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

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (8 Apr 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: Officials in my Department report to me on a constant basis in respect of the situation in the Ukraine.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Arms Trade (8 Apr 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: Ireland formally ratified the Arms Trade Treaty on Wednesday, 2 April, in the company of Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The Treaty covers matters which fall within the respective areas of competence of the Member States and the European Union. Accordingly,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Irish Communities Abroad (8 Apr 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: At the Third Global Irish Economic Forum, which took place in October 2013, I announced that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade would undertake a comprehensive review of our Diaspora policy to examine all elements of our engagement with the Irish abroad. That review is now underway. As part of the review, on 18thMarch, I launched a public consultation. The consultation paper is...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Parliamentary Questions Costs (8 Apr 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: Parliamentary Questions, priority, oral and written, are dealt with by the staff of the Divisions within my Department with responsibility for the issues raised in individual Questions. The number and level of staff, and the time spent on individual replies, depends on the complexity and urgency of the issues raised, the ease of access to the required information, and the degree of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Missing Persons (8 Apr 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: The person referred to by the Deputy first came to the attention of my Department on 08 May 2009 when his mother contacted our Embassy in Madrid seeking assistance in locating him. Officials from my Department have remained in contact with his family since then and provided all possible consular assistance through our Embassies in Madrid and Paris and through the Consular Assistance Section...

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

Eamon Gilmore: From 30 June-6 July 2013 officials from my Department undertook a scoping visit to Myanmar/Burma. The purpose of the mission was to assess developments in the country, and examine how Irish Aid could develop an assistance programme for Myanmar/Burma. The visit encompassed a wide range of meetings with political, business, diplomatic and civil society contacts. The range of meetings allowed...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Correspondence (8 Apr 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: I am satisfied that my Department has appropriate procedures in place to ensure that communications of the nature referred to by the Deputy are acknowledged and acted upon in an appropriate manner having regard to the Department’s role and responsibilities.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Services (3 Apr 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: The Department of Foreign Affairs accepts debit and credit cards for receipt of passport application fees and consular fees. Whole of government contracts for merchant services have been procured by the Local Government Management Agency (formerly the Local Government Computer Services Board) and the Department is moving to the card processing services available under this contract...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications (3 Apr 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: I can confirm that An Garda Síochána has identified serious anomalies in relation to a supporting document submitted with the passport application. The matter has been referred to the Department of Justice and Equality.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Peace Process (3 Apr 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: The current negotiations in the Middle East have reached a critical juncture. At the present moment, both sides are awaiting US proposals to move the process forward, but the exact form this might take remains to be seen. The EU, and indeed the UN, are therefore making every effort to support and encourage the process and the parties at this crucial moment. The Deputy will be aware of EU...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Issues (3 Apr 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: In the wide region of the Middle East, prisoners are held under a great variety of circumstances, by states, by de facto authorities such as Hamas in Gaza, or by armed groups such as those in Syria or parts of Iraq. The degree to which these prisoners are afforded or denied internationally recognised standards of human rights differs greatly in accordance with these circumstances, but, in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Enlargement (3 Apr 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: The EU remains fully focused on the issues affecting the Western Balkans, in particular the need to strengthen democracy throughout the region. The Copenhagen political criteria require countries wishing to join the EU to achieve stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy. Strengthening democratic institutions in the Western Balkans, such as national parliaments, Governments and public...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (3 Apr 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: The most serious locations of war, famine, genocide and abuse of human rights remain of constant concern to the EU, UN and wider global communities. The specific issues mentioned by the Deputy are of particular concern. Limiting illicit flows of arms to regions of tension or conflict is an ongoing priority and in some instances restrictions have been markedly successful. The Arms Trade...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (2 Apr 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 60 and 61 together. I am aware of the situation of the Lunda-Tchokwe people in Angola and that Amnesty International have been following the cases of a number of political activists who have been detained by the Angolan authorities. While my Department has had no specific discussions on the issue raised by the Deputy with the relevant authorities in Angola,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Issues (2 Apr 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: I would like to welcome the re-launch of talks aimed at resolving the long-standing Cyprus question. I welcome in particular the Joint Declaration of 11 February 2014 by the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders which lays a solid foundation for the negotiations. I would urge those involved in the talks to engage fully in the process and to work in a spirit of good faith, under the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Emigrant Support Services (2 Apr 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is committed to providing support for Irish emigrants around the world. The emphasis of the Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) is on supporting culturally sensitive, frontline welfare services, targeted at the most vulnerable members of our overseas communities, with Britain being the focus of the greatest part of this support. These services have...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Relations (1 Apr 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: A session of the Russia-Ireland Joint Economic Commission (JEC) has been scheduled in Ireland on 8 April. The JEC, which gives impetus to important areas of bilateral cooperation with the Russian Federation in the fields of agriculture, transport, science and technology and others, will be co-chaired by Minister of State Joe Costello for Ireland and Deputy Minister Travnikov on the Russian...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (1 Apr 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: The following is a summary of the overtime hours worked in the Passport Offices in Molesworth Street, Balbriggan and Cork for the years 2011, 2012 and 2013 and the salary costs associated with those overtime hours. Year Hours Cost 2011 27600 €762,118.78 2012 8212 €228,723.88 2013 775 €86,871.33 In recent years the Department has made strenuous efforts to reduce...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Garda Investigations (1 Apr 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: A joint Passport Office and Garda Síochána investigation is currently taking place into the alleged fraudulent issuing of genuine Irish passports. As the Garda investigations are at an advanced stage, and with the Gardaí currently interviewing in relation to the matters of concern, I am unable to provide detailed comments at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Relations (1 Apr 2014)

Eamon Gilmore: I propose to take Questions Nos. 147 to 150, inclusive, together. At its meeting on 20-21 March, the European Council held a comprehensive discussion on the situation in Ukraine. The Taoiseach, who attended the European Council, has already reported to this House on those discussions and on the decisions of the Heads of State and Government. The European Council adopted a strong message...