Missing Persons: Missing Persons (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: On the basis of the information provided by the Deputy, the Irish Embassy in London has been unable to locate the person concerned. If there is any more detailed information which might be available, the Embassy would be very pleased to renew its efforts. A possible alternative approach might be through the Irish Red Cross at 16 Merrion Square, Dublin 2, which provides an International...

Foreign Conflicts. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: Ireland, along with its EU partners, condemns all acts of terrorism, regardless of their target or motivation. Terrorism can never be justified by any cause, reason or ideology. It places the lives of innocent people at risk and undermines tolerance, openness and respect for fundamental freedoms in society. With regard to the general thrust of the Deputy's question, and as I have made clear...

Foreign Conflicts. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: With regard to the question of unfair detention to which the Deputy refers, in a report of 2005 the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention stated that its determination does not imply consideration regarding the innocence or guilt of the concerned persons and that the working group does not substitute itself for the domestic courts. It is my understanding that a number of...

Foreign Conflicts. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: We are willing to act in a balanced way. It is not all "Cuban, good; US, bad". Let us be fair. On a case by case basis, there must be a clear raising of issues. We do not have any standing in this matter. It is a bilateral issue between the US and Cuba. However, through the various instruments at our disposal as a small island nation within the EU, we raise issues of human rights abuses,...

Foreign Conflicts. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: We are prepared to stand up with regard to the effect on the general community. The Cuban position on human rights must be put right. Thankfully, some more reasonable soundings are coming from the replacement, for the time being at least, of the President of Cuba. Perhaps there will be more opportunity for the international community and the US to liaise with the Cuban Government in that...

Foreign Conflicts. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I do not want in any way to imply that we do not have sympathy for anyone who is incarcerated. That applies equally to those incarcerated in Guantanamo and prisoners of conscience held by the Cuban authorities. However, we have no standing with regard to the case referred to by the Deputy. As I said, I do not propose to raise the issue at EU or UN level.

EU Accession Negotiations. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 204 together. Negotiations regarding Turkish accession to the European Union commenced on 3 October 2005. An extensive screening process is ongoing which closely scrutinises the compatibility of Turkish legislation with that of the EU. In all, there are 35 negotiating chapters in the accession process. After a chapter has been screened, the EU can...

EU Accession Negotiations. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: When it was originally agreed to open discussions and negotiations with Turkey, it was accepted agreement would take a considerable time and this was accepted by the Turks. Negotiations have been tortuous, not least because of the Ankara Protocol, which concerns the issue of the opening of ports and airports. This is a divisive issue for both the Turks and people from the Republic of...

EU Accession Negotiations. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: It is fair to say some countries are not particularly enamoured with the position. Some countries have indicated they would require a referendum at the end of the process. This causes some difficulty and clearly demonstrates they are saying to the rest of the European Union that no matter what the Union agrees, they plan to have a popular vote on the issue. Much of the concern relates to...

Territorial Waters. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: The 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea provides that a coastal state exercises sovereignty over its territorial sea, which is the belt of water located immediately adjacent to its land territory. Every state has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles. Sovereignty extends to the bed and subsoil of the...

Territorial Waters. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: It is not yet known whether legislation will be required. It will obviously depend on the determination of the UN commission. The first application was made during my tenure as Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources and I have now taken it over to a certain extent. What was the second question?

Territorial Waters. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: That is a question for the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources and it would very much depend on the UN commission's determination.

Territorial Waters. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: That does not arise regarding our claim to Rockall. Negotiations took place leading to the adoption in 1982 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and Ireland successfully resolved the issue of Rockall by ensuring that the convention provide that "Rocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf". While...

Territorial Waters. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: That too is a matter for the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources and I would not like to comment on it. As it stands, there is an agreement to disagree regarding Rockall. The Deputy is talking hypothetically when he speculates about anything being discovered there.

Territorial Waters. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: Did the Deputy say that the question had been transferred?