Results 41,821-41,840 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Seanad: Report of the Independent Review Group on Dignity and Equality Issues in the Defence Forces: Statements (25 Apr 2023)

Micheál Martin: In all walks of life the multidisciplinary approach is now key. Why are lots of people being recruited out of our Defence Forces? I agree with Senator Craughwell in one respect. There is a lot of education in the Defence Forces. There is a huge commitment to learning. I was in Collins Barracks recently. There is fantastic expertise in the area of ordinance and drone technology and so...

Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement: Statements (26 Apr 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Good Friday Agreement is an achievement which the people of this island have every right to be proud of. It was a triumph for constitutionalism, for dialogue and for setting out a new vision for our future. It involved acts of great generosity and bravery, particularly from those who had always believed in and practised the values of peace, democracy and anti-sectarianism. In recent...

Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement: Statements (26 Apr 2023)

Micheál Martin: It is so good that the Deputy is tempted to do so.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (26 Apr 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Programme for Government states that the Government will “honour our commitment to recognise the State of Palestine as part of a lasting settlement of the conflict, or in advance of that, when we believe doing so will progress efforts to reach a two-State solution or protect the integrity of Palestinian territory”. In the absence of progress towards a two-State solution, I...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Historical Conflicts (26 Apr 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Government views the terrible events which saw the deaths of a large number of the Armenian population in the Ottoman Empire as a tragedy. We have expressed deepest sympathy for the enormous suffering of the Armenian people during this period. I wish to emphasise that our position on the description of these events does not diminish our recognition of the terrible and shocking nature...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (26 Apr 2023)

Micheál Martin: Ireland consistently engages with Pakistan on human rights, both bilaterally and multilaterally. Mostly recently, in January 2023, Ireland made an intervention on blasphemy legislation during Pakistan’s Universal Periodic Review at the 42nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council. We recommended that Pakistan amend blasphemy legislation to avoid unjustly targeting or discriminating...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (26 Apr 2023)

Micheál Martin: With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service will be in contact with the applicants in relation to their applications. The turnaround time for Foreign Birth Registration applications in respect of which further supporting documents have been submitted is 3 months.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (26 Apr 2023)

Micheál Martin: My Department has been contacted by representatives of Ms. Donghua Li and Ms Songyuan Li regarding their relatives in China. ‎The Government closely follows reports regarding the treatment of Falun Dafa practitioners by the Chinese authorities. Human rights concerns are regularly discussed with the Chinese authorities in bilateral meetings and in the appropriate multilateral fora....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (26 Apr 2023)

Micheál Martin: Passport applicants residing in Northern Ireland can avail of a broad range of witnesses for the purpose of completing their identity and consent forms. A full list of acceptable witnesses can be found on my Department’s website: How to get your passport application witnessed - Department of Foreign Affairs (dfa.ie). The Passport Service recently carried out a number of upgrades to the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (26 Apr 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 44 and 45 together. I am advised by the military authorities that there are 7 enlisted personnel serving in the Air Corps who have not passed NCO courses but were promoted to the NCO rank of Corporal. Of these, one person was further promoted to the rank of Sergeant or higher.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (26 Apr 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 Defence...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (26 Apr 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Commission on the Defence Forces was established on foot of a commitment in the Programme for Government and the Government decision in December 2020 which also agreed its terms of reference and membership. The report was published on the 9th February 2022. The Commission undertook a significant body of work, encompassing wide-ranging terms of reference. It recommended significant...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (26 Apr 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60 and 61 together. 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. Equipment priorities (including replacement capabilities as...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Staff (26 Apr 2023)

Micheál Martin: The table below provides a breakdown of the number of civil servants by grade currently employed in my Department. Grade Total Secretary General 1 Assistant Secretary 3 Director 1 Principal 23 Assistant Principal 55 Higher...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Policy (27 Apr 2023)

Micheál Martin: I do not believe there is huge concern that this is an initiative to undermine military neutrality. It might be a huge concern to some who are contriving that huge concern, but nobody is afraid of debate in this country or of a broad conversation about the international situation in terms of Irish foreign policy and the international security policy of the State. In order to build a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Policy (27 Apr 2023)

Micheál Martin: I regret the knee-jerk antagonistic approach the Deputy is taking to this. As soon as I announced it, the Deputy was out like a flash saying it was a threat to military neutrality. Why is the Deputy afraid of such debate? Why is he afraid of this country having an informed, open and public discussion about broader issues of the international threats facing the world and which Ireland has...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Policy (27 Apr 2023)

Micheál Martin: I hope we are not going to go down that path. I anticipated this approach: attack the initiative in an immediate way without giving it due consideration, which the Deputy has done. He immediately attacked it. Now he seems to be focusing on the person, which is wrong.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Policy (27 Apr 2023)

Micheál Martin: We are talking about a distinguished academic with tremendous credentials, an Irish person who did exceptionally well and, in my view, is an excellent choice to chair the forum. The chair will be asked to compile a report. There is no preconceived or predetermined outcome. It is a consultative forum. It will be open to the public. The public will be able to attend and people will make...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Undocumented Irish in the USA (27 Apr 2023)

Micheál Martin: I thank Deputy Lowry for raising this matter. Addressing the status of undocumented Irish citizens in the US remains a priority for the Government. Immigration matters are raised on an ongoing basis with the US Administration and US political leaders. The recent visit of President Biden to Ireland reinforced the strong historic, economic, cultural and family links between our two...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Undocumented Irish in the USA (27 Apr 2023)

Micheál Martin: I agree. Last year, there was a bipartisan reintroduction of the E3 visa approach in the US Senate and House of Representatives. This is a welcome development. However, the Bill lapsed with the conclusion of the last session of Congress at the end of 2022. We are discussing options how to potentially move forward the Bill into the new Congress. This was a key theme of my meetings when I...