Results 6,161-6,180 of 50,064 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: I engage regularly with all relevant stakeholders, including the British Government and representatives of the main Northern Ireland parties, to encourage the timely restoration of the Northern Ireland power-sharing institutions. In my recent meetings with the Secretary of State of Northern Ireland earlier this week at the British-Irish Inter-Governmental Conference and last week at the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: United Nations (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: Our Common Agenda (OCA) is the UN Secretary-General's vision for the future of global cooperation. It calls for inclusive, networked and effective multilateralism, and for turbocharging action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to better respond to and deliver for people and planet. It outlines possible solutions to address the gaps and risks that have emerged since 2015, calling...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Official Travel (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: I travelled to the region from 14-16 November as part of the Government’s continuing and intensive engagement on the current crisis in Israel and Gaza. A key focus was the situation of Irish citizens in Gaza and the case of an Irish citizen who is believed to be held hostage in Gaza. My engagements during the visit also provided an opportunity to repeat my call for an immediate...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: I have been clear from the start that any response by Israel to the brutal attacks of 7 October must comply fully with international law, including International Humanitarian Law and with the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution. I have repeatedly expressed my deep concern at the situation in Gaza and underlining the need for respect for international humanitarian law...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ukraine War (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: Ireland, along with our EU partners, supports President Zelenskyy’s 10-Point Peace Plan and is committed to engaging in diplomatic outreach and multilateral cooperation to ensure a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine. At EU level, there has been substantial work on coordinating global outreach on Ukraine to third countries. In September, our engagement at the UN...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: In November 2022, the Government welcomed the progress made across Government on the implementation of Global Ireland: Ireland’s Strategy for the US and Canada 2019–2025 and agreed on the priorities and objectives of the strategy for the remaining three years up to 2025. The Strategy was launched in 2019, part of the Global Ireland programme to double Ireland’s impact...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 221 and 223 together. Ireland is committed to achieving a just and lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians, based on a two-State solution, in line with international law. I have repeatedly made the point in both my bilateral and multilateral meetings that it is necessary to reinvigorate a peace process and continue to engage at the European Union and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: The British Legacy Act received Royal Assent on 18 September. I am seriously concerned about the Act's impact on the fundamental work of reconciliation in Northern Ireland, and about its compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights. The incorporation of the Convention into Northern Ireland law was an explicit requirement of the Good Friday Agreement. The Government...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Programme for Government states that the Government will “honour our commitment to recognise the State of Palestine as part of a lasting settlement of the conflict, or in advance of that, when we believe doing so will progress efforts to reach a two-State solution or protect the integrity of Palestinian territory”. In the light of the current crisis in Gaza, there are...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Undocumented Irish in the USA (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: Addressing the difficult situation of undocumented Irish emigrants in the United States and working to secure legal pathways for Irish people seeking to live and work in the US continues to be a key priority for the Government. Immigration matters are raised on a regular and ongoing basis with the United States government and U.S. political representatives. The Government actively...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ukraine War (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: Russia should be held accountable for the appalling damage it is causing in Ukraine. Ireland is actively involved in discussions on exploring the use of immobilised assets to cover the costs of reconstruction in Ukraine. Ireland participates in the Ad Hoc Working Group established by the European Council to analyse the legal, financial, economic and political feasibility of this...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ukraine War (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: Ireland has been to the forefront of international efforts to ensure accountability for crimes committed by Russia in the course of its illegal invasion of Ukraine, including the large-scale deportation of Ukrainian children to the territory of Russia and Belarus. Ireland has raised this issue at multilateral fora, both in our national capacity and as part of the European Union. Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: The return of large numbers of Afghan refugees from Pakistan is placing a considerable strain on what is already a very fragile humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and is placing many vulnerable persons, including women and girls, in a precarious situation. Pakistan has long been a global example of refugee protection stewardship and Ireland calls on it to preserve this decades-long...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: As previously outlined, under the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Orders 1973 and 1989, it is expressly prohibited for civil aircraft to carry munitions of war in Irish sovereign territory, without being granted an exemption to do so by the Minister for Transport. In considering any application for such an exemption in respect of munitions of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: I have been fully engaged in efforts to free the hostages currently held in Gaza. My particular priority of course was to advocate through every channel possible for the release of Irish citizen Emily Hand, a young Irish-Israeli girl taken hostage on 7 October. I was delighted and relieved that Emily was released last the weekend and has been reunited with her family. After weeks of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: Engaging with Northern Ireland's political and civic leaders, and with my counterparts in the British Government, has been a key priority since my appointment as Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs in December 2022. This has been a consistent theme throughout my parliamentary career and is one that I take particularly seriously in the context of the Government's responsibilities as...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: I am deeply concerned by the violence witnessed in the West Bank. Since the attacks by Hamas on 7 October, and the subsequent conflict in Gaza, there has also been a sharp rise in settler violence in the West Bank. We have seen the displacement of Palestinian communities and reports of maltreatment of Palestinian detainees and prisoners. This is unacceptable and also very dangerous. The...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: The return of large numbers of Afghan refugees from Pakistan is placing a considerable strain on what is already a very fragile humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and is placing many vulnerable persons, including women and girls, in a precarious situation. Pakistan has long been a global example of refugee protection stewardship and Ireland calls on it to preserve this decades-long...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: In the Good Friday Agreement, the participants, including the two Governments 'committed to partnership, equality and mutual respect as the basis of relationships within Northern Ireland, between North and South, and between these islands.' It is my firm view that progress towards a better, more reconciled, Northern Ireland is best delivered through partnership between the two Governments,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Official Engagements (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: I did not meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when I visited Israel in mid November. I did however have an open and frank exchange of views with the Prime Minister during my visit to Israel in early September. During that meeting, I raised a number of the Government’s concerns, underlining in particular Ireland’s deep concern at the continued expansion of...