Results 45,301-45,320 of 51,089 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Climate Change Strategy: Climate Change Strategy (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: Last month's European Council reaffirmed the climate change and energy commitments made at the 2007 Spring European Council, including the objective of concluding negotiations on the package of legislative measures designed to give effect to these commitments by the end of 2008. These 2007 commitments are for the EU to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% by 2020, and to consume 20%...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 111, 115 and 120 together. Under the Government's decentralisation programme announced in 2003, 125 posts attached to the Development Cooperation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs were to decentralise to Limerick. The Division is the Headquarters of Irish Aid. Following sanction of an additional 20 posts by the Department of Finance in 2005, the...

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

Micheál Martin: More than six weeks after the signing of a power-sharing agreement between Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party, and the Tsvangirai and Mutambara factions of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), there has still been no agreement on forming a Government, and the situation in Zimbabwe remains deeply worrying. Although political violence has diminished, it has not stopped. The rate of inflation...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Government is committed to the full implementation of all aspects of the Good Friday Agreement and the St Andrews Agreement, including the effective operation of all of the Institutions — the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly, the North South Ministerial Council and the British Irish Council. The effective operation of these Institutions, which came into existence on the basis of...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: Making aid more effective is crucial if we are to reduce poverty in the long term and achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. These goals set out the globally agreed targets and benchmarks for poverty reduction. We know from experience that excessive fragmentation of aid leads to duplication and wastage. It places a heavy burden on the recipients of aid and undermines country...

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

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 116 and 136 together. In resolution 1834 the United Nations Security Council expressed its intention to authorise the deployment of a UN military component to follow up EUFOR Chad/CAR in both Chad and the Central African Republic. This resolution also requested that the UN Secretary-General, in close cooperation with the European Union, continue planning and...

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

Micheál Martin: I myself did not participate in the recent visit by the Taoiseach to China but I am aware that the Taoiseach took the opportunity presented by a bilateral meeting with Premier Wen Jiabao on 23 October to review Chinese-Irish bilateral diplomatic, political and economic relations. In the course of the discussion, the Taoiseach raised the issue of human rights, as he did subsequently the same...

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

Micheál Martin: I am aware of reports of the incident in question, although the full details of the events are still unclear. The Syrian Government has said only that eight persons were killed, including civilians. The United States has made no official comment, but US sources are reported to have said that the attack successfully targeted an Iraqi leader of Al Qaeda who was active in channelling jihadist...

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 — EU Treaties: EU Treaties (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 122 and 128 together. At the October European Council meeting, the Taoiseach delivered a substantive progress report on developments in Ireland with regard to the Lisbon Treaty since the Council last met in June. The European Council agreed that the Irish Government will continue its consultations and that the Council will discuss this matter again at its...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The establishment and deployment of missions is a matter for decision by the Security Council for United Nations missions or the Council of the European Union for EU-led missions, respectively. The extent to which an individual country participates depends upon a number of factors, including their political will, their level of capability and the number of personnel and other assets they can...

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

Micheál Martin: The Government has consistently supported the right to self-determination of the people of the Western Sahara. Ireland has not taken a position on the future of the Territory, be it full independence, autonomy, or integration under Moroccan sovereignty, so long as it is decided in a genuine exercise of self-determination. We strongly support the continuing engagement of the United Nations in...

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

Micheál Martin: The strong Government position on the unacceptable situation in Burma has been consistently conveyed internationally, including and in particular to the countries in the Asia region, whose involvement we see as crucial to a resolution of the problems in Burma. I welcome in this regard the fact that the ASEM Summit, as its record makes clear, adopted a very positive position on the Burmese...

Written Answers — Nuclear Weapons Programmes: Nuclear Weapons Programmes (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Government has no intelligence sources of its own in the Middle East from which to determine the truth of the various and widespread allegations made about weapons programmes in the Middle East, which is a highly militarised and conflict-prone region. It is widely believed that Israel possesses a nuclear weapon capability, but this has never been formally confirmed. There is widespread...

Written Answers — Financial Institutions Support Scheme: Financial Institutions Support Scheme (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 154 together. Officials from my Department and the Department of Finance have been in communication with our European partners and the European Commission over the economic and financial situation. Our Embassies in EU countries have briefed our partners on the Government's bank guarantee scheme. The Minister for Finance met with Commissioner Kroes to...

Written Answers — EU Council Meetings: EU Council Meetings (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: I attended the General Affairs and External Relations Council, the GAERC, in Brussels on 13 October 2008. The meeting, which was chaired by the French Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, was the fourth GAERC under the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union and took place against the background of the international financial crisis. The main item on the agenda was the...

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

Micheál Martin: The European Council agreed on 14 December 2007 to establish a Reflection Group and appointed Felipe González (former Prime Minister of Spain) as Chairman of the Group. Two Vice Chairs were also appointed: Vaira Vike-Freiberga (former Latvian President) and Jorma Ollila (former Chairman of Nokia). The Reflection Group is intended to look at the challenges facing Europe beyond 2020. The...

Written Answers — US Visa Programme: US Visa Programme (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy will be aware, the United States Deputy Secretary of State, John Negroponte, and I signed a Memorandum of Understanding establishing a new Working Holiday Programme between our two countries in Washington on 24 September. This Agreement represents a very significant and positive development in our migration arrangements with the United States and will help foster the growth of...

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

Micheál Martin: In my address to the United Nations General Assembly on 29 September 2008, I did extend warm congratulations to Dr. Miguel D'Escoto on his election as President of the General Assembly for its 63rd session and offered my best wishes for the success of his term. I also had the privilege of a short courtesy meeting with Dr. D'Escoto on that occasion. Our Permanent Representative to the UN in...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (5 Nov 2008)

Micheál Martin: Since the referendum in June I have discussed the outcome and its implications with my counterparts in the Council of Ministers, and with leaders of the European Parliament and the European Commission. The European Council agreed in October that the Irish Government will continue its consultations with a view to contributing to finding a way to resolve the situation. That is exactly what the...