Results 261-280 of 19,738 for speaker:Micheál Martin in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Good Friday Agreement (7 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: The restoration of Northern Ireland’s Assembly and Executive, which by extension permits the full functioning of the North South Ministerial Council, is very welcome. Our collective focus now must be to ensure that the restoration is sustainable and stable. The people of Northern Ireland deserve and are entitled to functioning institutions. As a guarantor of the Good Friday...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Media Pluralism (7 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: We have seen throughout this conflict the vital role played by media, both domestic and international, in ensuring public scrutiny of actions taken by combatants. It is vital in my view that journalists are permitted sufficient access to allow for effective reporting. Ireland is strongly committed to the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of expression. As well as...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (7 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: I was appalled at Mr. Navalny’s death, which further underpins the lack of respect for the rule of law and the protection of human rights in Russia. There must be a full and transparent international investigation into the circumstances of his death. My EU counterparts and I met with Yulia Navalnaya at the Foreign Affairs Council on 19 February, when we discussed the circumstances...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Bodies (7 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: On 22 February, the Attorney General appeared before the International Court of Justice in the advisory opinion case on Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, to make an oral statement on behalf of Ireland to the Court. This built on the written statement that Ireland submitted to the Court last...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: North-South Implementation Bodies (7 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: The restoration of the Assembly and Executive is a positive opportunity for a new beginning for politics in Northern Ireland and to address the challenges that the people of Northern Ireland face in their daily lives. I have been clear that the return of Northern Ireland's political institutions, and by extension, the return to full operation of the North South Ministerial Council, was a...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (7 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Future of Europe continues to be a priority issue within the European Union. The Conference on the Future of Europe was an initiative aimed at promoting greater citizen involvement in the EU via a wide-ranging series of Plenaries and citizen panel events held throughout the 27 Member States during 2021 and 2022. The final Conference report, outlining 49 proposals, was adopted on 9 May...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (7 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: I have been engaging intensively with EU, regional and international partners since the beginning of this crisis in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. During all of these engagements I have conveyed the same message: there is an urgent need for a sustainable humanitarian ceasefire and a significant scale-up of humanitarian access and supplies into Gaza. All of Ireland’s...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (7 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Department of Foreign Affairs and its mission network plays an important role in promoting Irish trade throughout the world. Our approach is guided by the Government’s Trade and Investment Strategy 2022-2026: Value for Ireland, Values for the World and the Global Ireland Strategy. In delivering on the priorities set out in these strategies, the Department of Foreign Affairs...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (7 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: The European Union is inherently a community of values. Collectively these values underpin the EU’s strength, integrity and coherence, particularly in the face of external threats. It is incumbent on all Member States to recognise where such core values are threatened and to engage constructively to address any issues. Ireland has consistently supported the European Commission in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (7 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: The International Criminal Court, which is an independent international body with close links to the United Nations, was established as the first permanent international court to end impunity for the perpetrators of international crimes. The Court was established in 2002 with the entry into force of the Rome Statute. Ireland is a party to the Rome Statute. The Court promotes and upholds the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (7 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 165 and 166 together. Defence Force Regulations (DFR) A10 and A15 provide for the discharge and retirement of Permanent Defence Force enlisted personnel and officers respectively. The vast majority of persons discharging from the Defence Forces do so at no cost. Discharge by purchase occurs when a Non Commissioned Officer or Private elects to leave the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (7 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: Defence Force Regulation A10 sets out the conditions defining the requirement of payments with respect to enlisted ranks departing the Defence Forces. In general, the majority of personnel in this situation would pay a nominal fee for Discharge by Purchase. In terms of actual number of individuals who have paid this fee, over the last five years, the Military Authorities have provided...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Digital Archiving (7 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: Deputy, We are seeking a deferral on this. Our colleagues in the Defence Forces Press Office need some more time to confirm a correct response from the Editor of publication. It has therefore not been possible to provide the required information within the timeframe available.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (7 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: At the outset, I wish to assure the Deputy that the safety and security of Ireland’s Defence Forces’ personnel is of paramount concern to Government, that I, as Tánaiste and Minister of Defence, remain in ongoing contact with the Chief of Staff, and that the Department of Defence is kept apprised of all developments in those areas in which Defence Forces’ personnel...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (7 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 170 and 171 together. The decision to withdraw personnel from the UNDOF mission was taken on the basis of Military advice received in early 2023 in order to ensure that the Defence Forces have the capacity to fulfil its commitment to the EU Battlegroup 2024/2025, as well as allowing the Defence Forces to undertake a process of consolidation with regard to...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (7 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: The structure and strength of the RDF is a key focus of the Office of Reserve Affairs (ORA) which was established recently in line with a recommendation from the Commission on the Defence Forces Report (CODF). The Director of ORA, how holds the rank of Colonel, advises that their immediate focus is on the development of a Regeneration Plan. A recruitment drive for the RDF was launched...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (7 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Government is committed to restoring the strength of the Reserve Defence Force (RDF) and last year saw positive growth in terms of the number of personnel completing a growing number of training days with the result that there has been an increase in the budget for the RDF this year. The existing regulatory framework provides for former members of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) to...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (7 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Government remains fully committed to the advancement of the Reserve Defence Force (RDF). A RDF recruitment competition was relaunched in October 2023, where, to date, there are over 800 live applications resulting from this campaign. There has been ongoing and recent progress on the medical phase of the induction process with work completed on streamlining the two-stage medical...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (7 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: Following the establishment of the Office of Reserve Affairs (ORA), the Director of ORA, who holds the rank of Colonel, advises that their immediate focus is on the development of a Regeneration Plan, in addition to focusing on general recruitment into the RDF. As the Deputy will be aware, a recruitment competition was launched in October 2023. This competition is ongoing and the ORA...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (7 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 176 and 177 together. The First Line Reserve (FLR) is intended to provide a pool of trained personnel who are available at short notice to supplement Permanent Defence Force (PDF) units in times of emergency. There is currently no set establishment for the FLR. The existing regulatory framework provides for former members of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF)...