Results 6,001-6,020 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Nuclear Proliferation: Nuclear Proliferation (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 114 and 133 together. Iran recommenced uranium enrichment and centrifuge research in January 2006. Since that date the international community, led on this critical issue by the 'E3+3' group (Germany, France and the UK, along with Russia, China, and the United States), have been trying to persuade Iran to suspend its enrichment activity as a necessary...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 118, 120, 763 and 764 together. As I stated in reply to a Parliamentary Question on 16 December, I am deeply concerned by the escalation in fighting which has taken place in recent months in the northern part of Sri Lanka. Bilaterally, and with our EU partners, we have consistently sought to impress on both the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: 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 miles (approx. 370 km) in breadth regardless of whether its continental shelf physically extends that far, subject only to the similar...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 122, 132, 137, 140, 156, 158 and 772 together. While the appalling violence and bloodshed in Gaza has finally come to an end, a wider concern now remains that the recent conflict has set back and undermined whatever progress had been achieved within the Annapolis framework towards an agreed two-State solution. I discussed this issue with my colleagues at the...

Written Answers — Energy Security: Energy Security (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 123, 162 and 759 together. At the outset, I want to make clear our solidarity with our European partners, who have in some cases been extremely gravely affected by the energy shortages. Homes, businesses and public services have all suffered from the closing of gas supplies. It is absolutely unacceptable that this dispute should have been allowed to affect...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: Ireland has long had a strong commitment to participation in peace support operations. Ireland's policy with regard to peacekeeping is grounded in the UN Charter and in the primacy of the Security Council for the maintenance of international peace and security. Irish troops participate in UN-led, EU-led and NATO-led UN-mandated missions, and participation in peace support operations has...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: I last met formally with the Ambassador of South Africa to Ireland in July 2008. Officials in my Department have, of course, discussed issues with Ambassador Jana regularly since then, and ensured that she is fully aware of my thinking and that of the Government on all relevant issues. Likewise, our Ambassador and his colleagues in our Embassy of Ireland to South Africa have ongoing contact...

Written Answers — Common Foreign and Security Policy: Common Foreign and Security Policy (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: Ireland, together with its EU partners, attaches great importance to achieving stability in the countries of the Western Balkans. The European Union's Stabilisation and Association (SAA) process provides the framework for co-operation on economic, political and legal matters and aims to bring countries closer to EU standards and principles. Stabilisation and Association Agreements have now...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: I remain deeply concerned about the situation in Burma. Recent events there do not suggest that the military regime is in any way planning to ease its grip on the country. Aung San Suu Kyi remains firmly under house arrest and many other activists are also incarcerated. Further political activists were jailed in November last, in some cases for up to 65 years, in what appears to be a wide...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: I have been pleased to be able to report to this House on a number of occasions on the substantial improvement in security in Iraq which has taken place over the last two years. This has been achieved by a combination of enhanced activity by Iraqi and international security forces, but also by progress in internal reconciliation and political action, which we have always stressed would be...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: The situation in Afghanistan remains deeply troubling. The deteriorating security environment continues to be of particular concern, especially with regard to the high number of civilian casualties and the impact it is having on reconstruction efforts and the operations of international aid agencies, including Irish non-governmental organisations working in Afghanistan. Figures released by...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: As is customary at the start of each presidency, the Czech Foreign Minister presented its priorities to the General Affairs Council yesterday (26 January). Under an over-arching motto of "Europe Without Barriers", the Czech Presidency will focus on the Economy, Energy and the European Union in the World. The first few weeks of their EU Presidency have been dominated by major issues connected...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: The situation in Zimbabwe remains dire. The country has effectively not been governed since March 2008, and after years of mismanagement and neglect, its infrastructure seems to be in terminal collapse. Inflation continues unabated, and those in power have found no better response than to print ever larger banknotes — most recently, a one hundred trillion Zimbabwe dollar note — which then...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: The Cabinet Committee on Aspects of International Human Rights to which the Deputy refers was established last autumn. As part of its remit, the Committee has reviewed the Programme for Government commitments in relation to our total opposition to extraordinary rendition. As requested by the Committee, the Embassy in Washington on my instructions made early contact with the transition team...

Written Answers — Nuclear Proliferation: Nuclear Proliferation (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: At its meeting on 4 November 2004, the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/C.1/59/L.34 urging the Conference on Disarmament to agree on a programme of work that included the immediate commencement of negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT). The resolution was overwhelmingly approved by a recorded vote of 147 in favour to 1 against (US)...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: The Mumbai attacks at the end of November were a horrific terrorist offensive against the Government of India, innocent Indian civilians and targeted foreigners. In a statement issued immediately after the attacks began, I said that terrorist atrocities such as those at Mumbai served no purpose except to kill and injure innocent victims, Indian and foreign alike, and to sow panic and...

Written Answers — Nuclear Proliferation: Nuclear Proliferation (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: Preparations for the 2010 Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) are well under way. The Preparatory Committee for the Review Conference met for two weeks in Vienna in 2007 and in Geneva in 2008 and the third meeting will take place in New York in May 2009. The aim of the preparatory cycle is to reach agreement on the agenda and modalities for the Conference in June...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: As my colleague, Minister of State Peter Power T.D., emphasised during an adjournment debate on this issue on 25 November 2008, Ireland is deeply concerned about displaced Roma families who are residing in camps in Northern Mitrovica, and in particular about reports that residents of these camps are exposed to high levels of lead contamination. During his visit to Kosovo on 22 December last,...

Written Answers — Arms Trade: Arms Trade (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: The value of armaments sales by EU Member States to the Middle East in recent years is as follows: 2007 — €1,550,682,825; 2006 — €1,589,178,880; 2005 — €623,675,950; 2004 — €4,097,370,574; 2003 — €301,908,646; Total — €9,162,816,875. The latest year for which statistics are available is 2007. Figures for sales by individual exporting Member States of the European...

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (27 Jan 2009)

Micheál Martin: The St. Andrews Agreement 2006 included a commitment to bring forward an Irish Language Act for Northern Ireland, reflecting on the experience in Wales and our own experience in Ireland. It also called on the incoming Northern Ireland Executive to work to enhance and protect the development of the Irish language. The British legislation giving effect to the St. Andrews Agreement included a...