Ireland claims historic seat on UN Human Rights Council

Posted on November 13, 2012

With Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Eamon Gilmore at the helm, Ireland has secured its first ever seat on the UN Human Rights Council.

Securing one of three of seats on the council reserved for western countries, Ireland faced competition from Sweden and Greece, yet won the seat receiving 124 votes, only seven fewer than the US and three fewer than Germany.

Welcoming the result, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said, "I am delighted and proud that Ireland has been elected to the UN Human Rights Council for the period 2013-15. This comes at the end of a hard-fought campaign which saw us pitted against four formidable competitors in our group, and I also want to congratulate the United States and Germany for also securing election.

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Solidarity and Democracy take precedence over the rights of the more powerful - Gilmore

Posted on October 04, 2012

Today the Dáil welcomed the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schultz, and in his speech the Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said President Schultz's visit demonstrates 'the vital and complementary role national parliaments and the European Parliament play in providing democratic oversight and accountability within the European Union'.

"It is a particular honour for me too to welcome a President of the European Parliament from the same broad political family and tradition, a tradition that has made an immense contribution to the development of the Union over decades.

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Labour EU Group plan for common candidate

Posted on October 01, 2012

Turning his attention to Europe, Minister for Education, Ruairi Quinn, in his capacity as Congress Chair of the Labour Party's EU group, Party of European Socialists (PES), last week announced plans for the EU group's Congress.

Minister Quinn said that reconnecting Europe with its citizens was a key priority for PES. To fulfil this, plans are now underway to create a 'common' candidate in the PES constitution, this will allow for the choosing of a PES candidate for the European Commission Presidency.

Setting out concrete and clear procedures, Minister Quinn noted that, "PES is the only European Party that can deliver a system to genuinely include citizens in the selection of European leaders".

Ruairi Quinn also announced that the Congress will elect Sergei Stanishev as PES President.

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Tánaiste announces €50,000 for Irish Aid programme in Nairobi

Posted on August 01, 2012

As part of the Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore's visit to Nairobi in Kenya he has visited the Fuato Nyayo slum where he saw Irish Aid at work at the Mater Comprehensive Care Clinic.

The Tánaiste said: "The Mater Hospital, which was opened by the Sisters of Mercy of Ireland 50 years ago, provides free quality healthcare to the poorest people in Kenya. This includes, heart surgery for children who otherwise would have little hope of living a full life and HIV services to people living in nearby slums.

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Tánaiste discusses trade and investment opportunities in Kenya

Posted on July 31, 2012

Trade and investment opportunities were on the agenda as part of the Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore's visit to Nairobi in Kenya today. Earlier in the visit the Tánaiste visited Uganda and Somalia where he announced €3 million in life-saving assistance for Somalia providing food, shelter and other vital assistance to the thousands affected by conflict and hunger.

While in Kenya the Tánaiste will be look at ways to increase trade between Ireland and East Africa in line with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Africa Strategy which was launched in August 2011 (you can find out more about the strategy at this link).

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Tánaiste announces €3 million in vital aid for Somalia

Posted on July 30, 2012

The Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore TD has announced €3 million in life-saving assistance to Somalia during his visit to Mogadishu. The funding will provide food, shelter, and other vital assistance to thousands of Somalis affected by conflict and hunger.

"Somalia is one of the poorest and most insecure environments in the world. Our ongoing assistance is saving lives every day. The funding I announced will help our United Nations and NGO partners to scale up their vital assistance to the millions of vulnerable Somalis whose lives are in jeopardy as a result of war and starvation. We are committed to supporting them as they strive to build a better future for their families and their country."

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The Tánaiste welcomes Aung San Suu Kyi to Ireland

Posted on June 18, 2012

The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore TD, today formally offered Aung San Suu Kyi a céad míle fáilte on her historic visit to Ireland.

Greeting her at Dublin Airport the Tánaiste said: "Ms. Suu Kyi is enormously admired in this country and her visit here is something which we have long hoped to see. I want to again pay tribute to those Irish human rights organisations and individuals who campaigned on her behalf and who helped highlight her struggle over so many years."

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Stability Treaty carried

Posted on June 01, 2012

We're at Dublin Castle where the official result of the Stability Treaty referendum has just been announced. There was a majority of 326,003 votes in favour of the 30th Amendment of the constitution. The total poll was 1,591,385 the total votes in favour were 955,091 and those against were 629,088.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your work over the campaign and for the debate over the last number of weeks. You can listen to an audioboo of the official result below.

listen to ‘The result of the Stability Treaty referendum being announced at Dublin Castle’ on Audioboo

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Three days to go

Posted on May 28, 2012

There are three days to go until voting for the Stability Treaty begins and there is no let-up in the canvassing going on around the country by Labour members seeking a YES vote. This weekend saw the door-to-door canvassing continuing as well as a canvas on Dublin's Grafton Street attended by the Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore, the Labour Deputy Leader Joan Burton, Deputy Dominic Hannigan, Emer Costello MEP, Cllr Oisin Quinn and Senator Ivana Bacik (you can see more images from the canvas on Flickr).

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Sinn Fein - wrong then wrong now

Posted on May 25, 2012

When it comes to making decisions on matters of major national and economic importance Sinn Féin's track record is very poor," Deputy Dominic Hannigan, Labour's Deputy Director of Elections for the Stability Treaty, has said. "Sinn Féin's referendum campaign has been based on information that is misleading, irrelevant and in many cases, just plain wrong and it is hard to take them seriously."

[Sinn Féin and the bailout - the truth.]

Deputy Hannigan made his comments as Labour launched its latest referendum poster campaign to highlight Sinn Féin's track record of getting it wrong when it comes to major decisions.

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