Results 45,361-45,380 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (17 Dec 2008)

Micheál Martin: Increments are paid annually to staff in my Department who have not reached the maximum point on the appropriate salary scale for their grade provided that they meet required standards in relation to performance and attendance set down under the Civil Service Performance Management and Development System. In the time available, it has not been possible to provide the financial information...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (17 Dec 2008)

Micheál Martin: Under the Government's decentralisation programme announced in 2003, 125 posts attached to the Development Cooperation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs were to decentralise to Limerick. The Division is the Headquarters of Irish Aid. Following sanction of an additional 20 posts by the Department of Finance in 2005, the total number of posts attached to Irish Aid Headquarters...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (17 Dec 2008)

Micheál Martin: The core staffing number approved by the Department of Finance for my Department is 1,576 (on a full-time equivalent basis). This figure includes approximately 300 locally recruited staff employed at missions abroad. The following table sets out the number of staff on the Department's payroll, excluding those who are locally recruited abroad, broken down by grade and the relevant salary...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (17 Dec 2008)

Micheál Martin: The core staffing number approved by the Department of Finance for my Department is 1,576. This includes 320 permanent staff who are working in the Passports Offices in Ireland and approximately 300 local staff currently employed at missions abroad. The number of staff currently serving as of 1 December is 1,557. The shortfall of 19 is accounted for by vacancies for which replacements have...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (17 Dec 2008)

Micheál Martin: The core staffing number approved by the Department of Finance for my Department is 1,576. The number of staff currently serving as of 1 December is 1,557. Of this total, 927 staff are based in six offices located in Ireland. The remaining 630 staff, of whom 300 are locally recruited, are based in Missions abroad. The following table provides a breakdown by grade of the staff serving in the...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (17 Dec 2008)

Micheál Martin: There are currently no State agencies or authorities operating under the responsibility of my Department. There are three Advisory Committees and one Educational Commission, which come under the aegis of the Department; these are the Development Education Advisory Committee; the Government Emigrant Services Advisory Committee; the Advisory Board for Irish Aid; and the Fulbright Commission. No...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (17 Dec 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Institute for International and European Affairs (IIEA) is an independent policy research think-tank and forum. The Department of Foreign Affairs pays an annual fee, currently set at €6,000, in respect of its corporate membership of the IIEA. In the past, the Institute has also received funding from my Department under the Communicating Europe Initiative (CEI). The scheme provides...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (17 Dec 2008)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 363 to 365, inclusive, together. The information on the hospitality hosted by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Ministers of State in the Department of Foreign Affairs in the period June 2007 to date is detailed in the tables. The breakdown of events is as follows: lunches 68%, receptions (wine andcanapés) 25%, dinners 4.2%, receptions (wine only) 1.4%,...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (17 Dec 2008)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy will appreciate, in the time available, it has been difficult to research all aspects of funding received by my Department over such a long period. However, following a detailed examination of the Department's records, I understand that the only direct EU funding received by my Department was the EU Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (Peace I), which was...

European Council Meeting: Statements (17 Dec 2008)

Micheál Martin: There were fundamental contradictions in Deputy Ó Caoláin's original contribution in which he stated a better deal than expected was achieved. However, he quickly moved away from that. On his point in regard to the Commission, under Lisbon there will be fewer members of the Commission; that is a legal fact. There is no getting around this; an interim agreement cannot be provided.

European Council Meeting: Statements (17 Dec 2008)

Micheál Martin: I apologise. Under the Nice treaty the number of Commissioners must be reduced. That is a legal imperative.

European Council Meeting: Statements (17 Dec 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy does not.

European Council Meeting: Statements (17 Dec 2008)

Micheál Martin: No, through the Chair——

European Council Meeting: Statements (17 Dec 2008)

Micheál Martin: I will address the point made by the Deputy.

European Council Meeting: Statements (17 Dec 2008)

Micheál Martin: I did not interrupt Deputy Ó Caoláin who asked about the Commission. I am making the point that we succeeded last week in obtaining agreement that under Lisbon there will be one Commissioner per member state. Everybody in this House knows that during the last referendum campaign Sinn Féin erected on every lamppost in Ireland posters stating "Vote No, Keep Your Commissioner".

European Council Meeting: Statements (17 Dec 2008)

Micheál Martin: If the Deputy allows me to finish, I will tell him. The member states in question are the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

European Council Meeting: Statements (17 Dec 2008)

Micheál Martin: They believed that there was an institutional balance to be arrived at and had no difficulty articulating the view that they believe a reduced Commission would lead to more efficiency and so forth. They have articulated this view publicly and within the Council. Others had reservations earlier in the negotiating phase. I respect the positions they presented to us. This was a difficult and...

European Council Meeting: Statements (17 Dec 2008)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Ó Caoláin jumped the gun prior to Council and during the debate. Sinn Féin's spokespeople continually stated we were getting meaningless declarations. They are more surprised than anybody by what has been achieved. President Sarkozy was open and honest and told the 27 members at the Council meeting that this will mean a legal guarantee, a protocol, will be attached to the...

European Council Meeting: Statements (17 Dec 2008)

Micheál Martin: I will do so. I wish to confirm that a substantial provision of up to €300 million was agreed for carbon capture and storage. There was a robust debate on that issue, in respect of which we obtained a satisfactory outcome. I will reply formally to the Deputy in regard to the committee's work.

European Council Meeting: Statements (17 Dec 2008)

Micheál Martin: That is new.