Results 48,201-48,220 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Funding (22 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: In Budget 2024, I secured a 40% increase in the allocation to the Reconciliation Fund to €7.045m. This increase has allowed the Fund, administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs, to provide enhanced support this year for projects and organisations that seek either to address the drivers of division, conflict, and barriers, or to build a strong civil society that encompasses all...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (22 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Passport Service has issued over 910,000 passports to date this year. Virtually all complete passport applications are being processed within or before advertised turnaround times with the majority of adult online renewal applications issuing within two working days. There are currently 794 staff employed in the Passport Service. Staffing levels reached 847 officers during the busy...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Programmes (22 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: Established in 2021, the European Peace Facility (EPF) has three main aims: funding the common costs of the EU’s military missions and operations under the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP); financing Peace Support Operations led by international and regional organisations, and partner countries around the world; and strengthening the military and defence capacities...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (22 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: All passport applications are subject to the terms of the Passports Act, 2008, as amended. The Passport Service requires the submission of many key supporting document in all first-time passport applications. The Passport Service takes its responsibility to protect the integrity of the Irish passport very seriously. With regard to the application about which the Deputy has enquired, this...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (22 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: Ireland enjoys good relations with Kuwait. Ambassador Alison Milton, based in Abu Dhabi, represents Ireland in Kuwait. Kuwait opened an Embassy in Dublin in 2022, and Ambassador Mohammad M F M Al-Mohammad presented credentials to President Higgins in February 2023. Relations between Ireland and Kuwait continue to develop, with the main areas of cooperation being in education, healthcare...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Properties (22 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Department of Foreign Affairs does not own or lease any properties within this jurisdiction. The Office of Public Works is responsible for all accommodation utilised by the Department of Foreign Affairs within the state.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (22 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: I can advise that the Military authorities have submitted a recommendation on the future of the Fire Service in the Defence Forces Training Centre, Curragh Camp. My officials are considering same and have written to the military authorities on the matter. It will be necessary to establish Kildare County Council's formal position on the matter before any decision can be made.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (22 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: A consultant was commissioned by the Defence Forces to assess the condition of the vacant housing in barracks and its suitability for conversion/refurbishment to provide for additional single living-in accommodation for Defence Force personnel. My officials have provided observations on a final draft of this report, and I expect the Defence Forces to submit the report to me imminently. The...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (22 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: The provision of local authority, social and/or affordable housing is a matter in the first instance for the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government. It has also been a long standing established policy, since the late 1990's, to withdraw from the provision of housing quarters for Defence Forces personnel. This policy has been given effect on a gradual basis and long term...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Budget 2025 (22 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Defence Vote Group has been provided with a funding allocation of €1,350 million in Budget 2025 - €1,021 million for the Defence Vote and €329 million for the Army Pensions Vote. This represents a €100m (8%) increase on the corresponding 2024 allocation. For 2025, the key priority remains to progress the transformation of the Defence Forces as outlined in the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Budget 2025 (22 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: Capital investment in Defence is primarily directed at providing sufficient military capabilities, across land, air, maritime and cyber domains, to meet specific roles assigned to the Defence Forces. In the main, this investment is for the acquisition of defensive equipment and the construction or upgrade of barracks infrastructure. Defence equipment capital expenditure projects are often...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (22 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: With its approval of the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, 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, and cover a range of measures to improve pay and conditions. It is also worth noting in this regard...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Projects (22 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: Capital investment in Defence is primarily directed at providing sufficient military capabilities, across land, air, maritime and cyber domains, to meet specific roles assigned to the Defence Forces. In the main, this investment is for the acquisition of defensive equipment and the construction or upgrade of barracks infrastructure. Defence capital spending is largely atypical and often...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Properties (22 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Defence Forces are responsible for the collation of data on vacant properties in each installation. This is managed by the military authorities, and as such, my Department is not directly involved, nor would it have the information requested. The military authorities have been requested to provide the material and while this could not be compiled in time. I will arrange to have the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Pension Provisions (22 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: The occupational pension scheme terms of post-1 January 2013 new entrants to the public service, including the Permanent Defence Force (PDF), are governed by the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012. The terms and rules of the Single Scheme – which are fundamentally different to previous superannuation public service arrangements – make no...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services (23 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: Ireland’s diplomatic presence has expanded significantly in recent years, under the Global Ireland Strategy, which aimed to double Ireland’s global footprint and influence in the period 2018 to 2025. Twenty six new missions were planned for under the Strategy, and we have now opened or announced the opening of twenty seven, comprising fourteen embassies and thirteen...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (23 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Department of Foreign Affairs is responsible for processing applications for citizenship by descent through the Foreign Births Register under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. Once a person is entered on the Foreign Births Register, they are deemed an Irish citizen and is entitled to apply for an Irish passport. By its nature, Foreign Birth Registration (FBR)...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (23 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Passport Service has issued over 916,000 passports to date this year. All passport applications are subject to the terms of the Passports Act, 2008, as amended (“the Act“). The Act provides, among other things, that a person must be an Irish citizen before a passport can be issued to that person. In order to meet this requirement, when making a first time passport...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service (23 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Defence Forces, including the Naval Service, is maintained and developed. This is to enable the Defence Forces to carry out the roles assigned by Government. Equipment priorities for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service are considered in the context of the established capability development and Equipment...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Grazing Rights (23 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 43 to 45, inclusive, together. The Curragh Plains is approximately 4,870 acres. Grazing of sheep on the Curragh Plains is permitted under the Curragh of Kildare Acts of 1870, 1961 and 1969. “Claims” in this regard belong to various land owners in townlands surrounding the Curragh of Kildare. I am advised that the current available number of...