Results 44,781-44,800 of 50,917 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 34, 37, 48, 53, 61, 69, 70 and 76 together. While I welcome the fact that the unilateral ceasefires announced by Israel and Hamas on 18 January continue to hold, I am deeply concerned that the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains extremely serious and that no durable ceasefire has yet been put in place. The immediate priority continues to be the opening of...

Written Answers — EU Accession: EU Accession (12 Feb 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 thirty five negotiating chapters, ten are now open, of which one has been provisionally closed. In its 2008 assessment of Turkey's...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 152 together. I remain deeply concerned by the situation in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Even after the end of the civil war in 2006, sporadic fighting continued in the Kivu provinces of eastern DRC between ethnic Tutsi militias, principally the CNDP, and ethnic Hutu militias, including the FDLR. The FDLR includes many Rwandan...

Written Answers — European Council Meetings: European Council Meetings (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 39 and 63 together. I attended the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) in Brussels on 26 January 2009. This was the first such meeting under the Czech Presidency and provided an opportunity for the Presidency to outline its priorities for the months ahead, which are the economy, energy and Europe in the World. This meeting of the Council...

Written Answers — International Relations: International Relations (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: Iran reported on 3 February that it had successfully launched a small satellite into orbit, using its own Safir-2 rocket. Iran had previously put a satellite into space in 2005, using a Russian launch vehicle. There is of course no reason why Iran should not place satellites into space for peaceful purposes and, in an ideal world, no reason why Iran should not choose to launch them itself, if...

Written Answers — Global Financial Crisis: Global Financial Crisis (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: I have followed recent developments in Iceland very closely. Iceland is a country with which Ireland has always had close and friendly relations. The country has been particularly badly hit in the current international financial crisis and this has led to pressure on its currency and severe problems for people and businesses there. Iceland is also one of the European Union's closest partners....

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: Through Irish Aid, the Government has provided significant assistance to a number of initiatives with the objective of building the rule of law in Bosnia and Herzegovina following the tragic conflicts in Western Balkans during the 1990s. Since 2003, Irish Aid has provided funding of almost €1 million towards the development of institutions in the justice sector in Bosnia, in partnership...

Written Answers — Emigrant Support Services: Emigrant Support Services (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: The Government attaches the highest importance to resolving the plight of our undocumented citizens in the United States. In the absence, to date, of comprehensive immigration reform in the US, we have actively pursued a bilateral approach in this area, aimed at reforming our overall immigration arrangements with the United States and facilitating greater legal migration between the two...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: On 5 November last, in response to a Parliamentary Question in relation to the situation in North Korea, I was pleased to report on the resumption of the Six Party Talks Process, following a period in which this process had been stalled and was at risk of being reversed. Satisfactory progress continued into December when a further session of the Six Party Talks took place but, shortly...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: The Government's total opposition to the practice of extraordinary rendition has been made clear on many occasions, including to the new US Administration. On 22 January, President Obama signed three Executive Orders and one Presidential Memorandum in relation to the detention policy of the US and related matters, including the closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention centre. The Executive...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: The issue of proposed missile defence bases in Poland and the Czech Republic was not discussed at the recent General Affairs and External Relations Council. The Council, and the European Union itself, have no competence in this matter. From a national perspective, however, Ireland's position in relation to missile defence systems is clear. We believe that the development and deployment of...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: President Obama's decision to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay within a year represents an important step towards upholding and promoting human rights and will be welcomed by all friends of the United States. The relevant Executive Order states that appropriate arrangements will need to be made to deal with the remaining detainees, either by prosecuting them, returning them to...

Written Answers — Middle East Peace Process: Middle East Peace Process (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: As I have said previously, depending on developments in the Middle East Peace Process, the establishment of a permanent secretariat could be considered, in order to add focus to the work of the Quartet and the various international envoys active in the region. However, at present I am not aware of any specific proposals under consideration by the parties to the process. Separate from the...

Written Answers — Arms Trade: Arms Trade (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: The Programme for Government commits us to support a binding and comprehensive global treaty on the arms trade, covering all weapons and ammunition and Ireland will be actively engaged in the negotiations to this end at the United Nations. The Government therefore strongly supports the process of developing strict controls on arms and works actively to promote the objective of strengthening...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: While the Taoiseach's programme has not yet been finalised, the Government welcomes the fact that President Obama has indicated that he will continue the tradition of receiving the Taoiseach on St. Patrick's Day. I know that the Taoiseach will take this unique opportunity to strengthen and underpin the close economic and political ties between our two countries. Over the St. Patrick's Day...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: Throughout the US Presidential election campaign and into the new Administration and Congress, the Embassy in Washington, in close coordination with the IDA, has been monitoring all proposals for policy initiatives which could potentially impact on the Irish economy. This includes proposals in relation to taxation which could affect foreign direct investment in Ireland. Where an issue is...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: I have set out the Government's approach to the general situation in Zimbabwe in my reply to questions 18 and 35. The continuing detention in Zimbabwe of human rights activists, including Ms. Jestina Mukoko and her colleagues, is extremely troubling. Ms. Mukoko and two colleagues were abducted from their homes by an unidentified group in early December. Zimbabwean authorities initially...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: The situation in Somalia remains appalling, and the suffering of its people immense. Somalia has been without effective government for close to 20 years, and repeated efforts by the international community to restore peace, stability, and legitimate government have been unavailing. Violence in Somalia escalated during 2008, with regular clashes between Ethiopian and UN-backed Transitional...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: Below in tabular format is a statistical breakdown of the Freedom of Information Requests processed by my Department in 2007 and 2008. It is the policy of my Department to make all requests and replies made under the Freedom of Information Act, which are not of a personal nature, publicly available. The Freedom of Information Requests Database is available on the website of my Department and...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: The practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) regrettably occurs in many countries throughout the world. Irish Aid is a member of the Joint Consortium on Gender Based Violence, which aims to promote a more coherent and co-ordinated response to gender-based violence, including female genital mutilation, amongst its members, who include Irish human rights, humanitarian and development...