Results 5,821-5,840 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: I think the Deputy is talking about the special education teacher model and its organisation. There are about 14,600 special education teachers supporting mainstream classes in the 2024-25 school year. That is an increase of about 1,000 since the end of the 2021 school year. It is the highest number of special education teachers ever in our schools. The model has been in place since 2017....

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: There has been a substantial increase in employment numbers in health over recent years and provision was made for additional numbers this year. I will speak to the Minister for Health on the specific case raised by the Deputy and ask him to revert to her.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: On autism classes, 1,300 additional teachers have been appointed, we have opened new special schools and we are opening new autism classes on a regular basis. There will be specific issues with specific schools, with configuration of buildings and so on. All that has to be in place before you can take on a new school. On the allocation model, the Minister has informed us that school bodies...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: I am just saying what the position has been at national level. Principals' organisations also support the new model.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: We are anxious that no child with a complex need will be under-provided for in respect of the allocation model. We will keep the matter under review.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: One of the fundamental rights in the Constitution, as the Deputy said, is the right to a primary education. It is a good right that is in the Constitution. The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, and the Department have an obligation to fulfil that right in terms of securing a place for the child. We have made significant progress on this in the last two years but wherever there...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: I am in no doubt about that, Deputy. Deputy McGrath has called for a Dáil debate. The people are superior to the Dáil and Seanad on constitutional matters. That is the great thing about De Valera's Constitution of 1937. He gave the power of amendment to the people and he did so in an era of fascism. Many people never want to give credit to the Constitution of 1937. When the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: The wording would not have damaged carers. I am not going to rekindle the debate but I contest very strongly the Deputy's assertion. The Government continues to spend on special needs, carers and disability more generally. Thousands of special education teachers and special needs assistants have been appointed since this Government took office and continue to be appointed. Approximately...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising a variety of important issues. In terms of regulation and so forth, the Department of agriculture makes every effort to keep the various schemes and the implementation of schemes as simple as possible. The Department engages closely with farmers on all scheme delivery issues. There is the Department's farmers' charter, which provides for regular...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: I referenced the CAP earlier. Approximately €10 billion, between EU and Exchequer funding, will support 130,000 farm families under the new CAP. On forestry, there is a new €1.3 billion forestry programme, which is open for applications. New licences are issuing every week. We believe this will be a significant departure from previous years where the industry was in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: No, it is not. It needs policies and it needs substance.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: Sinn Féín does not have substance and it does not have detail. It has bluster, bluster and bluster.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: I appreciate the Deputy's kind comments in respect of the outgoing Taoiseach and the comments she has made about abuse in politics and toxicity in public discourse as regards politics. I agree with her 100% on that, and we collectively have to address that issue because the most fundamental thing we should all agree on in this House is freedom of expression, freedom of association and...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: The planning Bill should be completed. Huge work has gone into its preparation. It has gone through pre-legislative scrutiny and so on. That is an important piece of work. I recently saw a judicial review of a bus stop in connection with BusConnects. We need to streamline things and make sure we have a planning system fit for purpose because we have enormous projects to deliver in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: I said earlier that in February alone, commencements are dramatically up.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: That is change. That is added progress to progress already made. There were 33,000 houses built last year. I understand that commencements are up by 85% in February this year, compared with last year. That is progress. The Constitution is clear. The Dáil elects the Taoiseach of the day. There has been an attempt, not by Deputy Bacik but by others, to suggest that there should...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: Ní aontaím in aon chor leis an Teachta. Níl aon amhras orm ach go bhfuil muintir na tíre ag cur béime ar ghnáthchúrsaí an tsaoil. Níl muintir na tíre ag lorg olltoghcháin ag an bpointe seo. Tá siad ag lorg dul chun cinn ó thaobh cúrsaí tithíochta agus sláinte. Ní labhróimid faoin...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: The people will decide when the time for the election comes. We have up until March of next year; that is the programme of this Government. I have fought far more general elections than the Deputy has. I have never been afraid of an election. I have contested many of them, so the Deputy should not talk to me and lecture me about elections, please. I am interested in government and in the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: My Department's litigation branch manages and co-ordinates litigation claims and, in so doing, works closely with both the State Claims Agency, SCA, and the Chief State Solicitor’s Office, CSSO. The Deputy will be aware that all claims for personal injuries taken by current and former members of the Defence Forces have been delegated to the SCA. The SCA manages and provides legal...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: I do not disagree although some of these could be personal injury awards or occupational injuries that occurred during the course of people’s duties and people are entitled to seek redress. I would prefer mediation but under the law - the Oireachtas has provided for this - the State Claims Agency deals with claims on behalf of the State and that includes the Department of Defence in...