Results 32,841-32,860 of 51,089 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (2 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take questions Nos. 3 to 7, inclusive, together. Matters relating to international policy and foreign affairs are discussed by the full Cabinet as and when appropriate, mostly on foot of memoranda to Government brought by the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I also engage bilaterally with the Minister on such matters, as appropriate. International matters also arise in the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (2 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Kelly is correct about the difficulty of visiting and recognising our Army, which has done some fantastic work in the Golan Heights and elsewhere across the world and continues to do so, because of Covid-19. We will do everything we can to show our Defence Forces again that we recognise the contribution they are making to international peace. The European Union has moved on...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategy Statements (2 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 to 10, inclusive, together. In accordance with the provisions of the Public Service Management Act 1997, my Department is currently developing its new statement of strategy for the next three years. The strategy will reflect the role of my Department to deliver the executive functions of the Taoiseach and Government and to support me as Head of Government...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategy Statements (2 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Government will publish a national economic plan that will deal the broader issues on the economic landscape. Housing will be a key part of it, particularly the provision of sustainable sources of social and affordable housing. In response to Deputy Kelly's question, I note that there will be key developments in the areas of digital transformation and the green economy. Those are two...

Pre-European Council: Statements (2 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: Tá áthas orm labhairt leis an Dáil maidir leis an gcruinniú den Chomhairle Eorpach a bheidh ar siúl Déardaoin agus Dé hAoine an seachtain seo chugainn. The agenda at the European Council meeting on Thursday, 10 December and Friday, 11 December has yet to be finalised, but is expected to include Covid-19, Brexit, climate change, security and...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Shared Island Fund (2 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Programme for Government sets out the Government’s commitments on a Shared Island and to working with all communities and traditions on the island to build consensus around a shared future, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement. In Budget 2021, the Government announced the Shared Island Fund, with a planned €500m to be made available out to 2025, ring-fenced for Shared...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: Twenty years ago, we moved from an apprenticeship model of nurse education to a degree model. It was a fundamental shift and transformation in nurse education, sought by the nursing profession, particularly the nurses' unions. I introduced it myself as Minister for Health and Children. It was important in giving a higher degree of respect to the nursing profession within the overall health...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy and everyone else knows that there have been ongoing discussions about this issue between the INMO and the Minister over the past number of weeks. Those discussions are continuing and will result in a review before the end of December on the allowances applying to student nurses. I am trying to say to the Deputy that the days are over for saying it is all right for student...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of the vaccine. It is a historic day and a vindication of science as the ultimate route to follow in dealing with this terrible virus that has wreaked such havoc across the world in terms of lives lost, of people becoming ill with long-term consequences and of economic and social upheaval. It has changed our way of living. I applaud the Deputy's...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: First, I think we should point out that about 2 million people receive the flu vaccine. We are not strangers to national immunisation programmes, although this will be of a far greater scale than we have had so far. There has been a very significant roll-out of the flu vaccination programme in itself. That worked very well, notwithstanding all of the complaints and criticisms. Clearly,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: First, I am not privy to the meeting the Deputy had. Was it with the head of CervicalCheck?

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I am not aware of what was said because, obviously, I was not at the meeting. I will check the position immediately because we must all uphold the decisions of the Supreme Court and of the courts in general. On the previous Government's decision, those who work for the State can have their views in terms of Government decisions but they must facilitate the execution of those decisions...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: In the first instance, we should draw a differential between a screening programme and diagnostic procedures in themselves. That is very important, and in some respects, the original cervical screening programme gave a sense that if one had come through the screening programme, one was okay, whereas we know that is not the case. All screening programmes are general population screening...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: Where there is a problem and where negligence has been established, of course the laboratories are negligent in that respect. The laboratories gave an indemnity to the State in respect of that, which is why they are still, in the context of the tribunal and of the courts, joined as third parties. In the broader sense, each case can be different. I do not think we can make generalisations...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: -----or create schemes and frameworks due to subjective analysis of a particular case. CervicalCheck screening has never been, under the older technology, the most precise of screening programmes. I think most people would acknowledge that.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: Anything beyond the margin of error obviously needs to be pursued and dealt with and compensation should be paid.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. At one level, I can understand the Deputy's point in terms of rural life, rural populations and young people on their own land not being in a position to get permission. At that level, one can empathise, particularly given the cost of housing today, that they are finding it very difficult to secure planning permissions. On the other hand, the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: From the State's perspective, the best economic use of resources is to build up the infrastructure in the towns. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae's point is valid that where towns do not have sewage treatment facilities, that presents an additional difficulty. We considered the EPA report yesterday, for example, at the climate change Cabinet sub-committee. We are down to approximately 20 clean...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I have only been in office for six months. I will engage with the Minister to see where those guidelines are. My own view is that where there has been a history of habitation, there should be continued facilitation of habitation. The Deputy talked about 16 people living on one road.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I have walked the boreens and seen dilapidated houses, with bigger and better houses built adjacent to them. I often wonder why a dilapidated house was not retained. Someone should take those houses over, even if it is the county council, and get them back into a reasonable state for somebody to live in. I am into practical solutions but the highest environmental standards have to be...