Results 5,401-5,420 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Regulatory Impact Analysis: Regulatory Impact Analysis (18 Jun 2008)

Micheál Martin: My Department engages fully with the 'Regulatory Impact Analysis' (RIA) process which has been in place since 2005. The RIA process assesses the impact a body of legislation could have in changing existing regulatory obligations for business. Since the introduction in June 2005 of Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA), my Department has carried out two RIA screenings on: the British-Irish...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (18 Jun 2008)

Micheál Martin: The December 2007 European Council reaffirmed that the future of the Western Balkans lies within the European Union and the countries of the region (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia) continue to feature on the agenda of the General Affairs and External Relations Council. On 18 February last, EU Foreign...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (18 Jun 2008)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 and 176 together. The President of the European Council, assisted by the President of the Commission and the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, will meet President Medvedev, together with Premier Putin and Foreign Minister Lavrov at the next EU Russia Summit in Khanty-Mansiisk, Siberia on 26-27 June. This will be the first...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (18 Jun 2008)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 165, 166 and 172 together. The reduction of poverty, hunger, conflict and human rights abuses in Africa is one of the most important tasks of the international community in the 21st century. Conflict has many causes and many manifestations, but poverty, inequality and exclusion have proved to be the most fertile breeding grounds for violence, ethnic hatred...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (18 Jun 2008)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 168 and 174 together. The situation in Darfur remains of grave concern, and the suffering of its people continues unabated. The fracturing of the main rebel groups over the past year, and the apparent determination of the Government of Sudan to pursue a military solution, at a high price in suffering for ordinary people, makes the search for peace even more...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (18 Jun 2008)

Micheál Martin: Ireland has a network of 75 resident diplomatic and consular Missions abroad (57 Embassies, 6 multilateral missions and 12 Consulates General and other offices), as well as the British-Irish Intergovernmental Secretariat in Belfast and the North-South Ministerial Council Joint Secretariat in Armagh. The White Paper on Irish Aid, published in September 2006, designated Malawi as Ireland's...

Written Answers — Emigrant Support Services: Emigrant Support Services (18 Jun 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Government continues to attach the highest importance to resolving the plight of our undocumented citizens in the United States. My predecessor raised this issue repeatedly on his many visits to the US and the former Taoiseach highlighted it during his address to the Joint Houses of Congress on 30 April. In the absence of comprehensive immigration reform, which would legalise most of...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (18 Jun 2008)

Micheál Martin: Cooperation between the European Union and Latin America in combating the trade in illicit drugs takes place within a well-defined framework, both in terms of policy and institutional mechanisms. EU policy toward illicit drugs is founded on the basic principles adopted under the 1998 Political Declaration of the Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGASS), the current EU...

Written Answers — International Terrorism: International Terrorism (18 Jun 2008)

Micheál Martin: My colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, has primary responsibility for policy matters relating to the security of the State. As a member of the European Union's Justice and Home Affairs Council, he participates in the taking of decisions and the adoption of measures aimed at dealing with terrorism and the terrorist threat within the European Union. International...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (18 Jun 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Good Friday Agreement recognises the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British, or both, as they may so choose, and accordingly confirms their right to hold both British and Irish citizenship. In addition, persons born on the Island of Ireland before 1 January 2005 are automatically entitled to Irish citizenship. In the...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (19 Jun 2008)

Micheál Martin: The situation in the ethnic Somali Ogaden region of Ethiopia has deteriorated sharply in the last six months. The conflict between the Government and the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) is causing serious hardship for the mainly pastoralist and nomadic people of the region, whose livelihoods have been disrupted. Some NGOs have complained of serious restrictions on humanitarian access...

Order of Business (24 Jun 2008)

Micheál Martin: We do not want over-regulation.

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (24 Jun 2008)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 212 to 220, inclusive, together. Human rights are, and have always been, a priority of successive Governments and central to our foreign policy. Together with our EU partners, the Government monitors the human rights situations in many countries, on the basis of information obtained from a variety of sources including non-governmental organisations. Where the...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (24 Jun 2008)

Micheál Martin: The humanitarian situation across Somalia remains grave, particularly in and around Mogadishu and I remain deeply concerned for the safety and well-being of Somalis and the aid community seeking to assist them. In what was already a precarious environment for humanitarian agencies, security and access have deteriorated even further in 2008. Security issues for those seeking to deliver relief...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (24 Jun 2008)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy may be aware, my Department strongly advises Irish citizens to avoid all travel to Iraq given the extremely unstable political and security situation in the country. Those in Iraq are urged to leave. This advice is provided on our website, www.dfa.ie, and is updated on a regular basis. Despite this clear advice, I understand the person referred to by the Deputy travelled to...

Written Answers — Consular Services: Consular Services (24 Jun 2008)

Micheál Martin: My Department, through our Consulates in New York and Chicago, have provided extensive consular assistance to the person referred to by the Deputy. The person concerned travelled to the United States in October 2007 on a six-month working visa. In April of this year, he served a fifteen day prison sentence in Florida for driving related offences. My Department made clear to the person that...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (24 Jun 2008)

Micheál Martin: The humanitarian situation across Somalia remains grave and I remain deeply concerned for the safety and well-being of Somalis and the aid community seeking to assist them. In what was already a precarious environment for humanitarian agencies, security and access have deteriorated even further in 2008. Obstacles to those seeking to deliver relief in Somalia include random violence, piracy,...

Written Answers — Middle East Peace Process: Middle East Peace Process (24 Jun 2008)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 225 to 229, inclusive, together. The Government has been very seriously concerned about the humanitarian and security situation in Gaza and the West Bank. We have consistently called for an end to the isolation of the people of Gaza, the re-opening of crossing points for people and goods and the lifting of restrictions on the movement of Palestinians in the...

Order of Business (25 Jun 2008)

Micheál Martin: It will assist the prospects for Killarney tourism.

European Council: Statements (25 Jun 2008)

Micheál Martin: He is on the Deputy's side.