Results 44,281-44,300 of 50,917 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (23 Sep 2009)

Micheál Martin: The Department of Foreign Affairs is responsible for two Votes – Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs) and Vote 29 (International Cooperation). The following are the details of expenditure under sub-head A7 (Consultancy) under both Votes in 2007, 2008, and up to 14th September in 2009: Expenditure under Consultancy Subhead (A07) Vote 28 Vote 29 Total Vote 28+ Vote 29 2007 €245,462 €2,839,798...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (23 Sep 2009)

Micheál Martin: Ireland has a network of 75 resident diplomatic and consular Missions abroad, as well as the British-Irish Inter-Governmental Secretariat in Belfast and the North-South Ministerial Council Joint Secretariat in Armagh. The Irish diplomatic network provides essential consular services, diplomatic representation and commercial services overseas. A number of missions also play a key role in the...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (23 Sep 2009)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy will be aware, the already difficult relationship between Georgia and the Russian Federation was further exacerbated by the violent conflict which broke out on 7-8 August 2008 and by the decision of the Russian Federation to recognise the break-away regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states. The efforts of the international community have helped return some...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (23 Sep 2009)

Micheál Martin: Ireland has a network of 75 resident diplomatic and consular Missions abroad, as well as the British-Irish Inter-Governmental Secretariat in Belfast and the North-South Ministerial Council Joint Secretariat in Armagh. This diplomatic network consists of 58 Embassies, 7 multilateral missions and 10 Consulates General and other offices. These Missions also have over 80 additional...

Written Answers — EU Enlargement: EU Enlargement (22 Sep 2009)

Micheál Martin: Iceland formally submitted its application for membership of the European Union to the Swedish Presidency on 17 July 2009. The General Affairs Council in July agreed to refer it to the European Commission for its opinion (avis), in accordance with established procedures. Given that its application is currently under consideration with the European Commission, no formal accession discussions...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (22 Sep 2009)

Micheál Martin: Payment of invoices by this Department is governed by the provisions of the Prompt Payment of Accounts Act, 1997 as amended by the European Communities (Late Payment in Commercial Transactions) Regulations 2002. The Act, which came into force in January 1998, initially provided for the payment of interest on invoices which are unpaid after 45 days from date of receipt. In August 2002, the...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (17 Sep 2009)

Micheál Martin: The formal framework for members of the Government to meet members of the Northern Ireland Executive is through the North-South Ministerial Council as provided for in Strand Two of the Good Friday Agreement. They meet, however, also in other contexts. There have been forty-four ministerial meetings of the Council, including in plenary and institutional format, since restoration of the...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (17 Sep 2009)

Micheál Martin: I condemn the criminal actions of those responsible for the bomb discovered last week in south Armagh. The lives of local people going about their everyday business, in their homes and in the wider community, were put at serious risk by an unrepresentative few who have no support for their actions. I wish to pay tribute to the security authorities on both sides of the border who worked...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (17 Sep 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 to 51, inclusive, and 60 together. Ireland has a network of 75 resident diplomatic and consular Missions abroad, as well as the British-Irish Inter-Governmental Secretariat in Belfast and the North-South Ministerial Council Joint Secretariat in Armagh. The Irish diplomatic network provides essential consular services, diplomatic representation and...

Written Answers — Emigrant Support Services: Emigrant Support Services (17 Sep 2009)

Micheál Martin: The Government attaches the highest importance to resolving the plight of our undocumented citizens in the United States. We have emphasised our strong support for the undocumented in all our engagements with the US Administration and Congress, including during meetings earlier this year with President Obama, Secretary of State Clinton and key Congressional leaders. As the Deputy will be...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (17 Sep 2009)

Micheál Martin: Unfortunately, no part of the world is totally free from human rights abuses. As has been stated on previous occasions, in response to similar Questions, it is not the policy of the Government to draw up a 'league table' of countries deemed guilty of the most serious human rights abuses. The complexity and specificity of individual country situations could render such an exercise difficult...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (17 Sep 2009)

Micheál Martin: The EU is closely following the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as that country recovers from the effects of the brutal 1996-2003 civil war. While much of the country has achieved a degree of stability, several localised conflicts have continued, most notably in the east. These conflicts have in many cases been characterised by an appalling degree of brutality, with...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (17 Sep 2009)

Micheál Martin: The crime of genocide, as defined in international law, involves the commission of acts with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such. These acts may include killing members of the group; causing serious bodily or mental harm; deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in...

Written Answers — Middle East Peace Process: Middle East Peace Process (17 Sep 2009)

Micheál Martin: The priority for the EU and the international community in the Middle East right now must be to continue to encourage Israelis and Palestinians to engage in a viable peace process with the vision of a settlement which will result in two sovereign States, Israel and Palestine, coexisting side by side in peace and security. The EU fully supports and is actively cooperating with the current...

Written Answers — EU Enlargement: EU Enlargement (17 Sep 2009)

Micheál Martin: Ireland, together with its EU partners, attaches great importance to achieving stability in the countries of the Western Balkans. The December 2007 European Council reaffirmed that the future of the Western Balkans lies within the European Union. Progress on a range of fronts by countries of the region is discussed regularly at the General Affairs and External Relations Council. The...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (17 Sep 2009)

Micheál Martin: The situation in Sudan, in particular the resolution of the ongoing conflict in Darfur, progress in the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and the humanitarian consequences of the expulsion of thirteen international humanitarian agencies from the country, continue to be the focus of international concern. Recent months have seen considerable engagement on these issues...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (17 Sep 2009)

Micheál Martin: In our bilateral contacts with both Israel and the Palestinian authorities, the Government regularly raises human rights issues, including the implications of respective Israeli and Palestinian security policies, and the importance of full compliance with international humanitarian law. In particular, Ireland and the EU have serious concerns about the practice of administrative detention,...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (16 Sep 2009)

Micheál Martin: I am informed that the visa referred to was issued on 20 July 2009 through the Irish Honorary Consul in Manila.

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (16 Sep 2009)

Micheál Martin: Ireland does not possess - and never has possessed - any weapons, armaments or ammunition containing depleted uranium. Ireland shares concerns which have been raised at the UN General Assembly about the potential risks related to the use of depleted uranium in armaments and munitions. We voted in favour of UN resolutions on depleted uranium in 2007 and in 2008. In 2008, Resolution 63/26...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (16 Sep 2009)

Micheál Martin: On Friday, 2 October, the Irish people will be asked to endorse a package on the Lisbon Treaty that is fundamentally different from that of June 2008. One key change in the new package is the indefinite retention of Ireland's EU Commissioner. A series of binding legal guarantees ensures further protection in other areas of national sensitivity. During last year's referendum, the retention of...