Results 45,161-45,180 of 50,917 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Missile Defence Systems: Missile Defence Systems (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: There are no direct implications for Ireland with regards to the building of a strategic missile defence system in Poland. The European Union does not have an agreed position on Missile Defence, a matter on which it has no competence as regards the decisions of individual member states and which is more appropriate for discussion within NATO. From a national perspective however, Ireland's...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The demand of the Chagossian natives to return to the Chagossian archipelago is a complex issue which also involves competing sovereignty claims and legal arguments. In November 2000, the High Court in Britain ruled that the "wholesale removal" of the Islanders between 1967 and 1971 was an "abject legal failure" and that they could return to the small outlying islands in the group but not the...

Written Answers — Nuclear Disarmament Initiative: Nuclear Disarmament Initiative (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: From Ireland's national standpoint, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) remains the corner-stone of the non-proliferation regime. It is the main international mechanism for controlling the spread of nuclear weapons, and contains the only multilateral obligation to nuclear disarmament in the text of a treaty by the five recognised nuclear weapons States (US, UK, France, the Russian...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Contacts: Diplomatic Contacts (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The 9th meeting of the Joint Cooperation Council between the European Union and the Republic of South Africa took place in Cape Town on 3-4 November 2008. This meeting was one of a series of regular meetings between the EU and South Africa. Among the topics discussed were the continued implementation of the Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement, agricultural issues, other trade-related...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: Ireland is required under Article 40 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to submit periodic reports to the United Nations on the progress made in implementing the Covenant's provisions. The United Nations Human Rights Committee considered Ireland's third periodic report under the ICCPR, which was submitted in February 2007, at its meetings held in Geneva on...

Written Answers — EU Treaties: EU Treaties (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The powers and composition of the European Parliament are set down in the EU Treaties. If the Lisbon Treaty has not been ratified by all 27 EU Member States in order to allow it to enter into force before June, the European Parliament elections will be conducted under the provisions of the Nice Treaty. The decision on the basis on which the European Parliament elections are to be held will...

Written Answers — International Conventions: International Conventions (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: I take it that the Deputy is referring to the legal regime governing the exploration and exploitation of Ireland's continental shelf. 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...

Written Answers — Undocumented Irish Emigrants: Undocumented Irish Emigrants (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Government is strongly committed to trying to resolve the plight of the undocumented Irish in the United States. This remains a key priority and forms an integral part of the ongoing efforts to reform our overall migration arrangements with the US. The agreement reached on 24 September to establish a new Working Holiday Agreement between Ireland and the US is a very positive development...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Contacts: Diplomatic Contacts (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The collapse of Ukraine's governing coalition in September and the calling in October of the third parliamentary elections in three years are matters of concern. However, Ukraine is a young democracy and has already travelled a great distance in terms of reform, though clearly further reforms are necessary, including clarifying the roles of the President and the government. The current...

Written Answers — World Trade Organisation Talks: World Trade Organisation Talks (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The most recent ministerial meeting held in the framework of the current round of WTO negotiations ended inconclusively in Geneva on 29 July 2008, although progress was achieved on many of the issues covered by the negotiations. In the end, the breakdown came as a result of disagreement, primarily between the United States and India, on a special safeguard mechanism (SSM) for agricultural...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: As I stated in the House on 9th October last in reply to a Parliamentary Question, I am deeply concerned about the situation in Afghanistan. The security situation, of course, gives grounds for particular concern. The UN Secretary General concluded in his most recent report on Afghanistan, issued on 23rd September, that the situation deteriorated markedly over the last six months. He noted...

Written Answers — EU Enlargement: EU Enlargement (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: With the fifth wave of enlargement, twelve new countries joined the European Union, on 1 May 2004 and 1 January 2007, bringing the total membership from 15 to 27. In addition there are two candidate countries currently engaged in accession negotiations — Croatia and Turkey — and a third candidate country — the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, with which negotiations have not yet...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: Ireland, together with its EU partners, attaches great importance to achieving stability in the countries of the Western Balkans, including through the European Union's Stabilisation and Association (SAA) process. This process provides the framework for co-operation on economic, political and legal matters and aims to bring countries closer to EU standards and principles. Stabilisation and...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The terrible events in the Democratic Republic of Congo in recent weeks, as well as the ongoing situations in Somalia, Darfur and Zimbabwe, serve to remind us that combating both the causes and effects of war, instability, poor governance and hunger in Africa is one of the most important tasks facing the international community in the 21st century. Conflict has many causes and many...

Written Answers — European Union Development: European Union Development (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The current international situation poses very real challenges for the European Union. The Union's agenda at present is dominated by such issues as the international financial crisis, climate change, the Union's role in the world and the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty. The recent European Council dealt with all these issues in a very positive and effective manner. The Union is clearly...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Contacts: Diplomatic Contacts (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The EU has been involved in conflict resolution efforts in Georgia from the start of the recent crisis and has played a key role in every step which has reduced tensions there. The pledge of assistance made at the 22 October donor reconstruction conference for Georgia, which the EU co-sponsored, will help Georgia to develop economically and rebuild the damage done during the fighting in...

Written Answers — Diplomatic Contacts: Diplomatic Contacts (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: EU-Russia relations have inevitably been affected by events in Georgia, which have pointed to a new and worrying stance by Russia in relation to its right to intervene to protect its interests and citizens. Both Russia and EU Member States must abide by the international standards they have themselves signed up to through the UN, OSCE and Council of Europe. However, the EU and Russia share...

Written Answers — International Co-operation: International Co-operation (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: As neighbours and fellow members of the European Union Ireland and Britain enjoy excellent cooperation across a wide range of issues. One focus of cooperation is of course our intensive engagement on matters relating to Northern Ireland. In addition, the two Governments engage on matters of mutual interest through the British-Irish Council, established under the Good Friday Agreement to...

Written Answers — EU Treaties: EU Treaties (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 280, 285 and 286 together. The results of the comprehensive independent research, commissioned by the Government, which were published in September, confirmed that our people want Ireland to continue to be fully involved in the Union. Seventy per cent of Irish people agree that membership is a good thing, while just eight per cent disagreed. In that sense, the...

Written Answers — EU Treaties: EU Treaties (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: At present, the Treaties make no provision for the withdrawal of a State from the Union. Under the Lisbon Treaty, if ratified, this however would change, as explicit provision is made there for withdrawal. The withdrawal of any country from the Union would have a profound impact, including on foreign trade. Such a move would require a country to re-negotiate the terms of its external trading...