Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

Questions— 14 February 2012. Written Answers
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Deputy Eamon Gilmore): The European
Stability Mechanism Treaty was signed on behalf of each signatory state by its Permanent
Representative to the European Union on 2 February 2012. The Vienna Convention on the
Law of Treaties provides that international agreements between states must be signed on their
behalf by a Head of State, a Head of Government, a Foreign Minister or someone authorised
by any of the foregoing. International law makes no distinction as to whether any such person
is a politician or an official and it is normal diplomatic practice for Ambassadors to sign international
agreements on behalf of their governments. Ireland’s Permanent Representative to
the European Union has been authorised by me to sign on behalf of Ireland any international
agreement the signature of which has been authorised by the Government. The Government
authorised signature of the ESM Treaty at its meeting on 30 January 2012. A list of international
agreements signed on behalf of Ireland in the last six months, with the name and
function of the signatory, is set out below:
1 Treaty Establishing the European Stability Mechanism between the Kingdom of
Belgium, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Estonia, Ireland, the Hellenic
Republic, the Kingdom of Spain, the French Republic, the Italian Republic, the Republic
of Cyprus, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Malta, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the
Republic of Austria, the Portuguese Republic, the Republic of Slovenia, the Slovak
Republic and the Republic of Finland; signed by Rory Montgomery, Permanent Representative
to the European Union, on 2 February 2012.
2 Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing
of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity; signed
by Anne Anderson, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, on 1 February 2012.
3 Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member
States, Australia, Canada, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the United Mexican States, the
Kingdom of Morocco, New Zealand, the Republic of Singapore, the Swiss Confederation
and the United States of America; signed by John Neary, Ambassador to Japan, on 26
January 2012.
4 Convention between Ireland and the Republic of Panama for the Avoidance of Double
Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income and Capital
Gains; signed by Eamon Gilmore, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade,
on 28 November 2011.
5 Convention between Ireland and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the Avoidance of
Double Taxation and the Prevention of Tax Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income;
signed by Niall Holohan, Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on 19 October
2011.
Departmental Staff
132. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and
Trade if any remuneration, stipend, expense facility, financial facility or similar payment is
being made from the Exchequer to any senior public servant who has retired from his Department
beyond any accrued pension entitlements; if any such payment has been sanctioned for
current senior public servants who are about to retire from his Department; if he will list the
name, positions and details of any relevant moneys paid or scheduled to be paid of any person
in receipt of or sanctioned to receive such a payment; and if he will make a statement on the
matter. [8273/12]
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