Results 33,121-33,140 of 51,089 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for his contribution. For my own part, my remarks and my statement yesterday in no way sought to diminish the role of the churches, or indeed the State, and any reading of them would confirm that. I spoke about the perverse moral code overseen by the church that in my view was responsible for this in terms of its attitude to sexual morality, for example, which was at the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: No doubt the commission brought out a whole range of issues and actions speak louder than words. The most important work we have to do in this House in the immediate future is the implementation in terms of the legislation which the previous Dáil was not in a position to get through.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: It will be a survivor-led response to the commission. The commission was independent. No politician had any hand, act or role in the deliberations of the commission itself. The Deputy needs to accept that. I hope he was not implying that when he used the phrase "systematic attempt". It is important that this sort of thinking does not gain ground. That is not fair and it is not right....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: I can deal with that more comprehensively later.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for the question and for raising the issues. I also wish everyone a happy new year and may 2021 be better than 2020, in particular in respect of Covid-19. We sympathise with those who have lost someone, in particular most recently, as a result of Covid. The Deputy's question relates essentially to the impact of Brexit. We have been very clear for quite some time that...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Government did not bring about Brexit. There are issues in terms of rules of origin that will impact on some food products and these result directly from the legal framework governing trade. There are also some significant anomalies in respect of certain goods that are manufactured in Europe by companies that have their main bases in the UK in terms of supplying the UK and Ireland....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: A range of supports have been given to people. An additional 1,500 public servants-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: Enterprise Ireland is giving money to many employers but we want more to apply. We have said that.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: An awful lot of them got it. Come on.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy is aware, we have provided a range of business and agricultural supports and loan and grant schemes to support business to get ready for Brexit and so on.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: In terms of the overall context, it had been both the general and majority view of this House, as articulated at various Oireachtas committees, and of the Government that we need to address the issue of climate change and that we also have to have clean air for the health of the people of the country. I ask the Deputy to confirm that this is also his view. The introduction of the smoky coal...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: I do not think what the Deputy says is fair. I instanced that as an illustration of an important policy that we should continue with to have air that people can breathe so they can have healthy lives. That should be a fundamental objective of all of us in this House. It is not just about cities but also towns. Last year, the then Minister, Deputy Bruton, expanded it to quite a number of...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: I am somewhat surprised by that. I believe that it is 135 minutes each for the Minister for Education and for the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in respect of the issues under each Minister's responsibility. It is also important that the issues pertaining to third level students in the context of Covid are debated adequately and that questions...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: It was in response to many contributions in this House during the first lockdown and in discussing the impact of that lockdown on children with special needs that the Government bought forward a proposal to allow special needs children to come back to their special schools or special classes in mainstream schools. Indeed, we facilitated the consultation between the assistant national...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: I do not disagree with the Deputy on the need for this legislation. It is essential. There was considerable debate in the last Dáil concerning a legislative template around access to information and tracing. It proved impossible to get consensus in the House at the time to get that legislation passed. The Government has looked at this afresh and the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, as he...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: I empathise with what the Deputy has said. I spoke to one of the representative organisations some time ago on the Bessborough situation. Their main objective was that the burial site would be preserved. There was a view that people can identify. I agree that there first of all needs to be an examination and a proper and robust identification of the burial sites of all the children. I...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: No. I am saying that the legislation that he is introducing in respect of Tuam can be applied to other sites as well.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: First, I want to sympathise with the family of George Nkencho on his very sad passing. This is a grave situation that merits investigation. The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, will carry out an independent examination of this matter and it is important that we not prejudice the outcome of a fair and independent investigation. The Garda works extremely hard to develop...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: I appreciate the Deputy's concerns in respect of children with special needs and additional needs. The Minister is engaging with all of the partners in respect of this issue with a view to facilitating a return in a safe manner. Those discussions and that engagement are ongoing. I acknowledge the enormous challenges for the families involved, most importantly the children. I will ask the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Government does not decide to close any institution in that manner.