Results 24,581-24,600 of 50,909 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2017)

Micheál Martin: The Taoiseach might forgive me for being somewhat cynical about all of that because when I raised it last April, the Taoiseach's predecessor said the Government was very ambitious and that it would build 650 rapid build houses in 2017. I think 76 have been delivered. That is our problem. I have heard all this before in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. I have heard it all and I have seen...

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2017)

Micheál Martin: The question I put-----

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2017)

Micheál Martin: -----is why is the State so incapable of building houses on a scale necessary-----

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2017)

Micheál Martin: -----to match the emergency of the housing crisis. We have 35,000 people on the HAP scheme now. HAP has been the main instrument to stem the tide here but it is not satisfactory.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Brexit Negotiations (12 Dec 2017)

Micheál Martin: It is not that simple.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Brexit Negotiations (12 Dec 2017)

Micheál Martin: One could argue that the Governments of the 1970s did an awful lot to protect the State and that those who left people behind in Northern Ireland were not governments but other organisations-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Brexit Negotiations (12 Dec 2017)

Micheál Martin: I take the point.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Brexit Negotiations (12 Dec 2017)

Micheál Martin: So it is a partisan view.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Brexit Negotiations (12 Dec 2017)

Micheál Martin: Tomorrow there will be statements on Europe and we can go into the issue in more detail then. However, as the Council President, Donald Tusk, noted, the first phase was the easy part and those who say the key issues are definitely settled are clearly fooling themselves as there is much work to be done in phase 2. Does a definition of "frictionless border" exist? Will the Taoiseach indicate...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Brexit Negotiations (12 Dec 2017)

Micheál Martin: Yes, but the Good Friday Agreement underpinned the rights of people to Irish citizenship, which in turn underpinned their European citizenship rights, which facilitates what was agreed last Friday. It could be argued that had the Governments in which the Taoiseach served showed half as much interest in Northern Ireland, then we might not have the deadlock and lack of co-operation we...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Operations (12 Dec 2017)

Micheál Martin: May I speak?

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Operations (12 Dec 2017)

Micheál Martin: The Taoiseach's notes will probably tell him that last year his predecessor informed the Seanad that the parliamentary liaison unit had been established as a "catalyst" for improved communication between Ministers and Opposition spokespersons and their teams. That was the original idea of the parliamentary liaison unit and the Taoiseach's predecessor, in the context of the confidence and...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Operations (12 Dec 2017)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Harty. Are they the Independent Members who are being helped or assisted by the liaison unit? We know that in recent weeks other Deputies did not get the information they looked for in parliamentary questions. If this parliamentary liaison unit was working effectively, as originally intended, to help communications between the House and the Executive we might not have had all the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Operations (12 Dec 2017)

Micheál Martin: I thought the Taoiseach had announced that he was doing a review.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Operations (12 Dec 2017)

Micheál Martin: Should the Departments not be doing that?

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Operations (12 Dec 2017)

Micheál Martin: Would it be possible to devote 30 minutes to those questions?

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Operations (12 Dec 2017)

Micheál Martin: Yes because they cover Brexit and Northern Ireland and many other things in between.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Brexit Negotiations (12 Dec 2017)

Micheál Martin: 4. To ask the Taoiseach if he has written to Prime Minister May since he requested a written commitment by the British on the way in which trade would continue here after Northern Ireland has left the customs union and Single Market as a result of Brexit. [50533/17]

Ceisteanna - Questions: Brexit Negotiations (12 Dec 2017)

Micheál Martin: 5. To ask the Taoiseach if he has spoken to Prime Minister May regarding Northern Ireland recently. [50534/17]

Ceisteanna - Questions: Brexit Negotiations (12 Dec 2017)

Micheál Martin: 6. To ask the Taoiseach if he has spoken to Prime Minister May since 29 November 2017 in respect of the Brexit divorce bill and the upcoming European Council meeting. [51710/17]