Results 15,841-15,860 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: This call by members of the McBride family for a change in British legislation to require the automatic dismissal of a member of the British armed forces found guilty of a serious human rights violation is the latest effort in their campaign to ensure the dismissal of British army personnel James Fisher and Mark Wright. In 1995, Scots Guardsmen Fisher and Wright were convicted of the 1992...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I have learned with regret of the death of Ms Gao Rong Rong, a Falun Dafa practitioner, who, according to reports, died on 16 June 2005. I have asked my officials to request the EU Presidency to raise the case of Ms Gao Rong Rong and the circumstances of her death with the Chinese authorities at the next session of the EU-China human rights dialogue which is due to take place in September....

Written Answers — Military Neutrality: Military Neutrality (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: There has been no change in the criteria applied to the landing and overflights of foreign military aircraft. Policy in this area is based on the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order 1952 which gives the Minister for Foreign Affairs discretion in the granting of permission to foreign military aircraft to overfly or land in the State. Permission is normally granted on certain...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Government remains gravely concerned at the deteriorating situation of human rights in Zimbabwe and the continuing failure of the Mugabe government to end repressive policies that have only succeeded in impoverishing and worsening the plight of millions of ordinary Zimbabweans. Ireland and its EU partners have taken the lead internationally, including through action at the UN General...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representations: Diplomatic Representations (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: My Department monitors the situation in Colombia, including the question of hostages and kidnap victims, through our embassy in Mexico City, which is also accredited to Colombia, as well as in co-operation with our EU partners with resident diplomatic missions in that country. As the House is aware from my replies to previous questions on this subject, Ms Ingrid Betancourt, a candidate in the...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Mr. David Strudley was appointed on 23 June 2005 to head up the new PSNI policing college in Cookstown, County Tyrone, following a UK-wide advertisement campaign, interview and selection process. Mr. Strudley will take up his new post this September. The Patten commission recommended that recruit training for the police service should move away from a military focus, have a high degree of...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 315 and 321 together. The incidents in north Belfast referred to by the Deputy are a matter of great concern to the Government. These incidents, as with all such sectarian attacks, are reprehensible and without justification. I am aware that the summer is a particularly difficult time of year for many Nationalist residents of Belfast and the north east...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Police Ombudsman has published information on the status of the PSNI officers who were involved in the original Seán Browne investigation in her report on the original investigation published on 19 January 2004. The report states that the senior investigating officer responsible for that investigation has now retired. The ombudsman also states that under the law, a retired officer cannot...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The display of flags and emblems in Northern Ireland is an emotive and often controversial practice that has been the subject of much discussion both internally within the relevant agencies in the North and also between my officials and their British counterparts. The specific situation in Limavady was highlighted in media reports earlier in the week and, as a result, I have asked the British...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Government remains fully supportive of the African Union's crucial role in attempts to resolve the ongoing political, security and humanitarian crisis in Darfur. The AU's observer mission, AMIS, in particular, is playing an extremely valuable role in addressing the security situation in Darfur. It has been demonstrated that where AMIS is deployed in Darfur, a marked reduction in violence...

Written Answers — Military Neutrality: Military Neutrality (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Permission for foreign military aircraft to overfly or land in the State is the responsibility of the Minister for Foreign Affairs under the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order 1952. It is not the practice of the Government to release the details of individual military aircraft landings.

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I am aware of the book State Growth and Social Exclusion in Tibet: the Challenges of Recent Economic Growth by Mr. Andrew Fischer and the claims he makes based on his research. I raised the issue of Tibet and recent developments there during the official talks with Vice Premier, Huang Ju, in Dublin on 16 November 2004. In response, the Vice Premier said that the channels of communications...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Government has consistently sought to promote local accommodation in instances where parades are contentious. It has done so by promoting direct dialogue between all parties to such disputes and by consistently supporting the work of the Parades Commission. The Government has also paid close attention to the policing of parades, to monitor the way the commission's determinations are...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Department of Foreign Affairs has responsibility for two Votes, Vote 28 on foreign affairs and Vote 29 on international co-operation. The 2004 allocation for Vote 28 was €163,240,000. The Department did not return any of this allocation to the Department of Finance at year's end. Under the terms of the Administrative Budget Agreement 2002-2004, the Department of Finance approved a carry...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: It was already my Department's policy, prior to the coming into effect of the Official Languages Act 2003, to publish most classes of documentation intended for public dissemination in both Irish and English. A training programme was also in place to assist staff in developing their Irish language skills. This was and is part of a wider policy aimed at developing the Department's capability...

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 325 and 326 together. Four bodies operate under the aegis of the Department of Foreign Affairs, namely, the Advisory Board for Development Co-operation Ireland, the Development Education Advisory Committee, the Board of the Ireland-United States Commission for Educational Exchange, or the Fulbright Commission, and the Díon Committee. The three year term of...

Order of Business. (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: We are laughing.

Order of Business. (30 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Deputy Kenny expects it.

Written Answers — EU Regulations: EU Regulations (29 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I have not been responsible for the making of any ministerial order having the effect of creating an indictable offence in the period since the judgments referred to in the Deputy's question.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (29 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Department of Foreign Affairs entered into contractual arrangements with the following companies and service providers in the lead up to and-or during the 2004 Presidency of the Council of Ministers of the European Union: Audi, Alexander Hotel, Berkeley Court Hotel, Brooks Hotel, Caroline Erskine / Noelleanne O'Sullivan, Celtic Roots Studio, Conrad Hotel, Cooley Distillers, Corporate...