Results 43,401-43,420 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Business Regulation: Business Regulation (2 Nov 2010)

Micheál Martin: My Department took part in the Inter-Departmental Group on Administrative Burden Reduction. As part of this process, my Department reviewed the potential impact its primary legislation would have on business and reported to the then Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment that this legislation would have no effect on business and imposed no significant administrative costs. Question...

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (28 Oct 2010)

Micheál Martin: Whereas passport applicants resident in Ireland must have their passport witnessed by a member of An Garda Síochána, the procedure for passport applicants resident outside of the State differs. Passport applicants resident outside of the State must have the certificate of identity section of the application form completed by a member of one of the listed professions detailed on the form....

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (28 Oct 2010)

Micheál Martin: The Passports Act, 2008 requires that before issuing a passport to a person, the Minister for Foreign Affairs shall be satisfied that that person is an Irish citizen and that in the case of children full parental or guardian consent is provided. Documentary proof in respect of identity and entitlement to citizenship are required for all passport applications. These requirements are outlined...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (28 Oct 2010)

Micheál Martin: Ireland's strategic foreign policy objectives include the development of close bilateral relations with Singapore, China and India and other high growth and emerging economies in Asia, across a wide spectrum of political, business, educational, media, cultural, social and other ties. The Asia Strategy, launched in 1999, created a cohesive framework for the development of these relationships...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (28 Oct 2010)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 72 and 73 together. Where a child is abducted in a foreign country our overriding concern would be for the welfare of the child. Custody issues would be a matter for a court to decide and my Department has no role as to how a court in a foreign jurisdiction might decide on such issues. If a child is abducted within a foreign country, such as in the case...

Written Answers — EU Enlargement: EU Enlargement (28 Oct 2010)

Micheál Martin: As a beneficiary of a past enlargement, and on the experience of more recent accessions, Ireland is broadly supportive of enlargement. The prospect of enlargement bolsters economic and political reform processes and helps to promote stability, security and prosperity in Europe. The process includes rigorous conditionality and must take into account the capacity of the EU to integrate new...

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (27 Oct 2010)

Micheál Martin: The Passports Act 2008 requires that before issuing a passport to a person, the Minister for Foreign Affairs shall be satisfied that the person is an Irish citizen and that in the case of children full parental or guardian consent is provided. Documentary proof in respect of identity and entitlement to citizenship are required for all passport applications. These requirements are outlined...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (27 Oct 2010)

Micheál Martin: The blockade of Gaza remains in force, in the sense that Israel continues to require that it be able to control and security screen goods entering the strip, and for this reason it continues to prevent any direct shipments by sea to Gaza. However, a number of measures have been taken to relax the conditions for goods entering Gaza by the land crossings from Israel. The previous highly...

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (27 Oct 2010)

Micheál Martin: The Passports Act 2008 requires that before issuing a passport to a person, the Minister for Foreign Affairs shall be satisfied that the person is an Irish citizen. Proofs of identity and entitlement to citizenship are required in respect of all passport applications. As the person in question was born in 2010, her entitlement to Irish citizenship is governed by the Irish Nationality and...

Written Answers — EU Enlargement: EU Enlargement (27 Oct 2010)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 387 and 391 together. Serbia submitted its application for EU membership in December 2009.At the General Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 25 October, Ministers unanimously decided to refer the application to the European Commission for its opinion.This is essentially a technical step and usually happens quickly following the submission of an application.The...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (27 Oct 2010)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 388 and 390 together. The submission referred to by Deputy Wall concerns two newspaper articles regarding, respectively, the role of China in Africa and the UN report on what happened in the DRC between 1993 and 2003, in particular the role of other countries, including Rwanda. I am aware of the contrast often made between what has been perceived as the...

Written Answers — State Visits: State Visits (27 Oct 2010)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy will be aware that the Taoiseach has indicated already that it is right and timely that the transformation of relations between Britain and Ireland should be reflected in a State visit to Ireland by Queen Elizabeth. Reconciliation between Ireland and Great Britain has been hugely advanced over recent decades, most importantly through the working together of successive Irish and...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (27 Oct 2010)

Micheál Martin: The Embassy in London facilitated meetings for three Ministers during the period in question. The Minister for Health and Children, Mary Harney, T.D., visited London from 1 to 2 July 2010. She was invited to make a speech at the Embassy to some 120 representatives of the Irish International Business Network in support of the Embassy's work in promoting the Irish economy. Following the...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (27 Oct 2010)

Micheál Martin: There are no state agencies operating under the remit of my Department.

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (27 Oct 2010)

Micheál Martin: As I indicated in my reply to Parliamentary Question 378 of 12 October 2010 I am confident that the vast majority of international agreements which entered into force since 1937 have now been laid before the Dáil but it is possible that a small number of further agreements will be identified and any such agreements will be laid before the Dáil in due course. All historical agreements...

Written Answers — EU Strategy: EU Strategy (27 Oct 2010)

Micheál Martin: I welcome the new Europe 2020 Strategy which was adopted by the European Council on 17 June and the Government fully supports the core elements. I believe that the Strategy will provide an essential framework for action by the EU and Member States to achieve higher levels of sustainable jobs and growth as economic recovery is secured. As the Deputy will be aware, the European Council has...

Written Answers — EU Enlargement: EU Enlargement (27 Oct 2010)

Micheál Martin: The process involved in Turkey's negotiations on EU Membership is based on rigorous conditionality, including with regard to the Copenhagen Criteria which cover political and economic dimensions as well as the ability to take on the Union's acquis. Progress has been made in some areas; in others it has been slow. Turkey still has substantial work ahead in meeting all the established...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (21 Oct 2010)

Micheál Martin: The Department of Foreign Affairs learned on the morning of Monday 11 October that a group of 31 Irish citizens, including members of the Killester United Football Club, had been refused entry to Brazil by the Immigration authorities at Sao Paolo. Having been advised of the problem at immigration, our Embassy in Brazil immediately contacted the Immigration service in Sao Paulo to ascertain...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (21 Oct 2010)

Micheál Martin: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. 2008 Grade Reason For Leaving the Department Entry to Grade Retirement Incentivised EarlyRetirement Other reasons for departure Promotions New recruits Other Service Officer 1 Not applicable in 2008 2 Cleaner 4 4 Civilian Driver 2 2 Clerical Officer 9 25 14 13 Personal Assistant 2 2 Personal...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (20 Oct 2010)

Micheál Martin: My Department became aware of the alleged abduction of the child mentioned by the Deputy, an Irish citizen, on 4 June when his father contacted our Honorary Consul in Phuket to express his concern about his whereabouts. On 5 June, our Honorary Consul accompanied the father to the police in Phuket where he reported his son as having been abducted by his mother. On 9 June, the father appointed...