Results 6,781-6,800 of 50,151 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Anti-Piracy Operations: Anti-Piracy Operations (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: Operation Atalanta is the EU's naval operation acting in support of United Nations Security Council Resolutions relating to piracy off the coast of Somalia. It forms part of efforts by the wider international community to address the piracy problem in the region. Operation Atalanta currently consists of naval units from Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain and...

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

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 73 and 110 together. On 30 October 2009, a bilateral agreement, entitled A Supplemental Agreement for Cooperation and Technical Assistance and Security, was signed by Colombia and the United States. Articles Three and Four of this Agreement provide for continued U.S. access to specific Colombian facilities in order to undertake mutually agreed activities...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: I visited Washington and New York from 14-17 October 2009. During my visit, I met with American politicians, members of the Irish community and the wider business community, including with clients of the IDA and Enterprise Ireland. Every effort was made to promote Irish-American political, economic and cultural relations during the visit. I addressed the European Institute in Washington on...

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

Micheál Martin: As neighbours and fellow members of the European Union, Ireland and Britain enjoy excellent cooperation across a wide range of issues. As Minister for Foreign Affairs, my primary interlocutors are the British Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. The British Foreign Secretary, Mr.David Miliband M.P., visited Dublin on 1 July and we discussed a range of issues...

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

Micheál Martin: I am aware of remarks in the press attributed to the Italian State prosecutor in the wake of the recent trial of US and Italian intelligence personnel in Milan. The Government is strongly of the view that, in the fight against terrorism, human rights must be preserved on all occasions. In this context, I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate the Government's strong opposition to...

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

Micheál Martin: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 83, 89 and 97 together. The Government has made very clear our strong condemnation of the continued building of settlements anywhere in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem. This process is illegal, and involves of its very nature the continual expropriation of Palestinian land and the eviction of Palestinian families and...

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

Micheál Martin: The Deputy will be aware of the events which resulted in the tragic deaths of very large numbers of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in the early part of the 20th century. Relations between Armenia and Turkey have long been overshadowed by these events, on which both sides hold different historical interpretations. However, more recently, there have been positive signs of an improvement in...

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

Micheál Martin: The disparate ethnic and religious minorities in Iraq have undoubtedly suffered from the instability of recent years. Nineveh, Iraq's second-most-populous province, has a unique concentration of minority groups. Violent attacks in and around the northern Iraqi city of Mosul and along the Nineveh Plain, a strip of land sandwiched between Mosul and Iraqi Kurdistan, have underscored how...

Written Answers — Seabed Sovereignty Claims: Seabed Sovereignty Claims (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: Ireland claims continental shelf extending beyond the standard 200 nautical mile entitlement both to the west and to the south of the country. Under international law these claims must be examined by the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. For the purposes of our claims we have divided the extended shelf into three sectors. The first sector is to the south-west of the...

Written Answers — Kidnapping of Irish Priest: Kidnapping of Irish Priest (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: It was with great delight and relief that I announced the release on Wednesday last of Fr. Michael Sinnott after 32 days in captivity. His release was the result of an intense diplomatic effort by the Irish and Philippine Governments. On hearing of the abduction on 11 October, I immediately asked our Ambassador to the Philippines, Mr. Richard O'Brien, who is based in Singapore, to travel to...

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

Micheál Martin: The Lisbon Treaty, through its Protocol no.1 and other provisions, will enhance the role of national parliaments in EU affairs and preparations are ongoing to ensure that the Oireachtas can play its full role as envisaged in the Treaty. The Treaty explicitly recognises that national parliaments contribute to the good functioning of the Union in many ways. The European Union Act 2009 gives...

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

Micheál Martin: In 1987, the Government formulated a policy to bring together, where feasible, our Missions abroad and the offices of State Agencies in a single location, designated as Ireland House. The precise model of implementing such an arrangement would of course vary and has to reflect the local conditions and other factors. There are now a number of types of Ireland Houses currently operating...

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

Micheál Martin: As I have stated on many occasions in this House, the situation in Burma/Myanmar has long been one of grave concern to the Government. The Rohingya ethnic group is one of the many ethnic groups which have been severely affected by the brutal policies of the Myanmar military regime. The situation of the Muslim Rohingyas is, however, even more difficult than that of other ethnic groups in...

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

Micheál Martin: Although there have been reports over a number of years of secret prisons operating in China, international interest in such places of detention has greatly increased since the publication on 11 November by Human Rights Watch of a report entitled An Alleyway in Hell, China's Abusive "Black Jails". The report contains allegations that Chinese government officials, security forces, and their...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: The purchase of equipment for the Permanent Defence Forces is a matter for the Minister for Defence. The Government's views on the illegality of the route of the Separation Wall, as confirmed in the 2004 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, are well known.

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

Micheál Martin: Syria is a key actor in the Middle East region and has increasingly demonstrated a willingness to play a more positive role in the peace process. This was certainly the strong impression I formed when visiting Syria last February where I met with President Assad, Prime Minister Al-Dardari and Foreign Minister Muallem. In my meetings, I encouraged President Assad and his government to use any...

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

Micheál Martin: The Government continues to liaise closely with British Government counterparts to encourage the parties in Northern Ireland to complete the transfer of policing and justice powers as soon as possible. As I said in my address to Seanad Éireann on 3 November, the devolution of these powers to the Assembly and Executive would demonstrate to the wider world that Northern Ireland is a...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: I refer the Deputy to the answer given to PQ 40584 on 10 November 2009, as outlined below. The Irish United Nations Association (IUNA) is a non-governmental organisation based in Dublin whose objectives are to promote the aims and activities of the United Nations and its specialised agencies in Ireland. IUNA has received funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs since 1972. In addition...

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

Micheál Martin: The situation in Zimbabwe continues to be of great concern to the Government and to the European Union as a whole. I am gravely concerned by reports of continuing human rights violations, arbitrary arrests, torture of prisoners and abuse of the rule of law. Recent media reports of widespread physical and sexual abuse of children, which would appear to be the basis of the Deputy's question,...

Written Answers — EU Enlargement: EU Enlargement (18 Nov 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 105 together. Turkey has had a perspective towards membership of the European Union since the conclusion of the Association Agreement of 1963. Negotiations on accession commenced in 2005 and are proceeding, albeit at a slow pace, on ten chapters of the accession framework. The Science and Research Chapter was provisionally closed in June 2006. The...