Results 15,781-15,800 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (4 Oct 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I am happy that the current arrangements, and the proposals for further development which are outlined below, provide for an effective passport issuing service. By the end of September 2005, almost 500,000 passports had been issued by the Passport Office this year. This is over 10% higher than in the same period last year. At the end of the year, I expect that a record 550,000 passports will...

Northern Ireland Issues. (4 Oct 2005)

Dermot Ahern: He said that he would.

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (29 Sep 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Preparations for the establishment of the new mission in Vietnam are currently underway. The embassy will open when the deputy head of mission takes up duty in early October.

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (28 Sep 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Ireland ratified the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, CAT, on 11 April 2002 and it entered into force for Ireland on 11 May 2002. At the time of ratification, Ireland made declarations recognising the competence of the Committee against Torture set up pursuant to the provisions of the convention to receive and consider communications...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (28 Sep 2005)

Dermot Ahern: My Department has raised this issue with the Canadian Government. I understand that negotiations between the Canadian Government and the Lubicon Lake Cree Indians have not yet resulted in a satisfactory outcome and that the Canadian Government will be appearing before the United Nations Human Rights Committee in November 2005 in order to comment on the situation. As we have indicated to the...

Written Answers — Departmental Contracts: Departmental Contracts (28 Sep 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The following is a list of companies and organisations which, since 2001, have entered into contractual arrangements over €100,000 in value with the Department of Foreign Affairs. Company ( A — G) Company (H — W) Alan Dunlop Limited Harvey Printers Limited Amas Limited HH Nielson Anett Stai Hibernia Alantic Animo Television HK Project Services GmbH...

Written Answers — Official Terms: Official Terms (28 Sep 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The British Isles is not an officially recognised term in any legal or inter-governmental sense. It is without any official status. The Government, including the Department of Foreign Affairs, does not use this term. Our officials in the Embassy of Ireland, London, continue to monitor the media in Britain for any abuse of the official terms as set out in the Constitution of Ireland and in...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (28 Sep 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 594 and 614 together. The Government is extremely concerned at the situation in north Antrim, where Nationalist residents have been subject to intimidatory attacks during the summer, particularly in Ballymena, Ahoghill, Cloughmills and Martinstown. Officials from my Department visited the areas affected during the summer months to meet local residents who had...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (28 Sep 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Government has discussed the ongoing criminal activities of loyalist paramilitary groups with the British authorities, including the murders that were carried out over the summer months between rival loyalist factions. The British Government has given assurances that the investigation and prevention of such crimes is a priority for the PSNI, who have continued to vigorously pursue those...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (28 Sep 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I was deeply concerned by reports of the public execution of two youths in Mashad in Iran on 19 July. The Government is strongly opposed to the use of the death penalty in all circumstances. The worldwide abolition of the death penalty is a political priority for Ireland and for our partners in the EU. We have also strongly urged states which retain the death penalty not to apply it to any...

Written Answers — Emigrant Issues: Emigrant Issues (28 Sep 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Annual estimates on net migration from Ireland in the period 1950 to 1975 are provided in the research study which accompanied the report of the task force on policy regarding emigrants. These estimates, set out in the following table for the information of the Deputy, indicate that from 1950 to 1970 Ireland experienced net emigration. This trend was reversed in 1971 when, for the first time...

Written Answers — Overseas Prisoners: Overseas Prisoners (28 Sep 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, it is the right of every Irish citizen who is arrested or imprisoned abroad to seek consular assistance from the Department of Foreign Affairs. However, not all Irish citizens who are arrested or imprisoned avail of this right. The number of Irish prisoners abroad is moreover constantly changing, as some are released and others newly...

Written Answers — Emigrant Support Services: Emigrant Support Services (28 Sep 2005)

Dermot Ahern: In July I was delighted to announce Díon grants totalling €6.60 million to 102 organisations involved in the provision of a wide range of support and advisory services which benefit Irish people resident in Britain, an increase so far this year of 52% on last year. The valuable services of the organisations that we support include advice and information on issues relating to transferring...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (28 Sep 2005)

Dermot Ahern: At the recent 61st session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights held in April 2005 in Geneva, Ireland, together with our EU partners, worked actively towards the adoption by the commission of the chair's statement on the situation of human rights in Colombia. The statement condemns all breaches of international humanitarian law in Colombia and calls on all parties to the conflict...

Written Answers — Consular Assistance: Consular Assistance (28 Sep 2005)

Dermot Ahern: On my instructions, the Irish Embassy in Madrid again contacted the person to whom the Deputy refers. I understand that she informed the embassy that she has secured an appointment with the pain clinic in Palma on 29 September 2005. She also indicated that, since she won her court case against her former employer in March 2005, her situation has improved. She has been provided with the...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (28 Sep 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The question of Ireland's participation in the EU Integrated Rule of Law Mission for Iraq remains under active consideration. As the Deputy will be aware from my reply to his earlier question, all training carried out as part of the mission will take place in EU member states. Any participation by Ireland would be likely to take the form of the provision of one or more members of the Garda...

Written Answers — State Airports: State Airports (28 Sep 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I am aware of a media report that Martin Scheinin, the UN Commission on Human Rights' special rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism, has been contacted by Irish citizens regarding allegations about the use of Irish airports by the US to transit prisoners who are suspected of terrorist activity. Last week my Department...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (28 Sep 2005)

Dermot Ahern: There are no Acts, or sections or other provisions of Acts, falling under the auspices of the Department of Foreign Affairs, which are not yet in force.

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (28 Sep 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman recommended in January 2004 that the murder of Seán Brown in 1997 be thoroughly re-investigated, on the basis that the RUC investigation carried out at the time of the murder was incomplete and inadequate. The Brown family agreed to co-operate with the new PSNI investigation, and sit on an advisory group to the investigation which includes officials from...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (28 Sep 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I am not aware of any applications for refugee status having been made by members of the US armed services. In the circumstances outlined by the Deputy, such individuals would not appear to meet the definition of refugees fleeing persecution as contained in the 1951 Refugee Convention, and so would not qualify for refugee status under Irish law. Each individual case would, of course, have to...