Results 43,481-43,500 of 50,917 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (13 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: As of 1 January 2010, the salary paid to me by the Department of Foreign Affairs is €98,745.00. This figure does not include the salary paid to me by the Houses of the Oireachtas. The accompanying table sets out the number and grades of staff in my Department whose salary scales are comparable to, or at a higher level than, my own. Grade Salary Scale Number of officers Secretary...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (12 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: As part of the Government's support for Irish communities abroad, funding has been provided, under the Emigrant Support Programme, for a number of Comhaltas led projects in Britain and the United States. The following table summarises the funding over the past five years. 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Britain (£) 55,000 99,500 134,518 172,201 157,501 USA ($) - - - - 20,000 As no Emigrant...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (12 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: The table below sets out details of expenditure on IT services supplied to my Department over the period requested by the Deputy. In the time available it is not possible to break this down by year between companies. However, also included below is a table of the main companies who have provided the Department with IT services from 2006 to date. Year Amount Spent on IT Services No of Staff...

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (11 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: A passport can be renewed before its expiry date. However, as it is currently not possible to guarantee a turnaround time for the processing of passport applications, because of the ongoing industrial action in the Passport Service, I have issued instructions and announced that passport applicants may submit a photocopy of the photograph page of any existing valid passport being renewed,...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (11 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: The Government takes a close interest in the situation of the Roma in Kosovo. The Taoiseach raised the living conditions of the Roma when he met with President Sejdiu and Prime Minister Thaci during his visit to Kosovo on 22 December 2008. My officials regularly pursue the issue at senior level within the EU both in Brussels and in Kosovo. An official of my Department met last October with...

Written Answers — Straitéis 20 Bliain: Straitéis 20 Bliain (11 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: Leagann Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge amach líon réimsí gníomhaíochtsa a rachaidh chun leasa na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta sna 20 bliain atá romhainn. Ar cheann de chuspóirí na dréacht-Straitéise tá tacú le cur chun cinn is le múineadh na Gaeilge thar lear, trí mo Roinnse agus tríd an Roinn Gnóthaí Pobail, Comhionannais agus Gaeltachta. Ní leagann an Straitéis aon...

Written Answers — European Council Meetings: European Council Meetings (11 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: The Council of the European Union is a key decision-making institution of the EU, at whose meetings all EU Member States are represented. As Minister for Foreign Affairs, and in my earlier Ministerial portfolios, I have represented Ireland frequently at Council meetings. Between May 2007 and November 2009 there were twenty-seven meetings of the General Affairs and External Relations...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (11 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: The organisation in question was established to provide a specific service to civil and public servants. In 2001, the organisation had need of a person with specific expertise to fill a vacant position. A member of staff of my Department had the requisite skills and experience and it was agreed that the staff member would be seconded to the organisation with effect from October 2001. I am...

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (6 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: Passports for two of the persons named were sent to the Irish Consulate in San Francisco by Diplomatic Courier on 22 April, 2010 and the third passport was sent on 29 April, 2010.

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (6 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: A passport application for the named person was registered with the Passport Office in Balbriggan on 14 April, 2010. As a direct result of industrial action, significant arrears of passport applications have arisen within the passport service. Every effort is being made to reduce the waiting time for applications, pending the resolution of the industrial action which is preventing the...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (5 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: There are currently four bodies, which operate under the aegis of my Department: the Development Education Advisory Committee; the Government Emigrant Services Advisory Committee (previously known as Díon); the Fulbright Commission (The Board of the Ireland – United States Commission for Educational Exchange); and the Audit Committee of the Department of Foreign Affairs. There are no...

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (5 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: A passport application for the named person was registered with the Passport Office in Molesworth Street on 11 March, 2010. It was received through the ordinary post services which, due to the effects of industrial action, are currently being processed within six to eight weeks. Applications are routinely processed on a first come first served basis and the application in question will be...

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (5 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: A passport application for the named person was registered with the Passport Office in Molesworth Street on 27 April, 2010. As a direct result of industrial action, significant arrears of passport applications have arisen within the passport service. It is presently taking up to twenty working days to process Passport applications received through the Passport Express service. As...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (5 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: As has been reported in this House on many previous occasions, human rights issues in China, including issues relating to Falun Gong, are regularly discussed on a bilateral basis with the Chinese Government, both in Beijing and in Dublin. The Government continues to stress at such meetings the great importance attached by Ireland to human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law, and...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (5 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: As the lead responsibility for matters related to the Schengen Agreement falls to my colleague the Minister for Justice and Law Reform, I draw the Deputy's attention to the relevant sections of a reply to a written Parliamentary Question (17451/10), which the Minister for Justice and Law Reform provided on Thursday, 29 April 2010. The text of the relevant sections of his reply to...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (5 May 2010)

Micheál Martin: There are seven employees in my Department who are in receipt of pensions relating to their previous service in the public sector. Details of the salary scales of the staff in question are given in tabular format. Grade Salary Scale(per week) Number in receiptof pension Services Officer €398.74 - €531.61 (non-PPC)€416.49 - €559.23 (PPC) 5 Civilian Driver €631.75 2 My Department...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (29 Apr 2010)

Micheál Martin: Ireland looks forward to the progressive deepening and strengthening of the EU's relations with Israel, as with all of our Mediterranean partners. We agreed with the EU's decision in 2008 to enhance relations with Israel, but acted with other Member States to ensure that the decision of the External Relations Council included a clear linkage to the EU's political concerns in the region,...

Written Answers — Compensation Claims: Compensation Claims (29 Apr 2010)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy's Question refers to an individual who has sought compensation for alleged mishandling of a recruitment process by the Agency for Personal Services Overseas (APSO) in 1997. APSO was a limited company which was wound up in 2004. I am sure the Deputy will understand that, for legal reasons, I cannot enter into the details of this case. However, I can state that the Department of...

Written Answers — Consular Services: Consular Services (28 Apr 2010)

Micheál Martin: The disruption to international aviation which resulted from the emission of volcanic ash from the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull was unprecedented. As the Deputy is aware, airlines are legally responsible for the provision of accommodation and subsistence for stranded passengers under EU Regulation 261/2004. However, it rapidly became clear that because of the shutdown of European...

Written Answers — Parliamentary Questions: Parliamentary Questions (28 Apr 2010)

Micheál Martin: There are two parliamentary questions outstanding. PQ 6455/10 (relating to portable electrical equipment) and part of PQ12976/10 (a list of people who have participated in election monitoring missions since 2003) remain unanswered as a consequence of industrial action to date in 2010. Replies to the Deputies concerned are currently being finalised by my Department, and will be forwarded at...