Results 1,401-1,420 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Other Questions: Military Aircraft Landings (19 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I have answered the two questions tabled by the Deputy on sovereign immunity and how it operates. As I said in my reply, sovereign immunity is not something that is conferred by the Government from time to time but a matter of international law. The position on military aircraft landing in this country is very clear and governed by statute. There is a requirement on any country wishing to...

Other Questions: Military Aircraft Landings (19 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The scope of the question has been widened somewhat. The question tabled was about sovereign immunity. The position is clear in that there are conditions attached to the landing of any military aircraft at an Irish airport. The aircraft must have permission to land. The conditions attached are that they must be unarmed and they cannot be part of a military operation. On the specific case...

Other Questions: Military Aircraft Landings (19 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 86 and 115 together. I am not aware of any new special arrangement in place for the refuelling of Canadian military aircraft at Shannon Airport. In accordance with Article 29.3 of the Constitution, Ireland accepts the generally recognised principles of international law as its rule of conduct in its relations with other states. Sovereign immunity, also...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Humanitarian Aid (19 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I acknowledge what the Deputy said about the Irish response to this disaster. We were one of the first countries to respond officially and I agree with him about the generous response last Sunday in churches and the generous response of the NGOs. On the basis of the pledges announced to date, our contribution currently stands as one of the highest provided by a bilateral donor. On Sunday,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Humanitarian Aid (19 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: They will not be forgotten. There is a plan. Approximately 500,000 people are in need of immediate water, sanitation and hygiene supplies. Essential health services are being provided for almost 10 million people, along with nutrition services for 100,000 children and 60,000 mothers, and shelter and urgent household items for 560,000 people. The work is being co-ordinated by UN agencies,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Humanitarian Aid (19 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Current estimates indicate that typhoon Haiyan has affected 13 million people across 41 provinces, representing over 10% of the country’s population, with up to 4 million people displaced. Official estimates indicate that at least 3,600 lives have been lost. However, it is likely that the full picture of the human cost of the disaster will only emerge in the coming days as relief...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Middle East Issues (19 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Together with our European partners, we have been very much urging the commencement of peace talks and we very much support the talks that are under way. Both Ireland and the European Union will work to support those talks in every possible way. Ultimately, as in any peace talks, the key participants are the sides in the conflict - in this case, the Israeli side and the Palestinian side....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Middle East Issues (19 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I am aware of media reports that Swiss forensic experts have detected the radioactive element, polonium, in samples taken from the remains of President Arafat, who died in November 2004. It is reported that the levels detected are unlikely to have been natural, and therefore that grounds exist to investigate the possibility that he was poisoned. The Government has no official information on...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Middle East Issues (19 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: As I stated, the French authorities have an investigation under way. Deputy Crowe mentioned Ariel Sharon, who was the Israeli Prime Minister at the time of President Arafat's death. Mr. Sharon has been in a coma since January 2006. The focus of the international community must be on supporting the talks process after many years' lack of activity between the Palestinian and Israeli sides to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland Issues (19 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: It is not true to say the Irish Government is not involved. It is very much involved, as is the British Government. The Haass process was established by the Northern Ireland Executive; it was an initiative taken by the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister. In May the strategy, Together: Building a United Community, was launched, as part of which the Northern Ireland Executive...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland Issues (19 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Dr. Haass has set the objective of having the talks concluded by the end of the year. It is an ambitious timetable. I discussed the timetable with him and he expressed confidence in being able to conclude the discussions. It is important to recognise that he will only be able to reach a conclusion provided there is political commitment and a political will on the part of all parties...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland Issues (19 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I met with Dr. Richard Haass on 31 October in Iveagh House. We had met previously in New York on 25 September and agreed to keep in close touch. I believe that close and ongoing contact with Dr. Haass and his team is preferable to a formal submission at this stage in the process. While Dr. Haass’s primary reporting lines are to the Northern Ireland Executive, the British and Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (19 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I am in regular contact with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Theresa Villiers MP about the overall situation in Northern Ireland including contentious marches and the threat of violence. Over recent weeks, I met with all of the party leaders in the Executive and with the British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg MP as well as with the Independent Chair of the Panel of Parties,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Service Issues (19 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The Passport Service provides a comprehensive range of options for citizens to apply for passports. Applications may be made by Passport Express through some 1,000 post offices across the country and some 70 post offices in Northern Ireland. This means that no Irish citizen in the State, including in the Deputy’s constituency has any significant distance to travel. Furthermore, as I...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Military Aircraft Landings (19 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 91 and 124 together. As I have stated in this House previously, I am aware that one US military aircraft recently landed in Shannon Airport armed with a fixed weapon. The aircraft therefore did not comply with Ireland’s policy conditions, which require that military aircraft are unarmed, carry no arms, ammunition or explosives, do not engage in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Issues (19 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Israel has maintained for some time a policy of not enabling access to Gaza for official visitors, other than for Ministers with directly pertinent responsibilities, notably Foreign Ministers and Development Ministers. The rationale given is that continual visits by official delegations give tacit recognition to and support of the Hamas authorities in Gaza, and ignore the fact that the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Membership Issues (19 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 93 and 96 together. Prime Minister Cameron stated in a speech on 23 January 2013 that the Conservative party manifesto for the next parliamentary elections expected in 2015 will seek a mandate for a Conservative Government to negotiate a new settlement with EU partners, and that if a Conservative Government is elected, it will put such a settlement to a...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (19 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 95, 101 and 111 together. I am aware of the arrest of Huber Ballesteros in August and of the recent killing of Cesar Garcia. I have asked my officials to follow closely developments in the judicial proceedings involving Mr Ballesteros, as well as the investigation into the killing of Mr Garcia. When I met earlier this year with President Santos of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Terrorism (19 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Ireland has consistently taken the view that combating terrorism must be conducted in full respect of international law, in particular the law of armed conflict and human rights law. In line with the UN Global Strategy on Counter Terrorism, effective counter terrorism and the protection and promotion of human rights are mutually reinforcing and not competing goals. This means that human...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Surveillance Issues (19 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Following allegations of US surveillance of European Union institutions earlier this year, the EU has engaged regularly with the US authorities in both Washington and Brussels to seek clarification on the issues raised. An EU-US High Level Expert Group on data protection has been established, where this and related matters are discussed. The EU is represented on this working group by the...