Results 32,461-32,480 of 51,089 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: -----and that is the first time ever they would have gotten minor work scheme grants twice in the one year. That happened in the context of Covid-19 but that will be significant and there will be school projects, like in every other area around the country.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy knows my position.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Kelly knows my position on the separation of powers, because I made it clear to him.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: Exactly the way the Deputy is behaving, that is why. I know what he is at.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: The motion regarding greyhound racing is a simple referral to the committee and a debate will of course be accommodated once the matter comes back from the committee to the House. A debate will be facilitated on that issue. As regards the nomination to SIPO, the Government is nominating Mr. Justice Garrett Sheehan and Ms Geraldine Feeney to fill two vacancies which arose in the commission in...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: People are not debarred from serving on a commission of that kind just because of one particular issue at one particular time. She is eligible and has experience as a public representative. I think people who served with her in the Seanad would accept her fairness, integrity and her experience of regulatory affairs, which will be an asset to the commission. She registered as a lobbyist,...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: On the selection of Mr. Justice Woulfe, the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board, JAAB, recommended that he was suitable for appointment. There was a selection process held by the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board, JAAB, and chaired by the Chief Justice. It included the Presidents of the Four Courts, in addition to representatives of the Law Society, the Bar Council and lay members. It...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: There is a clear process for the appointment of a judge by the Government set out in the Constitution and in law. The process has been fully complied with in this case. Only one name-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Kelly was in government and he knows it.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: Only one name is ever brought to the Cabinet by the proposing Minister.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: On 9 March, JAAB met and decided to recommend Séamus Woulfe as being suitable for appointment to the Supreme Court.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: It is a different issue.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: I dealt with this issue in the debate on the Order of Business for today. As I pointed out, there is a clear process for the appointment of a judge by the Government as set out in the Constitution and in law. That process has been fully complied with in this case. As I also pointed out, the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board is chaired by the Chief Justice and its membership includes the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: Only one name is brought to the Cabinet by the proposing Minister. There is an issue. I have never before seen a situation where a Minister for Justice was brought into the House to account for the appointment process and why one judge was picked rather than another judge.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: I have not seen that happen before. That would represent, by any objective yardstick, a breach of the separation of powers.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: It is not rubbish. It is the function of Government to appoint-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: I accept the point made by Deputy Catherine Murphy that a judicial appointments commission should be progressed, and it will be progressed. However, the difference from the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill brought forward in the previous Dáil is that the Government thinks the proper approach to adopt is for the Chief Justice to chair the commission in terms of the appointment of...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: That has been the position since time began in terms of how judges are appointed.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: The powers are separated.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: Yes, I do. I must reiterate some key points. Regarding the previous appointment mentioned by Deputy McDonald, that was not through the JAAB process. That said, I never sought the presence of the Minister of Justice to go through a selection process, in terms of giving weight to one person's qualities as opposed to another's.