Results 31,041-31,060 of 51,063 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Covid-19 Pandemic (14 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business sets out a framework and processes for assessing how we can keep the level of transmission of the virus as low as possible while balancing continuing restrictions proportionately with the positive social and economic benefits which can accrue from the lifting of restrictions. Phase 4 is due to commence on July 20th, subject to Government...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: Ar dtús báire, ní aontaím leis an Teachta. Níl an ceart aici sa mhéid atá ráite aici go dtí seo. I strongly disagree with the Deputy's assertion that I knew about this on 3 or 4 July. Allegations, assertions and media questions are not facts. Deputy Cowen is still, as he was at the time, adamant with regard to the accuracy of the report from...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy is again making false assertions.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I am not standing by any assertion by Deputy Cowen in respect of the Garda statement. Does Deputy McDonald understand that? I am not standing by the assertion in relation to the Garda record on the file. That is the point. I read the file yesterday. I spoke to Deputy Cowen the night before. There is a process in place and I do not want to prejudice it, but I have my own view on it. I...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I did not prevent-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: There was a tactical device to force a vote on the issue. The issue was on the Order of Business. I had come into the House after having asked Deputy Cowen to consider his position and reflect on his decision not to come into the House. In my view, he should have come into the House.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I was giving him time and space to reflect on that. In my view, he should have come into the House. In the afternoon, when he still refused to respond to my view that he should come into the House, I was left with no alternative then-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: -----but to seek the termination of his appointment. We both disagreed in terms of the route. He wanted to go the legal route but for me that was not tenable in the context of being an officeholder.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: The first point I would make is that it now seems to be the case on the Opposition side that the assertion by a journalist, who is entitled to make assertions and points, is fact, and that one should act immediately on it. That seems to be the import of what is being said here this afternoon.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I cannot act on that, nor should I. In terms of the acquisition of the file, Deputy Cowen was faced with a situation where he was being presented with private material about himself from journalistic sources. In other words, they had information about him relating to a PULSE file on him that he himself did not have. His point was that he was very taken aback by any assertions in respect of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: That is a bigger question that everyone in this House should be concerned about as well in terms of data and the release of data. That is a wider more fundamental policy question that we all have to be conscious of. On another day in this House we will go on about companies and multinationals and citizens' rights, which is important too and is valid. Deputy Cowen then got access to his...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: Again, I have to be very clear. I made it very clear in my speech to the House yesterday evening, and again today and also to Deputy Cowen on Monday evening and yesterday morning, that he had an obligation to speak to the House to clarify issues that had emerged. Particularly since I saw the PULSE file itself, I felt he should because there was a demand that he come-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I am sorry, but this is an issue of grave public controversy.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I asked Deputy Cowen to share his personal data with me. To be fair to him, he did so in the end. I felt I needed that because I am here now accounting to the House. One moment it is being said that I know everything without seeing any PULSE file, the next moment when I do seek access to the PULSE file that is something that is terribly wrong as well. That is not fair or balanced. It is...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I cannot be definitive about that. My understanding is that it is a PULSE file, but I do not know. I was given information. From my understanding, it is a PULSE file.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: The provenance of it is this: it relates to the drink-driving incident and it relates to two other issues, one of which is a speeding fine, which the Deputy knows about because it was published in the newspaper. Deputy Cowen was in a situation where people had more information about what was on his file than he himself might have had-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: -----and that is a very difficult position for anybody to be in. To be fair to him, he then sought access in that context. I think that was fair enough, given the gravity of what was being said and given the issues.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy began by asking a number of questions about the events of yesterday evening. Again, the fundamental issue yesterday was Deputy Cowen's refusal to respond to my request that he address Dáil Éireann on the issue. I felt he needed to come into the House to clarify the issues that had arisen, particularly following my reading of the file and my discussions with him the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: On the travel issue, the decision in terms of the green list will be taken next Monday but along with that will be issues pertaining to stronger defences and a stronger presence at airports, and further issues to which the Deputy has alluded will be examined.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I accept the Deputy's well-articulated concerns and she is correct that people are very concerned about the fact there is travelling from what we might call hot spot areas or areas that, to me, appear to be out of control with regard to the virus. I accept the Deputy's point on this. Since the start of the pandemic, travel has never been banned. The Deputy's point about follow-up is...