Results 5,741-5,760 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: I myself did not participate in the recent visit by the Taoiseach to China but I am aware that the Taoiseach took the opportunity presented by a bilateral meeting with Premier Wen Jiabao on 23 October to review Chinese-Irish bilateral diplomatic, political and economic relations. In the course of the discussion, the Taoiseach raised the issue of human rights, as he did subsequently the same...

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

Micheál Martin: I am aware of reports of the incident in question, although the full details of the events are still unclear. The Syrian Government has said only that eight persons were killed, including civilians. The United States has made no official comment, but US sources are reported to have said that the attack successfully targeted an Iraqi leader of Al Qaeda who was active in channelling jihadist...

Written Answers — International Conventions: International Conventions (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: I take it that the Deputy is referring to the legal regime governing the exploration and exploitation of Ireland's continental shelf. The regime governing the exploration and exploitation of the continental shelf in international law is set down by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Under that Convention a coastal state is entitled to a continental shelf 200 nautical...

Written Answers — EU Treaties: EU Treaties (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 122 and 128 together. At the October European Council meeting, the Taoiseach delivered a substantive progress report on developments in Ireland with regard to the Lisbon Treaty since the Council last met in June. The European Council agreed that the Irish Government will continue its consultations and that the Council will discuss this matter again at its...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The establishment and deployment of missions is a matter for decision by the Security Council for United Nations missions or the Council of the European Union for EU-led missions, respectively. The extent to which an individual country participates depends upon a number of factors, including their political will, their level of capability and the number of personnel and other assets they can...

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

Micheál Martin: The Government has consistently supported the right to self-determination of the people of the Western Sahara. Ireland has not taken a position on the future of the Territory, be it full independence, autonomy, or integration under Moroccan sovereignty, so long as it is decided in a genuine exercise of self-determination. We strongly support the continuing engagement of the United Nations in...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The strong Government position on the unacceptable situation in Burma has been consistently conveyed internationally, including and in particular to the countries in the Asia region, whose involvement we see as crucial to a resolution of the problems in Burma. I welcome in this regard the fact that the ASEM Summit, as its record makes clear, adopted a very positive position on the Burmese...

Written Answers — Nuclear Weapons Programmes: Nuclear Weapons Programmes (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Government has no intelligence sources of its own in the Middle East from which to determine the truth of the various and widespread allegations made about weapons programmes in the Middle East, which is a highly militarised and conflict-prone region. It is widely believed that Israel possesses a nuclear weapon capability, but this has never been formally confirmed. There is widespread...

Written Answers — Financial Institutions Support Scheme: Financial Institutions Support Scheme (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 154 together. Officials from my Department and the Department of Finance have been in communication with our European partners and the European Commission over the economic and financial situation. Our Embassies in EU countries have briefed our partners on the Government's bank guarantee scheme. The Minister for Finance met with Commissioner Kroes to...

Written Answers — EU Council Meetings: EU Council Meetings (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: I attended the General Affairs and External Relations Council, the GAERC, in Brussels on 13 October 2008. The meeting, which was chaired by the French Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, was the fourth GAERC under the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union and took place against the background of the international financial crisis. The main item on the agenda was the...

Written Answers — EU Treaties: EU Treaties (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The European Council agreed on 14 December 2007 to establish a Reflection Group and appointed Felipe González (former Prime Minister of Spain) as Chairman of the Group. Two Vice Chairs were also appointed: Vaira Vike-Freiberga (former Latvian President) and Jorma Ollila (former Chairman of Nokia). The Reflection Group is intended to look at the challenges facing Europe beyond 2020. The...

Written Answers — US Visa Programme: US Visa Programme (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy will be aware, the United States Deputy Secretary of State, John Negroponte, and I signed a Memorandum of Understanding establishing a new Working Holiday Programme between our two countries in Washington on 24 September. This Agreement represents a very significant and positive development in our migration arrangements with the United States and will help foster the growth of...

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

Micheál Martin: In my address to the United Nations General Assembly on 29 September 2008, I did extend warm congratulations to Dr. Miguel D'Escoto on his election as President of the General Assembly for its 63rd session and offered my best wishes for the success of his term. I also had the privilege of a short courtesy meeting with Dr. D'Escoto on that occasion. Our Permanent Representative to the UN in...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: Since the referendum in June I have discussed the outcome and its implications with my counterparts in the Council of Ministers, and with leaders of the European Parliament and the European Commission. The European Council agreed in October that the Irish Government will continue its consultations with a view to contributing to finding a way to resolve the situation. That is exactly what the...

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

Micheál Martin: Senior officials are defined by the United Nations as Deputy Secretaries General, Under-Secretaries-General and Assistant Secretaries-General or those of equivalent rank. There are currently two such posts within the United Nations administration held by Irish citizens. Ms Patricia O'Brien is Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and Legal Counsel. Mr Peter Sutherland is the Special...

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

Micheál Martin: The election of a new Administration in the US provides a clear opportunity to re-assess and re-energise the transatlantic relationship. Under the French Presidency, the EU has been giving active consideration to this and Foreign Ministers have twice discussed what should be the priorities in our relations with the new Administration, most recently at a meeting which I attended in Marseilles...

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

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 142, 151, 277 and 278 together. The resurgence of fighting in the North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a matter of grave concern, both in terms of its implications for the humanitarian situation, and for the stability of the wider Great Lakes region. It has seriously undermined the Goma and Nairobi Peace Agreements, and placed the...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The following tabular statement is a statistical breakdown of the Freedom of Information Requests processed by my Department over the past four years. It is the policy of my Department to make all requests and replies made under the Freedom of Information Act, which are not of a personal nature, publicly available. The Freedom of Information Requests Database is available on the website of my...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: I am closely monitoring developments in Colombia, including the human rights situation. Together with our EU partners, Ireland is keenly aware of the difficulties in the implementation of the Justice and Peace Law, the legal framework for the peace process in Colombia. I am particularly concerned about reports suggesting that the situation is deteriorating in relation to human rights...

Written Answers — Trade Embargo: Trade Embargo (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: Ireland and its EU partners believe that the United States trade policy towards Cuba is fundamentally a bilateral issue. However, the EU cannot accept that unilateral measures imposed by the US on specific countries limit the Union's economic and commercial relations with third countries, in this case Cuba. Furthermore, the EU rejects all unilateral measures against Cuba which are contrary to...