Results 45,301-45,320 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy will be aware, President Obama on 22 January signed four Executive Orders concerning the closure of the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay and related matters. I warmly welcome this decisive and immediate move by the President. As I said in my immediate reaction to the news, it represents an historic new beginning in efforts to uphold and promote human rights, and will be...

Written Answers — Emigrant Support Services: Emigrant Support Services (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: The Government is strongly committed to trying to resolve the plight of the undocumented Irish in the United States. The fact that President Obama, Secretary of State Clinton and other senior members of the new Administration have for some time been strong supporters of comprehensive immigration reform and of the undocumented Irish is very encouraging. Since the new year, there have also...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: I condemn unreservedly the murders on 19 January of Stanislav Markelov and Anastasiya Baburova. They were shot in broad daylight on a busy Moscow street. Mr Markelov died at the scene while Ms Baburova died later in hospital. Mr Markelov was a noted lawyer and human rights defender who was particularly engaged in championing the cause of human rights victims in Chechnya. Ms Baburova was a...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: Following the declaration of the December European Council demanding the immediate release of people held incommunicado in Zimbabwe, specifically including Ms. Jestina Mukoko, a prominent human rights activist who visited Ireland in May 2008, I was relieved to learn, on Christmas Eve, that Ms. Mukoko had been located in police custody, after three weeks during which her whereabouts were...

Written Answers — EU Treaties: EU Treaties (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 766, 767, 770, 771, 775 and 776 together. The December meeting of the European Council agreed that the concerns of the Irish people regarding the Lisbon Treaty, as set out by the Taoiseach, "shall be addressed to the mutual satisfaction of Ireland and other Member States". Specifically, the European Council agreed that, provided the Treaty of Lisbon enters...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: With the terrible situations in Zimbabwe, Sudan, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) foremost in our minds, the task of finding durable solutions to the problems of conflict, hunger and human rights abuses in Africa is one of the most pressing facing the EU and the UN. Poverty, inequality and exclusion are fertile breeding grounds for violence and ethnic hatred. Most wars...

Written Answers — EU Enlargement: EU Enlargement (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: Croatia hopes to conclude its accession negotiations in 2009. A road map proposed by the Commission in its annual assessment sets out the way for their conclusion, provided Croatia makes the required progress on the outstanding issues. These include privatising shipyards; judicial reform; organised crime; minority rights; and cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 13 December 2006. The Convention opened for signature on 30 March 2007. Ireland signed the Convention, subject to ratification, on that date. The Convention entered into force on 3 May 2008, having been ratified by twenty countries. My colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: I have detailed below in tabular form the expenses incurred relating to mileage and subsistence expenses for all Ministers who have served at my Department since May 2007. In regard to general allowances, such as the General Expenses Allowance to which Ministers of State are entitled, I understand that my colleague, the Minister for Finance, will provide details of these allowances as they...

Human Rights Issues. (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: The situation in Zimbabwe remains dire. The country effectively has not been governed since March 2008 and after years of mismanagement and neglect, its infrastructure appears to be in terminal collapse. Inflation continues unabated and those in power have found no better response than to print ever larger bank notes, the most recent of which was a 100 trillion Zimbabwean dollar note, which...

Human Rights Issues. (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: I agree with Deputy Timmins's concern and anger at the situation in Zimbabwe. We have conveyed our concerns directly to the governments of key partner countries in Africa and, most recently, in December, the Irish ambassador to Zimbabwe, who is based in Pretoria, communicated Ireland's strong views to the Zimbabwean ambassador there. I have made my views personally known to the South...

Human Rights Issues. (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: That is the point.

Human Rights Issues. (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: There is a real humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe and the last thing we want to do is take action or initiatives that would exacerbate the suffering of ordinary people. Therefore, that is not a route we will go down. Our trade with Zimbabwe is minuscule and the economy has collapsed. As I mentioned, the cholera outbreak provides an opportunity and an avenue through which stronger...

Middle East Peace Process. (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 100 and 102 together. The war in Gaza, arising from the launch of Operation Cast Lead by Israel on 27 December 2008, was a profound tragedy for the people of Gaza and for the region. I welcome that the unilateral ceasefires announced by Israel and Hamas on 18 January continue to hold. The costs of the war have been stark — 1,300 Palestinian dead and over...

Middle East Peace Process. (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: At the EU meeting, I made it clear to my colleagues that, as far as I was concerned, the EU has a duty to international law. It must also be consistent, since we cannot set criteria and standards for other countries and condemn and criticise them at will while remaining mute in respect of other conflicts, particularly in the Middle East.

Middle East Peace Process. (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: On the other hand, the EU condemned the attack on UNRWA unequivocally in its statement and conclusions. I detected a shift at the meeting. As the Deputy knows well, there are different perspectives in Europe because countries have different approaches to this issue historically.

Middle East Peace Process. (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: Our Sunday meetings with the Foreign Ministers of Egypt, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, Norway and Turkey were particularly interesting and useful in terms of moving matters forward a little, starting with a durable truce and ceasefire. Currently, there are two unilateral ceasefires, but a sustained period of quiet is necessary, which would facilitate the opening of the crossings....

Middle East Peace Process. (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: We will meet the Secretary of State in due course. Indeed, we have written to congratulate her on her appointment and to offer any assistance. I have also written to George Mitchell to congratulate him on his appointment and to offer any assistance or advice that Ireland can give, considering our history of conflict resolution and the noble role that he played in assisting the peace...

Middle East Peace Process. (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: When I spoke to Mr. John Ging of UNRWA on the morning after the attack on his headquarters, he told me about something that smelled and looked like white phosphorus. He gave me the co-ordinates and so on. In my opinion, the UN is the ideal vehicle to instigate an investigation.

Middle East Peace Process. (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: Mr. Ban Ki-moon has changed his position slightly from that as articulated earlier by the Deputy in that in the immediate aftermath of the event, he condemned it and asked that people be taken into account. That position appears to have been modified somewhat. In my view, his position is as articulated in the response to the parliamentary question. I believe the UN is the vehicle through...