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Security Barriers: Belfast

Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:

Lord Rooker: Police have met representatives of the Northern Ireland Court Service, Northern Ireland Office and Department for Regional Development on a number of occasions throughout 2005-06 to discuss proposals to reopen Lower Chichester Street on a restricted basis to designated traffic. During those discussions, a number of options surrounding security and traffic restriction measures were tabled. A decision in relation to which measures will be accepted is likely to be taken later this year.

Sport: Northern Ireland

Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:

Lord Rooker: No.

Turkey: EU Accession

Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): We do not collect data on the ethnic origin of foreign officials taking part in EU accession negotiations, but we are aware of Turkish citizens of Kurdish origin at every level of public life in Turkey; this includes MPs and Cabinet Ministers. Delegations from the European Commission and our embassy in Ankara regularly visit the south-east of Turkey to discuss human rights with local officials, politicians and civil society representatives; the findings of these visits feed into the Commission’s report on Turkey's progress in meeting the Copenhagen criteria.

Waterways Ireland

Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:

Lord Rooker: The investigation at Waterways Ireland was jointly carried out by independent investigators appointed and paid for separately by each sponsor department. The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure as NI sponsor department contributed £9,001.90 to the cost of the investigation. The costs incurred by the sponsor department in the Republic of Ireland are a matter for that department, and therefore the issue of percentage contributions does not arise.

Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:

Lord Rooker: To date Waterways Ireland has incurred legal costs of £5,910.25 associated with industrial tribunals. In addition, the body has incurred costs of £4,089.01 in obtaining legal advice in relation to allegations of bullying and harassment made against the chief executive.

Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:



6 July 2006 : Column WA81

Lord Rooker: Staff numbers in Waterways Ireland as at 28 June 2006 are as follows.



6 July 2006 : Column WA82

Northern IrelandRepublic of IrelandTotal

Permanent full-time

72

260

332

Permanent part-time

4

3

7

Temporary full-time

4

19 (Including seasonal staff working varied hours)

23

Temporary part-time

1

0

1

Student Placements

8

3

11

Total

89

285

374


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