Results 8,041-8,060 of 50,294 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Financial Resolution No. 34: General (Resumed) (8 Dec 2010)

Micheál Martin: I welcome this opportunity to make my contribution to the budget debate along with my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Ryan. The key imperative facing the country is to chart a credible pathway over the coming years towards economic recovery and towards emerging from what is an unprecedented economic crisis. We have not seen the likes of this globally or in Ireland since the great crash of...

Financial Resolution No. 34: General (Resumed) (8 Dec 2010)

Micheál Martin: If that is the case, I suggest Fine Gael should adopt its own growth estimate.

Financial Resolution No. 34: General (Resumed) (8 Dec 2010)

Micheál Martin: This is a transparent process and there are many different economic models. It is not enough for people to play it both ways or for them to pencil in our growth figure, but doubt it will happen.

Financial Resolution No. 34: General (Resumed) (8 Dec 2010)

Micheál Martin: If Fine Gael doubts the projected growth will happen, it should put forward its growth figure based on its economic modelling and on the variety of perspectives and economic models there are and base its four year plan on that.

Financial Resolution No. 34: General (Resumed) (8 Dec 2010)

Micheál Martin: I have noted that the Fine Gael four year plan accepts the Government's growth targets as the basis for what it has put into its plan.

Financial Resolution No. 34: General (Resumed) (8 Dec 2010)

Micheál Martin: The competitiveness agenda is very important in terms of job creation and of ensuring we have an economy that responds to the need to increase exports. We export goods and services and we must ensure that those goods are world class in terms of quality and technology. In many instances, they represent solutions to global problems, be they related to energy, climate, businesses, agriculture...

Financial Resolution No. 34: General (Resumed) (8 Dec 2010)

Micheál Martin: However, I am a bit more pessimistic as a result of what I witnessed yesterday in terms of protestations. I get the sense from the Labour Party that its basic political objective is to win as many votes as it can at all costs and to take the consequences after the election in terms of the implementation of policy and the harsh realities.

Financial Resolution No. 34: General (Resumed) (8 Dec 2010)

Micheál Martin: I acknowledge the Fine Gael four year plan has some credibility, but I feel that the Fine Gael leader probably did not mean what he said this morning when he said there would be no income tax increases under the Fine Gael Party in 2011. That is not credible and it undermines the centre piece of the plan Fine Gael published last week. The nit-picking that is going on suggests to people that...

Financial Resolution No. 34: General (Resumed) (8 Dec 2010)

Micheál Martin: We are committed to reform. I am committed to a regime which will change dramatically the whole practice of large corporate donations to politics. All the analysts say we need to change our politics. Let us not lose the opportunity afforded by this watershed period in our history in terms of economics to do the thing properly.

Financial Resolution No. 34: General (Resumed) (8 Dec 2010)

Micheál Martin: My concern is that the type of exchange Deputy Durkan requires does not fill me with confidence that change will happen

Financial Resolution No. 34: General (Resumed) (8 Dec 2010)

Micheál Martin: To be fair, Deputy Durkan's opportunity has been coming for a long time. I will now hand over to my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Finneran.

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (8 Dec 2010)

Micheál Martin: I am aware of the campaign by the Mothers of Soacha in relation to the alleged extrajudicial killings of their sons by the Colombian military in 2008. My concerns about impunity, including the specific case of the Mothers of Soacha, have been raised both bilaterally with the Colombian authorities and by the EU. The Colombian Ambassador to Ireland has agreed to bring these concerns to the...

Written Answers — State Bodies: State Bodies (8 Dec 2010)

Micheál Martin: There are no State Agencies operating under the auspices of my Department. However, there are four bodies operating under the aegis of my Department - the Development Education Advisory Committee (DEAC); the Government Emigrant Services Advisory Committee; the Irish Aid Expert Advisory Group; and The Board of the Ireland-United States Commission for Educational Exchange (the Fulbright...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (8 Dec 2010)

Micheál Martin: No bonus payment has been made over the last 12 months to any civil servant employed in my Department. Furthermore, a long-standing scheme whereby officers retiring from the Department received a flat rate taxable award of €500 in recognition of the contribution made during their careers was discontinued in August 2010. A total of €14,500 was disbursed under that scheme to 29 retirees...

Written Answers — Foreign Investigations: Foreign Investigations (9 Dec 2010)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy will recall from our recent correspondence, our Embassy in Maputo and our Honorary Consul in Botswana have been closely following the case mentioned by him. Our Honorary Consul was informed last August by the Director of the Department of Justice, Defence and Security that a thorough review of the case had begun. The Deputy will also recall that the Director indicated that...

Written Answers — Departmental Functions: Departmental Functions (9 Dec 2010)

Micheál Martin: The Consular Section of my Department can authenticate or apostille documents executed in Ireland that are to be used in other countries. Authenticating or apostilling a document simply means confirming that a signature, seal or stamp appearing on the document is genuine. Authenticating or apostilling does not mean that the content of a document is accurate or that the Department of...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (9 Dec 2010)

Micheál Martin: I refer the Deputy to my previous written answers number 205 of 20 October 2010, numbers 72 and 73 of 28 October 2010 and number 222 of 11 November 2010 to Deputy Michael Creed which outline the assistance we have provided to the father, to date, through our Honorary Consul in Phuket and our Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. Our consular services continue to pursue this matter with vigour. Last...

Written Answers — State Bodies: State Bodies (9 Dec 2010)

Micheál Martin: There are no State Agencies operating under the auspices of my Department. The Board of the Ireland-United States Commission for Educational Exchange (the Fulbright Commission) does operate under the aegis of my Department. However, it is financed jointly by the Irish and US Governments and enjoys autonomy of management and administration, including relating to the remuneration of its...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (14 Dec 2010)

Micheál Martin: Light refreshments, such as tea and coffee, are provided at certain meetings and functions held in Iveagh House, and come from the stocks centrally purchased by my Department's Protocol Division. Details of expenditure by Protocol Division on tea, coffee and bottled water, including the relevant service provider, are included in the table below. It has not been possible in the time available...

Written Answers — Departmental Appointments: Departmental Appointments (14 Dec 2010)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 195 and 196 together. As Minister for Foreign Affairs, I make appointments to four bodies - the Ireland-United States Commission for Educational Exchange (the Fulbright Commission), the Development Education Advisory Committee and the Irish Aid Expert Advisory Group. I re-appointed Ms. Una Halligan to the Ireland-United States Commission for Educational...