Results 8,801-8,820 of 50,134 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Official Engagements (8 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: Ireland enjoys excellent bilateral relations with the Czech Republic. A resident Czech Embassy opened in Dublin in 1995, the same year in which the Irish Embassy was established in Prague. The current Czech Ambassador, HE Petr Kynštetr has been in post since March 2018 and presided locally over the Czech Presidency of the EU in the second half of 2022. While I have not had any...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (8 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 122 and 123 together. My Department has received a copy of the Church in Chains Global Guide and is currently considering its content and findings. Ireland strongly condemns all forms of persecution on the basis of religion or belief, irrespective of where they occur or who the victims are. The promotion of freedom of religion or belief is a priority...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Official Engagements (8 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: To date, in my capacity as Minister for Defence, I have not spoken with the Canadian Minister of National Defence, Ms. Anita Anand PC MP. However, I intend to engage collectively and bilaterally with international colleagues as and when the opportunities present themselves. In that regard, I look forward to an opportunity to speak or meet with the Canadian Minister of National Defence.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (8 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy is aware, the Defence Forces are currently excluded from the provisions of the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, which transposed the EU Working Time Directive into Irish Law. The Government, however, has committed to amending this Act and bringing both the Defence Forces and An Garda Síochána within the scope of its provisions, where appropriate, given the nature...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Public Sector Pensions (8 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: The implementation of pension increases for Defence Forces (DF) pensions is a significant administrative undertaking for the Department and our payroll provider the National Shared Services Office (NSSO) due to the unique nature and structure of DF pensions. Military pension rates are not based on the usual generic service/salary decimal calculations, but on a multiplicity of flat...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ukraine War (7 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: There are currently 21 officers at the Embassy of the Russian Federation who have been notified to my Department under Article 10 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations - 9 Diplomats and 12 Administrative and Technical staff. Prior to the invasion of Ukraine there were a total of 30 officers at the Embassy, 14 diplomats and 16 Administrative and Technical staff. As with...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ukraine War (7 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: Despite our strong disagreement with the actions taken by Russia since their unjustified and illegal further invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Government's view is that diplomatic channels between Ireland and the Russian Federation should remain open. This is in the interests of our own citizens, both in Russia itself and in the five central Asian republics to which Ireland is...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ukraine War (7 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: My Department and our Embassies around the world, have been engaged in outreach for over a year, in support of Ukraine and in strong opposition to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This outreach has included playing an active role at multilateral level to support Ukraine, to hold Russia accountable, and to demand that Russia respect Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Sanctions (7 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: The EU condemns Belarus' involvement in Russia's unprovoked and unjustified further full scale military invasion of Ukraine. In response to the invasion, since late February, the EU has adopted a wide range of sanctions targeting both Russia and Belarus. The measures targeting Belarus build on restrictive measures introduced by the EU following the fraudulent presidential elections in Belarus...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Official Engagements (7 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: Ireland greatly values our relationship with Greece. My predecessor, Minister Coveney, visited Athens last June where he met Minister Dendias and took the opportunity to extend him an open invitation to visit Ireland. Last week, I wrote to the Minister to express my sincere condolences to the people and Government of Greece, following the tragic train accident near Larissa. Within the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (7 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 Birth Registration (7 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: Departmental Policies (7 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: Current legislative language is guided by Interpretation Act 2005 section 18(b)(i), wherein as a matter of statutory interpretation, words referring to the masculine gender are taken to refer to the female gender, and vice versa. Regarding the drafting of policies, the Department of Foreign Affairs is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all colleagues feel...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff (7 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: The network of Embassies, consular missions and representative offices overseas are staffed by Irish civil servants from this Department and other Government Departments. These officers are posted for specific durations and may be accompanied by their family members. My Department operates a School Fees Assistance Scheme to enable an officer's accompanying children to continue to receive...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (7 Mar 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: Human Rights (7 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: The promotion and protection of the rights of LGBTI+ persons, who continue to suffer disproportionate levels of violence and face systematic discrimination in many countries, is a domestic and foreign policy priorityfor Ireland. Globally, working with like-minded partners, Ireland’s mission network plays an active role in advocating for the rights of LGBTI+ persons, including...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (7 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: Ireland plays a leadership role at both EU and UN level in taking a consistent, clear, and firm position in relation to the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory. Ireland engages regularly on this issue in the context of the EU, including through my attendance at the EU Foreign Affairs Council and regular bilateral contacts with my EU counterparts. At the Foreign Affairs...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (7 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 334 to 337, inclusive, together. As of 1 March 2023, Ireland is contributing 546 personnel to 7 different missions throughout the world. The main overseas missions in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with 344 personnel and the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF)...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (7 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Government has recently approved Ireland's participation in the next German-led EU Battlegroup, 2025, which will involve a two-year commitment from 1 January 2024. Battlegroups are a key component of the capabilities that the EU can make available in support of UN-authorised crisis management operations. As a concept, the purpose of the Battlegroup is as a rapid response capability,...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (7 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 339 to 341, inclusive, together. As you are aware, on 21 February the Government approved the participation of up to 30 Defence Forces’ personnel in the newly established European Union Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine). The primary role of the Defence Forces will be to provide training to members of the Ukrainian...