Results 15,101-15,120 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Northern Ireland Issues. (22 Feb 2006)

Dermot Ahern: This Government has made its case clearly and does not go cap in hand. People often said Irish Governments tipped the forelock to the British on issues such as Sellafield, the Dublin and Monaghan bombings or the Finucane murder. It was often said we never took a case against the Brits over Sellafield because of the special relationship between the two countries. This Government took such a...

Foreign Conflicts. (22 Feb 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 63 and 102 together. It is important to acknowledge the considerable progress that has been made in Afghanistan in recent years. We have witnessed the country's transition to democracy and representative government. A democratic constitution, a representative national parliament and a legitimate elected government are now in place. The International Conference...

Foreign Conflicts. (22 Feb 2006)

Dermot Ahern: It is true to say that the situation, as I have acknowledged, is still very insecure in that country. Equally, when the Deputy refers to the economic issues and the prevalence of narcotics, there has been a 21% reduction in land under poppy cultivation over the past year. Ireland has contributed over the past two years to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to counter the issue of...

Foreign Conflicts. (22 Feb 2006)

Dermot Ahern: Part of the meeting between the two presidents was concerned with this issue. This is something the UN takes quite seriously and significant resources are being deployed to stop the trade. It is a scourge and not just for that part of the region. These narcotics get into this part of the world and beyond. It is in all our interests to ensure that every effort is made to crack down on this as...

Human Rights Abuses. (22 Feb 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The recent joint report by the four UN special rapporteurs and the Chair of the working group on arbitrary detention is a significant development in the debate regarding the situation of the detainees in Guantanamo Bay. The finding of the report, which states the view of the authors that aspects of the treatment of prisoners there must be assessed as amounting to torture, should be taken very...

Human Rights Abuses. (22 Feb 2006)

Dermot Ahern: Further to what the Deputy said was taking place in Shannon, the report clearly states and shows that nothing was taking place there. Ireland was one of only three countries that received categorical and unqualified assurances on the non-use of their territory for what is called extraordinary rendition. As to whether members of the Garda Síochána have a legal basis to board planes, it is...

Human Rights Abuses. (22 Feb 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The Deputy is wrong in that respect. The European Court of Human Rights has set the bar for the acceptance of diplomatic assurances.

Human Rights Abuses. (22 Feb 2006)

Dermot Ahern: It has referred to "a substantial proof of a real risk of a breach of a right being created".

Human Rights Abuses. (22 Feb 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I did not interrupt the Deputy. A number of academics would normally be critical of the US stance on this but New York University carried out a study for the House of Commons. It stated that actual knowledge of any breaches would have to be required before intervention could take place.

Human Rights Abuses. (22 Feb 2006)

Dermot Ahern: Time is limited so the Deputy should allow me to answer the question whether the Garda Síochána has powers to board aircraft. It has been verified by the Attorney General that the Garda Síochána has such powers. I would hazard a guess that the Attorney General is correct and that the information the Deputy received is not correct. However, that is a matter for the Minister for Justice,...

Human Rights Abuses. (22 Feb 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The issue of these so-called extraordinary renditions on chartered civilian flights is exactly the same as members of the Garda Síochána going into the Deputy's house. They can only do so on foot of a search warrant——

Human Rights Abuses. (22 Feb 2006)

Dermot Ahern: ——or on suspicion of a crime being committed. It is exactly the same at Shannon or anywhere else in Ireland for a civilian plane on which extraordinary rendition is supposedly taking place. It is a matter for members of the Garda Síochána to intervene if they have a suspicion that there is a substantial risk of a breach of rights taking place. To date, members of the Garda Síochána...

Foreign Conflicts. (22 Feb 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The issue of whether the European Union has a role in assisting the development of a conflict resolution process in the Basque Country is solely for the Spanish Government to decide. I am not aware of such an approach on the part of the Spanish Government to the European Union. The Government will be happy to offer support in any way deemed helpful by the Spanish Government, in the event that...

Foreign Conflicts. (22 Feb 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I accept that the Deputy has been in the Basque Country on a number of occasions with regard to the move towards a peace process. Obviously we would welcome any assistance he and his colleagues could give in that respect. As the Deputy knows, ETA has been on the EU list of terrorist organisations since December 2001 and by a unanimous decision of EU member states, Batasuna was added to this...

Foreign Conflicts. (22 Feb 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I repeat that all EU members unanimously decided and agreed that Batasuna was merely a cover or alias for ETA. Accordingly, calling on the Spanish Government to revoke the banning of Batasuna is futile.

Foreign Conflicts. (22 Feb 2006)

Dermot Ahern: The Deputy referred to our own peace process and there are similarities between many peace processes happening around the world. In our instance, however, the peace process was a joint initiative between the British and Irish Governments. The Spanish Government regards its process as an internal matter, has not involved any other government or to the best of my knowledge asked any other EU...

Foreign Conflicts. (22 Feb 2006)

Dermot Ahern: We will not go there.

Written Answers — Irish Emigrants: Irish Emigrants (21 Feb 2006)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 386 to 389, inclusive, together. The Government attaches the highest priority to the issue of the undocumented Irish. We raise our concerns in all of our contacts with US political leaders and emphasise the importance of addressing the situation in a positive and sympathetic way. We welcome President Bush's engagement on this issue and the Taoiseach and I look...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (21 Feb 2006)

Dermot Ahern: In the case referred to by the Deputy, the initial decision of the court on 26 April 2004 was to acquit the individuals concerned on the charge of training terrorists. It also permitted that they be released from prison under "conditional freedom". Due to serious concerns for the safety of the three men, my predecessor sent a message on 30 April 2004 to the Columbian Foreign Minister...

Written Answers — Procurement Policy: Procurement Policy (21 Feb 2006)

Dermot Ahern: My Department has established a procurement management unit. One of its tasks is to prepare a corporate procurement plan, as recommended by the Department of Finance in its national public procurement policy framework document of May 2005. In accordance with the timeframe prescribed by the Department of Finance, the first corporate procurement plan for my Department will be adopted later this...