Results 1-20 of 50,134 for speaker:Micheál Martin
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 May 2025)
Micheál Martin: I am just saying what the reality is.
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 May 2025)
Micheál Martin: We are all familiar with it. We have all enjoyed a pint in a pub.
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 May 2025)
Micheál Martin: Will I engage in having a pint?
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 May 2025)
Micheál Martin: We always engage with the VFI.
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 May 2025)
Micheál Martin: Part of the reason could be the expansion of medical card eligibility. More than 1.5 million people now have a medical card. There has been exponential growth in that number. The previous Minister took significant steps in successive budgets to expand coverage. I am surmising but I will ask the HSE and the Minister to get some background information or statistics for the Deputy. I...
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 May 2025)
Micheál Martin: Just hear me out. Some people who might not have been entitled because of income ineligibility are now entitled-----
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 May 2025)
Micheál Martin: -----so they move from discretionary to automatic entitlement.
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 May 2025)
Micheál Martin: It is difficult to believe that ten years have passed since that momentous referendum and the huge endorsement of marriage equality by the Irish people. We have come a long way in respect of LGBTQ rights. We still have some distance to go. It is extremely important in public discourse, particularly in relation to trans rights as I said here yesterday, that we acknowledge every person's...
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 May 2025)
Micheál Martin: On Deputy Conway-Walsh's question, I too welcome the students from Coláiste Pobail Acla. Cuirim fáilte faoi leith rompu chuig Teach Laighean. On the facilities for young people, working with the LEADER programme, county councils and the State, we can provide good quality youth centres. I have been in different parts of the country where some have done it better than others. I...
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 May 2025)
Micheál Martin: I hear what the Deputy is saying. I will talk to the Minister and get her to respond to the Deputy in respect of the issue.
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 May 2025)
Micheál Martin: It is a beautiful part of the country.
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 May 2025)
Micheál Martin: Again, our bathing water continues to improve because of the provision of additional wastewater capacity. I note that the Minister is also from the sunny south east. I will certainly talk to him about the wastewater requirements there. We are looking at capital for Irish Water. Additional capital will be provided. We will endeavour to progress that.
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 May 2025)
Micheál Martin: I absolutely agree. Reflecting on the last number of years, there is a perception that urban environments are not as safe as they once were. I refer to the centres of different cities. That is the perception in Cork, although it is a beautiful city with a beautiful city centre and there are continuous improvements to the public realm. I believe people are specifically talking about the...
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 May 2025)
Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for the interesting point he has raised. I was the one to introduce the threshold of six for a special class with two SNAs and a teacher back in 1998 when we took a very significant decision in a Government memorandum. It is fair to make that point about a model for rural schools and schools whose numbers are quite low. I will talk to the Minister for Education, Deputy...
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 May 2025)
Micheál Martin: Would that report come from the HSE?
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 May 2025)
Micheál Martin: We will let the HSE know that the Deputy has raised the issue and ask that a serious incident report be completed. I do not know the background of the case. I extend my sympathies to the family of Jimmy Loughlin on what transpired here. I do not know if it was referred to the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, which could be one way of-----
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 May 2025)
Micheál Martin: Well, it depends. It may be for the Mental Health Commission in respect of mental health issues but there may be broader issues. That should be the direction of travel rather than a full public inquiry, which could take a very long period of time. It is a serious issue the Deputy has raised and I will follow up on it.
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 May 2025)
Micheál Martin: Over the last number of years, the Government has allocated significant investment to pubs. The investment during the Covid-19 pandemic was unprecedented and enabled many rural pubs to develop good outdoor facilities and so on. That is a good thing and very positive. I do take the Deputy's point about socialisation being good for you. Professor Luke O'Neill has written in his Sunday...
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 May 2025)
Micheál Martin: -----the comments of that particular individual the Deputy has referenced, I think-----
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 May 2025)
Micheál Martin: -----that is not the core of this. The important part here is that we continue to evaluate-----