Results 5,721-5,740 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Overseas Development Aid. (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: They will do it any way. They are raising funds. Many schools are engaged in the WorldWise programme, which is administered by Irish Aid. That represents the future. If we can inspire our young people in that manner, it will be money well spent, provided we do it well and effectively.

Overseas Development Aid. (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: Yes, in the sense of the world. I am pessimistic about achieving them. The summit that was convened in September was important to shake up and refocus people on attaining those goals. I pay contribute to the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, in that respect. He led well on that issue and continues to do so. He is a good example of an international leader who brings a global...

Diplomatic Representation. (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The relationship between Ireland and the United States is deep, close and enduring. Successive presidents and their administrations, and Ireland's many friends on Capitol Hill from both sides of the aisle, have made an enormous contribution to bringing peace and economic prosperity to this island. These efforts have been greatly assisted by the distinguished individuals who have served as...

Diplomatic Representation. (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: I challenge the Deputy on that.

Diplomatic Representation. (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: I wish to make it clear that I take seriously the campaign platforms of both President-elect Obama and the defeated candidate Senator John McCain. We have analysed them, we are mindful of them and will not ignore them. There are up to 474 US companies in Ireland employing approximately 95,000 people. I do not wish to digress but there has been a significant assault on the public service...

Diplomatic Representation. (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: That is what I said.

Diplomatic Representation. (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: In my Department.

Diplomatic Representation. (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: On the economic side, IDA Ireland has significant bases in the US, but in relative terms, compared to some of our competitors it has nothing exorbitant in terms of numbers. Enterprise Ireland has a team in the US, as has the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Tourism Ireland, Bord Bia, the Departments of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and Communications, Energy and Natural...

Foreign Conflicts. (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 105, 119, 127, 143, 145 and 149 together. I have already set out the very difficult situation in the Gaza Strip in my earlier reply to a priority question. The Government agrees with those who state that the effective isolation of Gaza constitutes collective punishment and is illegal under international humanitarian law. There is also a political dimension to...

Foreign Conflicts. (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: I have already made my points about Ireland having a strong position within the European Union in tying any trade agreement between Israel and the EU firmly in the political context and particularly linking it to the creation of a two-state solution and the peace settlement. There have been talks under the Annapolis process between the leaders of the Palestinian Authority and the outgoing...

Written Answers — EU-ASEM Summit: EU-ASEM Summit (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: Following discussions in early October between officials from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States Government, the DPRK's reversal during the summer of its agreed nuclear disablement process appears to have been resolved. As a result, inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) returned last month to the nuclear facilities in the DPRK, and...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: Ireland's development aid Programme Countries are some of the poorest in the world. In recent years many of them have demonstrated slow but steady progress, both economically and socially. This progress, despite enormous and continuing challenges, is the result of new and stronger partnerships between international donors, such as Ireland, and developing country governments. These...

Written Answers — UN Reform: UN Reform (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The UN World Summit held in September 2005 agreed a package of UN reforms which, while not as complete as might have been hoped, represented an important advance. Work to implement these reforms has been proceeding since then on a number of levels. As part of this reform, Ireland has been playing a leading role in the effort to reform the mechanisms through which the UN provides assistance to...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Contacts: Diplomatic Contacts (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: Officers of my Department at home and abroad, and I personally, take every opportunity to raise relevant concerns in our ongoing bilateral and multilateral contacts with representatives of other Governments. Officials at Irish Embassies abroad regularly make various forms of diplomatic representation in the countries to which they are accredited on behalf of Irish citizens abroad who may find...

Written Answers — Climate Change Strategy: Climate Change Strategy (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: Last month's European Council reaffirmed the climate change and energy commitments made at the 2007 Spring European Council, including the objective of concluding negotiations on the package of legislative measures designed to give effect to these commitments by the end of 2008. These 2007 commitments are for the EU to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% by 2020, and to consume 20%...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 111, 115 and 120 together. Under the Government's decentralisation programme announced in 2003, 125 posts attached to the Development Cooperation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs were to decentralise to Limerick. The Division is the Headquarters of Irish Aid. Following sanction of an additional 20 posts by the Department of Finance in 2005, the...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: More than six weeks after the signing of a power-sharing agreement between Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party, and the Tsvangirai and Mutambara factions of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), there has still been no agreement on forming a Government, and the situation in Zimbabwe remains deeply worrying. Although political violence has diminished, it has not stopped. The rate of inflation...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Government is committed to the full implementation of all aspects of the Good Friday Agreement and the St Andrews Agreement, including the effective operation of all of the Institutions — the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly, the North South Ministerial Council and the British Irish Council. The effective operation of these Institutions, which came into existence on the basis of...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: Making aid more effective is crucial if we are to reduce poverty in the long term and achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. These goals set out the globally agreed targets and benchmarks for poverty reduction. We know from experience that excessive fragmentation of aid leads to duplication and wastage. It places a heavy burden on the recipients of aid and undermines country...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 116 and 136 together. In resolution 1834 the United Nations Security Council expressed its intention to authorise the deployment of a UN military component to follow up EUFOR Chad/CAR in both Chad and the Central African Republic. This resolution also requested that the UN Secretary-General, in close cooperation with the European Union, continue planning and...