Results 9,481-9,500 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: I merely say that because people can legitimately complain and we then have to weigh up who ultimately does the investigation in terms of the detail of a complaint. There is a danger. I fully subscribe to the idea of accountability to the House. Perhaps in the aftermath of the SIPO investigation, that accountability can be dealt with in more detail-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: -----but there is a problem with how I determine how Members want to proceed.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (19 Jan 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 (19 Jan 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: Passport Services (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: Following national strike action by staff at the UK Royal Mail postal service during the month of December 2022, the Passport Service took contingency action to minimise disruption for customers. As a result, the Passport Service has temporarily suspended the dispatch by post of passports and supporting documentation to Great Britain and Northern Ireland, to avoid passports being affected...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy may be aware, the matter of a review of the Army Ranger Wing allowance is currently subject to a Claim under the Conciliation & Arbitration Scheme for members of the Permanent Defence Force. The proceedings of Council are confidential and as such, it would be inappropriate for me to comment any further on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Properties (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Curragh Camp is the main training centre for all Defence Force training, education and logistics units. I can confirm that there are no plans to change the status of this military installation. To this end, the Deputy may wish to note that the future development of the Defence Forces Training Centre is prioritised in the Infrastructure Plan and in recent years, we have seen the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: I am advised by the military authorities that the use of the Defence Force Training Centre’s swimming pool was restricted from March 2020, due to COVID-19, and in line with Defence Forces and National protocols. The Defence Forces having reviewed the usage of the swimming pool, in the context of existing resources and capacities, re-opened for Defence Forces operational...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Public Sector Pay (18 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: Any adjustments to be made to pay or pensions under public sector pay agreements are advised of by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) to the National Shared Services Office (NSSO). The payment of pensions, including the application of general increases for the staff of my Department, is a matter for the pensions pay team within the NSSO. If the individual in question is...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (18 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 594 and 595 together. The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961 (VCDR) identifies three categories of Mission staff as follows: - Diplomatic staff - Administrative and Technical staff, and - Service staff Pursuant to Article 10, VCDR, the Department of Foreign Affairs shall be notified, inter alia, of the appointment of members of the Mission, their...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (18 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Irish Embassy in Iran was closed in 2012 for financial reasons. In 2021 the Government decided to re-establish an Irish diplomatic presence in Iran in two phases. The first phase began in August 2021 with the appointment of a Chargé d’affaires in Tehran, co-located in the German Embassy in Tehran, with the Irish Embassy in Ankara remaining accredited to Iran. The second phase...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (18 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 597 to 599, inclusive, 603, 610, 611, 613 and 630 together. I commend the courage of the Iranian women and men who continue to exercise their fundamental rights to freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. While their protests were prompted by the tragic death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022, many more children, women and men have died since. I extend my...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Legislative Measures (18 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2021, The Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Act 2020 and The Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Act 2019 have all been commenced in the last ten years. Not all sections of the Acts were commenced. The Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2021 was commenced by order on 17...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (18 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: I note with concern the details in the case referred to by the Deputy. Respect for human rights is an integral part of Ireland’s foreign policy and we consistently seek to raise our concerns on human rights issues through the most appropriate and effective channels. Officials from my Department have raised concerns over the human rights situation in Bahrain directly with the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Agreements (18 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: As per the UN position, Ireland recognises Western Sahara as a non-self-governing territory. Under international law, the economic resources of a non-self-governing territory may only be exploited for the benefit of the people of the territory, on their behalf, or in consultation with their representatives. Any exploration and exploitation activities that proceed in disregard of the interests...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (18 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: The UK Nationality and Borders Act provides for the establishment of a scheme under which non-Irish and non-British citizens would need to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling to the UK. While details of how this scheme will be implemented still need to be established, I am deeply concerned at the potential impact of the scheme on non-Irish residents of Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (18 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961 (VCDR) identifies three categories of Mission staff as follows: - Diplomatic staff; - Administrative and Technical staff, and; - Service staff. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (18 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 606 and 616 together. Each year the Passport Service proactively plans for the demand forecasted for the following year. Part of this planning involves a public communications strategy carried out by my Department, with a view to ensuring passport demand is manageable throughout the year, by encouraging citizens to apply in plenty of time for their...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: United Nations (18 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Special Committee on Decolonization, or C-24, was established in 1961 by the General Assembly, as its subsidiary organ devoted to the issue of decolonization. The Committee’s mandate is to examine the application and implementation of General Assembly resolution 1514 of December 1960, also known as the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Economic Sanctions (18 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 608 and 609 together. The Cross-Departmental International Sanctions Committee (CDISC) monitors, reviews, and coordinates the implementation, administration and exchange of information on international sanctions regimes in Ireland. The Department of Foreign Affairs chairs CDISC. In this capacity, I am responding to these two related questions on behalf of...