Results 45,201-45,220 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Official Travel. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: I have told the Deputy.

Official Travel. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: That is correct. The President had been in Bahrain before that with Irish education officials and the Royal College of Surgeons. They were opening a college and the Minister for Education and Science was there because of the relevance of the activity to his portfolio.

EU-Israel Relations. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 64 together. I have repeatedly expressed my serious concerns regarding the construction and expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank. As I have stated on several occasions, continued settlement construction has a direct and negative impact on the political process. It also prejudges the outcome of final status negotiations and threatens the...

EU-Israel Relations. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: Our position has consistently been to link any upgrade of relations with Israel with progress on the political front towards a resolution of the regional conflict. More recently, we have sought a dual-track approach which includes an upgrading in relations with the Palestinian Authority. We have consistently made that argument. In the aftermath of the Gaza offensive, I have written to the...

EU-Israel Relations. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: We have actively promoted the Palestinian cause at EU and UN levels and will continue to do so. Ultimately, a two-state solution will be required and all parties will have to live in harmony. I am pleased to report that UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, this week informed the UN Security Council that he intends to appoint a panel of investigators to examine certain incidents which occurred...

EU-Israel Relations. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: I have detected a shift in European thinking in the aftermath of Gaza, although certain countries clearly have different perspectives from ours. Strong presentations were made by the Egyptian, Turkish and Norwegian Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the Foreign Affairs Minister of the Palestinian Authority at our session on the Sunday night prior to our meeting. They outlined what may emerge...

EU-Israel Relations. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: Our Defence Forces procure equipment on the basis of the most effective equipment available to meet the specification competitively tendered. The Defence Forces have in recent years purchased defensive equipment such as helmets from Israeli companies on the basis of effectiveness and best value. That is the scale of our engagement in that regard. Our view is that trade boycotts are not the...

EU-Israel Relations. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: Yes. I am intrigued by Deputy Timmins's exhortations on me to impose discipline on Members of my parliamentary party. We are a broad church and a democratic party. Ireland is not like other countries which suppress the right of people to free speech. The fact that Members of my party are engaged in international issues of this type is positive. We may from time to time differ in emphasis...

EU-Israel Relations. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: On the other hand, I do not wish to encourage them too much.

Arms Trade. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: I share fully the concerns of the Deputy about the impact of arms transfers on human rights in conflict areas. The programme for Government commits us to supporting a binding and comprehensive global treaty on the trade of arms covering all weapons and ammunition. At the United Nations, Ireland has been actively promoting the idea of an arms trade treaty to secure agreement on common...

Arms Trade. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: The whole world is engaged in the armaments industry.

Arms Trade. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: That is only one side of the European Union and its role on the international stage. The European Union is the largest contributor to humanitarian assistance in the Middle East.

Arms Trade. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: That is never acknowledged. Generally speaking, in commentary on Europe, there is an over-tendency to portray Europe as a militaristic entity whereas it is possibly the best global entity around——

Arms Trade. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: ——in terms of conflict resolution and humanitarian aid and so on. I accept the premise behind the Deputy's question in terms of the treaty and so on. From our perspective, the European Union has been a major driver in getting the arms trade treaty to the point at which it is now. Only recently, the code of conduct of arms export was upgraded to the status of common position. This means...

Arms Trade. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: We are not taking a predetermined position. We will wait to see how the talks unfold and evolve.

Arms Trade. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: Yes, I do. They are appalling weapons that visited huge injuries on the civilian population in Gaza. With regard to the Deputy's comment on the European Union, member states historically, long before the European Union, have been involved in the arms trade and industry. That is a fact we knew before we joined the European Union. The key issue in terms of our participation in the European...

UN Conventions. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: The United Nations Convention against Corruption was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly at its 58th session in October 2003. Ireland was among the first states to sign the convention when it was opened for signature in December 2003. The convention entered into force two years later on 14 December 2005. Ireland of course intends to ratify this convention. It is a very broad and...

UN Conventions. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: I have been assured by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and his Department that this is the case.

UN Conventions. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: The latter point is a rather silly one to make. It is a matter for the Oireachtas. I take the Deputy's points——

UN Conventions. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: The Bill is on Committee Stage in the Oireachtas and is a matter for the Houses. If it is that urgent, the Deputy can also play a role.