Results 1-20 of 46,824 for speaker:Micheál Martin

International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Motion (18 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: Sinn Féin is opting in to the bulk of it.

International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Motion (18 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: The measure before this House represents a balanced, ambitious and important initiative to improve the ability of Ireland and our fellow European countries to address very real pressures which have grown due to the scale and nature of migration from outside of Europe. It seeks to ensure that we share burdens, co-operate actively and protect the integrity of the system for protecting those...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (18 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to present this Bill, which will play a key role in driving the necessary transformation of the Defence Forces. Senators will be aware that high-profile reviews have been undertaken on matters relating to the defence sector in recent years. Key reports include those of the Commission on the Defence Forces and the independent...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (18 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: If I may be released, I have to go the other House for a debate on the migration pact. Apologies.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Sanctions (13 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: My Department engages extensively with the United States on a wide range of foreign policy issues. Recent high level political engagements with the United States Government, including my visit in February to Washington DC and the programme of Ministerial visits to the United States for St. Patrick’s Day, were important opportunities to discuss a number of priority foreign policy...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (13 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has issued passports to the applicants.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (13 Jun 2024)

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. FBR applications are currently being processed within the normal turnaround time of 9 months...

Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: I will respond to Deputy Howlin's point first. He knows that when we frame legislation, we have to create a framework for eventualities in the future when certain things may happen that we cannot yet comprehend. There must be some framework over the process of association to cover potential future eventualities. Suffice to say that the direction of travel is clearly one of representation...

Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: On Deputy Berry's point, there may be merit in allowing the appeal to go through to get ultimate clarity. I have no intention of bringing forward amendments to any further legislation. It might be useful all around if clarity was brought to the question through the appeal. There is merit in going ahead. I would like to get finality for everybody's benefit, including that of the Department.

Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: We are affirming the right to representation; there is no going back on that. What we are talking about is an advance on the position that obtained prior to the introduction of this legislation. The purpose of this legislation is to put on a statutory basis defence representative associations’ right of association with ICTU. I anticipate that will advance even further in years to...

Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: As it stands, section 24 provides the statutory basis for the Minister for Defence to authorise the Permanent Defence Force representative associations to associate with ICTU. This is very positive and represents a significant step forward. I am already on record as clarifying that the amendments proposed by the Deputies would remove the mechanism by which associate membership of ICTU would...

Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: Sorry, the Deputy is missing my point. I was referring to a debate in the other House, when some people questioned whether the independent review group was correct or went over the top in its conclusions. They were coming from a certain perspective. It is one I heard-----

Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: There were attempts, after the report of the independent review group was published, to question whether it went over the top and all of that. That happened too. Where there has been resistance, there has been resistance to some of what the IRG said. There has been resistance to the idea of cultural change. It is there. Resistance to the oversight body is part of that resistance. People...

Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: The oversight body is not meant to be representative.

Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: Sorry, I thought I had----

Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: We engage with the representative associations all the time on a whole lot of matters. I have no problem with that. The independent review group said it wants an independent body that is independent of the Defence Forces. If you have two bodies, you would have to have four or five-----

Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: You would have to have four or five bodies on it then-----

Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: I do not.

Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: Sorry, I was not referring to the oversight group. It was the independent review group that was commented on negatively.

Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: I did not mean that in any negative way.