Results 4,081-4,100 of 50,909 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Court of Justice (18 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: There have been no fines issued against the Department of Foreign by the Court of Justice of the European Union for the period 2010 to date.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Heritage Projects (18 Jun 2024)

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

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (18 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Passport Service has issued over 600,000 passports to date in 2024, and the Customer Service Hub has responded to over 250,000 queries this year. Virtually all complete passport applications are being processed within or before advertised turnaround times and there are no backlogs. The Passport Service takes its responsibility to protect the integrity of the Irish passport very...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Meetings (18 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: EU Ambassadors resident in Ireland meet collectively on a regular basis, with a wide range of guests normally invited, including Government ministers, members of the opposition and other political, business and civil society figures. As the current holders of the Presidency, the working lunch for EU Ambassadors in May, to which I was invited, was hosted by the Belgian Ambassador at her...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (18 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, this is a first time application. Supporting documents for this application were received on 6 June 2024. The turnaround time for first time applications is 20 working days. This application is within the turnaround time and has not yet reached its issue-by date.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ukraine War (18 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 94 and 95 together. Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has led to the unprecedented mobilisation of EU efforts to provide both civil and military assistance to Ukraine to defend itself in line with Article 51 of the UN Charter. Ireland remains steadfast in our support for EU efforts to help Ukraine defend its sovereignty and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: Civilian staff are employed at various military installations to support the work of the Defence Forces. The grades employed are spread across a wide spectrum of roles and include craft workers, services, administrative, healthcare professionals and other specialist grades. My Department did not employ any qualified civilian fitness instructors during the period 2022 to date.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Airbus C295W aircraft is a new generation tactical airlift with advanced avionics technology in the light and medium segment. The military transport aircraft will provide a dedicated asset to support the Defence Forces military airlift transport requirements and provide a wide contingent capability. The principal role of the aircraft is for air transport missions. It will enable the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: European Court of Justice (18 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: My Department has not incurred any fines from the Court of Justice of the European Union for the period specified.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Sanctions (13 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: My Department engages extensively with the United States on a wide range of foreign policy issues. Recent high level political engagements with the United States Government, including my visit in February to Washington DC and the programme of Ministerial visits to the United States for St. Patrick’s Day, were important opportunities to discuss a number of priority foreign policy...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (13 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has issued passports to the applicants.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (13 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: My Department is responsible for processing Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) applications for people who are born abroad and claim Irish citizenship through a grandparent born in Ireland or through a parent who has claimed citizenship also through FBR, Naturalisation or Post Nuptial Citizenship. FBR applications are currently being processed within the normal turnaround time of 9 months...

Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: I will respond to Deputy Howlin's point first. He knows that when we frame legislation, we have to create a framework for eventualities in the future when certain things may happen that we cannot yet comprehend. There must be some framework over the process of association to cover potential future eventualities. Suffice to say that the direction of travel is clearly one of representation...

Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: On Deputy Berry's point, there may be merit in allowing the appeal to go through to get ultimate clarity. I have no intention of bringing forward amendments to any further legislation. It might be useful all around if clarity was brought to the question through the appeal. There is merit in going ahead. I would like to get finality for everybody's benefit, including that of the Department.

Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: We are affirming the right to representation; there is no going back on that. What we are talking about is an advance on the position that obtained prior to the introduction of this legislation. The purpose of this legislation is to put on a statutory basis defence representative associations’ right of association with ICTU. I anticipate that will advance even further in years to...

Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: As it stands, section 24 provides the statutory basis for the Minister for Defence to authorise the Permanent Defence Force representative associations to associate with ICTU. This is very positive and represents a significant step forward. I am already on record as clarifying that the amendments proposed by the Deputies would remove the mechanism by which associate membership of ICTU would...

Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: Sorry, the Deputy is missing my point. I was referring to a debate in the other House, when some people questioned whether the independent review group was correct or went over the top in its conclusions. They were coming from a certain perspective. It is one I heard-----

Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: There were attempts, after the report of the independent review group was published, to question whether it went over the top and all of that. That happened too. Where there has been resistance, there has been resistance to some of what the IRG said. There has been resistance to the idea of cultural change. It is there. Resistance to the oversight body is part of that resistance. People...

Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: The oversight body is not meant to be representative.

Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: Sorry, I thought I had----