Results 7,741-7,760 of 50,213 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (6 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: A substantive partnership with UN Funds and Programmes, and Global Health Initiatives including those tasked with developing new products for neglected diseases, is an important element of Ireland's development cooperation programme and of our contribution to the realisation of the Millennium Development Goals. Ireland engages actively with these organisations, participating in meetings and...

Written Answers — Saville Report: Saville Report (6 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: The deaths, injuries and suffering resulting from the actions of the British Army on Bloody Sunday, 30 January 1972, brought relations on this island and between Britain and Ireland to breaking point. This was compounded by the stain which the Widgery report placed on the characters of men now finally and publicly acknowledged to have been innocent. The publication of Lord Saville's report...

Written Answers — EU Agreements: EU Agreements (6 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: The Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Serbia was signed, subject to approval by the parties to it, including Ireland, in Luxembourg on 29 April 2008. At the time of signature of the Agreement, the Council of Ministers decided that the procedures for its formal ratification would begin when the Council agreed unanimously that Serbia was...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (6 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: The entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty has led to significant changes in the European Union's institutional arrangements. These include the creation of a full-time President of the European Council, the establishment of a new post of High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the creation of a European External Action Service (EEAS). The EEAS is intended to support the...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (6 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 388, 393 and 394 together. Deputies will be aware that Ireland, along with our EU partners, has been seriously concerned about human rights violations in Iran for some time. I have consistently raised these concerns at the highest level with the Iranian authorities, most recently during the course of my meeting with Foreign Minister Mottaki in Dublin on 9...

Written Answers — Passport Security: Passport Security (6 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: I would refer the Deputy to my answer to Priority PQs Nos. 27 and 30 of today. The current Irish passport system is one of the most secure in the world. The taxpayer has made significant investment in enhancing the security of our passports. The passport has been designed to ensure that the technologies used are those strictly controlled and mandated by the relevant international body, ICAO...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (6 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: 12.8 full-time equivalent staff work in my Private and Constituency Offices. A breakdown of their positions is provided in the following table. Position Number of staff Private Secretary 1 Higher Executive Officer 1 Executive Officer 2 Staff Officer 1 Clerical Officer 4.8 Special Advisor 1 Personal Assistant 1 Personal Secretary 1 Total 12.8 Eight of these posts are in my Private...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (6 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: The Western Balkans was discussed at the Foreign Affairs Council held in Luxembourg on 14 June which I attended. This came shortly after a high level meeting on the Western Balkans which took place in Sarajevo on 2 June and was organised by Spanish EU Presidency. The meeting in Sarajevo was attended by all EU and Western Balkans countries, including Serbia and Kosovo. Ireland was...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (6 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy will be aware from previous statements in this House, most recently on 20 May, the Government has long been deeply concerned about the situation in Burma. We remain very actively engaged at both the EU and international level in monitoring the situation in the country and in our efforts to support the Burmese people in their struggle for justice, democracy and development. The...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (6 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: Unfortunately, no part of the world is totally free from human rights abuses. As has been stated on previous occasions, in response to similar Questions, it is not the policy of the Government to draw up a 'league table' of countries deemed guilty of the most blatant human rights abuses. The complexity and specificity of individual country situations could render such an exercise difficult...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (6 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: It is not the policy of the Government to list countries most seriously affected by such issues as hunger, war, genocide or human rights abuses, which are issues that affect many countries in Africa and elsewhere, and I shall therefore not focus on individual countries. With regard to the issue of hunger and famine, it is estimated that more than a billion people today do not have enough...

Written Answers — Departmental Contracts: Departmental Contracts (6 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: My Department's largest print requirements are for passport application forms and passport booklets. Both of these contracts are currently held by Irish companies with all technical and production facilities located in Ireland. However, in accordance with Irish law (which gives effect to Ireland's international obligations in these matters), these contracts are tendered periodically and are...

Leaders' Questions (7 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: Deputy McCormack woke up very cranky this morning.

Order of Business (7 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: There will be a celebration in Paris over the use of the guillotine.

Order of Business (7 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: Guillotine the Front Bench.

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (7 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: The passport for the person in question was posted on 1 July 2010.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: Since June 2007 my Department has paid a carbon offsetting charge in respect of all air travel undertaken. This scheme also encompasses air travel undertaken by myself and Ministers of State at my Department. The total air miles travelled is calculated, yielding a level of emissions. A reference price per tonne of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted is then used to calculate the amount of carbon...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: Public advertising undertaken by my Department typically includes advisory notices on public opening hours over holiday periods, changes in passport application procedures and fees, and public information notices relating to significant developments in the European Union or in regard to Ireland's Official Development Assistance programme, Irish Aid. While much of this material is now placed...

Written Answers — Passport Forgery: Passport Forgery (7 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: There has only been one confirmed case of forged Irish passports brought to the State's attention over the past ten years i.e. those passports used in the Dubai assassination earlier this year. Officers of the Passport Service and An Garda Síochána are currently investigating a second case involving the alleged use of an Irish passport by a person currently before the courts in the United...

Written Answers — Police Certificates: Police Certificates (7 Jul 2010)

Micheál Martin: The issuance of police certificates is not within the remit of the Minister for Foreign Affairs