Results 44,501-44,520 of 50,917 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Lisbon Treaty Referendum: Lisbon Treaty Referendum (28 May 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 55 and 72 together. The Government is working with the other Member States and the EU institutions to finalise the texts of the legal guarantees which the European Council agreed in December should be given to Ireland. Specifically, we are finalising texts in the areas of taxation, defence and the provisions of the Constitution on the right to life, education...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (28 May 2009)

Micheál Martin: The situation in Jammu and Kashmir continues to be fragile, despite improvements following the State elections in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in December 2008. I very much welcome the fact that these elections took place in a generally peaceful atmosphere. The elections resulted in the victory of the National Conference Party and the swearing-in of Omar Abdullah as Chief Minister...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (28 May 2009)

Micheál Martin: Together with its EU partners, Ireland attaches considerable importance to achieving stability in the countries of the Western Balkans, which the European Council, meeting in Thessaloniki in 2003, recognised as having a perspective towards EU membership. The European Union's Stabilisation and Association (SAA) process provides the framework for co-operation on economic, political and legal...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (28 May 2009)

Micheál Martin: The situation in Nepal has deteriorated since I last replied to a Parliamentary Question on Nepal on 27 January. The situation has been especially tense since the decision by the former Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal (or " Prachanda"), to dismiss the Commander-in-Chief of the Army, Gen. Rookmangood Katawal, on 3 May over a disagreement regarding the integration of former Maoist...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (28 May 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 66 and 71 together. During the course of the military operations in Gaza in December and January, I strongly and consistently condemned the use of disproportionate military force in the heavily populated area of Gaza, which carried with it a very high risk, indeed almost a certainty, of high civilian casualties. This was tragically proven to be the case. I...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (28 May 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 70, 146 and 147 together. 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. Human rights concerns remain central to our...

Written Answers — Good Friday Agreement: Good Friday Agreement (28 May 2009)

Micheál Martin: Arising from the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, six North/South Implementation Bodies and Tourism Ireland were established. These Bodies play a significant role in taking forward North/South co-operation on the island. The North/South Bodies are jointly funded by the Government and the Northern Ireland Executive. Funding from each jurisdiction is provided on an agreed proportionate basis...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (28 May 2009)

Micheál Martin: The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is slowly recovering from the effects of the brutal civil war which lasted from 1996 to 2003. While much of the country now enjoys a degree of stability, I remain deeply concerned by the situation in the east of the country. Renewed heavy fighting broke out in North Kivu in August 2008 between the Congrès National pour la Défense du Peuple (CNDP)...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (28 May 2009)

Micheál Martin: The international community has demonstrated real commitment to combat HIV and AIDS and its consequences through a number of high profile agreements that include the Millennium Development Goals universally supported in 2000, the commitment signed by 189 UN Member States following the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV and AIDS in 2001, and the special commitment made in...

Written Answers — EU Enlargement: EU Enlargement (28 May 2009)

Micheál Martin: Together with its EU partners, Ireland attaches considerable importance to achieving stability in the countries of the Western Balkans, which were recognised as having a perspective towards EU membership by the European Council at Thessaloniki in 2003. The efforts made by the countries of the region to meet the criteria for membership of the EU have varied. While the future prospect of EU...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (28 May 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. While the opening of new Embassies abroad is considered by the Government on an ongoing basis, any expansion of our diplomatic network can, as I am sure the Deputy will...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (28 May 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 149 and 150 together. The situation in Sudan continues to be a focus of considerable international concern with attention centring on the resolution of the ongoing conflict in Darfur, support for the Comprehensive Peace Agreement which ended the north-south civil war, and efforts to address the consequences of the Sudanese Government's decision in March to...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (28 May 2009)

Micheál Martin: The situation in Chad has long been characterised by north-south tensions, and since 2002 the stability of the country has been threatened by armed rebellion against the government of President Idriss Déby. While the government signed an accord with civilian opposition parties in 2007, providing for a degree of political reform, armed rebel groups have remained active and intent on...

Middle East Peace Process. (28 May 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 4 together. The search for peace in the Middle East is a major foreign policy priority for Ireland and for the European Union. The urgency of achieving that objective has been underlined by the events of the past six months. The crisis in Gaza at the end of the last year reversed the sense of momentum following the November 2007 Annapolis Conference....

Middle East Peace Process. (28 May 2009)

Micheál Martin: I take on board what the Deputy said about the situation on the West Bank where the policies run counter to facilitating a pathway to peace and a political settlement. The government of Mr. Salam Fayad and the Palestinian Authority has been weakened and undermined by the issues about which he spoke. In many instances, Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, Mr. Fayad and others have been endeavouring to develop...

Middle East Peace Process. (28 May 2009)

Micheál Martin: There is a widely shared understanding in the European Union that the new Netanyahu Government must clearly demonstrate its commitment to a two-state solution and its willingness to abide by previous international agreements. That consensus is emerging within the Union. The messages have been very clearly sent to all concerned. We recently met Javier Solana, the head of EU external...

Middle East Peace Process. (28 May 2009)

Micheál Martin: The UN Human Rights Council has established a panel to examine violations of international human rights and humanitarian law committed during the Gaza conflict. It will investigate allegations on all sides. The distinguished South African Mr. Richard Goldstone will head the inquiry. His three colleagues include the retired Irish Army officer Colonel Desmond Travers. The story of the...

Foreign Conflicts. (28 May 2009)

Micheál Martin: I am deeply concerned about the situation in Sri Lanka, the grave humanitarian crisis taking place there and the growing evidence that horrific atrocities were inflicted by both Sri Lankan forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, LTTE. Reports of serious breaches of international humanitarian law include intensive shelling by government forces in areas in which significant numbers of...

Foreign Conflicts. (28 May 2009)

Micheál Martin: I agree with Deputy Higgins in regard to the language used towards the conclusion of the war, that is, the phrase "the elimination of terrorists". For some time, the Government and the EU have said there cannot be a military solution to this issue and that, ultimately, a conflict resolution process must be put in place. A fundamental humanitarian crisis has been caused as a result of the...

Foreign Conflicts. (28 May 2009)

Micheál Martin: The use of cluster munitions is an important point.