Results 32,541-32,560 of 51,089 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: I take the Deputy's point and will follow that up. Coming in out of the blue raising cases is fine. The Deputy is entitled to do that and it creates profile for the issue. I am not so sure, however, it actually advances the case of the individual concerned. I do not think-----

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: I have the floor. I did say genuinely to Deputy Gannon that I do not think anyone should be deported to any red zone country during the Covid pandemic. Equally, if people are working in our health service, we need to ascertain their status in our health service and see if we can retain them.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: Again, I am uncomfortable dealing with procurement issues generally on the floor of the House. Procurement processes should be independent of the House. I take the Deputy's more general point on the State investing more in its own capacity in air rescue, the Coast Guard, our Defence Forces and the Air Corps. Some progress is being made in terms of recruitment to the Air Corps. I would...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: To be fair, wolves have not been reintroduced yet in the country.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: I am only jesting. I will follow it up with the Minister, Deputy McConalogue.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: I will follow it up with the Minister.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: I will talk to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine about the sheep welfare inspectors. I am not aware of the potential for drones to monitor sheep on the headlands. Maybe the Department can explore that as well.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: I am aware of the peat slide near Meenbog wind farm, Barnesmore Gap, south of Ballybofey, County Donegal, which is under construction. The matter is being actively investigated by several statutory agencies, led by Donegal County Council. It involves the Environmental Protection Agency, Irish Water, the Loughs Agency, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, as well as the Northern Ireland...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: -----we will. Over time, the potential of offshore wind energy will outstrip onshore wind energy.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: I will undertake to get a comprehensive report from my Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs on what happened. I am not in a position to make any judgment this morning on what the Deputy has asserted. People in all European Union countries are and should be entitled to protest. That said, Covid-19 places very significant restrictions on that right because it conflicts with the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: Our first priority is public health and protecting lives. We must never lose sight of that. I accept the genuine position that the Deputy has adopted, but we must never lose sight of our overarching objective of protecting lives and the overall economy. The fastest way to endanger the economy is to have a large increase in cases, hospitalisations and pressure on intensive care units. In...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: I thank Deputy Stanton for raising the issue. As I said earlier, the Government is engaging with Dublin Zoo and with Fota Wildlife Park. It will intervene to support the sector, particularly to keep those facilities open. I take the Deputy's wider point on board.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: I agree that the Ability programme has been very effective and is an important programme. Programmes of this nature are evaluated by the line Department and the line agencies with a view to improvements and refinements. I will come back to the Deputy on the Department's position. Funding is available for disability services across the board and I have no doubt that this programme is key to...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: Both cases illustrate the damage that Covid-19 can do. That is why we have restrictions. It is worth reflecting on the impact Covid-19 can have on hospital services. Hospitals have had to postpone non-essential services because of the spread of Covid-19 among hospital staff. That is an unfortunate reality. We will do everything we possibly can to provide every possible resource to...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: The extension of the pandemic unemployment payment to students has been a very welcome benefit to thousands of students throughout the country, understandably, because they would have lost the work opportunities which would have helped them to fund their way through college. There have been some improvements to the SUSI scheme under this year's budget. There will also be a once-off...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: This is a very difficult issue. I will be meeting with Mandate shortly and we will see if we can find a way to try to progress a resolution of this issue.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I am not familiar with the details of the case. The clinical assessment and recommendations of the doctors are key. Before anyone is transferred every potential avenue of rehabilitation within University Hospital Waterford should be availed of to facilitate the gentleman's recovery or the optimal care for him. I presume the clinicians are...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (18 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. Issues relevant to the transport sector can arise, as required, at a number of Cabinet committees, most notably the Cabinet committee on economic recovery and investment. The Cabinet committee on economic recovery and investment first met on 8 July. It has met on a total of seven occasions, most recently on 5 November. The next...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (18 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: It is very simple. The public health authorities are not convinced about the efficacy of rapid testing or antigen testing. There is no mystery. That has been the position from the get-go and the beginning of the pandemic. The same applies at European Commission level. There will be a further meeting on this issue this week in terms of co-ordination across Europe. There is no definitive...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (18 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: As I stated yesterday, the pandemic unemployment payment is providing more than €100 million a week. The cost of the wage subsidy scheme will be more than €5 billion from March 2020 to March 2021. The CRSS will ramp up fairly fast as well in terms of its supports.