Results 7,441-7,460 of 50,064 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Military Neutrality (20 Jun 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 97 and 101 together. The Consultative Forum on International Security Policy will take place in three different locations over four days starting in University College Cork on 22 June. It will then move to the University of Galway on the 23 June and conclude in Dublin Castle on 26-27 June at Dublin Castle. Louise Richardson, DBE, has been appointed as Chair....

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (20 Jun 2023)

Micheál Martin: In July 2022, the Government approved a move to Level of Ambition 2 (LOA2), as recommended by the Commission on the Defence Forces. As part of that decision the Government committed to increasing the Defence budget from €1.1 billion to €1.5 billion by 2028, as part of the annual budgetary process. This endorsement envisages, inter alia, increasing capital investment on equipment...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (20 Jun 2023)

Micheál Martin: The so-called “Triple Lock” mechanism, which sets out the requirements for the deployment of more than 12 members of the Defence Forces for peacekeeping operations overseas, is set down in legislation, in particular the Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1960 and the Defence (Amendment) Act 2006, as amended. The legislation provides that:the operation must be mandated by the United...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ukraine War (20 Jun 2023)

Micheál Martin: The European Security and Defence landscape has been redefined by Russia’s appalling and illegal military aggression against Ukraine over the past eighteen months, with the focus very much on the continued provision of EU support to Ukraine and bolstering the defence capabilities of the EU, while acknowledging the specific character of the security and defence policy of certain Member...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Housing Provision (20 Jun 2023)

Micheál Martin: Upon publication of the LDA report referred to by the Deputy, my Department attended a meeting of the Inter Department Sub-Group on State Lands and Property Group earlier this year. The purpose of the briefing was to allow the LDA explain the background to their statutory report and also to facilitate discussions in relation to a number of existing and former military installations, including...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (20 Jun 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 104, 105 and 118 together. The Naval Service is the State's principal sea-going agency tasked with a variety of defence and other roles. While the main daily tasking of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with our obligations as a member of the EU, it also carries out a number of other non-fishery related tasks...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (20 Jun 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Reserve Defence Force (RDF) is comprised of the First Line Reserve (FLR), the Army Reserve (AR) and the Naval Service Reserve (NSR). The Government remains absolutely committed to the advancement of the RDF and, in 2022, a recruitment drive was advertised across a number of media channels. Recruit Liaison Officers across the Reserve conducted local recruitment to attract applicants for...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (20 Jun 2023)

Micheál Martin: As a serving member of the Defence Forces approaches retirement, either on age grounds or voluntarily, there are a range of supports made available to them by the Defence Forces. Transition to Civilian Life courses are conducted by Defence Forces Personnel Support Service teams throughout the year. These courses are aimed at personnel who are retiring on age grounds or who are simply...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (20 Jun 2023)

Micheál Martin: I have instructed the Defence Forces to carry out an assessment of the vacant housing stock to ascertain their suitability to a return to modern single living in accommodation usage for serving personnel. I am advised that my officials together with the Defence Forces are currently developing proposals to inform the Request for Tenders to commence the procurement process for same....

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (20 Jun 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Military Medicine Training Scheme was adopted by the Defence Forces in 2015 as a means of addressing ongoing difficulties with the recruitment and retention of Medical Officers. The programme is integrated with the Trinity College Dublin/Health Service Executive GP training scheme. There are presently three (3) trainee doctors taking part in the Scheme. I am advised that the Scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (20 Jun 2023)

Micheál Martin: There are no plans to review the decision to withdraw the Defence Forces' Infantry Company from UNDOF next year and planning for their withdrawal is progressing. Neither the decision to withdraw from this mission nor the decision to participate in the EU Battlegroup have any implications for Ireland's policy of military neutrality. At the time of the recent Government Decision that the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Cybersecurity Policy (20 Jun 2023)

Micheál Martin: As Minister for Defence, I chair the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning (GTF) supported by the Office of Emergency Planning (OEP) in my Department. A subgroup of the GTF was assigned responsibility to develop guidance on critical infrastructure resilience in 2017. The subgroup produced the first guideline document on critical infrastructure resilience in February 2019. This document...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (20 Jun 2023)

Micheál Martin: The strength of the Reserve Defence Force, as of 31 May 2023, is set out below: Service Establishment Effective Strength Army Reserve 3869 1351 Naval Service Reserve 200 79 First Line Reserve (FLR) N/A 276 *there is no set establishment for the FLR The...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (20 Jun 2023)

Micheál Martin: With regard to the specific Foreign Birth Registration application about which the Deputy has enquired, this application has been approved. A certificate will issue to the applicant in the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Relations (20 Jun 2023)

Micheál Martin: EU-Singapore relations are built on a long history of friendship and close historical, political and economic ties. In 2018, the importance of this relationship was reflected in the conclusion of the EU-Singapore Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), which was duly ratified by Ireland in November 2021. The PCA provides the framework and platform for strengthening the EU's partnership...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (20 Jun 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.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (20 Jun 2023)

Micheál Martin: With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, this is a paper application. Turnaround time for paper applications is 8 weeks. This application is within the turnaround time and has not yet reached its issue-by date. I strongly encourage the Deputy to advise his constituents of the substantial benefits of applying using Passport Online. It is by far the quickest...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Data (20 Jun 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Department of Foreign Affairs has 98 overseas missions (including Embassies, Consulates, Representative Offices and missions to multilateral institutions). The list of missions, the number of Department of Foreign Affairs officials posted to each mission at end 2022, and the yearly cost of operating each mission during 2022 is set out below in tabular form. - Total...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Data (20 Jun 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Department of Foreign Affairs manages a total of 99 Missions overseas, including Embassies, Consulates General, Permanent Representations and a small number of other offices. The table below provides the financial allocation to each Mission for administration, excluding salaries, in the years 2019 to 2023. Location 2019 (€) 2020 (€) 2021...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Public Sector Staff (20 Jun 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 144 together. The Passport Service is successfully meeting high demand for passports, and has issued over 536,000 passports to date in 2023. All turnaround times are at their target level, and the Customer Service Hub is responding to an average of 15,000 queries per week. There are no application backlogs, all applications are being processed in the...