Results 44,981-45,000 of 51,089 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Official Travel. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: I completed a very constructive visit to Syria, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates between 1 and 5 February last, my second visit to the Middle East as Minister for Foreign Affairs. The visit was timely given the recent conflict in Gaza and the prospects for efforts to revive an overall peace process in the region. The primary focus of the visit to the UAE, where I accompanied the...

Official Travel. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: The trip to Syria was primarily a political trip to the Middle East region and to ascertain the Syrian perspective on the Middle East political situation. That said, we raised some economic issues and there are some Irish companies endeavouring to secure business in Syria, and Syria is anxious to develop strong economic bilateral relations with Ireland. To that end, the Deputy Prime...

Official Travel. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: The visit to the United Arab Emirates was primarily economic reasons, but not the Syrian one. There were different aspects to the programme.

Official Travel. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: It covered both political and economic issues. There are three elements to the United Arab Emirates visit. We were indicating to the authorities that we were opening an embassy. I was accompanying the President on her official visit to the United Arab Emirates and there was work with Enterprise Ireland in that context in terms of engagements both in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. There were...

Official Travel. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: I have told the Deputy.

Official Travel. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: That is correct. The President had been in Bahrain before that with Irish education officials and the Royal College of Surgeons. They were opening a college and the Minister for Education and Science was there because of the relevance of the activity to his portfolio.

EU-Israel Relations. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 64 together. I have repeatedly expressed my serious concerns regarding the construction and expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank. As I have stated on several occasions, continued settlement construction has a direct and negative impact on the political process. It also prejudges the outcome of final status negotiations and threatens the...

EU-Israel Relations. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: Our position has consistently been to link any upgrade of relations with Israel with progress on the political front towards a resolution of the regional conflict. More recently, we have sought a dual-track approach which includes an upgrading in relations with the Palestinian Authority. We have consistently made that argument. In the aftermath of the Gaza offensive, I have written to the...

EU-Israel Relations. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: We have actively promoted the Palestinian cause at EU and UN levels and will continue to do so. Ultimately, a two-state solution will be required and all parties will have to live in harmony. I am pleased to report that UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, this week informed the UN Security Council that he intends to appoint a panel of investigators to examine certain incidents which occurred...

EU-Israel Relations. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: I have detected a shift in European thinking in the aftermath of Gaza, although certain countries clearly have different perspectives from ours. Strong presentations were made by the Egyptian, Turkish and Norwegian Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the Foreign Affairs Minister of the Palestinian Authority at our session on the Sunday night prior to our meeting. They outlined what may emerge...

EU-Israel Relations. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: Our Defence Forces procure equipment on the basis of the most effective equipment available to meet the specification competitively tendered. The Defence Forces have in recent years purchased defensive equipment such as helmets from Israeli companies on the basis of effectiveness and best value. That is the scale of our engagement in that regard. Our view is that trade boycotts are not the...

EU-Israel Relations. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: Yes. I am intrigued by Deputy Timmins's exhortations on me to impose discipline on Members of my parliamentary party. We are a broad church and a democratic party. Ireland is not like other countries which suppress the right of people to free speech. The fact that Members of my party are engaged in international issues of this type is positive. We may from time to time differ in emphasis...

EU-Israel Relations. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: On the other hand, I do not wish to encourage them too much.

Arms Trade. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: I share fully the concerns of the Deputy about the impact of arms transfers on human rights in conflict areas. The programme for Government commits us to supporting a binding and comprehensive global treaty on the trade of arms covering all weapons and ammunition. At the United Nations, Ireland has been actively promoting the idea of an arms trade treaty to secure agreement on common...

Arms Trade. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: The whole world is engaged in the armaments industry.

Arms Trade. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: That is only one side of the European Union and its role on the international stage. The European Union is the largest contributor to humanitarian assistance in the Middle East.

Arms Trade. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: That is never acknowledged. Generally speaking, in commentary on Europe, there is an over-tendency to portray Europe as a militaristic entity whereas it is possibly the best global entity around——

Arms Trade. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: ——in terms of conflict resolution and humanitarian aid and so on. I accept the premise behind the Deputy's question in terms of the treaty and so on. From our perspective, the European Union has been a major driver in getting the arms trade treaty to the point at which it is now. Only recently, the code of conduct of arms export was upgraded to the status of common position. This means...

Arms Trade. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: We are not taking a predetermined position. We will wait to see how the talks unfold and evolve.

Arms Trade. (12 Feb 2009)

Micheál Martin: Yes, I do. They are appalling weapons that visited huge injuries on the civilian population in Gaza. With regard to the Deputy's comment on the European Union, member states historically, long before the European Union, have been involved in the arms trade and industry. That is a fact we knew before we joined the European Union. The key issue in terms of our participation in the European...