Results 14,401-14,420 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Official Engagements. (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I am glad Deputy Gormley referred to cluster bombs because Ireland has recently been to the fore at the Convention on Conventional Weapons in this regard. Ireland, along with a number of countries, proposed that the restrictions on the use of cluster bombs be tightened dramatically. In the context of what took place in the Lebanon in recent months, we condemned the use of cluster bombs. It...

Official Engagements. (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The latter is an issue for the Minister, Deputy Martin, and I will raise it with him. Ireland would very much welcome a total ban and that is why we are working at the Convention on Conventional Weapons to drive cluster bombs out of use altogether.

Official Engagements. (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: We have not yet made a decision in respect of that deal, nor should we until the final version of it emerges. As the Deputy is aware, a special representative of the Prime Minister of India met me, and also the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, and I forcefully put to him my views on behalf of Ireland, as a member of the New Agenda Coalition and indicated that this is an issue about which...

Official Engagements. (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: At a recent meeting on this issue in Vienna, Ireland was to the fore in asking the relevant questions regarding the implications the deal will have for the NPT.

Emigrant Support Services. (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The strong commitment of the Government to support the Irish community abroad is reflected in the unprecedented level of funding secured for emigrant services. This year, €12 million is available for that purpose. This figure represents an increase of 45% on 2005 and is 12 times greater than the allocation in 1997 when the Government came to office. The interests and needs of the Irish...

Emigrant Support Services. (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: As stated earlier, €9 million will be given to community groups in Britain this year. I can safely say that a greater allocation will be made next year in order to honour our commitment to dramatically increase the funding. As already indicated, that funding has increased 12 times since the Government came to office. It is not often taken into account that when I was Minister for Social,...

Emigrant Support Services. (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I am willing to answer it.

Emigrant Support Services. (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: There are many ethnic groups being dealt with in most of the major Irish emigrant centres. I want the system to be as flexible as possible and I suggested to my officials that as we had built the funding up to a critical mass, we should provide some small capital grants. Emigrant centre officials have told me that if they could inform the local authority in London, Manchester or wherever...

EU Enlargement. (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The preparedness of Bulgaria and Romania for membership of the European Union has been a major issue on the EU agenda since they signed their treaty of accession in April 2005. Considerable attention has been given to the Commission's efforts in monitoring the two countries' preparations for accession. The matter has been discussed by EU Foreign Ministers on a number of occasions. The most...

EU Enlargement. (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I do not accept that the other political parties were not involved in this process. I participated in a number of discussions at Oireachtas committees about the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union. The question of whether free access would be given to workers from those countries was discussed at those meetings. I made the point on many occasions, as I did in my earlier...

EU Enlargement. (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister, Mr. Blair — the two Governments — had agreed the announcements would be made on the same day. We had been in constant contact. It had nothing to do with following the British slavishly, off the top of our heads. This was a result of constant negotiations with the respective Departments and the respective Prime Ministers. The Taoiseach and...

EU Enlargement. (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: We have been in discussion with other countries at EU level and I made the point that Ireland opens its borders. Our colleagues have been surprised at the numbers that have come to Ireland and they acknowledge that Ireland opened its borders for the previous accession. There is pressure on other countries but they must make their own decisions and cannot slavishly follow others. Similarly,...

Foreign Conflicts. (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: Bringing to justice those responsible for serious human rights violations is an essential element in restoring peace to Darfur. In October 2004, an international commission of inquiry was established by the UN Secretary General. Part of its mandate was to determine whether acts of genocide had occurred there. The commission's report was published on 25 January 2005. While stopping short...

Foreign Conflicts. (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I welcome the Deputy's approach to this matter because the question of whether it is genocide is academic. It is an appalling crime. I was there in July and was the first Minister from any country to visit Darfur since the peace agreement the previous May. What I saw in the Abu Shok displacement camp in Al-Fashir, Darfur, was hell on earth. Some 50,000 people there were living entirely on...

Foreign Conflicts. (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I assure the Deputy that we will pursue this case. The Deputy also raised another issue.

Foreign Conflicts. (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: Having visited Darfur just a few months ago, it is clear that circumstances have worsened and quite a number of people have been killed or displaced since then. The position is going from bad to worse and the international community must adopt a strong stance. However, it is not a simple issue of throwing in a UN-mandated force. I saw for myself when I visited Al Fashir, the headquarters...

Foreign Conflicts. (25 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I agree entirely with what the Deputy has said. My EU colleagues and I discussed protecting the principle enshrined within the UN reform package. This is the first instance where the international community has a responsibility to protect vulnerable people. We are not at this stage yet. We must be careful in how we deal with this. The greatest focus must be on the president, who hopes to...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (24 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I understand that the Deputy has in mind the Opinion on Ireland adopted by the Advisory Committee, established under the Council of Europe's Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, during its plenary session on 3-6 October. In line with our commitment to fulfilling our obligations under this multilateral instrument, Ireland has given its consent that the Opinion can be...

Written Answers — Manchester Martyrs: Manchester Martyrs (24 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I understand that there is a group in Manchester campaigning for the repatriation of the men's remains. However, it has not sought the assistance of my Department in this matter. The issue has not been the subject of discussions with the British Government.

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (24 Oct 2006)

Dermot Ahern: There are no special passport regulations for children over 16 years of age. The position in relation to passport facilities for all minors under the age of 18 years is as follows. Since 1 October 2004, all minors (i.e. under 18 years) must possess their own passport and may no longer be included on their parents' passports. However, minors already included on a parent's existing valid...