Results 361-380 of 51,735 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (17 Sep 2025)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 9, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on housing last met on Wednesday, 3 September, and will meet again in the coming weeks. The committee works to ensure a cross-government approach to the implementation of our commitments regarding housing policy. Housing supply has increased significantly over the past number of years, with almost...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Sep 2025)

Micheál Martin: I am not familiar with the particular background negotiations with TII. I have walked the Seven Heads peninsula walk, which was developed by the Foróige youth organisation, working with the farmers and those who owned the land in that area and with the local community. There was no talk of anybody. There was no TII; there was nothing. They just did it as a local community endeavour,...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Sep 2025)

Micheál Martin: I thank Deputy Dempsey very much. I understand the case she is making. This has been a long-running scenario where successive governments have endeavoured to try to harmonise existing systems. The long-term illness scheme has survived numerous attempts by officialdom to eliminate it. However, in the past number of years, we have concentrated on reducing the level of the drugs payment...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Sep 2025)

Micheál Martin: Some elements of the planning and development Bill relating to judicial review have been commenced but others in respect of costs have yet to be commenced. Very significant progress has been made on that and that should be imminent. We are waiting on amendments to come to Government on that. On a broader level, Government is looking at all options, and I have asked the Attorney General...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Sep 2025)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue and for the manner in which he raised it. Aisling's cousins have been in touch and have emailed me. I have spoken to the CEO of the HSE. It seems again to have been a kind of historic clinical issue about a certain age threshold for the application of CAR T-cell therapy or Kymriah, which is a specific type. In any event, there is an urgent clinical...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Sep 2025)

Micheál Martin: I thank Deputy O'Sullivan for raising the issue. I earlier articulated our deep sense of loss on the passing of Councillor Patrick Gerard Murphy. He was a kind person who made such an impact on his community. I extend our deepest sympathies to his family. In terms of the large-scale solar farms, first of all, on the energy mix, we do need more solar. There has been a welcome...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Sep 2025)

Micheál Martin: I am surprised the Deputy used the term "cancel". We have cancelled nothing. Last year we had a particular cost-of-living package, and the previous year, given the impact of the post-Covid scenario and the inflationary spiral that went up as high as 10%. I also note that Sinn Féin is not challenging the energy companies.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Sep 2025)

Micheál Martin: It is giving the energy companies carte blanche.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Sep 2025)

Micheál Martin: Some of these companies are making significant profits. We need an engagement with the companies.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Sep 2025)

Micheál Martin: In particular, we should focus on the companies ensuring that people under pressure and on low incomes are treated appropriately. There will be supports in the budget for those most in need. We will be targeting resources towards those who will be impacted the most by the increase in energy prices. We have taken a decision on VAT to bring it down to 9%. We have retained that. We will...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Sep 2025)

Micheál Martin: First, the composition of homelessness is much more complex now than it would have been in previous times in terms of those in emergency accommodation. I did not seek to deflect at all; I just made a very simple point. The national planning framework has been published. A lot of work went into that. A direction has gone to local authorities to rezone more land for housing. Some of the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Sep 2025)

Micheál Martin: It is true.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Sep 2025)

Micheál Martin: I have spoken to some in respect of it.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Sep 2025)

Micheál Martin: I also made a point in respect of emergency accommodation. I met with Cork City Council, for example. It said to me that 26% of those on the emergency accommodation list in Cork have refused an offer of a house. The story is not as simplistic as articulated by the Deputy and others. I get that they have to do it from an Opposition perspective, but it is a bit more complex than is being...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Sep 2025)

Micheál Martin: Some weeks ago, the Minister brought a memo to Government. Additional funding is being made available to local authorities to prioritise families in homeless situations to get homes. He allocated €50 million to do that about a fortnight ago or last week.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Sep 2025)

Micheál Martin: Of course, we did much more than once-off payments in previous budgets. We have eliminated the cost of school books, which was a fairly dramatic intervention over the last two to three years. That is a permanent reduction in costs. The provision of hot school meals across all of our schools is a significant help and support to families, particularly those on lowest incomes. Child support...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Sep 2025)

Micheál Martin: On the energy costs in particular, we will take measures in the budget to alleviate and help and we have reduced the VAT, as the Deputy knows.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Sep 2025)

Micheál Martin: I do not accept the Deputy's assessment of the Government's response to the genocide in Gaza and the appalling carnage and slaughter of innocent children and civilians. It seems to me that from the get-go the Deputy's primary focus has been to drive a wedge between the Irish people and the Government as opposed to focusing on the atrocities themselves within Gaza and the responsibility of...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Sep 2025)

Micheál Martin: I think the key is-----

Ceisteanna ó na Comhaltaí Eile - Other Members’ Questions (17 Sep 2025)

Micheál Martin: I appreciate the points the Deputy made. I also acknowledge that he is speaking on behalf of 22 Members of the Houses in respect of Shannon Airport. I dealt with the earlier part in terms of the review of aviation policy. Regarding the tourism side of the equation, Tourism Ireland will develop a new strategic air access fund. There is potential to maximise opportunity there in terms of...