Results 14,341-14,360 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

White Paper on Irish Aid: Statements (2 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I am grateful for the opportunity to address the House on Ireland's first ever White Paper on overseas aid policy. The White Paper was launched by the Taoiseach on 18 September. It has been widely welcomed by the Irish development community and our partners in the developing world. In recent weeks, it has been discussed in the Seanad and at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (1 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: No expenditure under this heading was incurred by my Department in 2004 and 2005. To date this year, €1,548.13 was incurred in respect of photography for three official events in my constituency relating to official visits. Meeting with United States Congressman Jim Walsh, Congressman Brian Higgins and Congressman Tim Murphy in Carlingford, Co Louth, to discuss developments in the Northern...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (1 Nov 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I am actively pursuing co-operation on the economic development of the North West in my discussions with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Peter Hain. The two Governments are committed to working together to maximise the potential of the North West region and in May 2006 we launched the North West Gateway Initiative to take forward cross-border co-operation in this area. Both...

Written Answers — UN Representation: UN Representation (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I am aware that Mr. Mark Malloch Brown, the UN Deputy-Secretary-General, during a recent visit to Brussels reportedly expressed the view that the European Commission might in future represent the EU in the UN General Assembly. I understand that he said this in response to a question and the exact scope of his comment is not clear. I would be surprised if the interpretation advanced by the...

Written Answers — Maritime Rights: Maritime Rights (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The issue of access to Turkish ports for Cypriot vessels continues to create difficulties, not least in the context of Turkey's EU accession negotiations. The June 2006 European Council recalled the need for Turkey to fulfil its obligations under the Association Agreement and the additional Ankara Protocol, which takes account of the accession of the new Member States, including the Republic...

Written Answers — Nuclear Disarmament Initiative: Nuclear Disarmament Initiative (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 84, 93, 98 and 132 together. In regard to the recent testing of a nuclear explosive device by the DPRK, I would refer the Deputies to the reply I have just given to the priority question on this issue. As I stated in that reply, I immediately strongly condemned this provocative action by the DPRK. It is a serious threat to the security and stability of the...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 108 together. There has not been any recent direct bilateral contact with the Government of Burma. In 2004 the Government put on hold the exchange of non-resident Ambassadors with Burma, and any decision to proceed with an exchange of Ambassadors will have to await positive and significant moves by the Burmese Government. However, at the ASEM...

Written Answers — Nuclear Safety: Nuclear Safety (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: Last year President Bush of the United States and Prime Minister Singh of India agreed to establish a new strategic partnership between their two countries. One element of that partnership was a proposed agreement on civil nuclear cooperation. During a visit to India by President Bush on 2 March 2006, the two leaders announced that agreement had been reached. The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)...

Written Answers — Nuclear Non-Proliferation: Nuclear Non-Proliferation (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 87, 119 and 139 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 16-17 October in Luxembourg. At that meeting...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: There have been a number of recent developments following the crisis in Timor-Leste (formerly known as East Timor) in late April. The former Foreign Minister Dr Jose Ramos-Horta was appointed as Prime Minister on 10 July, with a new government formed shortly thereafter. Prime Minister Ramos-Horta and President Gusmão have both committed themselves to achieving reconciliation without...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 89, 94, 115, 117, 124, 140, 147 and 217 to 219, inclusive, together. I would also refer the Deputies to Priority Question No. 76, which I answered today. While it is a matter for the Oireachtas to decide, I would support the tabling of an all-party motion of Dáil and Seanad Éireann on the crisis in Darfur, urging the Sudanese Government to permit the...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: Unresolved difficulties in relations between Georgia and Russia give rise to recurring bouts of tension. The problems relate to the persistence of "frozen conflicts" in the separatist Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which unsuccessfully sought independence from Georgia in the aftermath of the dissolution of the former USSR and which continue to be supported politically by...

Written Answers — European Security and Defence Policy: European Security and Defence Policy (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: EU Battlegroups are being developed under the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP). ESDP is an integral part of the European Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy. Strengthening the ability of the EU to be able to respond quickly to emerging crises is a key objective of the development of the ESDP, and has been specifically supported by the Secretary General of the United Nations,...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I indicated in my reply to the Deputy on 22 February last that the Syrian authorities had informed our Honorary Consul in Damascus on 14 December 2005 that the person mentioned by the Deputy had been detained in Syria in 2003 on suspicion of travelling on falsified documents, and that he had subsequently been deported to Tunisia on 13 December 2005. I also indicated that the Irish Embassy in...

Written Answers — EU Security and Defence Policy: EU Security and Defence Policy (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 99, 102 and 143 together. 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, which were approved by the Irish people at successive referenda. The Treaties specify that the...

Written Answers — Nuclear Non-Proliferation: Nuclear Non-Proliferation (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) was launched in Krakow, Poland on 31 May 2003. The decision to establish PSI originated in part from an incident in December 2002, when Spain intercepted an un-flagged vessel carrying a shipment of Scud missiles, en route from North Korea to Yemen. The ship was subsequently allowed to continue. In response to this incident, a group of countries, led...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 101, 121, 130 and 144 together. The proposed agreement published by the Governments at St. Andrews comprehensively addressed the core issues standing in the way of the restoration of the power-sharing institutions of the Good Friday Agreement. It sets out a clear way forward for all parties to commit to the full operation of stable power-sharing government...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The Treaty establishing the Energy community was signed on 25 October 2005 by the European Community and by Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Montenegro, Romania and Serbia as well as by the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). The Treaty follows on from the Athens process which started in 2002...

Written Answers — EU Accession Negotiations: EU Accession Negotiations (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 110, 118 and 209 together. Negotiations regarding Turkish accession to the European Union commenced on 3 October 2005. An extensive screening process is currently 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,...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 111, 127 and 152 together. The Government shares the widespread concern at the extremely difficult situation in Iraq. We and our partners in the EU remain firmly committed to supporting the Iraqi people as they work to restore security and prosperity to their country. On 21 May, the Iraqi Parliament approved the appointment of the national unity Government...