Results 6,741-6,760 of 50,064 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Departmental Matters: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence (17 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: The money is not big. I would say at the moment we are looking at €2 million. This is not huge money. I am not convinced but I think we need to do it and in a way that is meaningful.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Departmental Matters: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence (17 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: I would hope very quickly. There is a pay agreement coming. We could do it very quickly in the weeks before that or we could do it in full sight of it, which is where I am. The pay agreement is important too for Defences Forces personnel. I do not want to do something that does not really move the dial at all. The issue to me is that we need people on ships and to incentivise that a bit...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Departmental Matters: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence (17 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: Knock-ons are a kind of ritual thing we get but I think it can be done. I am determined to do it but I was not going to be rushed into it prior to the budget because I was not going to sign up for something where people would lose the tax credit and it would be asked what that was all about. No one is going to be disadvantaged. We do not want people disadvantaged from this, but I also...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Departmental Matters: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence (17 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: Everything in that area is part of the national picture. The big issue always is the knock-on to other sectors. That is a big concern. I am looking at it and seeing what we can do now in terms of the pay agreement and if there are certain areas we can focus on.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Departmental Matters: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence (17 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: CPL is the agency and we have asked it to examine whether the current recruitment practices and policies are fit for practice and are optimal. We had already brought in a group on specialised recruitment to try to get specialised personnel from a technical point of view for the ships. That was initiated at the beginning of the year. The outcome is not great on that in terms of scouring...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Departmental Matters: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence (17 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: A number of people with great expertise have come back into the military at a high level.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Departmental Matters: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence (17 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: That has been interesting and quite gratifying, and the quality of those with particular expertise who have come back in has been very high. On psychometric tests, the end of the year is the expiry of the six months. We will look at that with a view to extending it. We will see if we can get an outcome as to whether it has made an appreciable difference.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Departmental Matters: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence (17 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: The case of Billy Kedian is being examined by the Chief of Staff right now. The Senator may be aware of that. The broader issue of Jadotville has been examined on a number of occasions in different forums. I am hearing what the Deputy is saying and I will have further discussions with the Chief of Staff and others on that. It has always been the military authorities who have gone through...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Departmental Matters: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence (17 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: Thank you, Chair. You were as courteous as ever. I appreciate the opportunity to appear here today. It was a good exchange of views. I will keep in touch with you and the other members of the committee.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Shannon Airport Facilities (17 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: I have unreservedly condemned the attack by Hamas on Israel. I am also deeply concerned at the unfolding situation in Gaza. I have made it clear that, under international law, Israel has a right to defend itself from attack, but this must be done within the parameters of international humanitarian law. In relation to the use of Shannon airport and the Deputy will be aware, Ireland's...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (17 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: All passport applications are subject to the provisions of the Passports Act 2008, as amended. Section 14(1) of The Act provides that, before issuing a passport to a child, the Minister must be satisfied on reasonable grounds that each of the child’s guardians consents to the issuing of that passport. The term ‘child’ is defined at Section 2 of the Passports Act 2008...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services (17 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: Officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs have been in contact with the solicitor of the citizen in question and remain available for further engagement. The Department of Foreign Affairs’ Consular Assistance Charter (www.dfa.ie/travel/assistance-abroad/consular-assistance-cha rter/) sets out the assistance my Department can provide to Irish citizens in difficulty overseas....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: National Security (17 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: Hamas is listed by the European Union as a terrorist organisation, unanimously agreed by all Member States. I again unreservedly condemn the recent attack by Hamas on Israel. The deliberate and systematic targeting of civilians can never be justified. The taking of hostages, including young children and the elderly is unconscionable and I call for them to be released immediately.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services (17 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: Since the opening of Ireland's Consulate General in Manchester 2021, the Consul and Vice Consul have worked actively to promote and advance the diverse and deep rooted connections between Ireland and the North of England. This includes engaging directly with a range of stakeholders and local representatives, including elected representatives as appropriate. The Lord Mayor of Newcastle is an...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (17 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 92 and 93 together. The peak busy season for passports in 2023, has now passed and demand forecasts indicate that the Passport Service will issue around 1 million passports this year.The Passport Service is successfully meeting high demand for passports and has issued over 830,000 passports to date in 2023. Between 2,000 and 3,500 passports are being issued...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Correspondence (17 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: A response has now been issued to the correspondence under reference.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (17 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: Ireland is making every effort to promote the safety of civilians in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory, in our discussions with including at EU level. At the extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council on 10 October, I, alongside my EU counterparts, discussed the crisis in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. I underlined the importance of principled and collective action...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (17 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, this application is within the current turnaround times and has not yet reached its issue by date. I encourage the Deputy to advise his constituents of the advantages of using the substantially more efficient online service, which is now used by more than 90% of applicants worldwide.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Data Protection (17 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: My Department necessarily collects, processes, and stores significant volumes of personal data from our citizens, staff, and service providers. In particular, the effective delivery of passport and consular services for Irish citizens at home and abroad is a central component of the Department's work and necessitates the processing of personal data. My Department endeavours at all times...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (17 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: In September, both Foreign Minister Prince Faisal and I attended an event en marge of the UN General Assembly in New York, though we did not have the opportunity for a substantive bilateral exchange. I hope to have such a meeting in advance of or at COP 28 in Dubai in December. Our Embassy in Riyadh is active in representing our views to the Saudi Government, maintaining contact with the...