Results 7,461-7,480 of 50,213 for speaker:Micheál Martin

EU Enlargement (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: From time to time since the Helsinki Council, various politicians throughout Europe have articulated different positions on this. It has been a lengthy process. We have to be careful and sensitive in how we approach this challenging issue. As a small open economy, we depend very much on liberalisation of world trade. We need to export our goods and services to create jobs here. The...

EU Enlargement (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: -----but not necessarily as low as that of Bulgaria or Rumania, relative to Ireland. We need to be flexible in how we approach these issues. The issue of absorption is one that must be resolved and a study must be undertaken by the European Union on its capacity to absorb. This must be done prior to any accession. Politically, it is acceptable for people to make the odd statement to grab...

EU Enlargement (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: We have to be realistic and look at things. There have been derogations. We chose not to accept derogations from the ten candidate countries in 2004 but we put derogations in place with regard to Bulgaria and Romania. We need to consider issues such as these in terms of new accessions.

Northern Ireland Issues (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: The establishment of the North-South consultative forum, provided for in the Good Friday Agreement, has been discussed with the Northern Ireland Executive at all the plenary meetings of the North-South Ministerial Council since the re-establishment of the Executive in May 2007. At those meetings, the Government delegation is led by the Taoiseach, while the Northern Ireland Executive...

Northern Ireland Issues (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: I share the Deputy's views. He is correct to state that these are aspects of the St. Andrews Agreement and the Good Friday Agreement that have not yet been brought to full realisation. We take the establishment of both fora very seriously. Since the institutions were restored in 2007, we have urged and will continue to urge the early establishment of the consultative forum following the...

Northern Ireland Issues (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: I will revert to the Deputy on that. As the Deputy will appreciate, we cannot unilaterally establish this. It is not an option which is open to us. We are in a better space now, post-Hillsborough than prior to it.

Northern Ireland Issues (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: There has been plenty of impetus on this side. Let us be fair. The Farmleigh conference is evidence of a genuine desire to explore the issues. The conference next week is similar. One thing one does not do in Northern Ireland is set dates, as I know from the past 18 months. What tends to happen if one sets a date is that the determination is any time beyond that date. I have no...

EU Targets (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy is aware, the March 2010 European Council meeting agreed on the main elements of the new European strategy for jobs and growth, Europe 2020, including the key targets which will guide its implementation and arrangements for its improved monitoring. There were five European Union headline targets agreed by the European Council and they cover employment; research and development,...

EU Targets (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: I agree that we need targets and I support the Europe 2020 strategy, in so far as it is endeavouring to fix targets along the five core areas. This strategy is better shaped and formulated because it has shortened the number of targets and areas. It has a much sharper focus that the previous Lisbon strategy. We welcome the education targets and the idea of targets for social inclusion....

EU Targets (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: Well below which?

EU Targets (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: In terms of poverty reduction, during the past ten years there has been a very significant reduction in consistent poverty in Ireland and we have used our resources quite effectively to achieve that. The latest results from the EU survey on income and living conditions released in November 2009, which applied to 2008, indicated at that stage that the reductions in poverty were on track to...

EU Targets (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: I would not be that dismissive. We all know from research that education during the lifespan of an individual is the key to his or her progression in terms of employment attainment. Education is the one guarantee of exit from poverty and of a decent quality of life. It advances a society collectively. When I was Minister for Education and Science in 1999, we worked out what percentage of...

Election Monitoring (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: The elections in Ethiopia on 23 May represent an important step in the country's democratic development. Opposition parties are contesting the elections throughout the country and 30 million Ethiopians have registered to vote. However, the violent aftermath of the last elections in 2005 left a disappointing and difficult legacy. We are following developments closely and Irish observers are...

Membership of International Organisations (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 22 together. Israel, along with Estonia and Slovenia, was formally invited to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development at a meeting of the OECD Council on 10 May 2010. On the basis of formal opinions and all relevant technical information gathered by the appropriate OECD bodies during the accession process which stretched back to...

Membership of International Organisations (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: My position remains that the Gaza blockade is unacceptable and represents a fundamental breach of international human rights and norms. I have always been clear in that regard. Ireland has always maintained a significant interest in and commitment to Middle East issues, particularly efforts to effect a resolution of the conflict there. There are several routes one could take to highlight...

Membership of International Organisations (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: The invitation to Israel, Slovenia and Estonia was given back in 2007, at which stage Ireland did not oppose it. This is entirely incomparable to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty agreement with India.

Membership of International Organisations (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: I have outlined my position. Moreover, I have written to every Deputy setting out our position on boycotts. We have argued that there is a balance to be struck in these matters. In regard to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty mentioned by the Deputy, Ireland is cheering the Middle East resolution because of the acceptance by all concerned of our bona fides. These are issues we must...

Written Answers — Democratic Stability: Democratic Stability (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 21 together. The first Parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka since the end of the civil war were held on 8 April. The campaign was quite peaceful by local standards although there were serious irregularities in two constituencies which necessitated new elections on 20 April. The United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA), the party of President Rajapaksa,...

Written Answers — Overseas Visits: Overseas Visits (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: I am committed to a number of foreign trips for the remainder of 2010. As always all my travel as Minister for Foreign Affairs is carried out in pursuit of Ireland's foreign policy objectives, our economic interests, or both. The majority of my travel arises directly from Ireland's active and committed membership of the EU and UN. It is my intention to attend the next meetings of the General...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (20 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: Ireland remains keenly committed to ongoing participation in UN-mandated peace support operations. Our involvement in overseas operations over more than 50 years has enabled the personnel of the Defence Forces to develop a broad range of skills and competencies which have given Ireland a strong and widely recognised reputation in the field of international peacekeeping. While the Government...