Results 45,181-45,200 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Middle East Peace Process: Middle East Peace Process (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: As I have said previously, depending on developments in the Middle East Peace Process, the establishment of a permanent secretariat could be considered, in order to add focus to the work of the Quartet and the various international envoys active in the region. However, at present I am not aware of any specific proposals under consideration by the parties to the process. Separate from the...

Written Answers — Arms Trade: Arms Trade (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: The Programme for Government commits us to support a binding and comprehensive global treaty on the arms trade, covering all weapons and ammunition and Ireland will be actively engaged in the negotiations to this end at the United Nations. The Government therefore strongly supports the process of developing strict controls on arms and works actively to promote the objective of strengthening...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: While the Taoiseach's programme has not yet been finalised, the Government welcomes the fact that President Obama has indicated that he will continue the tradition of receiving the Taoiseach on St. Patrick's Day. I know that the Taoiseach will take this unique opportunity to strengthen and underpin the close economic and political ties between our two countries. Over the St. Patrick's Day...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: Throughout the US Presidential election campaign and into the new Administration and Congress, the Embassy in Washington, in close coordination with the IDA, has been monitoring all proposals for policy initiatives which could potentially impact on the Irish economy. This includes proposals in relation to taxation which could affect foreign direct investment in Ireland. Where an issue is...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: I have set out the Government's approach to the general situation in Zimbabwe in my reply to questions 18 and 35. The continuing detention in Zimbabwe of human rights activists, including Ms. Jestina Mukoko and her colleagues, is extremely troubling. Ms. Mukoko and two colleagues were abducted from their homes by an unidentified group in early December. Zimbabwean authorities initially...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: The situation in Somalia remains appalling, and the suffering of its people immense. Somalia has been without effective government for close to 20 years, and repeated efforts by the international community to restore peace, stability, and legitimate government have been unavailing. Violence in Somalia escalated during 2008, with regular clashes between Ethiopian and UN-backed Transitional...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: Below in tabular format is a statistical breakdown of the Freedom of Information Requests processed by my Department in 2007 and 2008. It is the policy of my Department to make all requests and replies made under the Freedom of Information Act, which are not of a personal nature, publicly available. The Freedom of Information Requests Database is available on the website of my Department and...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: The practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) regrettably occurs in many countries throughout the world. Irish Aid is a member of the Joint Consortium on Gender Based Violence, which aims to promote a more coherent and co-ordinated response to gender-based violence, including female genital mutilation, amongst its members, who include Irish human rights, humanitarian and development...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: The crime of genocide, as defined in international law, involves the committing of acts with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such. These acts may include killing members of the group; causing serious bodily or mental harm; deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in...

Written Answers — Middle East Peace Process: Middle East Peace Process (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 156 and 157 together. The priority right now, for all sides, remains the consolidation of the existing fragile ceasefire arrangements in Gaza through the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1860. Only when peace and security are fully restored to Gaza and southern Israel will the parties be able to fully focus on reviving the peace process....

Conflict Resolution. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: The Government is committed to seeking to increase Irish engagement in international conflict resolution as a dimension of our foreign policy. The role of the conflict resolution unit in the Department of Foreign Affairs is to offer support for conflict resolution efforts internationally while also seeking to develop our national capacity in this area. It aims to draw from our own...

Conflict Resolution. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: I hope Deputy Timmins would leave me time to give the first reply. A unit, with staff, in my Department deals specifically with the conflict resolution agenda and policy. It is important that it is integrated into the Department of Foreign Affairs. There is a strong engagement with the Irish Aid section, for example, because there is attendant conflict in many areas of poverty. Conflict is...

Conflict Resolution. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: ——and endeavouring to get universities much more proactively focused on having development issues and conflict issues as part of their mission statement and ethos. Some university presidents are moving in that direction. In my opinion, that is the best way to go.

Conflict Resolution. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: First, Mrs. Nuala O'Loan has been very active in Timore-Leste and has compiled two reports. What I may do, for the benefit of Members, is organise a briefing with Mrs. O'Loan on her experience in Timore-Leste and also regarding the security advice area, where we have invited some of their participants to Ireland to work on training on supporting civilian populations, etc., and how the police...

Conflict Resolution. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: In terms of our own capacity, we are working with Glencree and others to ensure that we can facilitate the type of engagement Deputy Timmins mentioned.

Conflict Resolution. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: Yes. That is an important dimension.

Official Travel. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: I completed a very constructive visit to Syria, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates between 1 and 5 February last, my second visit to the Middle East as Minister for Foreign Affairs. The visit was timely given the recent conflict in Gaza and the prospects for efforts to revive an overall peace process in the region. The primary focus of the visit to the UAE, where I accompanied the...

Official Travel. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: The trip to Syria was primarily a political trip to the Middle East region and to ascertain the Syrian perspective on the Middle East political situation. That said, we raised some economic issues and there are some Irish companies endeavouring to secure business in Syria, and Syria is anxious to develop strong economic bilateral relations with Ireland. To that end, the Deputy Prime...

Official Travel. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: The visit to the United Arab Emirates was primarily economic reasons, but not the Syrian one. There were different aspects to the programme.

Official Travel. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: It covered both political and economic issues. There are three elements to the United Arab Emirates visit. We were indicating to the authorities that we were opening an embassy. I was accompanying the President on her official visit to the United Arab Emirates and there was work with Enterprise Ireland in that context in terms of engagements both in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. There were...