Results 40,981-41,000 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (2 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Commission on the Defence Forces was established on foot of a commitment in the Programme for Government, and its report was published on the 9th of February 2022.  The Commission has undertaken a significant body of work, encompassing wide-ranging terms of reference.  It recommends significant changes for the Defence Forces and Defence provision in Ireland. It covers high-level...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (2 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin:  The Judge-led Independent Review Group, established last January by Government, is examining the systems, policies and procedures for dealing with issues relating to bullying, discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct in the Defence Forces as well as the prevailing workplace culture.  I wish to commend the courage of serving members, the Women of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (2 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 263, 264, 265 and 266 together. As at 31 December 2022, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) was 7,987 personnel comprised of 6,478 Army personnel, 800 Naval Service personnel and 709 Air Corps personnel.  This equates to some 84% of the current PDF establishment strength of 9,500.  My immediate focus is now on...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Military Neutrality (2 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service is maintained and developed. This is to enable the Defence Forces to carry out the roles assigned by Government, as set out in the White Paper on Defence.  In this context, the principal aim over the period of the White Paper is to replace and upgrade, as...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (2 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy will be aware that, with its approval of the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, that the Government committed to a range of actions to address pay and recruitment issues in the Defence Forces. These include a number of projects undertaken to bolster the attractiveness of a career in the Defence Forces, covering a range of measures which will improve...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (2 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Government remains committed to a policy of equal opportunity for men and women throughout the Defence Forces and to the full participation by women in all aspects of Defence Forces activities. It is also Government policy to increase female participation rates at all levels of the Defence Forces in order to increase capability and to better reflect the society from which the Defence...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (2 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: I take it that the Deputy is referring to the process under Section 13(2) of the Army Pensions Act, 1923 that applies to the award of disability pensions and gratuities under the Army Pensions Acts, and the notification of this process to individual applicants. The Army Pensions Acts provide for the grant of pensions and gratuities to former members of the Permanent Defence Force in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Travel Documents (9 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Department of Foreign Affairs' website outlines some of the particularities those travelling with children should be aware of when travelling abroad. Full details are available at www.dfa.ie/travel/assistance-abroad/childrens-issues/ The Deputy should be aware that each country may have their own requirements for those travelling with children who are not their own. It is advisable that...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (9 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: My Department is responsible for processing Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) applications for people who are born abroad and claim Irish citizenship through a grandparent born in Ireland or through a parent who has claimed citizenship also through FBR, Naturalisation or Post Nuptial Citizenship. Demand for this service increased significantly as a result of the Brexit vote in the UK. The...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (9 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: My Department is responsible for processing Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) applications for people who are born abroad and claim Irish citizenship through a grandparent born in Ireland or through a parent who has claimed citizenship also through FBR, Naturalisation or Post Nuptial Citizenship. Demand for this service increased significantly as a result of the Brexit vote in the UK. The...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (9 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Judge-led Independent Review Group, established on 25 January 2022 by Government, has been examining the current systems, policies and procedures for dealing with issues relating to bullying, discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct in the Defence Forces as well as the prevailing workplace culture. Despite the reforms that have taken place in the Defence...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Social Media (8 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: My Department complies with the European Union (Accessibility of Websites and Mobile Applications of Public Sector Bodies) Regulations 2020 and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. The Department endeavours to ensure that its video content is accessible to as many people as possible, and we are committed to providing Departmental videos with closed captioning and/or subtitling...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ukraine War (8 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: Russia's targeted and indiscriminate attacks on residential neighbourhoods and civilian infrastructure are designed to terrorise the people of Ukraine. I condemn these attacks in the strongest terms. While Ireland is militarily neutral, the Government has been clear that Ireland is not politically neutral in terms of our response to Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war against...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (8 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: The appointment of full-time specialist Cultural Officers in priority locations worldwide has been identified in the Government’s Global Ireland 2025 strategy as a key action to widen and deepen our global cultural presence and engagement. Six posts have been filled since the programme commenced in 2020 in a close partnership between my Department and the Department of Tourism,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ukraine War (8 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: Ireland has been providing support to Ukraine both bilaterally and through the EU budget since Russia's full-scale invasion was launched on 24 February 2022. That support has been directed at addressing the humanitarian consequences of the invasion, as well as supporting the Ukrainian government, public services and economy. In terms of humanitarian assistance Ireland was among the first...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (8 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: Ireland and Colombia enjoy excellent, long-standing relations across a range of areas. . Ireland takes a very active role in supporting human rights defenders, indigenous communities and civil society space in Colombia, recognising that addressing social, land-related and environmental issues is an essential component of Colombia’s peace process. We remain firmly committed to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (8 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Embassy of Ireland to Mexico currently holds Ireland's accreditation to Cuba and is actively engaged on the bilateral relationship with Cuba, regularly interacting with the Cuban authorities, the Irish community in Cuba and the EU Delegation in Havana. Officials in my Department maintain frequent contact with the Embassy of Cuba in Dublin on a range of issues and initiatives in support of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Official Engagements (8 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: Ireland has excellent and warm bilateral relations with New Zealand, anchored in shared values, economic ties and close people to people links. This relationship was strengthened with the opening of embassies in Dublin and Wellington in 2018. We cooperate closely across government, on a broad range of topics. As you will be aware, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins recently took office...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Official Engagements (8 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: Wopke Hoekstra, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, and I, both attended the EU Foreign Affairs Council on 23 January.   The Netherlands is traditionally an important ally for Ireland in the EU.  We are like-minded on most foreign policy and economic issues. This close relationship at the EU level has increased following the decision of the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (8 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: The recent engagements between the EU and the UK around the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol are welcome. The joint statement on 9 January by European Commission Vice-President Šefcovic and UK Foreign Secretary Cleverly demonstrated that progress has been made, for example, on the key issue of the EU’s access to UK customs IT systems. As they noted in their...