Results 45,781-45,800 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Establishment of Sub-Committee: Motion (2 Oct 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Leader of the Seanad, Senator Cassidy, is working on it.

Establishment of Sub-Committee: Motion (2 Oct 2008)

Micheál Martin: I thank Members for their agreement to the establishment of the committee. I have been engaged in discussions since late July with representatives of the different political parties to ensure that the Oireachtas would have a role not only in debating but in charting a way forward regarding this country's engagement with the European Union. That is the rationale behind the establishment of...

Establishment of Sub-Committee: Motion (2 Oct 2008)

Micheál Martin: ——to make a contribution to what is a substantive and meaningful debate about Ireland and its role within Europe, how we see our future within the European Union in terms of the key issues, both economic and social, for Ireland and what kind of assurances people want into the future. We are making a genuine effort to try to resolve and understand these issues. Hence, we engaged in...

Establishment of Sub-Committee: Motion (2 Oct 2008)

Micheál Martin: These are questions on which we need to ponder. If one takes one line about whether we want to stop where we are in our engagement in Europe and perhaps take a more isolated marginal position, where does that leave us? These are the questions that the committee, in essence, must tease through. Deputy Timmins's point about the knowledge of European Union institutions is well borne out by the...

Membership of Committee: Motion (2 Oct 2008)

Micheál Martin: I move: That Deputies Beverley Flynn and Joanna Tuffy be appointed to the Select Committee on European Affairs.

Order of Business (2 Oct 2008)

Micheál Martin: It is eight weeks.

Order of Business (2 Oct 2008)

Micheál Martin: Come fly with me.

Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008: Second Stage (30 Sep 2008)

Micheál Martin: I did not say that.

Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008: Second Stage (30 Sep 2008)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Pat Rabbitte's party could print its own money anyway.

Written Answers — Emigrant Support Services: Emigrant Support Services (30 Sep 2008)

Micheál Martin: The establishment of the Irish Abroad Unit in the Department of Foreign Affairs in 2004 has greatly enhanced our capacity to develop and implement policies to support the Irish community overseas, in particular elderly people and those at risk of social exclusion. My Department remains very supportive of the excellent work of the Safe Home programme. The award of a €249,900 grant in April...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (30 Sep 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Department of Foreign Affairs implements the following schemes involving awards to staff: the Scheme of Performance Related Pay Awards (for officers at the level of Deputy Secretary and Assistant Secretary) and the Exceptional Performance Awards Scheme. The Scheme of Performance Related Pay Awards in the Civil Service applies to Deputy and Assistant Secretaries and equivalent grades. It...

Written Answers — Compulsory Purchase Orders: Compulsory Purchase Orders (30 Sep 2008)

Micheál Martin: There are four bodies operating under the aegis of my Department, details of which are set out below. None of these bodies has the power to issue compulsory purchase orders. The Development Education Advisory Committee was established in 2003 following the recommendations of the Ireland Aid Review Committee. Its purpose is to advise the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister of State for...

Written Answers — Data Protection: Data Protection (30 Sep 2008)

Micheál Martin: My Department's policy is that all portable electronic data devices are encrypted. The policy is an operational one, overseen and implemented by the Department's ICT Unit at point of issue of such devices. Full hard disk encryption has been implemented on all laptops issued by my Department in the past three years.

Written Answers — Data Protection: Data Protection (30 Sep 2008)

Micheál Martin: In the period in question two Department owned laptops have been stolen and one Department issued USB memory stick was lost. None of these items has been recovered to date. These devices did not contain any sensitive data and both laptops were encrypted.

Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008: Second Stage (30 Sep 2008)

Micheál Martin: I wish to share time with the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley.

Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008: Second Stage (30 Sep 2008)

Micheál Martin: I applaud the decision taken by the Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance to bring this issue to the attention of the Government yesterday evening. It is in everyone's interest to take decisive and cohesive action on this issue. The international financial system has been affected by unprecedented turmoil and dislocation over recent months. Credit markets, which are central to meeting the...

Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008: Second Stage (30 Sep 2008)

Micheál Martin: Such an over-simplistic presentation led to yesterday's inconclusive result at Congress level. That result has the potential not only to affect the US economy but also to have global ramifications. The Government's decision to introduce the legislation before the House will affect every member of Irish society. In essence, it is about employment. Deputies spoke about the decline in this...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (25 Sep 2008)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government continues to attach the highest priority to finding a solution for our undocumented citizens in the United States. At the same time, we have also argued that the long term strength of our bilateral relationship with the United States would benefit greatly by the establishment of new immigration arrangements which would facilitate greater legal...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (25 Sep 2008)

Micheál Martin: Under the Government's decentralisation programme, the Development Cooperation Directorate of the Department of Foreign Affairs, which is Irish Aid's headquarters, is decentralising to Limerick. This is scheduled to be completed in early November 2008 and involves the relocation to Limerick of 138 posts. The Office of Public Works (OPW) is responsible for the provision of office...

Written Answers — Irish Territorial Waters: Irish Territorial Waters (24 Sep 2008)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1033 and 1034 together. In accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which Ireland is a party, all ships enjoy the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea. All ships, therefore, are entitled to enter the territorial sea without prior notification or consent, provided that their passage is not prejudicial to the...