Results 3,001-3,020 of 49,960 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (27 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Passport Online service offers citizens the ability to apply online for their passport 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This award-winning service has allowed for the centralisation of passport processing and has resulted in greater efficiencies for our citizens and for the Passport Service. Passport Online is a user-friendly, efficient service that is currently issuing the vast majority of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (27 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22, 36 and 59 together. As we approach the tenth month of the conflict in Gaza, the utmost priority remains the need for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, and full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access. I welcome the three-phase ceasefire plan outlined by President Biden at the beginning of this month. This has...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Heritage Projects (27 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: My Department will liaise with relevant authorities in Ireland in the first instance to review the current circumstances, or existence, of the crown of Brian Boru, former High King of Ireland. This matter is unconfirmed at present and a question of some dispute among historical experts.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Official Engagements (27 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: In my capacity as Minister for Foreign Affairs, I have met in-person with the British Foreign Secretary on three occasions. The Deputy will be aware that this position was held by the Home Secretary James Cleverly from September 2022 to November 2023. The then Foreign Secretary and I first met in-person at the Munich Security Conference in February 2023, following a call earlier that...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Relations (27 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: "Global Ireland: Ireland’s Strategy for the US and Canada 2019 – 2025" was launched in 2019, part of the Government's Global Ireland programme. The Strategy aims to strengthen Ireland's unique relationships with the United States and Canada, building upon our existing deep ties based on ancestral links, embedded trading relationships and ongoing people-to-people links. Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (27 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 38 together. Ireland remains deeply concerned at the ongoing erosion of human rights in Russia, and the persecution of individuals for exercising their personal freedoms, including rights to freedom of opinion, expression and peaceful assembly. The domestic political situation in Russia has descended into authoritarianism in recent years and has...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Military Neutrality (27 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: I refer the Deputy to my answer to his previous Question on this issue (reference number 20884/24).

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Cross-Border Co-operation (27 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: This year marks the 25th anniversary of North South cooperation under strand two of the Good Friday Agreement, which takes place through the vehicle of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) and the work of the six implementation bodies - Waterways Ireland; the Food Safety Promotion Board, Safefood; the Trade and Business Development Body, InterTrade Ireland; the Special EU Programmes...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ukraine War (27 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: I welcomed the agreement reached at EU level last month to set aside the extraordinary revenue generated from immobilised Central Bank of Russia assets and to transfer this to support Ukraine, including through the European Peace Facility. I have repeatedly stated that Russia should be held accountable for the appalling damage caused by its illegal invasion in Ukraine. The agreement...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Court of Human Rights (27 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: On 17 January 2024, the Government filed an inter-State case against the United Kingdom with the European Court of Human Rights. In its application, the Government argues that certain provisions of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 are incompatible with the United Kingdom’s obligations under the Convention, including Article 2 (right to life),...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (27 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 34 and 57 together. The Passport Service has issued over 625,000 passports to date in 2024. Virtually all complete passport applications are being processed within or before advertised turnaround times and there are no backlogs. The Customer Service Hub is responding to over 12,000 calls and 3,000 webchat queries per week and the average wait-time for a...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (27 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: Russia’s ongoing military aggression against Ukraine has fundamentally altered the security situation in Europe. The direct threat posed by Russia against neighbouring countries, including the increasing use of hybrid activity, has led to a much greater focus on security and defence in many EU Member States. More broadly, Ireland and our EU partners find ourselves in an...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Cross-Border Co-operation (27 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 41 and 62 together. On 20 June, I launched the call for applications to the third round of the Shared Island Civic Society Fund, which will make €1.5 million available to civic society and community organisations for projects enabling practical North South cooperation and engagement, thereby fostering new cross-border links and deepening existing ones....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Official Engagements (27 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: Since taking up the role of Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs in December 2022, I have had over 20 meetings with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. These engagements have taken place within the structures established under the Good Friday Agreement, and outside those structures, with meetings in Dublin, Belfast and London. With the Secretary of State, I...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (27 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: The loss of life by migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean is a great tragedy. Such tragic events highlight the urgent need to deal with migration in a comprehensive and holistic manner. Ireland regularly engages with Greek officials, as well as officials from all EU Member States, working in partnership to ensure humanitarian and international legal obligations are upheld. The...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (27 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: Ireland’s long-standing position on Western Sahara is one of full support for the UN-led process, including the MINURSO Mission, and the efforts of Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, to achieve a political solution to this long-standing dispute. I hope that these efforts will help achieve a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Nuclear Proliferation (27 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: Nuclear non-proliferation is a key foreign policy priority for Ireland. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is central to global efforts to prevent nuclear weapons proliferation, playing an indispensable role in ensuring that nuclear material is used and held in accordance with the appropriate international safeguards. My Department works closely with the Department for the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ukraine War (27 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: Ireland has been unequivocal that the deportation or forcible transfer of children may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity. The large-scale deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia and Belarus is part of a coordinated effort to erase Ukrainian identity. These children face Russian “re-education,” vilification of their nationality, forced adoption, and coercion...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ukraine War (27 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Summit on Peace in Ukraine, which took place in Switzerland on 15-16 June, was an important first step toward building support for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. The Taoiseach represented Ireland, delivering the national statement, and participating in a working group on the return of deported Ukrainian children. I welcome that 101 delegations from all continents attended the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (27 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: I refer the deputy to my replies to Parliamentary Question No. 87 of 9 May and Parliamentary Question No. 72 of 7 March 2024. Ireland remains fully committed to supporting and funding civil society organisations and human rights defenders on the ground as a key part of our support for the Palestinian people. As I previously stated, Ireland repeatedly expressed serious concern on the...