Results 17,581-17,600 of 50,683 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Functions (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: There is also an unprecedented ambition to recruit thousands of extra staff. This year alone, 1,400 extra whole-time equivalent nurses have been recruited-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Functions (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: -----to the service and the entire graduate output of our colleges this year will be offered a job in our health service.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Shared Island Unit (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 to 11, inclusive, together. On 22 October last, I set out the Government's vision and priorities on shared island during an online event at Dublin Castle. More than 800 people participated online, comprising a broad range of civil society, community, sectoral and political representatives from across the island of Ireland and in Britain. In budget...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Functions (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: We will constructively engage with the Labour Party legislation which is designed to deal with the issue of dual pricing. I pay tribute to the Central Bank for its report which did not pull any punches. It is not acceptable for the insurance companies to conduct their affairs in this manner. We will constructively engage with the Labour Party on its legislation and on the customer service...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: Deputies raised quite a number of questions there. Deputy Kelly, who put the original question, raised the issue of the deaths of people availing of homelessness services. That is a deep concern which is being taken very seriously by Government. It is important to note and respect the work of those in the homelessness services who have cared for these individuals and who were their...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Functions (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 to 7, inclusive, together. The role of the social policy and public service reform division is to assist me, as Taoiseach, and the Government in delivering programme for Government objectives and public policies and services which help create a socially inclusive and fair society. Specifically, the division assists the work of the Cabinet committee on...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy should take it handy. In any event, the Deputy raised renewables and that is my response. Renewables are very important. I am not aware of how advanced the floating LNG project is. The Port of Cork is engaged in operations and has contracts with particular consortia. I have heard talk about LNG for 20 years from different private sector operators but it has never come to fruition.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I have noticed that there is a consistent theme emanating from Sinn Féin that the Government is discriminating against people with disabilities in the vaccine sequencing but that is not true. I accept that people will engage in politics from time to time but it is not a very nice form of politics to play that sort of line. The national immunisation advisory committee recommended to...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: Obviously there are issues with SouthDoc in Blackpool but this is only Wednesday and tomorrow is Thursday; the week is not over. I will endeavour to have that timeline for the Deputies before the week is out.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on housing last met on 10 November and it is envisaged that the committee will next meet in January 2021. The committee operates in accordance with established guidelines for Cabinet committees and substantive issues are referred to the Government for discussion and approval. The committee works to...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: Do I get the sense that the Ceann Comhairle is heading into the festive season?

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: This is a new one on me and I have not had a case like that presented to me before. I will speak with the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, about it. The Deputy should build a relationship with the Minister, although I know they come from different perspectives in the climate change agenda.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: They might inform each other of the different perspectives.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I am serious and the Deputy should engage with the Minister, Deputy Ryan, a bit more on such matters. In any event, I will check it out.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: The public health team had not recommended that the school should close. There must be a system. We have all deferred to public health advice. There is and should be local engagement between principals and public health personnel, and that improved in particular after the Hallowe'en break when the Minister with the HSE implemented a new system to bring about closer collaboration between...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I said earlier that given the crisis we have in housing, it is extremely important that shovel-ready schemes are given the green light. I am not aware of the local position and I do not know why Sinn Féin is opposing this plan or the rationale behind it. I am not au faitwith the specific details of every scheme and this particular one. We are in a position where we need houses built....

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: To be fair to the Deputy, he had to finish his script. The social protection budget is unprecedented in its scale. It is an enormous provision that is necessary to help people in very difficult financial positions right across the board. The budget was particularly strong in measures targeted at those most vulnerable to falling into poverty. The expansion of the schools meals programme is...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: The future of the south-western seaboard is in renewables and offshore wind, which has the potential to create sustainable jobs well into the future. The Deputy should become a convert and support renewables. He should have a discussion with Deputy Christy O'Sullivan on such matters, as he has a genuine commitment to the climate change agenda.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: That is my answer.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I know that.