Results 44,561-44,580 of 50,917 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (28 Apr 2009)

Micheál Martin: In 2007 Dáil Éireann passed the European Communities Bill 2006 which was subsequently enacted as the European Communities Act 2007. This Act was enacted to take account of two landmark Supreme Court judgments (Browne v AG and Kennedy v AG) which required changes to be made in the way Ireland transposes EU measures into domestic law. While the Act related to the European Union, it did not...

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

Micheál Martin: I am concerned about a number of human rights issues in Pakistan, including the blasphemy laws. The blasphemy laws are designed to punish those judged to have engaged in derogatory behaviour towards Islam, such as insults to the Prophet Mohammed and the Qu'ran. As implemented, the laws can serve to interfere with the right of individuals to practise their religion freely and curtail freedom...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (28 Apr 2009)

Micheál Martin: The current authorised number of staff in the Department of Foreign Affairs is 1578. The following table sets out the number of staff in my Department who are in receipt of long service increments (LSIs), along with the associated cost. Number of staff Total annual cost 241 €633,400 A first long service increment (LSI 1) may be paid after three years' satisfactory service at the...

Written Answers — Emigrant Support Services: Emigrant Support Services (23 Apr 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9, 11, 22, 31, 43, 140 and 141 together. The Government remains steadfast in its commitment to developing our bilateral migration arrangements with the United States, including finding a solution for our undocumented citizens. The Taoiseach and I emphasised the importance of this issue in our engagements with the US Administration and Congress during our...

Written Answers — Human Trafficking: Human Trafficking (23 Apr 2009)

Micheál Martin: The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership was established in 1995. At the Paris Summit for the Mediterranean, held on 13 July 2008, the process was formally re-launched as the Union for the Mediterranean. The Taoiseach attended the summit. The Partnership now includes all 27 Member States, along with sixteen Southern Mediterranean States. Libya remains outside the Partnership. Ministers for Foreign...

Written Answers — Territorial Waters: Territorial Waters (23 Apr 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 27 and 44 together. The regime governing the exploration and exploitation of the continental shelf in international law is set down by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Under that Convention a coastal state is entitled to a continental shelf 200 nautical miles (approx. 370 km) in breadth regardless of whether its continental shelf...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (23 Apr 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 51, 53, 55, 154, 156 and 157 together. The total Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget for 2009 will be €696 million. €571 million will be administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs with the balance of €125 million being contributions to development co-operation by other Government Departments and through Ireland's allocation to the EU...

Written Answers — Lisbon Treaty Referendum: Lisbon Treaty Referendum (23 Apr 2009)

Micheál Martin: At the meeting of the European Council in December, the Taoiseach briefed his colleagues on the issues underlying the outcome in the referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon last June. He did so based on the extensive research and analysis commissioned by the Government in the wake of the vote, and on the excellent report of the Oireachtas sub-Committee on Ireland's Future in Europe. He...

Written Answers — EU Presidency: EU Presidency (23 Apr 2009)

Micheál Martin: The coalition government led by Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek lost a vote of confidence in the Czech Parliament on 24 March, resulting in the automatic resignation of the Prime Minister, who continued in a caretaker capacity, pending the appointment of a Prime Minister by President Klaus. Negotiations between the two government parties and the Social Democrats, led by Mr. Jirí Paroubek,...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (23 Apr 2009)

Micheál Martin: I am aware of the report of the visit to Spain in May 2008 by the Special Rapporteur on the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, Mr. Martin Scheinin, which was presented to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on 10 March 2009. The Special Rapporteur noted that Spain has a vibrant democracy albeit with a continuing presence of domestic...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (23 Apr 2009)

Micheál Martin: The situation of members of the minority Baha'i faith in Iran has long been a matter of serious concern to the Government and to members of the Oireachtas. There is in Iran no tolerance of the Baha'i faith, which is regarded as a heretical or apostate offshoot of Islam. In recent years, there has been a serious and progressive increase in harassment of individual Baha'is, and worrying...

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

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 19, 23 and 47 together. I am very concerned by the situation in Somalia, which has been without an effective government since 1991. Since it was established in 2004, the UN-backed Transitional Federal Government (TFG) has made little headway in establishing effective control over the country's territory and restoring peace and security. Continuous...

Written Answers — EU Enlargement: EU Enlargement (23 Apr 2009)

Micheál Martin: Turkey has had a perspective towards membership of the European Union since the conclusion of the Association Agreement of 1963, although negotiations on accession did not open until 2005. Negotiations with Turkey are proceeding, albeit at a slow pace. Of the 35 negotiating chapters, ten are now open, of which one has been provisionally closed. In its 2008 assessment of Turkey's...

Written Answers — US Air Bases: US Air Bases (23 Apr 2009)

Micheál Martin: On 19 February, the Kyrgyz Parliament approved a government order to close the Manas air-base operated by the United States. Manas, which is the only US base in Central Asia, is a key transit point for supplies to US operations in Afghanistan. While the timing of the current announcement was a surprise, there have been question marks over the base's long-term survival since July 2005, when...

Written Answers — EU-US Summit: EU-US Summit (23 Apr 2009)

Micheál Martin: The meeting in Prague was an informal summit arranged by the Czech Presidency to enable the Heads of State and Government of the European Union and the President of the European Commission to meet President Obama on his first visit to Europe since taking office. The meeting in Prague on 5 April in Prague took place immediately after the G-20 Summit held in London on 2 April and the NATO...

Written Answers — US Policy Initiatives: US Policy Initiatives (23 Apr 2009)

Micheál Martin: The Embassy in Washington, in close co-ordination with the state agencies, has been monitoring all proposals for policy initiatives, under the new Administration, which could potentially impact on the Irish economy. The Embassy has been engaging with US policy makers on relevant issues as they arise. These include proposals in relation to taxation. One important issue in this regard is...

Written Answers — North-South Ministerial Council: North-South Ministerial Council (23 Apr 2009)

Micheál Martin: The issue of the establishment of the North-South Consultative Forum, provided for in the Good Friday Agreement, has been discussed with the Northern Ireland Executive within the framework of the North/South Ministerial Council on a number of occasions. At the first plenary meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council since the re-establishment of the Northern Ireland Executive, which took...

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

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 49 together. I am aware of the case of the three Saharawi prisoners, Khallihanna Aboulhassan, Ali Salem Ablagh and Brahim Baryaz, who are understood to have been on hunger strike since mid-February. My Department is closely monitoring developments in relation to this case through our Embassy in Portugal which is also accredited to Morocco. We are...

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

Micheál Martin: I refer the Deputy to my replies to Priority Question No. 5 and Question No. 42 today, in which I dealt with relations with the new Israeli Government and our expectations of it. I have no immediate plans for a meeting with Foreign Minister Lieberman, although the next meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council on 18 May might provide such an opportunity. However, I look forward to...

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

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy will be aware, the relationship between the Russian Federation and Georgia was seriously affected by the conflict which broke out on 7-8 August 2008 in the Georgian separatist region of South Ossetia and by the decision by the Russian Federation to recognise the separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states. Direct contacts have been limited since that...