Results 45,961-45,980 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ukraine War (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: Ireland welcomed the agreement reached at EU level in February to set aside the revenue generated from Russia's immobilised sovereign assets to support Ukraine. The windfall revenues earned and generated from the assets that are immobilised at the moment will be used to support Ukraine. Our view is that when a country like Russia illegally invades another country and destroys its...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ukraine War (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: The World Bank estimates that the reconstruction bill for Ukraine will be $486 billion over the next decade. That will continue to rise each day. We are engaged in discussions on short-term recovery efforts including the provision of prefabricated homes to support communities. We have made financial support available to do that. A recovery conference will be held in Berlin in June. ...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: I am extremely concerned by the start of Israel's ground offensive and military operation in Rafah. The international community has been clear that the humanitarian consequences of a large-scale offensive in Rafah would be catastrophic. I urge the parties to make every effort to come to an immediate ceasefire deal. All hostages must be released and further civilian casualties must be...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: Ireland and Spain have a very clear direction of travel on this matter. I have said consistently over the past number of months and, indeed, since the Government was formed that, in line with the programme for Government, co-ordination with others and getting as many member states as possible on board is important for Palestinians' right to self-determination and their right to their own...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: What is happening in Rafah and Gaza is absolutely shocking and unacceptable. In our view, it represents a clear violation of international humanitarian law. We have made that clear. Ireland has made submissions to the International Criminal Court, and was one of the few countries to make a strong oral presentation. We had made a written submission long before this war started. We have...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: We never said it was just one strand. It is interesting that Deputy Boyd Barrett argued trenchantly for this for a long time but, once there was the prospect of it happening, he dismissed it, said it was not really that significant and asked whether we could move on now. His asserted solution fails to understand the complexity of the situation, for example, the Arab population within Israel...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: We have to work in the real world. I respectfully suggest that the Deputy keeps shifting the goalposts.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: European Union (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 119 together. On 7 March at the European People's Party congress in Bucharest, Ursula von der Leyen was officially named her party’s candidate for a second term as President of the European Commission. In her first term, President von der Leyen has been a strong advocate for the protection of Irish interests, particularly throughout the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: European Union (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: There are clear rules and procedures governing how a President of the Commission is elected or appointed. They are tied up with the elections and there is a two-stage procedure. First, there is the appointment of the Commission by a qualified majority. The European Council will propose a candidate for President of the Commission but then that candidate has to be elected by a majority vote...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: European Union (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy is correct in that the Ceann Comhairle, on behalf of this Parliament, invited President von der Leyen at the time, in acknowledgement of the role of the President of the Commission in respect of Brexit and of resolutely defending Ireland's situation vis-à-vis the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union. Yes, many parties gave a very warm response, including...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: European Union (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: You are. You are against the European Union.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: European Union (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: No, you are against it full stop, and you have always voted against it. Always. You have never had a good thing to say about it. There is a bit of hypocrisy going on here too.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: European Union (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: Sinn Féin historically has been against the European Union. It is in its DNA to be against the European Union.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: European Union (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: I would genuinely like to see who is going forward after the elections and so forth. In any case, I am well used to it at this stage in terms of the flip-flopping and the perspectives. At one level, they will attack-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: European Union (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: It is very serious. That is why the Deputy needs to get serious. I sometimes do not know whether it is the Davy Stockbrockers-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: European Union (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: One second, please. The Chair allowed all of them to interrupt. I want to finish my comments with the following.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: European Union (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: Everyone has been over time. I want to make the point that we sometimes get a Davy Stockbrokers view of Sinn Féin policy, we sometimes get a kind of view from the Deputies in here but it depends on who they are talking to, and whether they are talking to the financiers or the developers. They change their tack all of the time.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: European Union (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: The same applies to Europe. Sinn Féin spokespeople will sidle off to Europe and have their meetings with the Commission, have their meetings with civil servants and tell them all they have a different view from the one they articulate publicly in the House.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: European Union (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: That is what happens with Sinn Féin at the moment. They are talking to different people all of the time with different policies and different perspectives.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: I will answer the question the Deputy has tabled and I will then deal with the specifics of his further questions. Sanctions are a tool of the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy and part of a comprehensive approach to the pursuit of EU foreign policy objectives, along with political dialogue and other complementary efforts and instruments. Ireland actively pushed for agreement at EU...