Results 44,361-44,380 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Boyd Barrett's failure or deliberate decision not to condemn Hamas is shocking and utterly inconsistent with what he is asking the Government to do in respect of other issues. Women were raped and subsequently murdered on 7 October. Children were killed or abducted. I saw the Deputy in a clip where he tried to protest that he did not quite know what happened that day. He was on a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: You do.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: Yes, you do.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: Yes, you do.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: Then why do you not condemn it?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: I want to make the point, if I may, through the Chair-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: This is a very serious issue-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: -----because the Deputy is accusing the Government of dancing around. We are not dancing around anything. We have a strong record internationally. When we go before courts, they are not debating chambers. They are not places where you can dance around. Because that is the sum total of the substance that you bring to this issue. You dance around all the time. You accuse others of not...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: -----as opposed to dealing with the substance of the issue, namely, how we can help Palestinians in a practical sense. Deputy Howlin's question is valid. The Israelis may very well ignore the provisional findings of the court. That is a concern and that is why, parallel with dealing with the court case - which we will and which we will do properly as we have done in terms of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Enlargement (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 74 together. Ireland is a strong supporter of EU enlargement, provided that candidate countries meet the necessary conditions for membership. The enlargement of the European Union has taken on renewed significance and urgency since Russia's further illegal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and has re-emerged as one of the EU's most important...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Enlargement (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: People have been struck by the pace of Ukrainian reforms. In particular, the Commission has been very struck by the speed and degree to which Ukraine has gotten its act together in respect of many of the areas that had been identified by the Commission as requiring reform. Overall, I have a geopolitical view - I have been one of the strongest advocates earlier on at European Council...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Enlargement (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: In respect of Deputy Bruton's question, at the December European Council meeting it was decided to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova and to grant candidate status to Georgia. There was a clear signal to open negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ukraine is proceeding rapidly and various timelines have been given. As for 2027 that would be very fast and that is the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Foreign Policy (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: Premier Li Qiang visited Ireland on 16 and 17 January, at the request of the Chinese authorities. The premier paid a courtesy call on President Higgins before being welcomed by the Taoiseach at Farmleigh House for a bilateral meeting and a lunch, which was also attended by a number of Ministers, including myself. Meetings covered a range of topics including bilateral relations, human...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Foreign Policy (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: No, that is not the truth. I was in China in November. I met Mr. Wang Yi. We had an extended conversation on Xinjiang. Ireland is very concerned about the situation in Xinjiang and about reports of the treatment of ethnic and religious groups in the region. We welcomed the publication in 2022 of the assessment by the then High Commissioner for Human Rights regarding human rights concerns...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Foreign Policy (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: Contrary to what the Deputy says, Europe has taken a strong position on this. It has also reframed its relationship with China in terms of the derisking approach, ensuring economic resilience at home within Europe and ensuring there are no vulnerable dependencies. In a speech to the Royal Irish Academy last year, I outlined Ireland’s position on the derisking situation and that we...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Human Rights (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this important question. We are deeply concerned by the ongoing erosion of human rights in Russia – it is shocking – and the persecution of individuals for exercising their personal freedoms, including the rights to freedom of opinion, expression and peaceful assembly. The arbitrary arrest, prosecution and sentencing of Mr. Alexei Navalny and the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Human Rights (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: I agree 100%. The Deputy is correct about the European Court of Human Rights granting interim measures in February 2021 on behalf of Mr. Navalny. In January and February of 2021, there were mass detentions and scenes of police violence across Russia during peaceful protests that were linked to Mr. Navalny’s arrest and imprisonment. Other domestic opposition leaders have been...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Human Rights (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: I commend the Deputy on raising it because the level of repression in Russia is extraordinary yet it does not excite the public anger in this country that it should. Civil society is shut down, media is suppressed and no one can speak out against the leadership. Politicians are arrested and lawyers defending people are arrested and just put into jail. That is why there was an exodus from...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Conflict Resolution (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: We are very concerned. What is going on in Sudan is shocking. It is a further illustration of how proxy wars are taking place across the world and malign influences are resulting in wars of this kind, which cause immense suffering for people. The people of Sudan are suffering hugely. The situation in Sudan has not received the attention it should because of everything else happening in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Conflict Resolution (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: We continually review our sanctions at EU level. I foresee further sanctions and we will continue support and aid. It is deteriorating rapidly. There are two opposing forces and it is becoming increasingly bitter. We will work with the African Union and other powers to try to bring stability and get a resolution. The European Union will do everything it can to bring stability with the...