Results 2,981-3,000 of 50,909 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: France, for example, will have strong interests in trying to protect Lebanon. It does not support the bombardment and has been trying, with the US, to get an agreement between Hezbollah, the Israeli military and the Israeli Government, to no avail, over the last 12 months. When the Hamas attack on Gaza happened, Hezbollah, in solidarity with Hamas, started firing rockets into Israel. A...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: On 19 July 2024, the International Court of Justice delivered an advisory opinion on the legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. The Deputy will recall that the Attorney General, on behalf of the Government, made a submission to the court in respect of this. In its advisory opinion, the court...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: Bill or no Bill, that would unfortunately not stop Israel from what it is doing. What it is doing in the West Bank is reprehensible. I take issue with this latest sort of propaganda that it is just words and not action. I do not accept that and will not accept it. I will consistently rebut that argument because Ireland has taken action and will continue to take action on all levels. The...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this question. I attended the extraordinary videoconference meeting of EU foreign ministers on 30 September. I welcomed High Representative Borrell's decision to convene this meeting given the rapidly deteriorating security situation in the Middle East and the emerging escalation in Lebanon in particular. During the meeting, I underlined Ireland's deep...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: The overwhelming criticism in this House over the last year has been criticism of Israel. Let us be clear about that. That should not exclude criticism and condemnation of actions by Hezbollah or Hamas or of the malign role of Iran in the evolution of the conflict and the wars across the Middle East. The broadest perspective should always be brought to the House and should inform the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Visits (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: On that latter point, I met with Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds. He is very much on top of his brief early on. Ireland stands ready to facilitate the warmest of relations between the United Kingdom and the EU because that is also of benefit to Ireland and to Europe. We will continue to be supportive of sensible and intelligent reviews of existing trade agreements between the European Union...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Military Aircraft (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: Is the Deputy saying that military aircraft with tonnes of arms are landing?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Military Aircraft (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: I just wanted to clarify that.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Military Aircraft (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: I had not heard the earlier part of the question. That is why I sought clarification. I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 10 together. Under the terms of the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order, 1952, all foreign military aircraft wishing to overfly or land in the State require diplomatic clearance from the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Diplomatic clearance is only...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Military Aircraft (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: Where is this from?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Military Aircraft (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy made various points there. First of all, I condemn the war on Gaza.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Military Aircraft (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: I know, but the Deputy has conflated everything.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Military Aircraft (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: I did not interrupt you, Deputy - through the Chair, if I may.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Military Aircraft (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: Let us be very clear: everyone in this House, regardless of their political leanings, has called for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the war in Gaza. We have condemned the bombardment and the collective punishment of the people in Gaza. I also condemn what is happening in Lebanon, where one million people have been displaced. I condemn what is happening in the West Bank, where the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Military Aircraft (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: I do not agree with that. It is a fundamental distortion to suggest we are complicit in genocide and an outrageous assertion. It is also a bit propagandistic. I knocked on a door recently and the person who answered said to me that all the weapons are being supplied from Shannon. They had no evidence for this statement but this is what is being told. That misinformation is being created...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Visits (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the question. I understand the Taoiseach has spoken to Prime Minister Barnier to congratulate him on his appointment. I know Prime Minister Barnier well from his time as the EU’s chief negotiator on Brexit. He is a good friend of Ireland and I wish him every success in his new and challenging role. Prime Minister Barnier knows Ireland well and would,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Visits (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: I agree wholeheartedly with the Deputy. One of the few silver linings in the dark cloud of Brexit was Rosslare. There is no question that the Franco-Irish relationship has gained a fresh momentum as a consequence of Brexit in terms of the connections but also culturally, educationally and economically. I was in Paris in August. I was launching a Gaelic games activity in the context of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy knows we are preparing a legal opinion to join the South African case at the International Court of Justice. He knows that, we have said that and we have done much work on that. We were proactive in terms of the ICJ case leading to the advisory opinion, at the UN General Assembly in the first instance; at the court itself, where the AG made a submission; and in asking for the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: I am disturbed by Deputy Boyd Barrett's assertions when he refers to a few "nasty things". Murdering and slaughtering 1,200 people, some at a music concert, is not a little nasty thing. It is an outrage and should be condemned as morally reprehensible. I find it extraordinary what the Deputy has just said in this House. He has essentially said that is just a few nasty things that are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (10 Oct 2024)

Micheál Martin: That is the conclusion I am drawing from it.