Results 14,601-14,620 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The information available to my Department regarding the status of the investigation into the deaths of the two former members of the Burundian Parliament, Mr. Sylvestre Mfayokurera and Mr. Innocent Ndikumana, remains as stated in my original reply to the Deputy of 5 May 2005. A related but wider concern is to seek to end the culture of impunity which has persisted for too long in Burundi....

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The information available to my Department regarding the status of the investigation into the attempted assassination of Mr. Ndihokubwayo remains as stated in my original reply to the Deputy of 5 May 2005. A related but wider concern is to seek to end the culture of impunity which has persisted for too long in Burundi. The establishment of a national truth and reconciliation commission and...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I am aware that on 12 May the Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union adopted a further resolution concerning the dismissal of Mr. Chang Song, Mr. Siphan Phay and Mr. Savath Pou from the Cambodian Senate in 2001. There have been no developments since my reply to the Deputy's question No. 227 on 11 October 2005 on this matter. I can assure the Deputy that Ireland and our EU partners...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 115, 116, 117, 128 and 129 together. I am aware of the Deputy's ongoing concern and that the cases she is referring to are being monitored inter alia by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and that the IPU's Governing Council most recently adopted a resolution concerning them at its 178th session in Nairobi on 12 May 2006. In my responses of 5 and 10 May 2005...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 118, 135, 136 and 137 together. 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 condemn the abuse of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Burma and deplore the lack of progress towards democracy. The recent visit by UN...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The situation in this case remains as was set out in my replies of 10 May 2005 and 11 October 2005 to Questions from the Deputy. The Government shares the concerns which have been expressed about the conduct of the case and conditions under which the person is being held. We continue to monitor the case. In bilateral contacts with Israel, and together with its partners in the EU, the...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The only additional information available on the ongoing investigation into Dr. Hitimana's disappearance is that the Rwandan parliament referred the case of Dr. Hitimana to the Rwandan National Commission for Human Rights in October 2005 and that body is now pursuing the official investigation. I look forward to an early completion of these investigations and to the National Commission for...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I understand that the two persons referred to in the Deputy's Parliamentary Question No. 238 of 11 October 2005 were released from prison in January 2006. In welcoming their release, the EU called for the immediate release of all remaining political prisoners in Syria.

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: There have not been any developments since my reply to question number 239 on 11 October 2005 to the Deputy on this matter.

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I note that the Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union adopted a further resolution regarding Mr. Anwar Ibrahim, the former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, at its most recent session on 12 May. The only significant development since my reply to question number 240 from the Deputy on this matter, on 11 October 2005, is that Mr. Anwar filed a lawsuit on 27 January against...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I note that the Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) adopted on 12 May 2006 a further resolution concerning the death of the Mongolian Parliamentarian, Mr. ZorigSanjasuuren, in 1998. I am pleased that since my reply to question no 241 on 11 October 2005 to the Deputy on this matter, a decision has been taken by the Mongolian Parliament's Special Oversight Committee to...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 125 and 126 together. I am aware that the Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Council adopted further resolutions regarding these two cases at its most recent session on 12 May. There have been some developments in the case of Mr. Asif Ali Ardari, exiled leader of the Pakistan People's party and husband of exiled former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto,...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I regret that there have been no positive developments in this matter and that the situation remains as was set out in my reply of 5 May 2005 to the Deputy. As I mentioned in my previous reply, with regard to the disappearance of Mr. Gonchar and 3 others in 1999/2000, the EU in December 2004 placed a visa ban on four persons who failed in their responsibility to initiate an independent...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I am aware of the Deputy's ongoing concern and that the case she is referring to is being monitored inter alia by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and that the IPU's Governing Council most recently adopted a resolution concerning them at its 178th session in Nairobi on 12 May 2006. In my responses of 10 May 2005 and 11 October 2005 to written questions from the Deputy regarding this case,...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I am aware of the Deputy's ongoing concern and that the case she is referring to is being monitored inter alia by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and that the IPU's Governing Council most recently adopted a resolution concerning it at its 178th session in Nairobi on 12 May 2006. In my responses of 10 May 2005 and 11 October 2005 to written questions from the Deputy regarding this case, I...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I understand that Mr. Roy Bennett, the former Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) member of the Zimbabwean Parliament, has now requested political asylum in South Africa, following his and his family's move to that country earlier this year. His decision to leave Zimbabwe once again highlights the climate of oppression and lack of respect for human rights currently prevailing in that...

Written Answers — Prisoner Transfers: Prisoner Transfers (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 134 together. There is no inconsistency between my statement to Dáil Éireann of 13 June 2006 and the Reply of the Government to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe of February last. The question of the Government's withdrawing, amending or qualifying its Reply does not, therefore, arise. In its Reply, the Government stated that there were...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The Honorary Consul in Karachi will accept visa applications from all Pakistani citizens resident there. However, as indicated in my reply to the Deputy's question of 7 June, the application will, on receipt, be referred to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform for decision.

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (22 Jun 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The Department of Foreign Affairs is responsible for two Votes, namely Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs) and Vote 29 (International Cooperation). Details of reports commissioned and published by the Department since 2002 are set out below. Vote 28 — 1. Task Force on Policy Regarding Emigrants The Task Force was established in December 2001 and reported in August 2002. The total cost of the...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (20 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 condemn the abuse of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Burma and deplore the lack of progress towards democracy. The recent visit by Mr. Gambari, the UN Under-Secretary-General, to Burma from 18-20...