Results 61-80 of 458 for going forward speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 May 2023)

Micheál Martin: We go forward with all modesty and so on. In respect of the issue, I was going to mention the vacant and dereliction grants which give real opportunities but I take the Deputy's point. I understand the sincerity of what the Deputy is saying in terms of people who want to build on their family's land. The overall planning policy over the years has been to try to move to areas that are...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 May 2023)

Micheál Martin: I thank Deputy Bacik for raising this issue. She made a very fair point in respect of the significance of Meta's announcement. It is a significant number of job losses. Our thoughts have to go to the employees who will lose their jobs as a result of this announcement and their families. Notwithstanding that the economy is strong, people are committed to the particular jobs they are in at...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (18 May 2023)

Micheál Martin: ...fair to Councillor Anglim. I went down to Ardfinnan. An external review took place. The NTA should approve this separate proposal, given that the independent review said this was the best way to go. I have spoken with the Minister in respect of this as well. I believe there has to be a balance and a proper response from national agencies as well. This is very unsafe. It is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Military Neutrality (16 May 2023)

Micheál Martin: ...xf6;, a distinguished man in his own right. He had engaged with President Putin at different times and felt betrayed by what had happened. Finland felt there was no option. The public galvanised the Government of Finland towards joining NATO. The same happened in Sweden because of its geographic position. Austria, Cyprus, Malta and Ireland have taken a different approach. I have...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (16 May 2023)

Micheál Martin: ...the Defence Forces and have been repeatedly asked and criticised in the House over the lack of momentum and progress on its recommendations, even though we have implemented many of them. I am not going to have the same complaint made in respect of the IRG's recommendations. I wanted to show momentum from very early on. I respect fully, and have gone on public record as praising, the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (16 May 2023)

Micheál Martin: ...the ranks, as I have already stated, one cannot but be disturbed and upset by the contents in the Report of the Independent Review Group. The conclusions in the Report are stark and shocking and go to the very heart of issues relating to dignity, mutual respect and equality issues in the Defence Forces. As I have already indicated, a completely honest appraisal of the problems and a...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (16 May 2023)

Micheál Martin: ...-entry schemes, these are complemented by a range of other measures to counter current staffing challenges. These include service commitment schemes in the Air Corps and Naval Service, and the sea-going naval personnel tax credit. I also recently secured agreement to further extend the service of post-94 Privates and Corporals, similar to the interim arrangement agreed previously for...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (16 May 2023)

Micheál Martin: ...Deputy that it is my intention, and that of the Chief of Staff, to ensure that the momentum behind the regeneration of the RDF will be maintained throughout 2023 and beyond, thereby enabling us, going forward, to create a Reserve Defence Force that can seamlessly train, operate and deploy with the Permanent Defence Force, both nationally and internationally.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (16 May 2023)

Micheál Martin: ...amongst its ranks, as I have already stated, one cannot but be disturbed and upset by the contents in the Report of the Independent Review Group. The conclusions are stark and shocking and go to the very heart of issues relating to dignity, mutual respect and equality issues in the Defence Forces. As I have already indicated, a completely honest appraisal of the problems and a...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Apr 2023)

Micheál Martin: Níl aon amhras ach go bhfuil rátaí morgáiste ag ardú ó thosach na bliana agus níos luaithe. Níl aon amhras ach go bhfuil sé sin ag cur brú ar dhaoine agus ar theaghlaigh. Tá a fhios againn faoi sin. Mar aon leis sin, is léir go ndearna an Rialtas an-chuid sa bhliain seo caite ó thaobh an chostais mhaireachtála. Ó...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Undocumented Irish in the USA (27 Apr 2023)

Micheál Martin: ...Representatives. This is a welcome development. However, the Bill lapsed with the conclusion of the last session of Congress at the end of 2022. We are discussing options how to potentially move forward the Bill into the new Congress. This was a key theme of my meetings when I visited Washington in February. There has to be a bipartisan dimension to this. It is very challenging. On...

Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement: Statements (26 Apr 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Good Friday Agreement is an achievement which the people of this island have every right to be proud of. It was a triumph for constitutionalism, for dialogue and for setting out a new vision for our future. It involved acts of great generosity and bravery, particularly from those who had always believed in and practised the values of peace, democracy and anti-sectarianism. In recent...

Seanad: Report of the Independent Review Group on Dignity and Equality Issues in the Defence Forces: Statements (25 Apr 2023)

Micheál Martin: I thank all Senators for their contributions. Táimid fíorbhuíoch díobh. Níl aon amhras ach gur tuarascáil den scoth atá againn anseo agus go mbeidh dea-thionchar aige ar Óglaigh na hÉireann sna blianta atá romhainn. Táim an-bhuíoch den bhreitheamh as ucht cé chomh cuimsitheach is atá an tuarascáil. Tá...

Seanad: Report of the Independent Review Group on Dignity and Equality Issues in the Defence Forces: Statements (25 Apr 2023)

Micheál Martin: ...from my earliest days in the Department of Education when I set up the first ever inquiry into religious institutions and industrial schools. There is considerable trauma involved in people coming forward. People do not come forward lightly. We could look at this numerically, consider how many actually came forward and could say that as a representative sample of the entirety of those...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Apr 2023)

Micheál Martin: ...the necessary culture change throughout the Defence Forces and to increase transparency and accountability. This is an essential part of the transformation of the current workplace to support serving members, going forward. The Government has also agreed to the establishment of a Statutory Inquiry to investigate whether there have been serious systemic failures in the complaints system in...

Report of the Independent Review Group on Dignity and Equality Issues in the Defence Forces: Statements (30 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: ...of Honour in that regard. When I say cut-through I mean the very significant raising of the public consciousness and awareness about this which has led to significant numbers of people coming forward to the scoping inquiry that was established and the independent review group. That was important in terms of the safety of current members of the workforce. I think the review group has...

Report of the Independent Review Group on Dignity and Equality Issues in the Defence Forces: Statements (30 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: ...O'Hanlon, agus de bhaill an ghrúpa as ucht an méid oibre a rinne siad agus as an tseirbhís a thug an grúpa don tír. Léiríonn an tuarascáil seo scéal uafásach laistigh de na Fórsaí Cosanta i rith na nglún agus suas go dtí an lá atá inniu ann. De dheasca na tuarascála, tá i bhfad níos mó...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (23 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: I accept the principle that Deputy Ó Cuív and other Deputies have put forward, including Deputy Fitzpatrick earlier. To be fair, I outlined in the reply that a significant move has been made in respect of 21 years' service, I believe, and going to 50 years of age. I accept the basic principle that the world has changed. Ireland has gained 25 years in lifespan for Irish people...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Undocumented Irish in the USA (21 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: Addressing the status of undocumented Irish citizens in the United States remains a priority for the Government and is raised on an ongoing basis in our engagements with the Administration and political leaders in the United States. The Taoiseach raised immigration matters directly with President Biden during his visit to the White House on St. Patrick's Day. I also discussed immigration...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Reports (21 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: ...of an overall Implementation Plan for all the recommendations. It is my intention that the momentum behind the regeneration of the RDF will be maintained throughout 2023 and beyond, thereby enabling us, going forward, to create a Reserve Defence Force that can seamlessly train, operate and deploy with the Permanent Defence Force, both nationally and internationally.