Vol. 489 No. 3
84 Mr. Fleming asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will give details of all severance payments, statutory redundancy payments, payments for untaken leave and minimum notice payments made to all ministerial personal staff, programme managers, special advisers, personal assistants, personal secretaries and civilian drivers arising from the change of Government in 1997. [7925/98]
86 Mr. Fleming asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will give details of all severance payments, statutory redundancy payments, payments for untaken leave and minimum notice payments made to any ministerial programme managers, special advisers, personal assistants, personal secretaries and civilian drivers who resigned before the change of Government in 1997; if these payments were provided for in their contracts or were legally claimable; and, if not, the reasons the payments were made. [7953/98]
87 Mr. Fleming asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the ministerial programme managers, special advisers, personal assistants, personal secretaries and civilian drivers, if any, who received severance, statutory redundancy, untaken leave or minimum notice payments in 1994 arising from the change of Government; and if they also received similar payments in 1997 arising either from their resignation or from the change of Government. [7967/98]
I propose to answer Questions Nos. 84, 86 and 87 together.
|
Office |
Officer/Designation |
Severance Pay |
Statutory Redundancy |
Untaken Leave |
Minimum Notice |
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
||
|
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs |
Ms Maeve Sweeney, Personal Assistant |
– |
– |
2,781.12 |
211.35 |
|
Catherine Murphy, Personal Secretary |
3,465.99 |
395.34 |
377.73 |
||
|
Minister of State Burton |
Ita Mangan, Special Adviser |
13,545.21 |
1,500 |
3,546.77 |
|
|
Ciara O'Shea, Personal Assistant |
3,338.00 |
– |
438.63 |
383.83 |
|
|
Mr. Fran Fottrell, Civilian Driver |
4,566.45 |
512.96 |
– |
512.96 |
|
Office |
Officer/Designation |
Severance Pay |
Statutory Redundancy |
Untaken Leave |
Minimum Notice |
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
||
|
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs |
Mr. Fergus Finlay, Personal Adviser |
– |
– |
2,536.11 |
|
|
Minister of State Burton |
Ms Dorothy Hayden, Personal Assistant |
– |
– |
1,184.03 |
– |
85 Mr. Fleming asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of days of untaken leave for all ministerial personal staff, programme managers, special advisors, personal assistants, personal secretaries and civilian drivers arising from the change of Government in 1997; the contractual obligations on these staff for the keeping of leave sheets; if leave sheets were kept in accordance with their contracts; if the staff complied with the usual Civil Service conditions regarding the granting of annual leave and the making of returns of annual leave taken; and, if not, the way in which untaken leave was verified in each case. [7939/98]
Particulars of untaken leave by ministerial personal staff following the change of Government in 1997 are as follows:
|
Name |
Designation |
Untaken Leave entitlement |
|
Ms Maeve Sweeney |
Special Adviser |
43 |
|
Ms Catherine Murphy |
Personal Secretary |
9 |
|
Ms Ita Mangan |
Special Adviser |
36½ |
|
Ms Ciara O'Shea |
Personal Assistant |
8½ |
|
Mr. Fran Fottrell |
Civilian Driver |
– |
88 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the preparations, if any, he and his Department have undertaken for the forthcoming ASEM II Summit in London on 2 to 4 April 1998; and if he will provide a copy of the agenda for the meeting. [7990/98]
89 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the proposals, if any, there are for reporting the decisions arising from the forthcoming ASEM Summit to Da' il E' ireann, in view of the proposals formulated by the Irish Government in advance of the Summit, which will ensure that the ASEM process becomes more transparent and accountable; and the mechanisms, if any, that will be developed to promote people-to-people exchanges. [7991/98]
90 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the measures, if any, there are to ensure social and environmental indicators which will monitor the impact of the proposed investment and trade on peoples and communities in Asia in the context of the EU trade facilitation and investment promotion action programmes. [7992/98]
91 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will avail of the opportunity of ASEM to persuade his ASEAN colleagues to use their influence on the SPDC regime in Burma to initiate all inclusive talks with the democracy movement led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the ethnic movements; if he will give an assurance that there will be no question of Burma being allowed to join ASEM until substantial progress has been made in this regard. [7993/98]
92 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will seek to ensure that ASEM begins a process of agreeing transparent and binding mechanisms for controlling arms sales. [7994/98]
93 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will ensure that the protection of refugees and migrant workers will be discussed by ASEM governments in view of, and according to, international obligations. [7995/98]
94 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will avail of the opportunity of ASEM to persuade his ASEAN colleagues to use their influence on the Suharto regime in Indonesia to initiate all-inclusive talks with the East Timorese leadership led by Xanana Gusmao. [7996/98]
95 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will ensure that the EU investment promotion and trade facilitation action programmes agreed by ASEM will incorporate respect for internationally agreed standards on human rights, in particular the seven ILO conventions on core labour standards. [7997/98]
96 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the Irish membership of the governing body of Asia Europe Foundation; and the progress, if any, being made towards the involvement of NGOS in the working of ASEF. [7998/98]
97 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps, if any, he is taking to ensure a human rights focus will inform Ireland's contributions to ASEM, in this the year of the 50 anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights. [7999/98]
98 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will ensure a facility whereby the outcome of the content and implications of the Trade Facilitation Action Programme and the Investment Promotion Action Programme will be reported to Dáil Éireann. [8000/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97 and 98 together.
Preparations for the second Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) to be held in London from 2-4 April are being carried out at meetings of Foreign Ministers and senior officials. There have been a number of such meetings since the first Asia-Europe Meeting in Bangkok in March 1996; most recently, a meeting of senior officials took place in London in February 1998. A meeting of Foreign Ministers will take place in London on 2 April, following a meeting of senior officials on the same day. There have been a number of discussions within the EU to prepare a co-ordinated EU position, and the issue was discussed by the General Affairs Council on 30 March.
Ireland has been participating actively in this work because of the importance the Government attaches to the ASEM process and to developing our bilateral contacts with the Asian countries which the ASEM process affords. While there is no formal agenda for the summit, the chairman, the British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, has written to the Taoiseach a letter of invitation, which sets out the programme and the principal areas of discussion for the meeting.
I understand that the Taoiseach intends to make a statement to the Dáil following his attendance at the Summit.
The situation of Indonesia is a matter of serious concern and is likely to be discussed at the Summit. In the bilateral meeting with the Indonesian Foreign Minister which is being sought, the situation in East Timor will of course be raised. The Government fully supports the ongoing talks between Portugal and Indonesia under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General on East Timor, and supports also the intra Timorese dialogue meetings, which are also under the auspices of the Secretary-General.
