Results 1,901-1,920 of 4,472 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: National Transport Authority (10 Mar 2022)

Martin Heydon: Deputy McAuliffe has an offer to bring back to the chief executives. It is on the record of the House that the offer of support is there and we need them to drive on the project now. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter and making his contribution to the discussion today. It is great to see investment in active travel starting to bear fruit. The Government is keen to accelerate...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Social Welfare Payments (10 Mar 2022)

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputy Martin Browne. All Deputies deal with carers in our constituency offices and in the course of our daily work as parliamentarians, and we are in awe of the fantastic work they do. That is why the State provides supports for people on fixed incomes who are providing such a vital service to a loved one. The State recognises that this service is of huge value. I accept there...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Social Welfare Payments (10 Mar 2022)

Martin Heydon: It is not only the €200 payment. As I said, we also have a community welfare system. In individual cases that do not fit the norm, community welfare officers provide support that may be needed for a time, including to meet exceptional needs. I outlined many interventions the Government has made since the budget. A record budget has been provided to the Department of Social...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Social Welfare Payments (10 Mar 2022)

Martin Heydon: That is why we are supporting them.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: National Transport Authority (10 Mar 2022)

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputy McAuliffe for raising this important issue in his constituency. I am responding to this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan. As the Deputy will be aware, the programme for Government sets out an ambitious and wide-ranging set of commitments in relation to walking and cycling, supported by an increased multi-annual budgetary allocation...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Ukrainian War (10 Mar 2022)

Martin Heydon: The Government will not be found wanting in supporting the Ukrainian people. The 2016 census showed that 3,000 Ukrainian nationals were resident in Ireland at the time. They all have loved ones about whom they are greatly concerned and they may be looking to bring them here. We are taking a whole-of-government response to ensure we offer them all the supports they need. As I mentioned,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Social Welfare Payments (10 Mar 2022)

Martin Heydon: The household benefits, HHB, package comprises the electricity or gas allowance and a free television licence. The Department of Social Protection will spend approximately €273 million this year on the HHB package for more than 484,000 customers and their households. The package is available as a supplementary allowance to those in receipt of various social welfare payments,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Ukrainian War (10 Mar 2022)

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputy McHugh for raising an issue that is foremost in all of our minds across the Government right now. I know Deputy Cannon was working with the Deputy on it earlier in the week. I assure the Deputy and the House that along with officials in all Departments, including the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, on behalf of which I am participating in...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Planning Issues (10 Mar 2022)

Martin Heydon: It is an interesting one. I can most definitely empathise with Deputy Moynihan's points regarding the importance of community facilities. I am taking this response on behalf of my colleague, the Minister of State with responsibility for local government and planning, Deputy Burke. The title of this Topical Issue matter was picked up and taken by the planning department. The points...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Planning Issues (10 Mar 2022)

Martin Heydon: Again, I thank Deputy Moynihan for raising this important topic today. I concur and I will bring these points back to the Minister of State, Deputy Burke, and his officials in the planning department. There should be uniformity of approach here. Community groups looking to go through the planning process to deliver a community facility should not have different experiences depending on...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Network (10 Mar 2022)

Martin Heydon: I thank Senator Boyhan for giving me the opportunity to address the Seanad on the Dublin eastern bypass corridor from Booterstown to Sandyford and the possibility of alternative uses being considered. I am sure he will acknowledge that there are a number of different actors within this sphere and that a lot of work has taken place over the past number of years. That work remains ongoing....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Network (10 Mar 2022)

Martin Heydon: The material that was prepared for me by the Department of Transport does not deal with the question of the use of the corridor for housing. That is more properly a matter for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. In regard to the wider active travel measures being promoted by the Government, I am pleased that this year has seen another increase in the Department of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Projects (10 Mar 2022)

Martin Heydon: I thank Senator Murphy for clearly articulating the importance of the N61 project. The Minister for Transport has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding in respect of the national roads programme. I am responding on his behalf. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with TII under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015 and in line with the national development plan, NDP,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Projects (10 Mar 2022)

Martin Heydon: Senator Murphy can rest assured that I will bring the points he articulated clearly here about the importance of this road to the Minister. Approximately €616 million of Exchequer capital funds have been provided to TII for national roads in 2022. In line with the NDP and Government policy, TII is allocating national roads funding to local authorities for 2022 in a manner which seeks...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Educational Disadvantage (10 Mar 2022)

Martin Heydon: I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley. I thank Senator O'Loughlin for raising this important matter. As the Senator will be aware, Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, DEIS, is the main policy instrument of the Department of Education to tackle educational disadvantage at school level. DEIS schools benefit from a range of supports,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Educational Disadvantage (10 Mar 2022)

Martin Heydon: In the draft response I received, there was no reference to Scoil Na Naomh Uilig but I will bring it back to the Minister's office. The school will have the appeals mechanism there. I emphasise that the DEIS programme focuses on targeting additional resources towards schools with the highest concentration of students at risk of educational disadvantage. The Department is committed to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Agriculture Industry (8 Mar 2022)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Deputies for their follow-up questions. To respond to Deputy Colm Burke regarding the EU response and the deviation in crop rotation, these issues are being looked at and the potential response to them will be worked through. Everything is being examined at EU level. There is also the area of set-aside being talked about, as well as the ecological focus areas, EFAs. If they...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Agriculture Industry (8 Mar 2022)

Martin Heydon: I will start by thanking Deputies Burke and Cairns for raising this important issue. The illegal invasion of Ukraine places the people of Ukraine and the dreadful plight the currently face foremost in our minds. The related grain and fertiliser supply issues have led to discussions across Europe on the issue of food security and the associated disruptions to supply lines. These issue...

National Broadband Plan: Statements (27 Jan 2022)

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputies for their contributions throughout what has been a very important process, not just the statements in the last hour or so but the questions and answers with the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, prior to that. I thank the House on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, for the invitation to address the House on the roll-out of the national broadband plan and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Issues (9 Dec 2021)

Martin Heydon: There have been a number of changes, many of which are in the hands of the UK. The UK has been changing the goalposts by pushing them out. It has postponed the next stage of the import control regime on two occasions, including on 14 September. The most significant element of the most recent UK announcements was that the requirement for pre-notification of agrifood imports will be...