Results 8,541-8,560 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

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

Micheál Martin: The so-called “Triple Lock” mechanism, which sets out the requirements for the deployment 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 Nations; - it must...

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

Micheál Martin: Following an assessment of overseas commitments and on military advice, I have taken the decision to withdraw an Infantry Group, comprising some 130 personnel, from the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) with effect from April 2024. The decision to withdraw the Infantry Group personnel was taken in order for the Defence Forces to undertake a process of consolidation with...

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

Micheál Martin: Civilian Employees are employed by my Department to support the operational capability of the Defence Forces. The recruitment of Civilian Employees for military instillations is an ongoing process, informed by prioritisation of posts by military management. In addition, there are 15 civil servants embedded in military units providing a range of specialist inputs including procurement,...

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

Micheál Martin: The Commission on the Defence Forces was established on foot of a commitment in the Programme for Government and the Government decision in December 2020 which also agreed its terms of reference and membership. The report was published on the 9th February 2022. The Commission undertook a significant body of work, encompassing wide-ranging terms of reference. It recommended significant...

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

Micheál Martin: There have been a number of recent key pay improvements for Defence Forces personnel, which I will outline. With its approval of the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces in 2022, the Government committed to a range of measures which have (and will) positively impact pay and conditions for personnel.My Department has already implemented two of the pay-related recommendations of the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: As set out in response to previous Parliamentary Questions, I cannot comment on reports concerning arrangements for national security. The Government’s engagement in international security cooperation is aimed at ensuring public safety and is conducted with full respect for Irish sovereign decision-making authority and for Ireland’s long-standing policy of military neutrality.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: My Department is responsible for processing Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) applications for people who are born abroad and claim Irish citizenship through a grandparent born in Ireland or through a parent who has claimed citizenship also through FBR, Naturalisation or Post Nuptial Citizenship. Demand for this service increased significantly as a result of the Brexit vote in the UK. The...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: All Department of Foreign Affairs official mobile devices and apps which run on them comply with guidance provided by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). This guidance is based on risk assessments appropriate to the circumstances and is kept under continuous review by the NCSC. The Department of Foreign Affairs requires all users of our official devices to exercise appropriate...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Inquiries (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: Where a child's guardian is deceased, the Passport Service requests the original death certificate of the deceased guardian, consent of the surviving guardian and a Sole Guardian Affidavit from the surviving guardian confirming that they are the only guardian of the child, in order to satisfy guardian consent requirements. A Sole Guardian Affidavit is requested with each subsequent passport...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Social Media (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: Departmental staff are required, at all times, to follow the Civil Service Code of Conduct in their duties as civil servants and representatives of the Department. The Department maintains specific guidelines in respect of the use of personal/unofficial social media accounts by Departmental officials. These guidelines state that Departmental staff can use social media in their own personal...

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

Micheál Martin: All passport applications are subject to the terms of the Passports Act, 2008, as amended (“the Act“). The Act provides a legal basis for the various policies and procedures that are applied by the Passport Service in the issuing of passports. Section 10 of the Act provides that a passport will issue in the name of a citizen as it appears on their birth certificate or...

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

Micheál Martin: With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, initial supporting documents for this application were received on 7 February 2023. Processing time starts from the date that supporting documents are received. On 2 March 2023 the Passport Service requested a new Consent form, as the witness verification details for the first Consent form could not be verified with...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Undocumented Irish in the USA (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 238 and 240 together. Addressing the status of undocumented Irish citizens in the United States is a priority for the Government, a key issue in ongoing engagements with the Administration and political leaders in the United States. In their meeting in the White House on St. Patrick's Day, the Taoiseach raised immigration matters directly with President Biden....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Issues (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: The UK Nationality and Borders Act 2022 provides for the establishment of a scheme under which non-Visa required nationals will need to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling to the UK. This requirement will not apply to Irish citizens due to the Common Travel Area arrangements. The scheme will enter into force on a phased basis from October this year. Since 2021,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Equality Issues (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: On 15 June 2021, the Hungarian Parliament passed a Law imposing multiple prohibitions on the portrayal to persons under the age of 18 of homosexuality, sex reassignment, and gender identities that do not correspond to the sex assigned at birth. On 15 July 2022, the European Commission announced it was referring Hungary to the Court of Justice in relation to this law. The case for doing so was...

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

Micheál Martin: Military life places unique demands on individuals and it is necessary that Defence Forces personnel are prepared to meet the challenges of all military operations. For this reason compulsory retirement ages for ranks in the Permanent Defence Force are considerably lower than in other employments. The Public Service Pay Commission in their report on recruitment and retention in the Permanent...

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

Micheál Martin: Since my appointment as Minister for Defence, I have corresponded with a number of my EU colleagues and I look forward to engaging with them in-person in the future, both bilaterally and in the format of formal and informal meetings of EU Defence Ministers. I recently attended the 59th Munich Security Conference which was attended by a large number of Defence Ministers from the EU and beyond,...

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

Micheál Martin: My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Defence Forces is maintained to the greatest extent possible to enable the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service to carry out their roles as assigned by Government. The Equipment Development Plan (EDP) published in June 2020, completed through extensive joint civil-military work, provides a comprehensive...

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

Micheál Martin: My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service is maintained and developed. This is to enable the Defence Forces to carry out the roles assigned by Government, as set out in the White Paper on Defence. In this context, the principal aim over the period of the White Paper is to replace and upgrade, as required,...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Air Corps Maritime Patrol Squadron carries out aerial surveillance of the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) using the two CASA CN 235 maritime patrol aircraft. These aircraft are equipped with state-of-the-art surveillance and communication equipment which offers aerial assistance to the Naval Service in patrolling the Irish EEZ. Following a competitive tender competition in 2019...