Results 43,541-43,560 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (8 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: As I explained to the Deputy on 16 June last I have asked my officials to examine the feasibility of providing passport production equipment in other parts of the country. However, I do not expect that a decision in this regard will be made in the short term. The priority for the Passport Service at present is to reduce the substantial backlog in passport applications and to restore the...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (8 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: The number of Secretaries General and Deputy and Assistant Secretaries General who retired in my Department since July 2005 are given below in tabular format. Year Grade Number 2005 Assistant Secretary General 2 2006 Deputy SecretaryAssistant Secretary General 12 2007 Nil Nil 2008 Assistant Secretary General 5 2009 Secretary GeneralSecond Secretary GeneralAssistant Secretary General...

Order of Business (7 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: There will be a celebration in Paris over the use of the guillotine.

Order of Business (7 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: Guillotine the Front Bench.

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (7 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: The passport for the person in question was posted on 1 July 2010.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: Since June 2007 my Department has paid a carbon offsetting charge in respect of all air travel undertaken. This scheme also encompasses air travel undertaken by myself and Ministers of State at my Department. The total air miles travelled is calculated, yielding a level of emissions. A reference price per tonne of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted is then used to calculate the amount of carbon...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: Public advertising undertaken by my Department typically includes advisory notices on public opening hours over holiday periods, changes in passport application procedures and fees, and public information notices relating to significant developments in the European Union or in regard to Ireland's Official Development Assistance programme, Irish Aid. While much of this material is now placed...

Written Answers — Passport Forgery: Passport Forgery (7 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: There has only been one confirmed case of forged Irish passports brought to the State's attention over the past ten years i.e. those passports used in the Dubai assassination earlier this year. Officers of the Passport Service and An Garda Síochána are currently investigating a second case involving the alleged use of an Irish passport by a person currently before the courts in the United...

Written Answers — Police Certificates: Police Certificates (7 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: The issuance of police certificates is not within the remit of the Minister for Foreign Affairs

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (7 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: The 54th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW54), which took place in New York from 1-12 March 2010, was also the occasion of a fifteen year review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Adopted in 1995, the Beijing Platform for Action is an agenda for women's empowerment which aims to ensure equality of access of women to their human rights and to remove all...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (7 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: It is in the nature of the work of my Department that staff members transfer between Divisions at HQ, and indeed to Missions abroad, on a regular basis. In addition to this routine rotation, some staff may apply, for personal reasons, for transfers to other Government Departments or public bodies. The table below sets out the number of applications received, since 1 January 2007, from...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: The training budget for my Department in 2010 is €575,000. There has been no reduction since the initial allocation in the estimates. The total spent in the first half of 2010 was €198,617, representing 34.5% of the allocation. Patterns of training expenditure in previous years show that more than 60% of the allocation is drawn down in the second half of the year.

Leaders' Questions (7 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: Deputy McCormack woke up very cranky this morning.

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (6 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: Ireland takes an active interest in the successful resolution of the Cyprus question. The UN has the lead role in the search for a comprehensive settlement and the Government fully supports the leadership of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and his Special Representative Alexander Downer in this important work. We will continue to encourage progress towards the achievement of a bi-zonal,...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (6 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: Under the Government's decentralisation programme announced in 2003, the headquarters of Irish Aid, the Development Cooperation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs, has moved to Limerick. The decentralisation of Irish Aid is fully complete and is making an important contribution to the economy of Limerick and the Mid-West region. It also contributes to civic life in the area...

Written Answers — Europe 2020 Strategy: Europe 2020 Strategy (6 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: The Government welcomes the new Strategy which was adopted by the European Council on 17 June and fully supports the core elements as they have been agreed. We believe that the Strategy will provide an essential framework for action by the EU and its Member States to achieve higher levels of sustainable jobs and growth as economic recovery is secured. We are very satisfied with the broad...

Written Answers — Certificates of Irish Heritage: Certificates of Irish Heritage (6 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 377 together. The establishment of a Certificate of Irish Heritage was proposed in the Strategic Review of Ireland-US Relations, published in March 2009. The initiative is being taken forward by the Government in direct response to a strong demand for such a scheme among those members of our Diaspora who are not entitled to Irish citizenship and is a...

Written Answers — Death of United States Senator: Death of United States Senator (6 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: It was with great sadness that I learned of the passing of a true American statesman, a hero to the state of West Virginia, and a true friend to the island of Ireland, Senator Robert C. Byrd. In this regard, I would like to note the Senator's support for the International Fund for Ireland, during his time as Chair of the Senate's Appropriations Committee. Throughout his 52 years in Congress,...

Written Answers — Middle East Peace Process: Middle East Peace Process (6 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 39, 53, 79 and 396 together. While much attention has rightly been concentrated on the recent events surrounding Gaza and their aftermath, it is crucial that we continue to focus on the efforts needed to reach a comprehensive political settlement. Ultimately this is the only way to fully achieve our goals of ending the occupation and its inherent injustices,...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (6 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: The Government's aid programme, administered from within my department by Irish Aid, is sharply focused on the reduction and eventual eradication of global poverty and hunger. Our partnership with development Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and missionaries represents a very important element in this effort, reflecting the broad support among Irish people for the development programme....