Results 17,281-17,300 of 50,683 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Feb 2021)

Micheál Martin: We have been doing serial testing in all nursing homes for the last year. We have also been doing it in direct provision centres and meat factories for periods. As we have been doing serial testing in different settings, the concept of serial testing is there.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Feb 2021)

Micheál Martin: We did not do it in schools because it was not advised to do so but we have been doing serial testing consistently and we will expand it again where the public health advice deems it necessary. Sick pay has also been addressed in the context of Covid-19, as the Deputy knows. It is a bit populist and wrong to speak about 2,000 Brazilians coming into the country in the way the Deputy did....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Feb 2021)

Micheál Martin: People leave and come back in but there will be a need for mandatory quarantining.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Feb 2021)

Micheál Martin: We have provided for mandatory quarantining for those from Brazil, South Africa and other countries, as designated by the public health advice.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Feb 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue and I offer my sincere condolences to the families of all those who were bereaved at Ballynoe nursing home. I understand that the particular outbreak the Deputy is referring to commenced on 8 January, which resulted in all 47 residents and 29 staff testing positive for Covid-19. Tragically, 21 residents died associated with that outbreak. As the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Feb 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Government will build a number of ladders in terms of creating opportunities for young people who are caught up in a rip-off rental market. We want to liberate young people from that scenario and give them opportunities to buy homes and be in a position to afford houses that will be built. The new equity scheme is targeted and aims to do that, along with the further proposal of a new...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Feb 2021)

Micheál Martin: First, I disagree with the Deputy. We have been guided by the public health team all the way in terms of the path ahead. NPHET is very clear that the five-level framework is the correct approach and then we should apply flexibilities in different given situations. That is the first point. Suppression of the virus, irrespective of form, does not change in terms of what we must do as a...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Feb 2021)

Micheál Martin: It actually is.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Feb 2021)

Micheál Martin: I am clear in how we are approaching this. I did not interrupt the Deputy. The bottom line is that two months ago, the Deputy was in favour of the living with Covid-19 document. He said it should not be torn up. A month later, he said it should be zero Covid. The Deputy is changing his mind every single month. I regret that because I want to work with him. I want to work with people....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Feb 2021)

Micheál Martin: Clearly, the Deputy is engaging in a propagandistic, sloganeering approach to housing. In the recent budget, the Government allocated unprecedented resources to a broad suite of measures to deal with the housing crisis. The largest social housing programme was budgeted for in 2021, in terms of public and social housing, including direct builds by approved housing bodies. Yet the Deputy has...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Funding (24 Feb 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Department of the Taoiseach does not award grant funding to individuals or organisations. The National Economic and Social Development Office, which is funded on an annual basis by my Department, also does not award grant funding to external recipients.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Offices (24 Feb 2021)

Micheál Martin: My Department takes active steps to support staff returning to the workplace from maternity leave. In line with Circular 31/06 Implementation of the Regulations of the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Act 2004, staff returning to my Department from maternity leave who are breastfeeding are entitled to paid breaks from work (one hour per day), or reduced daily working time (one hour per...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Interdepartmental Working Groups (24 Feb 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Government is firmly committed to achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. These cut across policy areas within the responsibility of many Government Departments and agencies, and touch on both domestic and international policy approaches. The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications has lead responsibility for promoting and overseeing the coherent...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Ministerial Advisers (24 Feb 2021)

Micheál Martin: The persons employed in my Department as Special Advisers are detailed in the table below. Office of the Taoiseach Name Role Deirdre Gillane Chief of Staff (Taoiseach's Office) Pat McParland Deputy Chief of Staff (Taoiseach's Office) Alan Ahearne Economic Adviser to the Taoiseach...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Staff (24 Feb 2021)

Micheál Martin: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below. Table 1: Department of the Taoiseach Staff by Grade and Gender - 24 February 2021* Grade Total Male Female Secretary General 1 1 0 Second Secretary General 1 1 0 Assistant Secretary 6 ...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Reviews (24 Feb 2021)

Micheál Martin: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below. Details of study/review/research currently underway Date commenced Estimated date of completion Joint research programme with Economic and Social Research Institute as part of Shared Island initiative. December 2020. Research outputs to be published during 2021 and...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Garda Reform (24 Feb 2021)

Micheál Martin: A Policing Service for our Future(APSFF) – the Government’s Plan to implement the Report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland – is a living document which is reviewed and updated, as required, to maintain ambitious but realistic commitments, timeframes and milestones. The Policing Reform Implementation Programme Office (PRIPO) – which is based in...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Expenditure (24 Feb 2021)

Micheál Martin: The spend on Covid-19 public information campaigns is listed in the tables below. Since March of 2020, my Department has co-ordinated communications for the whole-of-government response to the pandemic. This necessitated expenditure on a broad range of targeted public messaging across a range of different information campaigns. The overall communications strategy for Covid-19 is based on a...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (17 Feb 2021)

Micheál Martin: I believe the policing dispensation or outcome of the Good Friday Agreement was one of the most radical transformations that occurred, given what had been the situation prior to that. What happened on the Ormeau Road was wrong, but there are mechanisms in place to deal with that and to hold those responsible accountable. There is the ombudsman for policing and the Policing Authority and we...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (17 Feb 2021)

Micheál Martin: We all need to be very careful in terms of the language we use and the approach we take to this. Issues need to firmly dealt with, people need to be accountable-----