Results 1,541-1,560 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The Deputy should stop that innuendo and side of the mouth allegations about people who are not in the House. If he wants to make an allegation about an individual, he should make the allegation and if he is sure enough, he should make it outside the House.

Order of Business (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The Order of Business is No. 19, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending EU Regulation No. 1215/2012 on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters (back from committee); No. 20, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann for a regulation of the...

Order of Business (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The matter of the payments to the survivors of the Magdalene laundries was considered by the Government this week and there is progress on the arrangements for the payments to be made. I expect this will be progressed in the near future. On the issue of the victims of symphysiotomy and thalidomide those are matters which are still being considered by the Minister for Health and he will...

Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Approximately 5,000 additional social housing units will be provided in 2014. This will include new builds, units leased from the not-for-profit sector and general leasing units. We are also on track to secure 500 social housing units from NAMA this year and will deliver 2,000 social housing units through NAMA in the lifetime of the Government. In the recent budget we returned, albeit on a...

Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I do not know if the Deputy missed it, but the country was broke. It ran out of money at the end of 2010 and the Government has had to restore its finances. We are in the fortunate position of having done so and about to exit the bailout programme. The Government has not abandoned the issue of social housing provision, far from it.

Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: In 2014 some 5,000 additional social housing units will be provided. Additional funding has been provided in the budget to recommence housing construction. It is intended that, as the finances of the country improve, we will improve on this. In addition to the construction of houses, we have committed to the upgrading of the energy efficiency of existing local authority dwellings. Some...

Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: No economy can function without a banking system and banks. When the Government took office at the beginning of 2011, the banks in the country were on the point of collapse. People in this country were taking their money out of the banks and small depositors were crossing the Border to move their money out of Irish banks to put it elsewhere. The Government had to stabilise the banking...

Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The Government's priority in the area of health is to ensure that patient care is at the top of all considerations. It is unfortunately the case that budgets for the health services have had to be reduced in recent years. As we know, that is because the present Government inherited an incredible mess in the public finances. There is no doubt that this year will also be challenging for the...

Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: None of us should do anything other than to go to every length to provide medical care for children and to look after them when they are ill. However, it is difficult to listen to lectures about the health service, particularly as it pertains to children, from a party that neglected it so badly in Government. For years it spoke about and looked around the idea of a children's hospital.

Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: During the good times, when money was available, it did not build one.

Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: This Government is proceeding with the construction of the children's hospital, which is long overdue.

Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: We have provided the funding for it.

Leaders' Questions (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The priority for the Government is to deliver the best quality of care, particularly to children, in every circumstance of medical need. It is challenging at times because of the limitations on resources, but the Government's priority is to provide the best possible care for children when they need it.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Excise Duties Issues (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I am aware of the situation facing the company to which the Deputy refers. I share the Deputy’s concerns and fully understand the frustration of the company at the long delay in reimbursing excise duty due to them for the years in question. I am particularly concerned by the risk which this delay poses to the viability of the company, and the livelihoods of all involved.At my request,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The Embassy to the Slovak Republic opened in 2001. Our diplomatic presence in Bratislava is important in the context of shared membership of the European Union, in advancing relationships, promoting our interests and fostering goodwill between our two countries. From an economic perspective, and given that the state agencies service the market from regional offices, the Embassy has an...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The scale and presence of our diplomatic network is considered by the Government on an ongoing basis. Any decision to adjust the state’s external representation, including the opening of missions, will have regard to national priorities and available resources. At present, Ireland’s diplomatic network includes 56 Embassies, 7 multilateral missions and 10 Consulates General and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I met with Dr Richard Haass on 31 October in Iveagh House. We had met previously in New York on 25 September and have agreed to keep closely in touch. I believe that close and ongoing contact with Dr Haass and his team is preferable to a formal submission at this stage in his consultative process. During these meetings, we discussed each of the issues that he has been asked to address by...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Officials from my Department attended the Northern Ireland Economic Investment Conference in Belfast in early October. This conference allowed excellent networking with representatives from the Northern Irish business sector. Attendance at the Conference was another example of the very good relations between the UK and Ireland which Prime Minister Cameron attested to in his address to the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (7 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I have previously welcomed the publication in May 2013 by the NI Executive of a new strategy ‘Together: Building A United Community’. The publication of the strategy is an important acknowledgement of the ongoing blight of sectarianism across communities in Northern Ireland and recognition that building a shared society requires a comprehensive response across political,...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Arms Trade Treaty: Motion (6 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I thank members for their support for the motion. Deputy Smith suggested the imposition of a levy to generate resources in respect of implementation. That is a worthwhile proposal. A UN trust fund - UNSCAR - which is designed to facilitate implementation and provide help to NGOs which are involved in assistance programmes has been established. This could possibly be used for the purpose...