Results 15,921-15,940 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Codes of Conduct: Codes of Conduct (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The staff of the Department of Foreign Affairs are subject to the terms of the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour. Under section 10 of the code, behaviour at work, civil servants are required to ensure that non-discriminatory language is used in all communications, both internal and external, including display material and documents in electronic form. Under section 12, relations...

Written Answers — Undocumented Irish Emigrants: Undocumented Irish Emigrants (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 27 and 102 together. There is no firm figure for the number of undocumented Irish emigrants in the United States. There are a number of estimates, including a figure of 3,000 by the US authorities for the year 2000. This seems to the Irish immigration centres to be a very low figure. More recently, a figure of 50,000 has been mentioned in some quarters but...

Written Answers — EU Enlargement: EU Enlargement (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Croatia applied for membership of the European Union in 2003, and the Commission presented its formal opinion on the application in April 2004. The June 2004 European Council agreed that Croatia fulfils the Copenhagen political criteria and the specific conditions established for the countries of the western Balkans. It decided that Croatia is a candidate country for membership, and that...

Written Answers — EU Enlargement: EU Enlargement (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Turkey has been a candidate for membership of the European Union since the Helsinki European Council in December 1999, which agreed that it was destined to join the Union on the basis of the same criteria applied to the other candidate states. The European Council in Brussels on 16-17 December 2004 decided, on the basis of the Commission's report and recommendation, that Turkey sufficiently...

Written Answers — Nuclear Disarmament Initiative: Nuclear Disarmament Initiative (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, DPRK announced in February 2005 that it had produced and now possesses nuclear weapons and that it is to suspend its participation in the six party talks for an indefinite period. In May 2005, the DPRK further announced that it had finished extracting 8,000 fuel rods from its reactor at Yongbyon, which it reportedly shut down a month ago. The DPRK...

Written Answers — Middle East Peace Process: Middle East Peace Process (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Government is in regular and ongoing contact with the Palestinian and Israeli Governments through diplomatic channels. In addition, during the seventh Euro-Mediterranean ministerial meeting in Luxembourg on 30-31 May, I had the opportunity to discuss the situation in the region with the foreign ministers of Israel and Palestine. I hope to travel to the region later this year to meet the...

Written Answers — Nuclear Disarmament Initiative: Nuclear Disarmament Initiative (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 41 and 50 together. Negotiations on the Iranian nuclear programme between Iran, France, Germany and the UK, supported by the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, resulted in an agreement signed in Paris in November 2004 on nuclear issues and future co-operation. Under this agreement, which was endorsed by the European Council last...

Written Answers — Ministerial Travel: Ministerial Travel (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I am continuing to engage in an intensive series of visits to European capitals in discharge of my mandate as envoy of the UN Secretary General. As envoy, I am tasked with presenting the key elements of the Secretary General's In Larger Freedom report and conveying to the Secretary General, in confidence, the views and concerns expressed by UN members. This is being done to prepare for the...

Written Answers — Military Neutrality: Military Neutrality (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: At last November's European Union military capabilities commitment conference, Ireland indicated that it was prepared to enter into consultations with partners with a view to potential participation in the battlegroups initiative. As reported previously to the House, I have subsequently undertaken consultations with my counterparts from Sweden, Finland and Austria on the role that...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The Polisario are still holding 408 Moroccan prisoners, 14 years after the ceasefire between the two sides in 1991. A number of the prisoners are believed to have been held already for some years prior to 1991. They are visited in detention by the International Red Cross. Over 800 prisoners held by Polisario have been released in the last two years. The Government firmly believes that there...

Written Answers — Residency Applications: Residency Applications (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I am aware of the case to which the Deputy refers and I share the widely held concerns about it. The person concerned was placed under a number of restrictions as a condition of his release from prison in 2004 at the end of the prison sentence which he had served. These restrictions include a prohibition on him leaving Israel, and on contacting the media and foreign governments. I understand...

Written Answers — Middle East Peace Process: Middle East Peace Process (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I welcome the fact that the withdrawal announced by the Israeli Government includes withdrawal from a number of settlements in the West Bank and I hope that this will mark the beginning of a comprehensive retreat from the occupied territories. The Government, together with Ireland's partners in the EU, has repeatedly reaffirmed its position that the proposed Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Recent reports and incidents indicate that the security situation in Afghanistan remains volatile. On 1 June 2005, at least 20 people, including the Kabul police chief, Mohammed Akram, are believed to have been killed in a suspected suicide bomb attack on a mosque in Kandahar. On 7 May, a suicide bombing attack on an Internet café in Kabul resulted in the deaths of two Afghan nationals and...

Written Answers — Humanitarian Relief: Humanitarian Relief (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the House to the replies I made on 8 March 2005 and 28 April 2005, respectively. I understand that the current position is that efforts to secure a deferral in any enforced departures among the Montserrat group continue to be made in the US Congress. Any decision on this is a matter for the US authorities but, as I have previously said, we very much appreciate the humanitarian impulse...

Written Answers — EU Budget: EU Budget (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: Negotiations on the future financial perspectives for the enlarged Union 2007 to 2013 have now entered an intensive phase. Negotiations, with a view to preparing discussions by Heads of State or Government, are being conducted by the General Affairs and External Relations Council, supported by COREPER, with Finance Ministers contributing also through ECOFIN. The Presidency is conducting the...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 58 and 170 together. The political and humanitarian situation in the Darfur region of Sudan remains a matter of the deepest concern for Ireland. The Government continues to use all avenues open to it to urge action in addressing the urgent humanitarian, security and political challenges which exist there. While the overall level of violence in Darfur has...

Written Answers — EU Council Meetings: EU Council Meetings (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: The General Affairs and External Relations Council met in Brussels on 23-24 May. The May meeting is traditionally attended also by Ministers for Defence for an exchange of views on developments in European Security and Defence Policy. Moreover, the second day of the Council was devoted to development issues as is the practice once during each Presidency. I attended the Council, accompanied by...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: As the Deputy will be aware, Mr. Peter Hain, MP, was appointed Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, following the Westminster election in May. I spoke by telephone to Mr. Hain shortly after his appointment to offer my congratulations and to arrange for an early meeting. I subsequently met Mr. Hain on 18 May in Dublin. This meeting was a valuable opportunity to consider the post-election...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: I addressed the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference at the United Nations on 2 May and will address the United Nations General Assembly during the general debate in September.

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (2 Jun 2005)

Dermot Ahern: It is not our practice to provide details on contacts between Government officials, Irish or British, and political parties in Northern Ireland. Nevertheless, I am not aware of recent contacts of the nature referred to in the Deputy's question. My contacts with Sinn Féin since the beginning of the year included the meeting on 25 January when the Taoiseach, the Minister for Justice, Equality...