Results 7,161-7,180 of 51,089 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Departmental Functions: Departmental Functions (24 Feb 2010)

Micheál Martin: Management structures, governance and decision making frameworks in my Department are subject to constant review in the light of the regularly changing and evolving responsibilities and priorities. In September 2009 a special Unit with responsibility for Strategy and Performance issues was established under the direction of an Assistant Secretary. Among the tasks assigned to this Unit is a...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (24 Feb 2010)

Micheál Martin: Under the powers vested in Secretaries General under section 4(1) of the Public Services Management Act, 1997, the Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs has the authority to carry out certain duties and management functions, including preparing an outline of how specific elements of Departmental responsibilities are to be assigned so as to ensure that the functions performed...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (24 Feb 2010)

Micheál Martin: My Department was part of the wider Public Service benchmarking exercise, details of which may be found in the 2002 and 2007 reports of the Public Service Benchmarking Body (available at www.benchmarking.gov.ie ). The exercise involved the detailed examination of the job size, pay, benefits and superannuation of public servants compared with jobs in the private sector. There was no further...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (24 Feb 2010)

Micheál Martin: The size and scale of our diplomatic network is considered by the Government on an ongoing basis. Any decision to open a new Mission overseas is undertaken having regard to clear national priorities and available resources, and must be on the basis of an anticipated and ongoing significant return for the State. Decisions regarding Embassy closures must take full account of the operational...

Written Answers — Departmental Functions: Departmental Functions (24 Feb 2010)

Micheál Martin: The back office functions the Deputy refers to are ones that fall within the scope of the Government's programme of Transforming Public Services. This programme is being directed by a cabinet sub-Committee and jointly coordinated by the Department of Finance and the Department of the Taoiseach. Amongst the issues to be addressed in 2010 is the provision of shared services across the civil...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (24 Feb 2010)

Micheál Martin: My Department implements efficiency measures on an on-going basis to enable the Department operate more effectively, to improve the delivery of services to the public and to achieve better value for money from the Department's administrative budget. These improvements take place against a background of shifting demand. For example, the number of passports issued in 2008 (577,000) represented...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (24 Feb 2010)

Micheál Martin: It is not possible, in the time allocated and within the constraints imposed by the accounting system, to calculate the average cost of accommodation per civil servant. However, as the Deputy will appreciate, officers at my Department, by the nature of its responsibilities, are obliged to undertake a significant amount of official travel overseas. In relation to accommodation costs, my...

Written Answers — Departmental Functions: Departmental Functions (24 Feb 2010)

Micheál Martin: The volume of hospitality activity in Iveagh House varies from year to year depending on factors including the number of visits, conferences and events. In 2009, the department hosted 63 official hospitality events in Iveagh House at a cost of €109,000. The breakdown of events is as follows: 3 breakfasts, 33 lunches, 6 dinners, 16 receptions. On this basis, the average cost per function...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (24 Feb 2010)

Micheál Martin: My Department does not pay a stipend in addition to core salary to civil servants who are working overseas. My Department does operate a system of Foreign Service Allowances to defray certain additional expenses which officers may experience as a consequence of serving abroad at an Irish diplomatic mission. The extent to which officers require compensation through allowances is dependent on...

Written Answers — Counterfeit Passport: Counterfeit Passport (25 Feb 2010)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 122 to 124, inclusive, together. The matter raised by the Deputy is extremely serious. The Government takes grave exception to the forgery and misuse of Irish passports. We are deeply concerned that the security of our citizens could have been placed in jeopardy by the misuse of Irish passports and that the excellent reputation which the Irish passport...

Written Answers — Letters of Freedom: Letters of Freedom (25 Feb 2010)

Micheál Martin: Many States require non-nationals, before they can get married in their jurisdiction, to produce a certificate from their country of origin that they are free to marry. These are usually known as Certificat de Coutume, or in the case of marriages in Italy Nulla Ostas and, in effect, certify to the civil authorities of another State that a named Irish citizen is, in terms of Irish law, free to...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (2 Mar 2010)

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 — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (2 Mar 2010)

Micheál Martin: Irish Embassies and Missions abroad are staffed by members of the diplomatic service and the wider civil service. A number of non-diplomatic clerical, administrative and support staff may also be recruited locally by Missions. The selection and recruitment of locally-engaged staff is handled directly by the Missions themselves. Recruitment into civil service grades, including for posts at...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (2 Mar 2010)

Micheál Martin: The review of application procedures for Australian visas, including the appointment of approved medical examiners to assist with these procedures, is a matter for the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Australian visa applications from Ireland are handled by the Australian Immigration Office in London. I have asked my officials to liaise with the Australian Embassy here...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (2 Mar 2010)

Micheál Martin: EU relations with Colombia are conducted in the framework of regional relations between the EU and the Andean Community, comprising Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. In 2007, negotiations aimed at concluding a comprehensive Association Agreement between the EU and the Andean Community were formally launched. Such Agreements cover all facets of relations between the EU and these countries,...

Written Answers — International Relations: International Relations (2 Mar 2010)

Micheál Martin: Ireland conducts bilateral relations with Kenya through our Ambassador, based in Dar-es-Salaam and the Kenyan Ambassador in Dublin, as well as through multilateral channels. On a bilateral level Ireland established diplomatic relations with Kenya in 1979 with the opening of an Embassy in Nairobi. That mission was closed for financial reasons in 1988 and we are currently represented on a...

Written Answers — International Relations: International Relations (2 Mar 2010)

Micheál Martin: Ireland and Uganda established diplomatic relations in 1995. Ireland is represented in Kampala by Ambassador Kevin Kelly. The Ugandan Ambassador in London, H.E. Mrs. Joan Rwabyomere, is accredited to Ireland. On the multilateral level, Ireland conducts relations with Uganda through our respective Permanent Missions to the United Nations and also through the EU with the Ugandan in Brussels and...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (2 Mar 2010)

Micheál Martin: It is not possible to speculate on the number of jobs that might be created in my Department if the moratorium on recruitment were to be lifted. However, I can advise the Deputy that, since January 2009, there has been a net reduction of 54 in staffing levels in my Department.

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (2 Mar 2010)

Micheál Martin: On 24 February, the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, delivered a statement in the House of Commons in which he apologised for the support given by successive British Governments for child migration schemes under which children aged between three and fourteen were sent to Australia, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand. The schemes ceased operating in the 1960s. Prime Minister Brown...

Written Answers — Passport Security: Passport Security (2 Mar 2010)

Micheál Martin: My Department takes very seriously the possible misuse of lost or stolen Irish passports and urges passport holders to keep their passport in a secure place and exercise care and vigilance over its use. Since 1 October, 2009 the Department increased the frequency of its reporting of the serial numbers of all lost/mislaid or stolen passports to Interpol through An Garda Síochána, to daily...