Results 23,621-23,640 of 50,909 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna - Questions: UK Referendum on EU Membership (20 Jul 2016)

Micheál Martin: I take it we are not going for it. Is that the Taoiseach's judgment?

Ceisteanna - Questions: UK Referendum on EU Membership (20 Jul 2016)

Micheál Martin: We do not want it.

Business of Dáil (7 Sep 2016)

Micheál Martin: We could do with a longer period for questions and answers at the end of today's session. Five minutes is far too short altogether in terms of the contributions that are going to be made. In respect of the matter raised by Deputy Adams about the "Spotlight" programme, I suggest that the Taoiseach convene a meeting of all party leaders in the next while to discuss the best way to deal with...

Government Appeal of European Commission Decision on State Aid to Apple: Motion (7 Sep 2016)

Micheál Martin: Tá muideanna i bhFianna Fáil i gcoinne chinneadh an Choimisiúin. Cinneadh dochredite atá ann agus is léir go bhfuil an Coimisiún ag iarraidh rialacha nua a chur i bhfeidhm maidir le cúrsaí cánacha. Fostóir tábhachtach is ea Apple sa tír seo agus suas le 6,000 duine ag obair san chomhlacht. Caithfimid dul i gcoinne chinneadh an...

Government Appeal of European Commission Decision on State Aid to Apple: Motion (7 Sep 2016)

Micheál Martin: Apple paid over €400 million to our Government alone and it is adamant that it had a worldwide tax rate of over 25%.

Government Appeal of European Commission Decision on State Aid to Apple: Motion (7 Sep 2016)

Micheál Martin: It is an innovative company, which has been a long-term and committed investor in Ireland from its earliest years and through periods of both consolidation and expansion. Tax rulings are an absolutely common, reasonable and ethical part of the tax code of nearly every country. This is based on companies seeking clarity on what taxes will be owed under given circumstances. In the case of...

Government Appeal of European Commission Decision on State Aid to Apple: Motion (7 Sep 2016)

Micheál Martin: Would the Minister care to comment on the manner in which the Commissioner went about making this announcement? She used a fast-track mechanism to announce the decision. I stand to be corrected, but I understand that the College of Commissioners was given a 24-hour notice. The decision was circulated and the other Commissioners were told to revert within 24 hours with informed comments....

Government Appeal of European Commission Decision on State Aid to Apple: Motion (7 Sep 2016)

Micheál Martin: Why all this choreography and orchestration by the Commission on a major issue that is of significant importance to a member state? Does it suggest a contemptuous attitude on the part of the Commissioner towards the Irish Government? Apart from the issues, there should have been no great difficulty in alerting a government that a serious decision and an announcement of figures were coming...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Rates (16 Sep 2016)

Micheál Martin: 539. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he is reviewing the way in which rural public houses are being charged for their commercial rates, particularly if they have down sized their square footage to decrease costs as a result of less business on the premises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24340/16]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Rates (16 Sep 2016)

Micheál Martin: 540. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to allow rural public houses decrease their commercial rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24341/16]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Ireland Staff (16 Sep 2016)

Micheál Martin: 1478. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a five-year contract extension of the current CEO of Horse Racing Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24333/16]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Ireland Staff (16 Sep 2016)

Micheál Martin: 1479. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the current guidelines on extending contracts states a CEO shall be appointed for not more than a single seven-year term; his views on the matter particularly on the way in which it relates to Horse Racing Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24336/16]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Appointments to State Boards (16 Sep 2016)

Micheál Martin: 1492. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is satisfied that all public appointments that come within the remit of his responsibilities have followed Government guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24331/16]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Appointments to State Boards (16 Sep 2016)

Micheál Martin: 1493. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the board of Horse Racing Ireland discussed or agreed the extension of five years for the current contract of the CEO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24334/16]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Appointments to State Boards (16 Sep 2016)

Micheál Martin: 1494. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it is normal practice for a chairman of a State board to seek approval from their board before seeking contract extensions for the company's CEO; his views on whether this is good governance and if it is in practice for all Government appointments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24338/16]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Appointments to State Boards (16 Sep 2016)

Micheál Martin: 1495. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a chairman presents a business case to his Department does he and his Department presume the board have been consulted to give their agreement to same; if not, his views on whether this is best practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24339/16]

Leaders' Questions (27 Sep 2016)

Micheál Martin: I welcome everybody back and I am delighted to see that it is all systems go for this Dáil session. It is less than two weeks to budget day and there are many issues that need to be addressed. I put it to the Taoiseach that it is essential that there be a realistic response to the Peter Cassells report on the chronic underfunding of third level education and the perilous state of...

Leaders' Questions (27 Sep 2016)

Micheál Martin: Arresting the decline in our third level sector cannot await the deliberations of an Oireachtas committee over the medium term. By all means, there are detailed issues in which the Oireachtas committee will get involved but all options involve substantial Exchequer funding of our third level sector. The bottom line is there must be a response in this budget, otherwise the Government is...

Leaders' Questions (27 Sep 2016)

Micheál Martin: He gave a very graphic illustration whereby for some people in this city the rate of participation in third level education is as low as 7% to 14% whereas in another part of the city it is 100%. If we do not move, that gap between access to education will widen among those who have had historically low access rates to third level education, as opposed to those who have had a 100% access rate.

Leaders' Questions (27 Sep 2016)

Micheál Martin: Something has to change. An excellent report has been submitted to us. It behoves us to act now, in the next two to three weeks, to make a serious provision in the budget for expenditure for third level education, otherwise we are ignoring the future of this country at our peril.