Results 2,141-2,160 of 50,064 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Visits (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: On that latter point, I met with Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds. He is very much on top of his brief early on. Ireland stands ready to facilitate the warmest of relations between the United Kingdom and the EU because that is also of benefit to Ireland and to Europe. We will continue to be supportive of sensible and intelligent reviews of existing trade agreements between the European Union...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Military Aircraft (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: Is the Deputy saying that military aircraft with tonnes of arms are landing?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Military Aircraft (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: I just wanted to clarify that.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Military Aircraft (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: I had not heard the earlier part of the question. That is why I sought clarification. I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 10 together. Under the terms of the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order, 1952, all foreign military aircraft wishing to overfly or land in the State require diplomatic clearance from the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Diplomatic clearance is only...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Military Aircraft (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: Where is this from?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Military Aircraft (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy made various points there. First of all, I condemn the war on Gaza.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Military Aircraft (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: I know, but the Deputy has conflated everything.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Military Aircraft (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: I did not interrupt you, Deputy - through the Chair, if I may.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Military Aircraft (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: Let us be very clear: everyone in this House, regardless of their political leanings, has called for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the war in Gaza. We have condemned the bombardment and the collective punishment of the people in Gaza. I also condemn what is happening in Lebanon, where one million people have been displaced. I condemn what is happening in the West Bank, where the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Military Aircraft (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: I do not agree with that. It is a fundamental distortion to suggest we are complicit in genocide and an outrageous assertion. It is also a bit propagandistic. I knocked on a door recently and the person who answered said to me that all the weapons are being supplied from Shannon. They had no evidence for this statement but this is what is being told. That misinformation is being created...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Visits (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the question. I understand the Taoiseach has spoken to Prime Minister Barnier to congratulate him on his appointment. I know Prime Minister Barnier well from his time as the EU’s chief negotiator on Brexit. He is a good friend of Ireland and I wish him every success in his new and challenging role. Prime Minister Barnier knows Ireland well and would,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Visits (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: I agree wholeheartedly with the Deputy. One of the few silver linings in the dark cloud of Brexit was Rosslare. There is no question that the Franco-Irish relationship has gained a fresh momentum as a consequence of Brexit in terms of the connections but also culturally, educationally and economically. I was in Paris in August. I was launching a Gaelic games activity in the context of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy knows we are preparing a legal opinion to join the South African case at the International Court of Justice. He knows that, we have said that and we have done much work on that. We were proactive in terms of the ICJ case leading to the advisory opinion, at the UN General Assembly in the first instance; at the court itself, where the AG made a submission; and in asking for the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: I am disturbed by Deputy Boyd Barrett's assertions when he refers to a few "nasty things". Murdering and slaughtering 1,200 people, some at a music concert, is not a little nasty thing. It is an outrage and should be condemned as morally reprehensible. I find it extraordinary what the Deputy has just said in this House. He has essentially said that is just a few nasty things that are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: That is the conclusion I am drawing from it.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: I am not. You asked me to stop the equivalence. There is no equivalence from my perspective. International humanitarian law should be observed. I disagree fundamentally and have condemned the Israeli Government's attack on Gaza. We are doing everything we can through the international courts. The Deputy mentioned genocide. There is a convention on genocide. We are either serious about...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: That includes Hamas and Hezbollah. Equally, it includes the State of Israel in terms of, for example, these massive bunker bombs which take out hundreds of people in the name of taking out one commander. I accept fully the points Deputy Ó Murchú made on our peacekeepers - their safety and security is our priority - and on continuing to pursue justice and get answers from the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Export Controls (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Department of Foreign provided observations in 31 export licence requests where the end use country was Israel in 2024. The Department of Foreign Affairs previously provided 116 cases of foreign policy observations generally across the board to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment on dual-use export licence applications to Israel since 2020, over the past four years. In...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Export Controls (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: I am not so clear the Deputy is correct. He needs to drill down and engage with the Department of enterprise on that question. Concerning dual use in the modern era, with the advance of technology people can assert a dual use for almost anything today, sometimes for negative reasons. I was at the Rafah crossing some months ago and saw built up in every warehouse a range of goods for...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Export Controls (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: The point is that the Department of enterprise goes through this and seeks advice in respect of it. To be fair to all concerned, the Deputy needs to go through each licence application with the Department of enterprise to drill down and see the decision made against the criteria it has to use.