Results 6,301-6,320 of 50,064 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: Deputy, you did-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: Could I say to Deputy Bacik, in terms of the triple lock-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: Through the Chair, in respect of the triple lock, the consultative forum was a very rational, reasonable, very well-balanced debate. That is important. There was clear consensus about supporting military neutrality. There is no question about that. In the context of the triple lock, there has not been a peacekeeping mission sanctioned by the UN since 2014.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: I just happen to believe-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: -----that we cannot allow Russia, China and everybody else to dictate what we do.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: It was the Fianna Fáil Party that introduced military neutrality during the Second World War. The only party in this House that sought to actively undermine the Irish policy of military neutrality during the Second World War was the Sinn Féin Party. That party's leader erected a statue to Seán Russell who collaborated with the German Nazis. That is Sinn Féin's history...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: We are not in any shape or form-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: I did not interrupt the Deputy, please allow me the courtesy of responding to his points.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: There is no proposal and there will be no legislative proposal to come before this House to undermine our policy of military neutrality. We have made that crystal clear. We are not members of a military alliance. We are not joining NATO. There is no proposal to join NATO as the Deputy knows well because he slipped in his remarks that we want to participate in a European - I think he said...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: It is more dishonesty because, of course, we know Article 29.4.9° of the Constitution, which we put in in 2002 and reaffirmed in 2009, states: "The State shall not adopt a decision taken by the European Council to establish a common defence pursuant to Article 42 of the Treaty on European Union where that common defence would include the State." Therefore, we cannot, without a...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: The triple lock does not critically underpin our policy of military neutrality. It is essentially about the deployment of troops overseas. Why do we want to change it? Why do I want to amend it? It is because I do not believe that Russia, China or the United Kingdom or for that matter the United States or France should dictate Irish foreign policy or should dictate when we do or do not...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: The world has changed fundamentally. The UN Security Council could not even issue a statement on the invasion of Ukraine. We all know about the late Yevgeny Prigozhin and the Wagner group. Russia is more interested now in deploying the Wagner group to parts of the Sahel or other parts of the globe instead of any UN peacekeepers. That is the reality of where we are today. However, of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: It supported Russia when it invaded Crimea in 2014. I was in this House and Sinn Féin's silence was clear to all. In fact, it sent people to international conferences supporting Russia's invasion of Crimea and going along with the Russian propaganda that there were neo-Nazis in Ukraine. The Deputy did that. That was Sinn Féin's position in 2014 and it got away with it.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: Sinn Féin could not get away with it in the current crisis in terms of the war. Its whole foreign policy has been one of incoherence and incompetence. Ní aontaím leis an Teachta. Tá sé mícheart. Níl aon deacracht in aon chor ó thaobh an pholasaí atá againn ó thaobh neodracht mhíleata. Ní bheidh aon athrú ann....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: There was absolutely no policy to undermine our military neutrality. The Deputy should stop deliberately creating a false story. The bottom line is this. The Deputy seems to have a view that Russia should dictate our foreign policy.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Relations (23 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: Ireland, along with our EU partners, adheres to the One China Policy. This means that we do not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan and that we recognise the People's Republic of China as the legal representative of China. This does not preclude the development of economic, cultural and people-to-people connections with Taiwan; nor the meaningful participation of Taiwan in relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (23 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has issued a passport to the applicant.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (23 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: As I mentioned in my response to the Parliamentary Question referred to by the Deputy, the Government has allocated €776.5 million in 2024 to Vote 27 - International Cooperation. This is an increase of €60 million on the 2023 Revised Estimate for Vote 27. Decisions taken as part of Budget 2024 were consistent with and within the overall envelope of the expenditure increases...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (23 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: I am deeply concerned about the the conflict in Gaza, and the dreadful impact it is having on civilians. The loss of life is shocking and the humanitarian situation is unconscionable, which is why Ireland has been to the fore in calling urgently for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. These events have raised serious questions of compliance with international law, in particular...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (23 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: In January of this year, the Government approved the participation by the Defence Forces in the German-led EU Battlegroup in 2024/2025. This will be the eighth occasion on which the Defence Forces have been part of an EU Battlegroup and the first since 2020. The Battlegroup will be stood-up during 2024 and will be on standby throughout 2025. It is currently foreseen that the total number of...