Gilmore, EamonTuesday, 4 October 2011 |
Dáil Éireann Debate
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Priority Questions - Middle East Peace Process
Was asked: his views on whether there will be discussions between Israel and Palestine; when these will take place; and if there will be a time frame put on the outcome. 
Direct negotiations between the two sides are the only way to achieve a comprehensive peace settlement in the Middle East. The issues are complex and difficult, but they are not insoluble and an agre...
I thank the Deputy for his support of the statement which I made on behalf of the country at the United Nations last week. I also thank Deputy Mac Lochlainn, among other Deputies, for expressing supp...
I agree with that. There is ongoing bilateral contact between European Union states and our own. I have spoken directly with the Israeli Foreign Minister, Mr. Lieberman, about the issue and I intend...
Priority Questions - Overseas Development Aid
Was asked: his views that the relatively limited damage done by the drought in Kenya and Ethiopia can be attributed to his overall development strategy and that of the international community in those countrie...
Priority Questions - Overseas Missions
Was asked: noting the UN Resolution 2009 of 16 September, that the UN proposes to establish a three month support mission to Libya, if Irish participation is being proposed and the form of same.
I welcome the adoption by the UN Security Council on 16 September of Resolution 2009. This resolution reaffirmed that the United Nations should lead the efforts of the international community in supp...
First, I disagree with Deputy Daly in respect of the role of the United Nations in regard to Libya. This country has always argued that the United Nations should be at the centre, at the heart, of th...
During the course of the week I was at the United Nations in New York, I attended a high-level meeting on Libya on 20 September. I have heard what the National Transitional Council and its representa...
Priority Questions - Official Engagements
Was asked: the number of bilateral meetings he has held at EU level; the issues that were discussed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The Government came into office with an explicit commitment to restore Ireland’s standing as a respected and influential member of the European Union. Members of the Government are availing of opport...
As I stated, I have met all my EU colleagues. Some of these meetings have been formal, bells and whistles, bilateral meetings, while some have been discussions on the margins of EU Foreign Affairs an...
Priority Questions - Overseas Development Aid
Was asked: his views that while the principles contained in the White Paper on Irish Aid remain valid, greater transparency and public discussion could lead to stronger adherence to these principles, and hence...
Other Questions - Africa Strategy
Was asked: if the recently published Africa strategy, initiated by the former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Micheál Martin, will be debated in Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter...
Was asked: if the recently published Africa strategy, initiated by the former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Micheál Martin will be debated in Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
Other Questions - Trade Relations
Was asked: the extent to which he and or his Department directly or through the Irish embassy abroad and in conjunction with the Industrial Development Agency or others have been in a position to influence the...
The promotion of Irish trade and exports is a key priority for my Department. At headquarters level and through our embassy network we work closely with the IDA, which is tasked with the attraction a...
Yes. The new Export Trade Council brings together all Departments and State agencies involved in trade and export activity and representatives of the private sector. Last week at a meeting of the co...
The first way of doing so is to adopt a position of respect in working with the governments of developing countries, respecting their sovereignty and wishes. We must take our lead from the government...
The cost base and the issue of competitiveness are very much at the heart of Government policy. As a country we must be competitive. The Deputy will acknowledge that there have been significant impr...
Other Questions - International Agreements
Was asked: if he will define the state of his preparation in advance of the Rio summit in 2012 and the millennium development goals review conference in 2013; and if he will clarify his goals for these two key...
Other Questions - Diplomatic Representation
Was asked: if embassies are going to be strategically located to emerging markets in 2012 in order that Irish products and exports can benefit from their presence; and if he will make a statement on the matter...
Irish embassies worldwide perform a wide range of functions in support of Ireland’s national interests. Since taking office, I have directed that all embassies and consulates should redouble their ef...
It is important to state the total number of embassies is 76, with most of our missions having three diplomatic staff or fewer. Seven missions have one diplomat. In talking about a strategic plan, i...
It will be filled very soon. I do not want to be evasive on the matter. The post has been vacant since August. Normally the filling of an ambassadorial post takes time for a variety of reasons, inc...
Other Questions - Undocumented Irish in the United States
Was asked: the progress made to date on addressing the issue of undocumented Irish in the US; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Was asked: the level of dialogue taking place with all levels of the US political system and Government in support of the 50,000 undocumented Irish in America; if he will confirm that this is high on the polit...
Was asked: the initiatives he proposes regarding the problem of undocumented Irish citizens in the United States; the estimated numbers involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 50, 96 and 108 together. Addressing the position of the undocumented Irish and reforming our migration arrangements with the United States remain important priorities ...
I thank the Deputy for his kind remarks. I understand and sympathise with the plight of people who find themselves undocumented in the United States and are unable to return home for funerals and for ...
There is no embassy in Washington more effective at lobbying Capitol Hill and the American political system than the Irish Embassy. We have had outstanding service there over the years from our ambas...
Other Questions - Trade Relations
Was asked: the extent of trade relations with Turkey; the way trade relations are progressing; his views that the potential membership of Turkey in the EU would be beneficial to Ireland in terms of trade; if h...
Other Questions - Middle East Peace Process
Was asked: if, following his declaration of support for the Palestinian application for membership of the United Nations, he will now consider appealing to the Israeli ambassador for an end to the construction...
I have consistently made clear, including in my address to the UN General Assembly last week, that the Government opposes Israel’s illegal settlement of occupied Palestinian territory and that we want...
President Obama is a very good friend of Ireland. This country has very warm and close relations with the United States which we will continue. President Obama will state his country’s position on i...
On several occasions since I came into office, I have spoken to the Israeli ambassador and representatives of the Israeli Government. I have also spoken to its Foreign Minister Mr. Lieberman. He and...
I refer to my approach to this issue in the European Union context. There are domestic and political considerations which influence the way the United State responds to this issue and the way it enga...
Written Answers - Human Rights Issues
Was asked: if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Colombia is the world’s most dangerous country for trade unionists in which according to the International Trade Union Conference annual survey of tra...
I am very well aware of the situation in Colombia regarding the dangers for trade unionists, even if the precise level of such murders is difficult to establish exactly, and I share the deep concern e...
Written Answers - Overseas Development Aid
Was asked: his views that the publication of the Irish Aid annual report confirms that Ireland’s overseas aid programme is of world class quality; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers - Northern Ireland Issues
Was asked: his plans to meet the new Libyan authorities in relation to the relationship between the previous Libyan regime and the IRA in order to ascertain the full details of arms shipments and all other supp...
The Government is actively building bilateral relations with the new Libyan authorities. I attended a high-level meeting on Libya in New York on 20 September, on the margins of the sixty-sixth sessio...
Written Answers - Democratisation Process
Was asked: his views on the recent warnings from Lord Ashdown, the former international high representative for Bosnia, that mounting Bosnian Serb pressure to break up the multiethnic state could see conflict r...
Bosnia and Herzegovina is experiencing a prolonged period of political and economic stalemate. Elections took place almost exactly a year ago, on 3 October 2010. The process of government formation ...
Written Answers - Departmental Reports
Was asked: the name and number of external reports that were commissioned by his Department from 2008 to 2011 in tabular form; the cost of each one of these external reports; if these external reports were give...
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is responsible for two Votes — Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs) and Vote 29 (International Cooperation). The following tables set out, for both Votes, the detail...
Written Answers - Official Engagements
Was asked: the bilateral meetings that he attended at the recent UN Assembly; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
As part of the broader programme for UNGA Ministerial Week, I had bilateral meetings with the Foreign Ministers of Andorra, Egypt, Ethiopia, Georgia, Laos, the Palestinian Authority, Russia, and Serbi...
Written Answers - Global Economic Forum
Was asked: if he will have any role to play in the upcoming second Global Economic Irish Forum at Farmleigh.
The second Global Irish Economic Forum will be held in Dublin Castle on the 7th and 8th of October. The primary purposes of the Forum will be to engage fully with the Irish Diaspora in developing Ire...
Written Answers - International Agreements
Was asked: his views on whether the EU-Colombia Peru Free Trade Agreement will undermine indigenous rights in Colombia and Peru, in particular those under ILO Convention 169 that require prior free and informed...
Was asked: if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the EU-Colombia Peru Free Trade Agreement will destroy the dairy industries in Peru and Colombia and threaten the livelihood of persons connected with...
I propose to take Questions Nos. 60 and 69 together. EU relations with Colombia and Peru are conducted in the framework of regional relations between the EU and the Andean Community, comprising Boliv...
Written Answers - Departmental Expenditure
Was asked: his policy on the use of taxis by staff; if this policy is adhered to; if such a policy exists, if breaches are made; and if so, the actions that he has taken.
My Department’s current taxi policy provides that taxis may be used for official business only in cases when public transport is not available or feasible or when officers are required, because of wor...
Written Answers - Human Rights Issues
Was asked: if his attention has been drawn to the case of a person (details supplied) currently being held by Syrian authorities in solitary confinement without any charges being put to them; and if he will mak...
Was asked: his position on the current situation in Syria; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 62 and 67 together. I remain gravely concerned about the situation in Syria. President Assad and his Government seem oblivious to the demands of the Syrian people fo...
Written Answers - Gender Discrimination
Was asked: if he will support the Plan International proposal to institute 22 September as the International Day of the Girl by voting in favour of the upcoming Canadian Resolution to the General Assembly of th...
The 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly opened on 13 September 2011. Plan International, a children’s development organisation, is campaigning to have 22 September instituted as the ...
Written Answers - Middle East Peace Process
Was asked: his views on Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman’s proposals to punish Turkey, which include possible support for Kurdish rebels and co-operation with the Armenian lobby in the US, both made i...
Turkey and Israel have clear, strongly held and conflicting views on the circumstances surrounding the tragic deaths of nine Turkish citizens on the May 2010 Gaza flotilla, and attempts to resolve thi...
Written Answers - Overseas Development Aid
Was asked: if overseas development aid will be protected in budget 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Was asked: if he will support a matter (details supplied) regarding foreign aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Was asked: his views regarding a submission on overseas aid (details supplied); the actions taken or to be taken to attain the level of investment indicated; the results of his representations and the areas tha...
Was asked: if Ireland is still in line to achieve the aim of spending 0.7% of national income on foreign aid by 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Was asked: the position regarding Ireland’s commitment to spend 0.7% of national income on overseas aid by 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Was asked: if he will outline his commitment to spending 0.7% of national income on overseas aid, if this is his intention until 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Was asked: the position regarding the 0.7% on foreign aid in the current economic climate and his proposals for same.
Written Answers - Global Economic Forum
Was asked: the outcome of the initiatives and recommendations following the global economic forum in 2009; the number of networks that have been successfully implemented; and if he will make a statement on the ...
The inaugural Global Irish Economic Forum, held at Farmleigh in 2009, was an important milestone in Ireland’s relationship with its Diaspora. A detailed update in respect of each of the 59 specif...
Written Answers - Overseas Development Aid
Was asked: his plans to visit the Horn of Africa to assess the way in which Irish Aid funds are being put to use; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Was asked: the preparations that he is making to ensure that Ireland makes a meaningful contribution to the upcoming high level summit meeting on aid effectiveness in Busan.
Written Answers - Diplomatic Representation
Was asked: his plans to reduce the number of Irish embassies in 2012.
The scale and presence of the Irish diplomatic network is currently being reviewed, along with all aspects of my Department’s operations, as part of the Government’s Comprehensive Review of Expenditur...
Written Answers - Middle East Peace Process
Was asked: the strong bonds between our two countries and given their role in assisting our peace process, the positive role we can play in seeking support from the United States towards a resolution of the Pal...
Was asked: the current status of the Middle East peace process with particular reference to emphasis on a permanent structure to which all parties can submit their grievances; the degree, if any, to which discu...
Was asked: the extent to which he has been in a position to influence his EU colleagues, the UN or the wider community towards bringing about a resolution to the Arab-Israeli conflict; and if he will make a sta...
I propose to take Questions Nos. 72, 77 and 114 together. The United States has a critical role to play in the search for peace in the Middle East. Notwithstanding its long political and practical ...
Written Answers - Overseas Development Aid
Was asked: his views on the international aid response to the famine in the Horn of Africa-East Africa; and if the emergency aid financial targets have been met with an equal per capita response from donor coun...
Written Answers - Human Rights Issues
Was asked: the steps he has taken in pursuit of justice for a person (details supplied) who is currently imprisoned in Mexico, sentenced initially to 92 years and later reduced to 61 years, and who has been ref...
I am aware of the case of the French citizen in question and of the controversy surrounding it. This case is being dealt with as a bilateral matter between France and Mexico. It is, however, being m...
Written Answers - International Agreements
Was asked: his position on EU trade agreements with developing nations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers - Foreign Conflicts
Was asked: the steps he is taking to break the deadlock in Western Sahara, in which Prime Minister, Abdelkader Taleb Oumar, appealed to the international community to put pressure on Morocco to comply with inte...
Ireland continues to support the right to self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, and the continuing engagement of the United Nations in the search for a political solution in the territor...
Written Answers - Emigrant Support Services
Was asked: the measures he will take to ensure that young persons who have to emigrate due to unemployment are assisted as far as possible to prevent them from falling into poverty and homelessness abroad and t...
The Emigrant Support Programme, administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, provides funding to non-profit organisations and projects to support Irish emigrant communities overseas an...
Written Answers - Pension Provisions
Was asked: the amount of revenue that could be raised in a 12 month period by applying a 0% rate of tax on the first €75,000 lump sum pension payment paid out to public and civil servants in his Department on r...
Was asked: the number of retired public and civil servants from his Department that are currently in receipt of an annual pension of up to and including €30,000 per year; up to and including €50,000 per year; u...
Was asked: the amount of revenue that could have been raised between June 2010 and June 2011 if a 0% rate of tax on the first €75,000 lump sum pension payment on retirement of all public and civil servants in h...
I propose to take Questions Nos. 91 to 93, inclusive, together. The calculation, payment and tax-treatment of superannuation benefits payable to retiring and retired staff of the Department of Foreig...
Written Answers - Departmental Expenditure
Was asked: if he will provide a list of all companies providing an external professional service to his Department such as ICT, legal advice, advertising, project management and including any other external pro...
My Department engages the services of a range of professionals in the course of its work. They are used to provide specialist skills where they do not exist in my Department, to provide extra resourc...
Written Answers - Ministerial Staff
Was asked: the total cost of all staff, permanent and non-established, allocated to assist him with constituency work in the 100 days following his appointment.
My Constituency Office is staffed by one Personal Assistant, one Personal Secretary and one Clerical Officer receiving combined annual salaries amounting to €132,963. While staff are not paid on a da...
Written Answers - EU Presidency
Was asked: the role he will play in preparing for Ireland’s Presidency of the EU in 2013; and if this role will increase following the transfer of responsibility for EU co-ordination from his Department.
Was asked: his role in co-ordinating Ireland’s next Presidency of the EU Council.
Was asked: the involvement he has in respect of the preparations for the 2013 Presidency of the European Council.
Was asked: if he will detail the role to be played by his Department in Ireland’s Presidency of the European Council.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 100, 102, 104 and 105 together. I retain overall Ministerial responsibility for the co-ordination of EU affairs, including preparations for Ireland’s Presidency of the...
Written Answers - Northern Ireland Issues
Was asked: if he will detail preparations made by him regarding the review of cross-Border institutions.
The St Andrews Agreement provided that, under the auspices of the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC), a review group would be appointed objectively to examine (1) the efficiency and value for mone...
Written Answers - Departmental Reports
Was asked: if he will detail any Europe related publication which he intends issuing in the next 12 months.
I propose to issue the regular 6 Monthly and Annual reports on Developments in the EU over the coming year.
Written Answers - North-South Ministerial Council
Was asked: if a full range of sectoral meetings will be held between Ministers North and South in advance of the North-South Ministerial Council plenary meeting in November 2011.
Since the previous meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in plenary format on 10 June 2011, meetings in sectoral format covering all areas of co-operation have been taking place and it...
Written Answers - Passport Applications
Was asked: the number of emergency passports issued by Irish embassies for the years 2008, 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011; the criteria required in order to obtain an emergency passport; and if he will make a s...
The Passports Act 2008, details the circumstances in which the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade may offer emergency travel facilities to Irish citizens. Section 15 of the Act provides that the ...
Written Answers - Overseas Development Aid
Was asked: the extent to which efforts are made to ensure that overseas development aid goes directly to those for whom it was intended; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Was asked: the extent to which the bilateral aid programme is monitored to ensure that the aid goes directly to those for whom it was intended; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Was asked: the extent to which comparisons have been made between the bilateral and multilateral aid programme with a view to achieving the best value for money and assurances that such aid goes to the use for ...
Written Answers - Humanitarian Aid
Was asked: the extent to which he or his Department directly, or through the aegis of the EU or UN, have managed to monitor or influence the situation in the Horn of Africa with particular reference to addressi...
Was asked: the extent to which overseas development workers can expect protection while working in the Horn of Africa; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers - Trade Relations
Was asked: the extent to which new trading opportunities have been established over the past 12 months at various locations; the extent to which such locations are in proximity to Irish embassies; the extent to...
Was asked: the extent to which new markets have been established for Irish products throughout Europe, Asia, the Americas and Australia; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 117 and 122 together. The Government’s decision to assign additional responsibilities in the trade promotion area to my Department has enhanced further the already cl...
Written Answers - EU Treaties
Was asked: the degree to which he expects to review the operation to date of the various EU treaties with particular reference to ensuring that any new treaty incorporates measures to address the difficulties t...
Was asked: the degree to which he has engaged with his EU colleagues with a view to achieving consensus in the matter of any future EU treaties which might address issues that have arisen over the past ten year...
I propose to take Questions Nos. 118 and 119 together. I have not discussed any substantive Treaty change with my colleagues. As the Taoiseach has recently said, the Government does not believe furth...
Written Answers - Human Rights Issues
Was asked: the extent to which the issue of human rights abuses in Iran has been addressed by the international community with particular reference to academics imprisoned following lawful protests; and if he w...
The human rights situation in Iran is profoundly disturbing, and the period since the presidential election of 2009 has been characterised by an intensification of human rights abuses on many fronts. ...
Was asked: the extent to which the EU and or UN or other global organisations have examined the issues of human rights abuses including the abuse of prisoners throughout the Middle East; and if he will make a s...
Human rights concerns remain central to our foreign policy. Together with our EU partners, Ireland closely monitors the human rights situations in many countries throughout the world, on the basis of ...
Written Answers - Trade Missions
Was asked: the responsibility his Department has for organising Taoiseach led trade visits.
Trade missions, including those organised by the relevant State Agencies, are a valuable support to Irish business in developing the exports which are crucial to our economic recovery. This is partic...
| Last Updated: 08/03/2013 18:37:09 |
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