Results 31,721-31,740 of 51,089 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (22 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: In terms of disabilities, we have been working with service providers, many of whom are not in a position to resume fully, not because of funding but because of protocols on Covid. We will continue to work with them on the funding issue and on restoring services as quickly and safely as we possibly can.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (22 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: I have not seen it.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (22 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: In situations such as this, service providers will always send in figures. They are always subject to negotiation. There has been very energetic and hands-on contact between the HSE and the service providers endeavouring to get adult services, in particular, restored. This is important and it is something to which we are committed.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Covid-19 Paindéim (22 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: An tosaíocht atá ann faoi láthair ná chun bileoga eolais a scaipeadh ar theaglaigh. Déanfaidh an bhileog seo achoimre ar An Creat um Bearta Sriantacha atá i bplean meántréimhseach an Rialtais Teacht Aniar agus Téarnamh 2020-2021- An Plean maidir le Maireachtáil le Covid-19. Beidh seo dhá theangach. Aistreofar an Phlean é féin go...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Seanad Reform (22 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Seanad plays an important role as part of our legislature under the Constitution. In a democracy, any reform of the legislature must enjoy the confidence of the public as well as legislators. In this regard the Government is committed as a priority to the establishment of an Electoral Commission to enhance the governance of our democratic electoral processes. The all-party Seanad...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Communications (22 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Department’s press office manage the official social media accounts on behalf of the Department. As part of the press office’s normal operation, both traditional print and social media are monitored for content of relevance to the work of the Department.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: It is fundamentally wrong of the Deputy to attempt to make political capital out of a decision of the independent Low Pay Commission, which is not dictated to or influenced by the Government. In fact, the past five recommendations from the commission have been accepted by the Government. The Government supports low-paid workers. We have the fourth-highest minimum wage in European systems...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy uses every situation to tell untruths, rather than the truth, about the reality out there. She is fundamentally wrong about the wage subsidy scheme. That scheme is about employers who employ people. The Deputy knows that there are various formulas designed to facilitate, for example, employers whose turnover has dropped to 70% of the previous year and so on. The Deputy...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: It is open now for the first time to new entrants and seasonal workers. The Deputy knows that the Low Pay Commission is not the Government. It is an independent statutory body and the Deputy knows that, yet she came in here this morning trying to pretend that the Low Pay Commission is an arm of the Government. It is not. It is an independent body set up by this Oireachtas, including...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: That is not a point of order.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: That is not a point of order. That is an abuse of the House.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for her questions and the points she has raised. I accept that a debate on public health should transcend party politics and politics in general. I said at the weekend that it is important to communicate in different ways on different platforms to different age cohorts, ethnic minorities and migrant workers. We worked on the issue of employment in meat plants and people...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: I have absolutely no difficulty in accepting a cross-party approach to this issue. My understanding is that the Covid committee has met a lot of experts.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: Let me finish, please. The Covid committee has met a lot of experts who have discussed herd immunity and elimination strategies. There has been a reasonable degree of public debate on this on the airwaves. I have watched infectious disease consultants with different perspectives, some of whom advocate elimination and others who advocate herd immunity.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: There has been a public debate among the scientific community, the medical community and some politicians. All of my comments in response to the Deputy endeavour to be constructive. The Deputy referred to the three strategies, so it is reasonable to respond to them. If she is suggesting some new forum should be created in a non-contentious environment that would facilitate a calmer and...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. She indicated that the directive has not been finalised. There is still work to be done on the directive and I presume negotiations are still under way. I will talk to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. My understanding is that the Chairman of the agriculture committee intends to facilitate a discussion at the committee on this...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: My understanding is that a stakeholders' forum has been established in regard to this issue and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is engaging with that forum. It has met twice and I understand efforts will be made to come up with a compromise and resolution of this issue. I will take the Deputy's concerns to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and discuss them...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. For the vast majority of people, giving birth is one of the most magical and beautiful moments that one can experience in life. For some, it can, as the Deputy has said, be very difficult and traumatic. In either situation, the presence of a partner is very valuable, important and, in ordinary times, essential. What has been happening in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: I agree 100% with the Deputy that they should be uppermost. We have to acknowledge the risk managers in hospitals, those whose overarching objective is to protect people. We should accept the motivation of all involved which, I surmise, is genuine. Nobody is wilfully doing this. This goes against the very grain of what is natural and normal in such situations. We need to be fair here....

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: Funding will be allocated for the resumption of adult disability services in the winter initiative. There has been considerable investment in and allocation of resources to education for special needs assistants and support for the return of children with special needs to education and to schools across the board in September and, likewise, for the resumption of adult services. There have...