Cabinet Committees
Dail Éireann — 2026-01-13
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Micheál Martin (FF), Cork South-Central

There were quite a number of questions. Deputy Malcolm Byrne raised the issues of Iran and Venezuela but in particular Greenland. I appreciate he is probably one of the few Members of the House who took the trouble of going to visit Greenland. Ireland’s position is very clear. I have spoken to Mette Frederiksen, the Prime Minister of Denmark. Ireland stands in solidarity with Denmark and with the people of Greenland in respect of the sovereignty of Greenland and the absolute centrality and importance of an international rules-based order in terms of adherence to the democratic wishes of the people of Greenland. We have made that clear at European Union level and bilaterally. I publicly issued a statement in that regard last week, I think, when asked about it. It is interesting that the US had a military base in Greenland for a long time with up to 10,000 troops there; there are now just 200 troops. If there are issues in respect of security in the general Arctic area - there may be, though not in that specific location but in other parts – they are issues that fall to negotiation and dialogue. Deputy Ó Cearúil also raised that issue. As I said, I have engaged. I have also met the Prime Minister of Greenland in international forums. I have spoken to him in respect of the issues and concerns and to the Prime Minister of Denmark. Europe is very clear on this. I urge that whatever issues people have be dealt with sensibly and in accordance with the normal dialogue that ensues between sovereign nations and also in accordance with international rules and the rules-based order.
Deputy Rice raised the issue of LGBTI rights being under attack, which they are. He instanced Kazakhstan, Türkiye and Budapest. We have raised this with Hungary not just on the specific issue of the Pride parade in Budapest but on other issues that have emerged over the past two years. I have been very clear at Council level in this respect consistently over the years. In terms of our engagement internationally, Ireland affirms LGBTI rights everywhere it goes and in any agreements or development aid we provide. We are very clear on our policy goals in that respect and in defending and supporting the rights of LGBTI people. We will explore the issue of the UN convention.
Deputy Ó Murchú raised the issue that the world is not in a good place, and it is not. The multilateral order is under threat – of that there is no question. There are too many authoritarian regimes which have not been impacted by the international rule either and have carried on regardless. Sinn Féin has had a checkered record in this respect. It attended the inauguration of Maduro. It endorsed his election.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-01-13/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:30+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-13