Results 45,501-45,520 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (11 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: As I mentioned in answer to questions on Wednesday 29 October, once I became aware of possible restrictions on the children's travel, I met with Adi Roche of Chernobyl Children's Project International on 8 September to review the situation, and also asked the Chargé d'Affaires of the Belarusian Embassy in London to visit Dublin later that week to open discussions on an agreement to provide a...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (11 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Department of Foreign Affairs has never availed of this emergency provision in the Planning and Development Act, 2000.

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (11 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: My Department makes use of the secure electronic postbox facility for receipt of tenders that is now available on the government procurement portal www.etenders.gov.ie . I understand that initial experience has been satisfactory and that it is intended to make more use of this facility from now on. Bearing in mind that not all tenderers may have access to broadband, it will be necessary to...

Written Answers — Departmental Transport: Departmental Transport (11 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: Since taking office as Minister for Foreign Affairs, I have not had occasion to use public transport in the course of my official duties.

Written Answers — Departmental Transport: Departmental Transport (11 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: My Department's travel policy states clearly that "public transport should, where available and feasible, be used in preference to other more expensive modes of transport." This travel policy is currently under review. The table below sets out the costs of public transport used by officials of this Department in 2007 and, to date, in 2008. The table includes the total costs incurred in...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (11 Nov 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 (6 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 194 and 195 together. Responsibility for dealing with constituency representations lies with the staff of the Constituency Offices of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and of each Minister of State. The following tables set out the grades, numbers and remuneration of such staff. Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Micheál Martin, T.D. Grade/Position Number...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (6 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The issue of extraordinary rendition has been raised on numerous occasions in this House. As has been made repeatedly clear, the Government is completely opposed to the practice of the extraordinary rendition of prisoners. I wish to reiterate at the outset that none of the various investigations into allegations of extraordinary rendition have revealed any evidence, or even resulted in a...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (6 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: Israel is a key partner of the European Union in the Mediterranean, and an active member of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. The relationship between the EU and Israel is governed mainly by the EU-Israel Association Agreement and its associated Action Plan. The eighth annual meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council was held in June 2008, and the current EU-Israel Action Plan is due...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (6 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The relationship between Ireland and the United States is deep, close and enduring. Successive Presidents and their Administrations, and Ireland's many friends on Capitol Hill from both sides of the aisle, have made an enormous contribution to bringing peace and economic prosperity to this island. Following the US Presidential election on 4 November 2008, the President and Taoiseach have...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (6 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The presidential campaign in the United States has just concluded. President Barack Obama will take up office on 20 January 2009 and the new Congress will meet for the first time on 6 January 2009. The campaign of the President-elect put forward a range of proposals on the US economy, trade and taxation. However, it is too early to know how these proposals will take shape and, therefore,...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (6 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: My Department monitors absence through the Civil Service's Human Resources Management System (HRMS). All absences are recorded on HRMS, which is administered centrally by the Department of Finance. The recording of absences is managed by my Department's Human Resources Section. All HQ-based staff at grades up to, and including, Higher Executive Officer register their attendance using a...

Written Answers — EU-ASEM Summit: EU-ASEM Summit (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: Following discussions in early October between officials from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States Government, the DPRK's reversal during the summer of its agreed nuclear disablement process appears to have been resolved. As a result, inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) returned last month to the nuclear facilities in the DPRK, and...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: Ireland's development aid Programme Countries are some of the poorest in the world. In recent years many of them have demonstrated slow but steady progress, both economically and socially. This progress, despite enormous and continuing challenges, is the result of new and stronger partnerships between international donors, such as Ireland, and developing country governments. These...

Written Answers — UN Reform: UN Reform (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The UN World Summit held in September 2005 agreed a package of UN reforms which, while not as complete as might have been hoped, represented an important advance. Work to implement these reforms has been proceeding since then on a number of levels. As part of this reform, Ireland has been playing a leading role in the effort to reform the mechanisms through which the UN provides assistance to...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Contacts: Diplomatic Contacts (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: Officers of my Department at home and abroad, and I personally, take every opportunity to raise relevant concerns in our ongoing bilateral and multilateral contacts with representatives of other Governments. Officials at Irish Embassies abroad regularly make various forms of diplomatic representation in the countries to which they are accredited on behalf of Irish citizens abroad who may find...

Written Answers — Climate Change Strategy: Climate Change Strategy (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: Last month's European Council reaffirmed the climate change and energy commitments made at the 2007 Spring European Council, including the objective of concluding negotiations on the package of legislative measures designed to give effect to these commitments by the end of 2008. These 2007 commitments are for the EU to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% by 2020, and to consume 20%...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 111, 115 and 120 together. 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...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: More than six weeks after the signing of a power-sharing agreement between Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party, and the Tsvangirai and Mutambara factions of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), there has still been no agreement on forming a Government, and the situation in Zimbabwe remains deeply worrying. Although political violence has diminished, it has not stopped. The rate of inflation...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Government is committed to the full implementation of all aspects of the Good Friday Agreement and the St Andrews Agreement, including the effective operation of all of the Institutions — the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly, the North South Ministerial Council and the British Irish Council. The effective operation of these Institutions, which came into existence on the basis of...