Results 3,201-3,220 of 50,909 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2024)

Micheál Martin: Unless I have mistaken the Labour position, I think all parties in the House were of the view that productive farmers, people who were actively working their land, should not be captured by the RZLT. I do not know if that is Labour's position.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2024)

Micheál Martin: It certainly is the position of the three party leaders. The mechanisms devised to enable farmers not to be covered have not worked; that is the reality. Therefore, discussions are under way. They are being led by the Minister for Finance. The three party leaders have been apprised of that proposal, the objective of which is to exclude active farmers, people who did not seek rezoning or...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2024)

Micheál Martin: Yes.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2024)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I accept the basic point he has put forward. There is an issue with water treatment in many towns and villages across the country. The population is increasing, which a positive in terms of the progression of Ireland. From a demographic point of view, we are finally turning around the decline that occurred from the Famine era onwards in the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2024)

Micheál Martin: -----given the prowess of its club, which I know only too well. However, it is a problem. We need to engage again with Irish Water in respect of the allocation of funding for the future with a view to saying that it is not just the bigger cities we want prioritised and that we want towns and villages looked after in the context of wastewater treatment plants. There is a consequential...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2024)

Micheál Martin: Again, Ireland along with Spain, were the first more recent European Union member states to recognise the State of Palestine. Slovenia has now followed on the recognition question and Norway also did that. We were central to turning around the narrative on UNRWA within the European Union and stopping the denial of vital aid into UNRWA, and likewise in terms of aid and support from the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2024)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for his remarks. I would argue that there is no poverty of ambition. This year we are spending up to €13 billion plus on capital infrastructure, which is significantly higher than previous years. The rate and level of capital expenditure during this Government's term has been significantly higher than previous Governments. The challenge with capital expenditure,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2024)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this extremely important issue. The carnage and the slaughter of innocent children, women and men across the Middle East is to be condemned and I have condemned it consistently. The action of Hamas on 7 October 2023 was horrific and heinous, but the Israeli response to that murderous attack by Hamas has been absolutely disproportional, has resulted in the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (26 Sep 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Ireland House model involves the co-location of diplomatic missions and State Agencies in one premises in key markets overseas, working together to maximise the collective impact of Team Ireland. There are currently twenty Ireland Houses worldwide: Abu Dhabi, Atlanta, Austin, Beijing, Budapest, Los Angeles, Madrid, Mumbai, New York, Prague, Riyadh, San Francisco, São Paulo,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Irish Aid (26 Sep 2024)

Micheál Martin: As of 31 August 2024, 271 civil servants are employed by the Department of Foreign Affairs in support of the Government of Ireland's development cooperation programme, Irish Aid. 12 officers are currently availing of flexible working options, resulting in a Full Time Equivalent staffing total of 268. Details are provided in the table below. Grade Vote 27 ...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff (26 Sep 2024)

Micheál Martin: As of 31 August 2024, 2,164 civil servants are employed by the Department of Foreign Affairs. 101 officers are currently availing of flexible working options, resulting in a Full Time Equivalent staffing total of 2,129. Details are provided in the table below. Grade Total Assistant Secretary and higher 32 Principal Officer and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff (26 Sep 2024)

Micheál Martin: Over the past five years, the Department of Foreign Affairs has grown as Ireland’s diplomatic footprint has expanded and as our Passport Service continues to successfully meet high demand for passports with turnaround times at or well-ahead of target. The Department now employs 2,164 civil servants, which is 522 more than at the end of 2019. In that context, we currently have a...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff (26 Sep 2024)

Micheál Martin: The below tables include the numbers of staff not current working within the Department of Foreign Affairs due to secondment, maternity leave, career break, long-term sick leave and parental leave as of 23 September 2024. There are currently no officers on paternity leave as of 23 September 2024. Officers currently on a secondment to another Department, EU Institution or external...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (26 Sep 2024)

Micheál Martin: A breakdown of current hardship categorisation follows. Postings at a number of DFA missions are categorised as hardship postings. These missions are in locations where there are assessed to be particularly difficult conditions across a range of factors including climate, health and social services, personal security and political tension. Hardship ratings are calculated on a...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff (26 Sep 2024)

Micheál Martin: All civil servants posted to our missions abroad are paid the standard salary for their grade as determined by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform and are subject to the normal taxation and social security obligations that apply to civil servants. In common with other diplomatic services, this Department further supports officers who are assigned abroad to serve...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (26 Sep 2024)

Micheál Martin: I have consistently stated that Ireland does not recognise the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. This remains our strong position, especially as women, girls and vulnerable groups continue to face abhorrent human rights abuses by the Taliban. Ireland remains fully aligned with the EU Council Conclusions of March 2023 which reaffirmed commitment to peace and stability in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Staff (26 Sep 2024)

Micheál Martin: The following Special Advisers have been employed by the Department of Foreign Affairs since December 2022. The appointment of Special Advisers are made in line with the Public Service Management Act, 1997 and are subject to Government approval. - Special Adviser Minister Salary Scale 2022 – present Gráinne Weld ...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (26 Sep 2024)

Micheál Martin: I am deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Iran. The widespread, arbitrary, and sometimes politically-motivated use of the death penalty is an issue of particular concern. Ireland and the EU regularly speak out against the use of the death penalty, including in Iran. Human Rights remain a consistent topic raised in interactions with Iranian officials, including the death...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (26 Sep 2024)

Micheál Martin: While attention has been focused on the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, it is important also to stress that there have been ongoing attacks across the Israel-Lebanon border since October 2023, and that approximately 100,000 people in northern Israel and in southern Lebanon have been evacuated from their homes since then. I have repeatedly drawn attention to this unacceptable...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ministerial Staff (26 Sep 2024)

Micheál Martin: Any Special Advisers appointed to me as Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence are employees of the Department of Foreign Affairs and as such, that Department holds their employment details. The Special Adviser assigned to the Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD, is also an employee of the Department of Foreign Affairs.