Results 6,761-6,780 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Diplomatic Representation. (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: I will come back to the Deputy on that and discuss it with him.

Foreign Conflicts. (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: At the moment, it is not known if the situation in Afghanistan will be discussed at the next EU Council of Ministers meeting in December. The issue was discussed at the General Affairs and External Relations Council, GAERC, and the European Council last month and there was also a further discussion on aspects of EU support to Afghanistan at the GAERC earlier this week. There are currently...

Foreign Conflicts. (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: Do I detect frustration? Yes. This has been discussed at the General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting on many occasions and there is frustration at how governance has evolved in Afghanistan. The view of my colleagues is that there is a pressing need for enhanced governance capacity not just at the centre, but throughout the provinces and the country. Regional governance is...

Foreign Conflicts. (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: I would not disagree fundamentally with that. Key to any conflict area is a proper understanding of how society has evolved over time, the cultural context and how to develop structures to accommodate those and respond to them while making progress. There has been a significant review in the EU and also in the USA of the objectives of the mission. That is fundamental because one must...

Foreign Conflicts. (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: We have seven troops currently participating in the United Nations-mandated, NATO-led mission, ISAF. They are based in Kabul in a non-combatant role. There are no plans to increase the level of our contribution at present. Our presence in Chad is our major input, with more than 400 troops deployed, a significant deployment that means we do not have the capacity to send any more troops to...

European Union Appointments. (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 55, 57, 59, 70, 72, 93, 107 and 220 together. The Lisbon treaty provides for the creation of two major new posts, namely, the President of the European Council and the High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy. These posts will bring greater coherence and continuity to the work of the EU, particularly in its external dimensions. As regards the...

European Union Appointments. (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: We do not have a nominee for that post.

European Union Appointments. (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: There are many who would be more than willing.

European Union Appointments. (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: Could the Deputy repeat that?

European Union Appointments. (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: Bheadh sé oiriúnach don Aire é sin a chur i bhfeidhm. Tá súil agam go mbeidh an Coimisinéir nua sásta teacht ar ais chuig an Oireachtas chun labhairt leis na Teachtaí Dála agus Seanadóirí go léir le chéíle. Mar a dúirt an Teachta Michael D. Higgins, tá Gaeilge líofa aici. Is iontach an scéal é go mbeidh Coimisinéir againn a mbeidh sásta an teanga náisiúnta a úsáid....

Written Answers — Offshore Islands: Offshore Islands (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: During the 1960s and 1970s the issue of Rockall was a source of legal and political controversy in both Ireland and the United Kingdom. Much of that controversy lay in fears at the time that jurisdiction over Rockall and similar rocks and skerries was thought to be central to claiming mineral rights in the adjacent sea-bed and fishing rights in the surrounding seas, as well as to the...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 60, 79, 80, and 117 together. The Goldstone Report is a serious and important document, which seeks to sift fact from allegations and rumour, and to determine so far as possible what happened in and around Gaza in the conflict at the beginning of this year, and how to pursue accountability for any violations of international humanitarian law which occurred....

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: On 26 June 2009, President Zelaya was ousted by a military coup which saw him forcibly transported to Costa Rica. Roberto Micheletti was declared interim President and the military took control of the capital Tegucigalpa. On 28 June, EU Foreign Ministers strongly condemned the military actions directed against President Zelaya and called on all relevant parties and institutions to refrain...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Relations: Diplomatic Relations (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 62, 100 and 116 together. As the Deputy is aware, Cuba is undergoing a major transformation, and its relations with the EU have entered a new phase. Given this new context, I visited Cuba in February of this year and discussed a wide range of political, economic and social issues, including human rights. Following that visit, we are now examining how we might...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: I visited Belfast on 11 November 2009 for a series of meetings. At Stormont Castle, I met with First Minister Peter Robinson and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, together with their Northern Ireland Executive colleagues, Margaret Ritchie and Robin Newton, for a North/South Ministerial Council meeting in Institutional Format. As on previous occasions, we had a very useful discussion...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: The deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in Yemen was discussed by Foreign Ministers at the General Affairs and External Relations Council in Luxembourg at the end of October. Council Conclusions were adopted which expressed the EU's deep concern at the deteriorating security, political and economic situation across the country and underlined the importance of a comprehensive...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Written Question 311 on 10 November 2009, which was as follows: "The Government does not consider that trade or other embargoes on Israel would contribute to the search for peace in the Middle East. I have also made clear that there would be no prospect of reaching consensus at EU level in favour of such a policy. In these circumstances, to link this issue...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: I am aware of the arrest of seven Saharawi human rights activists in Casablanca, Morocco, on 8 October this year. I understand that Moroccan police arrested the group at Casablanca Airport, on their return from a visit to the Saharawi refugee camps in South Western Algeria. While the Moroccan police authorities have confirmed the arrest, there are no further official details on the group's...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 68, 75, 76 and 115 together. As I have stated on many occasions in this House, I am deeply concerned about the situation in Sri Lanka. The immediate priority is still the welfare of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) being held in camps in the north of the country, mainly in the Vavuniya area. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has...

Written Answers — Emigrant Support Services: Emigrant Support Services (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: Finding a solution for our undocumented citizens in the US continues to be a high priority of this Government. We are also committed to developing our bilateral migration arrangements with the United States, through the establishment of a reciprocal two year renewable E3 visa scheme. In discussions with US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, during her visit to Ireland in October, I stressed...