Results 9,601-9,620 of 51,889 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Legislative Programme (24 May 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Occupied Territories Bill would not be compatible with EU law, and would not be implementable. This is the clear legal advice on this matter. The Government will therefore not be taking it forward. We have, however, supported legal avenues to differentiate between settlements and Israel, for example by joining a case before the European Courts in 2019 on labelling of certain goods...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (24 May 2023)

Micheál Martin: The military authorities have provided the following details in relation to the vacancies in the Defence Forces School of Music, as at 22 May 2023: Rank Lt Col Comdt Captain Lt CS CQ Sgt Cpl Pte Strength 1 1 3 0 3 1 32 26 43 ...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (23 May 2023)

Micheál Martin: Since the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy & Reconciliation) Bill was introduced at Westminster, in May 2022, the Government have been consistent in our view that the UK Bill is not fit for purpose. I had my most recent exchange regarding the UK Legacy Bill and related issues with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 16 May in Dublin. That followed the conclusion of...

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

Micheál Martin: It is not possible to provide the figures requested by the Deputy, as my Department does not maintain records on the country of residence of citizens registered on the Foreign Births Register. The Passport Service received approximately 7,000 Foreign Birth Registration applications from applicants residing in the United States in 2022.

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

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 148, 152 and 157 together. With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputies have enquired, the Passport Service has issued passports to the applicants.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Wildlife Conservation (23 May 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Department of Foreign Affairs is committed to climate action, sustainability and measures to support biodiversity across all our policy areas and in relation to property matters. Biodiversity is mainstreamed across the Irish Aid programme and key measures include our advocacy for sustainable food systems. On the operations side, the Department’s Property Strategy 2021-2025 is...

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

Micheál Martin: Contributions under the European Peace Facility (EPF) are shared between the Department of Foreign Affairs (Vote 28) and the Department of Defence (Vote 36). The Department of Foreign Affairs covers costs in respect of Assistance Measures and the Department of Defence covers costs in respect of the European Union’s Military CSDP Missions and Operations. In 2021, Ireland contributed...

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

Micheál Martin: With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, further supporting documents for this application were received on 17 May 2023. Turnaround time from the receipt of further supporting documents is 15 working days.

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

Micheál Martin: The Department of Foreign Affairs has assisted 280 Irish citizens and their dependents to evacuate from Sudan since the commencement of the conflict there on 15 April. No definitive records are available as to the exact number of Irish citizens remaining in Sudan because of the voluntary nature of the citizens’ registration system that is in place. The Embassy of Ireland in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (23 May 2023)

Micheál Martin: The crisis in Sudan requires urgent and coordinated international engagement. The immediate focus must be on ensuring humanitarian access and protection for civilians, alongside consistent efforts to secure a ceasefire. Concerted international pressure for a credible mediation process will be also be vital. Sanctions are an important tool of foreign policy, to deter States and non-state...

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

Micheál Martin: My Department is currently in the busiest season for passport applications, as citizens prepare for their upcoming summer travel plans. Thanks to operational and staffing plans implemented by my Department, the Passport Service is successfully responding to the current high demand, and has issued over 440,000 passports to date this year. All turnaround times are at their target level and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Wildlife Conservation (23 May 2023)

Micheál Martin: I am advised that there are currently no policies in place in my Department to install artificial structures that provide shelter and habitat space for the various species referenced by the Deputy. However as the Deputy may be aware in June 2020, my Department and Kildare County Council jointly procured the service of a multi-disciplinary team that includes an ecologist, led by Paul...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: International Bodies (23 May 2023)

Micheál Martin: The annual meeting of the Chiefs of European Navies (CHENS) took place in Cork on 17 and 18 May, chaired by the Flag Officer Commanding the Naval Service Commodore Michael Malone. CHENS is an informal, independent and non-political forum whose members include the Chiefs of each European maritime nation that is either a member of the EU or NATO and has naval armed forces. Due to its...

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

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy will be aware, the Permanent Defence Force provides a significant level of Single Living Accommodation for serving personnel, where this accommodation is required by personnel for training and operational duties. There are in excess of 4,500 places currently within all the military installations. In terms of other accommodation the most recent data supplied to my Department by...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: International Bodies (23 May 2023)

Micheál Martin: Ireland's relationship with NATO is conducted through Partnership for Peace (PfP), of which Ireland has been a member since 1999. Participation in PfP is seen as fundamental to Ireland being able to meet its obligations in providing professional peacekeepers for international crisis management and peacekeeping operations mandated by the UN and in enhancing the Defence Forces’...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: European Union (23 May 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 186 and 187 together. Ireland joined the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) in 2017, the establishment of which represents a further development in EU Cooperation in support of international peace and security under CSDP. Under PESCO, Member States come together in different project groups to develop and make available additional capabilities and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: European Union (23 May 2023)

Micheál Martin: The European Union's Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) is a policy setting the EU’s framework in the field of defence and crisis management, including defence cooperation and coordination between Member States. Ireland is a strong proponent of the important role the EU can play in support of international peace and security and of the UN. It is essential, therefore, that...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service (23 May 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. The Naval Service is the State's principal sea-going agency and is tasked with a variety of defence and other roles. The primary day-to-day tasking of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with the State's...