Results 14,581-14,600 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (29 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 161 and 165 together. On 5 May 2006 the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA), negotiated under the auspices of the African Union with active support from the EU, UN and US, was signed by the Government of Sudan and Minni Minnawi, leader of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) faction with the largest number of fighters on the ground. However, the heads of the Justice and...

Written Answers — Democratisation Initiatives: Democratisation Initiatives (29 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: Presidential and parliamentary elections are now scheduled to take place in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on 30 July 2006. These will be the first multi-party elections in the DRC in over forty years. A total of 33 candidates will contest the presidency while some 260 political parties and over 9,300 candidates will compete for the 500 legislative seats in the new parliament....

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (28 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The Department of Foreign Affairs provides travel advice to Irish citizens wishing to visit the Holy Land through its website. The current advice can be found at www.dfa.ie/services/ traveladvice/01.asp. The number of Irish citizens travelling to Israel annually is estimated at less than 3,000. Only a limited proportion of these would be pilgrims. Most pilgrim sites in Israel and in Jerusalem...

Written Answers — Flight Incident: Flight Incident (27 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: On 12 April 2006, a bomb warning note was found on board Ryanair flight FR 25 from Beauvais to Dublin and as a result, the flight was diverted to Prestwick airport, in Scotland. Strathclyde Police managed the incident on the ground in Prestwick and later authorised the departure of the flight to Dublin. At my request, the Embassy in London and the Consulate in Edinburgh have been in contact...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (27 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: As I informed the Deputy in my letter of 15 June, 2006, his correspondence about this matter was brought to the attention of the Honorary Consul in Bangkok and of our Ambassador to Malaysia, who is also accredited to Thailand and who supervises the operation of the Consulate in Bangkok. Honorary Consuls are not full-time officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs but are honorary...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (27 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: Ireland takes a consistently strong position on Burma, including in the European Union framework and at the United Nations. Together with our EU partners, we avail of all opportunities to call for the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi, to condemn the abuse of human rights and fundamental freedoms and deplore the lack of progress towards democracy in Burma. The recent visit by UN...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (27 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 307 and 308 together. When the Taoiseach and Prime Minister Blair met at Farmleigh on 26 January, they said that 2006 would be the decisive year for the peace process. Since that meeting, the Taoiseach and I have been engaged in intensive efforts, in conjunction with Prime Minister Blair and Secretary of State Hain, with the aim of achieving fully functioning...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (27 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The person mentioned by the Deputy is in direct contact with officers of the Consular Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs. Through the Irish Embassy in Spain and the Honorary Consulate in Malaga (Fuengirola), he is being given all possible consular assistance, particularly in the matter of obtaining further copies of the death certificate of his father, who died in Malaga on 6 June...

Written Answers — Equal Opportunities Employment: Equal Opportunities Employment (27 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The target for the employment of people with disabilities in the Civil Service is 3%. Policy in relation to this target is the responsibility of the Minister for Finance. The compilation of statistics in this very sensitive area is dependent, to a large extent, on voluntary self-disclosure of a disability by staff. However, I am satisfied that the percentage of staff with a disability in the...

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (27 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 312 and 313 together. A passport is an identity document issued by the State to facilitate foreign travel. It is issued in the official name of the holder of the passport which is usually the name in which the person's birth was registered or in their married name when so requested. The long form of the birth certificate and, as the case may be, the marriage...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (27 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I am very conscious of the statement issued by the Bishops' Commission for Justice and Social Affairs issued regarding Darfur on 12 June. The Government has been particularly supportive of efforts to improve the situation in Darfur. Members of the Permanent Defence Forces, for instance, have served with the African Union Monitoring Mission in Sudan (AMIS) and, in 2004-5, the Government...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (27 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 315 and 316 together. The Minister of State with special responsibility for Overseas Development and Human Rights and the Minister of State with special responsibility for European Affairs were appointed under Section 1 of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1977, as amended by Section 2 of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1980...

Leaders' Questions. (27 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The Deputy does not want the truth.

Leaders' Questions. (27 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: Where are the Deputies getting their figures from?

Leaders' Questions. (27 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The Taoiseach outlined the truth.

Leaders' Questions. (27 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The Deputy is waffling.

Leaders' Questions. (27 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: It is a wonder he is in the House at all.

Leaders' Questions. (27 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: Hear, hear.

Leaders' Questions. (27 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: He was in another party, or was it a party?

Leaders' Questions. (27 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I hope Deputy Joe Higgins has put in his gumshield.