Results 1,561-1,580 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

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

Eamon Gilmore: I thank the Chairman and members. As always, it is a pleasure to come before the select committee. The Arms Trade Treaty was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 2 April last by a very large majority of states. The text was negotiated at two diplomatic conferences held in July 2012 and March 2013. It is the product of a very positive and constructive process in which all states...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Child Abduction (6 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The person referred to by the Deputy first came to the attention of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 2009 when his family contacted the Consular Assistance Section. My Department has been providing consular assistance through our Embassy in Egypt and the Consular Assistance Section in Dublin. Cases of this nature are complicated by the fact that Egypt is not a signatory to the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff Redeployment (6 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Four locally recruited staff were employed at the Embassy of Ireland to the Holy See with length of service ranging from 1 to 18 years. One of the locally recruited staff was employed on a part time temporary contract which expired at the end of December 2011, and one member of cleaning staff, whose services were no longer required, was made redundant as a result of the closure of this...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Council Meetings (6 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 33 and 34 together. I attended the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 21 October where developments in relation to Syria represented one of the major items for discussion, with particular focus on the OPCW chemical weapons disarmament process, the prospects for the ‘Geneva II’ talks and the ever-challenging humanitarian situation. The...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Relations (5 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 113 and 124 together. Overall exports of goods from Ireland in 2012 amounted to €91.7 billion. Services exports amounted to a further €90.3 billion, for a combined total of €182 billion. The trade balance in Ireland’s favour was some €45.7 billion, including the highest services trade surplus since records began. ...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (5 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I am aware of the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights on 21 October in the case of Inés del Río v Spain regarding eligibility for sentence reduction. The relevant Spanish authorities will assess the full implications of the ECHR judgement and will consider the actions that are required in light of the ruling. In the circumstances, it would not be appropriate for me to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation Expenditure (5 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: As outlined in the reply to Question No. 68 of 17 October 2013, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade provides financial assistance to officers going on posting abroad towards the cost of representational furniture and equipment. In this context, official representation refers to work-related events, official functions and networking opportunities held in the homes of officers on...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Military Aircraft Landings (5 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: As outlined in this House on 15 October 2013, I am aware that one US military aircraft recently landed in Shannon Airport armed with a fixed weapon and therefore did not comply with the normal conditions that apply to foreign military aircraft overflying or landing in Ireland. I am not in a position to provide further information on the aircraft in question. A longstanding system for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (5 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Following the closure of the Embassy to the Holy See in November 2011, the Embassy to Italy and the residence of the Ambassador to Italy were relocated to the State owned Villa Spada, formerly occupied by the Embassy to the Holy See. The change of plaques represents the change of designation of the building.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (5 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: In November 2011, the Government announced its decision to close Ireland’s Embassy to the Holy See. This decision was driven by economic factors deriving from our need to cut public expenditure and focus the modest resources of our diplomatic service on economic recovery. The closure of the resident embassy to the Holy See has yielded substantial savings as it enabled the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Appointments (5 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below. Name Position Held Qualifications (where stated) Annual Salary Mark Garrett Chief Adviser - Office of the Tánaiste Postgraduate Dip in EU Competition Law Masters in Communications BA in History & Politics €156,380 Colm O’Reardon Economic Adviser – Office of the Tánaiste...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (5 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I have closely followed developments in relation to the Basque Country since the declaration by ETA on 20 October 2011 that the organisation had “decided on the definitive cessation of its armed activity”. The Government continues to support all efforts to achieve a definitive peace in the Basque Country and I hope that further progress can be made based on democratic...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Council Meetings (5 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I attended the most recent meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) which took place in Luxembourg on 21 October. As the Deputy will be aware, this was the first formal Council meeting of EU Foreign Ministers since late August. A wide range of issues were discussed and important Conclusions were agreed across a number of key policy areas; these Conclusions may be accessed on the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation Expenditure (5 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Ireland’s diplomatic network includes 56 Embassies, 7 multilateral missions and 10 Consulates General and other offices. In addition to their country of residence, many Ambassadors are also accredited to additional countries on a concurrent basis which enhances the cost-effectiveness of our external representation. Our missions abroad work very closely with the state agencies in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: US Surveillance in EU Institutions (5 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 126 and 127 together. Following allegations of US surveillance of European Union institutions earlier this year, the EU has engaged regularly with the US authorities in both Washington and Brussels to seek clarification on the issues raised. An EU-US High Level Expert Group on data protection has been established, where this and related matters are...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (5 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: Ireland is actively engaged on the many humanitarian, legal and political issues presented by the Syrian conflict and contributes to the formulation of international policies on Syria in many fora. Officials at all levels based in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's headquarters and its network of missions abroad are involved in these efforts. I have repeatedly discussed...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (5 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The Deputy will appreciate the necessity for Ambassadors to conduct official business with a degree of discretion, and for that reason I do not propose to provide a list of persons with whom the Ambassador has met since his appointment. However, I can assure the Deputy that I am satisfied with the range of the Ambassador's diplomatic contacts, both within the Secretariat of State and the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (5 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: I am aware of the case to which the Deputy refers, which occurred in Botswana in 2006. My Department through the Embassy of Ireland in Maputo and the Consular Assistance Section in Dublin has provided consular assistance to the family of the deceased following his death and throughout the subsequent investigations. I wish to advise the Deputy that following the 2007 report of the initial...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Expenditure (5 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has responsibility for Vote 27 -International Cooperation, and Vote 28 - the Departmental vote. Budget 2014 provides a gross allocation to the Department in respect of both Votes in the sum of € 693 m, consisting of € 687 m in current expenditure and € 6.5 m in capital expenditure. The main monetary effect year-on-year...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (5 Nov 2013)

Eamon Gilmore: The author of the book to which the Deputy refers kindly briefed my officials on the main conclusions shortly in advance of publication. Several of the murders mentioned would have been raised with the British side over the years, following representations from politicians and clergy in the area. We are now examining the text in detail and will consider further action in light of that...