Results 43,821-43,840 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: I am informed that no visa application has been received in respect of the person named by the Deputy. If an application and supporting documentation is received it will be processed in the normal way.

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: The Government is extremely concerned about the recent surge in violence in Thailand, including the army assault on the protesters' encampment in central Bangkok early on the morning of 19 May. This has resulted in five deaths and dozens of injuries, in addition to the thirty-six deaths which have already occurred since 13 May. The protests have been led by the United Front of Democracy...

Written Answers — Passport Validity: Passport Validity (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: An Irish passport is valid for travel up until the date of expiry. In general, a passport should not expire during the proposed term of any visit. However, some countries require a minimum validity on passports to enter their jurisdictions. The Spanish Embassy in Dublin have confirmed that an Irish passport is valid for travel to Spain and the Canary Islands until the date of expiry in the...

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

Micheál Martin: Ireland and its E.U. partners continue to monitor closely the situation in Iran, including the prosecution of academics, students and others who protested peacefully following the 2009 Presidential election. I am gravely concerned about the detentions of these protestors, the denial of education to students found to be involved in the protests, and the mass trials and summary executions which...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 158 and 161 together. As I have stated on several previous occasions in answer to very similar questions, it is not the policy of the Government to list countries most seriously affected by such issues as famine, war, genocide or human rights abuses, which are issues that affect many countries in Africa and elsewhere, and I shall therefore not focus on...

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

Micheál Martin: As Deputies will be aware from previous statements in this House, the Government has long been deeply concerned about the situation in Burma. We are very actively engaged at EU and international level in monitoring the situation in that country and in efforts to support the Burmese people in their struggle for justice, democracy and development. The situation at present is particularly...

Written Answers — Common Foreign and Security Policy: Common Foreign and Security Policy (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: Together with its EU partners, Ireland attaches considerable importance to achieving stability in the Western Balkans. A significant factor in building stability is the EU perspective for the countries of the region. The June 2003 European Council in Thessaloniki agreed that the future of the countries of the Western Balkans was in the EU. The European Union's Stabilisation and Association...

Written Answers — False Passports: False Passports (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: Records of the number of Irish passports identified as having been used fraudulently are only available from 2008. These figures are: 2008 59 2009 25 2010 to date 10 The Passport Service takes the issue of passport fraud very seriously. Dedicated teams, in each of the Passport Offices, work to identify potential fraud at the time of application. These teams work closely with each other,...

EU Enlargement (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: We have continually articulated the need to resolve the issue with regard to the Republic of Cyprus. The background is that at the Helsinki European council in 1999, Turkey became a candidate and negotiations opened in 2005. I am aware that in a motion at its Ard-Fheis in 2004, Fine Gael endorsed and supported the candidacy of Turkey for the European Union and I understand that remains the...

EU Enlargement (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: From time to time since the Helsinki Council, various politicians throughout Europe have articulated different positions on this. It has been a lengthy process. We have to be careful and sensitive in how we approach this challenging issue. As a small open economy, we depend very much on liberalisation of world trade. We need to export our goods and services to create jobs here. The...

EU Enlargement (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: -----but not necessarily as low as that of Bulgaria or Rumania, relative to Ireland. We need to be flexible in how we approach these issues. The issue of absorption is one that must be resolved and a study must be undertaken by the European Union on its capacity to absorb. This must be done prior to any accession. Politically, it is acceptable for people to make the odd statement to grab...

EU Enlargement (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: We have to be realistic and look at things. There have been derogations. We chose not to accept derogations from the ten candidate countries in 2004 but we put derogations in place with regard to Bulgaria and Romania. We need to consider issues such as these in terms of new accessions.

Northern Ireland Issues (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: The establishment of the North-South consultative forum, provided for in the Good Friday Agreement, has been discussed with the Northern Ireland Executive at all the plenary meetings of the North-South Ministerial Council since the re-establishment of the Executive in May 2007. At those meetings, the Government delegation is led by the Taoiseach, while the Northern Ireland Executive...

Northern Ireland Issues (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: I share the Deputy's views. He is correct to state that these are aspects of the St. Andrews Agreement and the Good Friday Agreement that have not yet been brought to full realisation. We take the establishment of both fora very seriously. Since the institutions were restored in 2007, we have urged and will continue to urge the early establishment of the consultative forum following the...

Northern Ireland Issues (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: I will revert to the Deputy on that. As the Deputy will appreciate, we cannot unilaterally establish this. It is not an option which is open to us. We are in a better space now, post-Hillsborough than prior to it.

Northern Ireland Issues (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: There has been plenty of impetus on this side. Let us be fair. The Farmleigh conference is evidence of a genuine desire to explore the issues. The conference next week is similar. One thing one does not do in Northern Ireland is set dates, as I know from the past 18 months. What tends to happen if one sets a date is that the determination is any time beyond that date. I have no...

EU Targets (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy is aware, the March 2010 European Council meeting agreed on the main elements of the new European strategy for jobs and growth, Europe 2020, including the key targets which will guide its implementation and arrangements for its improved monitoring. There were five European Union headline targets agreed by the European Council and they cover employment; research and development,...

EU Targets (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: I agree that we need targets and I support the Europe 2020 strategy, in so far as it is endeavouring to fix targets along the five core areas. This strategy is better shaped and formulated because it has shortened the number of targets and areas. It has a much sharper focus that the previous Lisbon strategy. We welcome the education targets and the idea of targets for social inclusion....

EU Targets (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: Well below which?

EU Targets (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: In terms of poverty reduction, during the past ten years there has been a very significant reduction in consistent poverty in Ireland and we have used our resources quite effectively to achieve that. The latest results from the EU survey on income and living conditions released in November 2009, which applied to 2008, indicated at that stage that the reductions in poverty were on track to...