Results 14,081-14,100 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Territorial Waters. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: There are situations where the EU negotiates with African coastal states on fishing rights and oil exploration. As Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, I have had some difficulty with those agreements over the years. However, that does not have much relevance to the question. One must deal with each situation on a case-by-case basis.

Foreign Conflicts. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 8, 27, 79, 92, 107, 197 and 202 together. The Government is making use of all avenues, both bilaterally and through the EU, to focus urgent international attention on the crisis in Darfur and work towards a resolution, and it will continue to do so. Most recently, in my meetings in Cairo on 1 February, I discussed the situation with the Egyptian Foreign...

Foreign Conflicts. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: The AMIS supply is insufficient, as I saw for myself when I travelled to El Fasher, one of the major towns in Darfur. I met with the commanders of the AMIS and saw that it was too small a force for too large an area. The area in question is approximately one and half times the size of France. This was one reason I very strongly urged our EU counterparts to use all our influence, even if it...

Foreign Conflicts. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I entirely agree with the Deputy about the international presence. That is a reason the UN assessment mission is going on the ground in the next few days, following on from visits by Jan Eliasson. Much progress was made at the recent African Union meeting in Addis Ababa. I exhorted our colleagues at the EU table, long before it was first mooted, that it was perhaps incongruous that...

Foreign Conflicts. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: As usual, Deputy Gormley must be a little divisive. Concrete action is €16 million in humanitarian aid. Every time there is a request, whether to help AMIS or people on the ground in need of humanitarian assistance, the Government has been forthcoming. That is concrete action, apart from any political involvement. I would safely say there has been no Foreign Minister as vigilant and busy...

Foreign Conflicts. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: We passed legislation which gave them the authority, independent of Government, to control and manage the fund of investment. The fund is a founder signatory to the principles of responsible investment launched by the UN Secretary General in April last. It is committed to a process of change that would enable it to take account of ethical questions in its investment decisions. The fund is...

Middle East Peace Process. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 5 together. A comprehensive settlement in the Middle East is more urgently needed now than at any time over the past 60 years. During my visit last week, I held discussions with political leaders in Israel, Palestine, Egypt and Lebanon. I outlined the role which the Government is playing, directly and in co-operation with our EU partners, to promote a...

Middle East Peace Process. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: The general feeling in the area is that the situation is extremely difficult but that there is a window of opportunity between now and at least the end of this year. I was in the region when the Quartet was meeting last Friday in Washington. It gave strong support to the efforts to have tripartite talks which President Abbas informed me are due to be held on 20 February when Condoleezza...

Middle East Peace Process. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: The suggestion of a secretariat for the road map is an interesting idea. I am not certain if those people who have been involved in the Quartet would be interested in putting that together. Those of us in the EU and in Ireland are underwhelmed by the progress of the Quartet with regard to this. We have exhorted our EU colleagues to be extremely vigilant from now on with regard to a...

International Agreements. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 4 together. In July 2005, President Bush and Prime Minister Singh agreed to establish a new strategic partnership between their two countries. One element of this partnership was a proposed agreement on civil nuclear co-operation. In March 2006, the two leaders announced that agreement had been reached. On 9 December 2006 the US Congress adopted the...

International Agreements. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: While I empathise with much of what the Deputy said, the strong advice I have received indicates that there is no sense in taking a position on this matter until all elements are known and on the table. A great deal of water must flow under the bridge. No other country has taken a position opposing the deal, although a number of countries have spoken in its favour.

International Agreements. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: Several members of the new agenda alliance which hold similar views to Ireland on non-proliferation and disarmament have given soundings that they are in favour of the deal.

International Agreements. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: Obviously, we have to see why and that is one of the reasons we are having discussions with them. Much remains to be done concerning this matter. Even people such as Dr. ElBaradei, the director general of the IAEA and Hans Blix have signalled they believe that while there may be negative aspects there are also positive ones. I am relating what they have said, although I am not saying so.

International Agreements. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: Last September, when Dr. Blix appeared before the Committee on Foreign Affairs, he indicated his view that there did not seem to be an obstacle in the NPT to this particular deal. I am fully conscious of what the House feels about this matter but at the end of the day I must go along with the strong advice from experts in my Department who are centrally involved on a day-to-day basis. To a...

International Agreements. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: I can go no further than what I said earlier to Deputy Michael D. Higgins. I await the response from my officials concerning their discussions at the various meetings of the NSG. They have indicated strongly to me that there is no sense in coming to an informed view as to where we stand on this matter until we have all the information and all the elements are on the table. A number of...

International Agreements. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: Absolutely. Trade does not enter into it in the slightest fashion.

International Agreements. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: We have made that quite clear in dealing with any queries on this. We will defend the situation from a global security viewpoint and nothing else, even if it means going against our strategic interests. A surprising number of countries are adopting unusual positions on this matter and that is one of the reasons we want to have the full facts on all aspects of it. Some people say the NPT is...

International Agreements. (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: In the 1960s, it was predicted that there would be over 20 countries with a nuclear capability but due to the NTP that is not the case. I accept there are moves in this respect by quite a number of countries, including Iran and others, but the fact is that the NTP has stood the test of time. Of course, it needs to be reviewed and we strongly support such a review mechanism, as we have said...

Order of Business (8 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: Bray was never renowned for its soccer.

Written Answers — Responsible Investment: Responsible Investment (7 Feb 2007)

Dermot Ahern: My Department has been approached by the Sudan Divestment Campaign Ireland, which is urging that the National Pensions Reserve Fund (NPRF) should immediately divest from five international companies, whose investments in Sudan the Campaign asserts provide revenue to the Khartoum Government and, in the Campaign's view, thereby contribute to human rights violations. While responsibility for...