Results 41-60 of 6,685 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Expenditure (9 Jul 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 39 to 42, inclusive, together. With regard to savings that would arise from reductions if applied to my Department's budgetary allocation for travel and subsistence this year (Question 39), the Revised Estimates Volume makes provision for this expenditure as follows in 2014: Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs) - €6.630 m; and Vote 27 (International Cooperation) -...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (9 Jul 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 43 and 44 together. Human rights have been a priority of successive Irish governments, and are a key dimension of our foreign policy. Ireland works bilaterally and through the EU and UN to ensure that human rights are respected in Myanmar/Burma. At the EU Foreign Affairs Council in May 2014, EU Foreign Ministers approved the establishment of a formal...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Relations (9 Jul 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: Ireland's positive links with Cuba have grown steadily, in particular since the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries in 1999. In 2013, bilateral trade in goods with Cuba reached €1.35 million, an increase from the figure of €1.2 million in 2012. In keeping with our interest in relations with Cuba developing across various areas, the Ambassador of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Advisers Remuneration (9 Jul 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: The Guidelines on Ministerial Appointments issued in March 2011 do not apply to Special Advisors to the Taoiseach and Tánaiste. There are five Special Advisers in my Department. Salary details for each of them are set out in the following table. Name Position held Annual Salary Mark Garrett Chief Adviser – Office of the Tánaiste €156,380 Colm O'Reardon Economic...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (8 Jul 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: I share the widespread international concern over the severe sentences imposed by a court in Cairo on 23 June on a number of Al Jazeera journalists for essentially doing no more than their job. In my address to the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade on 25 June I condemned this verdict, which amounts to the criminalisation of the legitimate activities of a free press, and represents...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Peace Process (8 Jul 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: The direct Israeli-Palestinian peace talks were suspended at the beginning of May, as the parties were unable to agree a basis for their continuation beyond the agreed term. In effect, and despite some nine months of negotiations, there remained a complete absence of trust between them as to the purpose of the talks. There are at this point no direct moves being made to revive the stalled...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid (8 Jul 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: The international community is facing an unprecedented number of simultaneous humanitarian crises, in particular in South Sudan, Iraq and Syria. Ireland is playing a significant role in providing assistance through the UN and other agencies delivering vital services to the affected populations. The situation in Ukraine, while deeply worrying, does not so far involve a humanitarian crisis of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ukrainian Conflict (8 Jul 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: I assume the Deputy refers to President Poroshenko's 15-point peace plan, which was announced on 20 June 2014, together with a seven-day unilateral ceasefire by the Ukrainian Government. The plan offers an amnesty to separatists who disarm voluntarily as well as corridors to allow Russian and Ukrainian militants to return to Russia. It also envisages changes to the Ukrainian constitution to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: North South Ministerial Council (8 Jul 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: A meeting of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in plenary format scheduled to take place in Dublin Castle on Friday, 4 July 2014 was postponed on account of developments in Northern Ireland. While a date and an agenda for the rescheduled meeting are not yet agreed, it is anticipated that the issue of the Narrow Water Bridge will be discussed at the next plenary session. At the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Freedom of Information Data (8 Jul 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: Details requested by the Deputy are provided in tabular format. My Department returns annual figures on FOI requests to the Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC). However, as the OIC does not request details of decisions at internal review stage, these statistics are not available for all years. Number of FOI requests received by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Year Total...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff Career Breaks (8 Jul 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: A total of 24 officers are currently availing of the Career break scheme in my Department. Details of these officers are set out in the following table. Number of staff Grade Duration of career break 0 - 0 - 6 months 0 - 6 – 12 months 5 1 Clerical Officer Executive Officer Up to 2 years 2 1 Clerical Officer Staff Officer From 2 years up to 3 years 11 2 1 Clerical...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: My Department only avails of the services of external photographic agencies where it is warranted, in particular, for major events and State occasions. This is a service which my Department provides so that the media can easily and freely avail of photography where their own staff photographers cannot be fully accommodated. There was a significant number of such events in the period in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Public Relations Contracts Data (8 Jul 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: For the period referred to by the Deputy my Department has not incurred expenditure on external public relations and communications services. From time to time, consultants or companies with a public relations and communications background are commissioned to provide other professional services such as project management, logistics and event management. DHR Communications has been contracted...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (8 Jul 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 142 and 143 together. While my Department makes use of external IT service providers for various support and maintenance requirements for its data and communications networks, it has not engaged, nor re-negotiated contracts with, any IT consultants since March 2011. In 2010 and 2011 the Department engaged consultants for the purpose of providing...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Appointments to State Boards (8 Jul 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: There are no State Boards under the aegis of my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Legislative Process (8 Jul 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: I have sponsored two items of legislation - the European Communities (Amendment) Bill 2012 and the Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union) Bill 2012. Regulatory Impact Assessments are carried out on all legislation as necessary. However, most of the legislation brought forward by my Department does not...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Debt Collection (8 Jul 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: My Department has not engaged the services of a debit collection agency in pursuing monies owed to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and therefore we have no guidelines in place in relation to such agencies.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (8 Jul 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: I remain seriously concerned about the worsening security situation in Nigeria. I have strongly condemned the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls from the northern Nigerian town of Chibok by the terrorist organisation, Boko Haram, on 14 April. I am also appalled by continuing reports of violent attacks, including further abductions, throughout Nigeria. I have given my full support to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: UN Reform (8 Jul 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: Ireland has actively championed the reform agenda at the United Nations in recent years and will continue to do so, not only with regards to Security Council Reform, but also in relation to peacekeeping, peace building and other UN structures to increase the effectiveness and accountability of the UN. The nature of conflict is very different from when the UN was founded, and it is important...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Advisers Remuneration (8 Jul 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: The Guidelines on Ministerial Appointments issued in March 2011 state that Special Advisers are to be placed on the Principal Officer (standard) scale: €75,674 - €92,550. Appointments will be on the first point of the scale, except where the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform sanctions a higher salary rate. I have four Special Advisers in my Department. Salary details...