Results 14,221-14,240 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 44 together. The Government shares the widespread concern at the extremely difficult situation in Iraq. Developments have been dominated by the continuing deterioration in the security situation, and in particular the terrible consequences of the spiralling cycle of sectarian violence. There is at present no sign that the insurgency and the...

Written Answers — Convention Ratification: Convention Ratification (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to previous replies to similar questions concerning the United Nations Convention against Corruption, most recently on 25 October 2006. The Convention was adopted by the UN General Assembly in October 2003 and was signed on behalf of Ireland, when it opened for signature, in December 2003. The convention entered into force on 14 December 2005. To date, eight Member States...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: Vacancies in the Department are, in general, filled through the Public Appointments Service (PAS), which is the central recruiting body for the whole of the Civil Service. Competitions for positions within the Civil Service are advertised by the PAS in the recruitment pages of the national newspapers. The Department's graduate recruitment programme for posts at the diplomatic grade of Third...

Written Answers — Human Trafficking: Human Trafficking (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The ongoing struggle against human trafficking is a priority issue at EU and international level. A specific Action Plan was adopted by the Justice and Home Affairs Council last December. This Action Plan is aimed at developing common standards, best practices and mechanisms to prevent and combat trafficking in human beings. It covers such issues as the coordination of EU action and the...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: Ireland established formal diplomatic relations with Chile in 1992 and since then our Ambassador to Argentina has been accredited there on a non-resident basis. The Government has also appointed an Honorary Consul, who is based in Santiago. As I believe the Deputy will appreciate, any expansion of our diplomatic network must be approached on a phased basis, having regard to clear priorities...

Written Answers — Overseas Property: Overseas Property (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: In line with UN Security Council Resolutions 541 of 1983 and 550 of 1984, which are binding on all members of the United Nations, Ireland does not recognise the so-called "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus". The Republic of Cyprus has been a Member State of the EU since 1 May 2004. In the absence of a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus problem, the application of the laws and...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25, 66, 69, 71, 110 and 118 together. The Government is deeply concerned by the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The terrible violence of recent months serves to underline that there can be no military or unilateral solutions to the Israeli — Palestinian conflict. The Government and our EU partners are determined to continue to work...

Written Answers — Commemorative Events: Commemorative Events (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The National Day of Commemoration, held in remembrance of all those Irish men and women who died in past wars or in service with the UN, remains the official commemorative event for Irish war losses. This, of course, includes the tens of thousands of Irish volunteers who were lost in the First World War. With regard to those "shot at dawn", Deputies will be aware that legislation was...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: A clear case has been made, including by Northern business people and the political parties, that lowering Northern Ireland's corporation tax rate would help to stimulate growth in the Northern economy. This is, of course, a matter for the British Government in the first instance. Any such proposal may also have to be considered in the context of EU rules. I particularly welcome the fact...

Written Answers — Cluster Munitions: Cluster Munitions (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 29, 40 and 101 together. Ireland has been calling for action on cluster munitions within the framework of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) since July 2002. We have consistently expressed our view that it is in the tradition of the CCW to address issues concerning weapons that have been shown to have indiscriminate effects. Accordingly,...

Written Answers — Iranian Nuclear Programme: Iranian Nuclear Programme (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 30 and 91 together. The question of Iran's nuclear programme is kept under constant review within the European Union at official level and is also the subject of regular discussions at Ministerial level. The most recent such discussion was at the General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting of 13-14 November in Brussels, where Ministers received an...

Written Answers — Common Foreign and Security Policy: Common Foreign and Security Policy (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 32 and 46 together. As I have previously informed the House, Ireland indicated to its EU partners in 2004 a positive disposition towards taking part in EU Battlegroups. I met the Foreign Ministers of Sweden and Finland in January 2005 and the Foreign Minister of Austria in April 2005 to discuss a range of issues, including possible Irish participation in EU...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 33, 41, 78, 84, 85, 96, 102 and 204 together. The Government is deeply concerned by the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and especially by the rising toll of death and destruction in Gaza. We have conveyed our position clearly and consistently in direct contacts with the parties, including the Israeli Ambassador in Dublin and the Israeli...

Written Answers — US Immigration Reform: US Immigration Reform (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 34, 42, 47, 76 and 97 together. The Government attaches the highest priority to the issue of the undocumented Irish in the United States. This issue is actively on the agenda of the Embassy and the Consulates in the United States in their on-going discussions with the Administration and on Capitol Hill. I myself raise it in all my discussions with the US...

Written Answers — Common Foreign and Security Policy: Common Foreign and Security Policy (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I am aware that President Lech Kaczynski of Poland was reported earlier this month to have said that the European Union should have an armed force of between 80,000 and 100,000 personnel, within the framework of NATO. While the leaders of Member States of the European Union and others are, of course, free to raise such ideas, I am not aware that Poland or any other Member State intends to put...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The Government very much welcomes the firm commitment in the St. Andrews Agreement that the British Government is to establish a Forum on a Bill of Rights and convene its inaugural meeting in December 2006. The Joint Declaration published by the two Governments on 1 May 2003, in the context of their ongoing work to achieve full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, explicitly committed...

Written Answers — Foreign Elections: Foreign Elections (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 207 together. The Independent Electoral Commission of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) announced on 15 November that President Joseph Kabila had won the presidential election run-off contest held on 29 October, securing 58% of the votes against 42% for his opponent, Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba. The results are provisional until endorsed...

Written Answers — UN Conventions: UN Conventions (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: Agreement on the draft UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was reached on Friday 25 August 2006 by the Ad-Hoc Committee, established by the UN General Assembly in December 2001 to carry out this task. The draft Convention outlines the general obligations of States in relation to the rights of persons with disabilities. It aims to ensure that persons with disabilities are...

Written Answers — Common Foreign and Security Policy: Common Foreign and Security Policy (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) is an integral part of the European Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), the principles and objectives of which are set out in the Maastricht, Amsterdam and Nice Treaties, approved by the people at successive referenda. The Union is continuing to develop its capabilities for crisis management operations, both military and civilian....

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (23 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 51, 55, 107 and 108 together. Ireland will not open diplomatic relations with Burma until Aung San Suu Kyi is released from house arrest. The Government consistently takes a strong position on Burma on all possible occasions, including in the European Union framework and at the United Nations. Together with our EU partners, we avail of all opportunities to...