Results 33,181-33,200 of 51,089 for speaker:Micheál Martin

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: I have no issue in engaging with the HSE. I have not refused to meet with anybody. I do not know why people assert that I have, I have not. That remains the position.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: I will talk to the Minister on the wind energy guidelines and the publication of the Mulcahy report. I will follow those up for the Deputy. The wind energy guidelines have been considered by the Department for a long time now so I will talk with the Minister about those.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: We are in the middle of a global pandemic and the virus is wreaking devastation on many industries, on many sectors and on society at large. That is the reality. The vaccination programme offers light at the end of the tunnel. We are part of a European pre-purchase agreement process with a number of companies for the delivery of the vaccine. The first such company was Pfizer-BioNTech and...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: I was involved in the establishment of SouthDoc in my time as Minister for Health and Children. It has provided a range of services across the Cork-Kerry region, including out-of-hours, 24-7 services, GP services and primary care services. The understanding was that the clinic would be opening and SouthDoc has taken that decision. I do not operate SouthDoc but nonetheless I will seek an...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for his comments and I concur with them. As I said earlier, we wish President-elect Biden the very best and I agree with him when he describes the Irish poets as the best in the world. We look forward to welcoming him to Ireland during his presidency and we look forward to a very fruitful partnership with the United States on a range of multilateral issues, from climate...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: I welcome the fact that that meeting is happening tomorrow. Deputies O'Dea and Quinlivan and the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, have been consistently raising this issue with me and there has been significant advancement on the first phase of the project. I will engage again with the Minister, Deputy Ryan, on it.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: The recent decision of the Government on the obligation and requirement for a negative PCR test before one comes into the country has been strongly adhered to. There are very high levels of adherence to that measure. Further measures around quarantine are constantly being examined and there are significant implementation issues around them. To be frank, we have an issue in people accessing...

EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement: Motion (20 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: I move: That Dáil Éireann: supports the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union (EU) and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK), of the other part, done on 30th December, 2020; welcomes that: — the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, together with the Withdrawal Agreement,...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Priorities (20 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: Following its formation, the Government established ten Cabinet committees reflecting the full range of policy areas it will work on during its lifetime, and which are set out in the programme for Government. Cabinet committees meet regularly to help formulate and implement Government policy particularly where cross-government collaboration is critical. Alongside the State's response to...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: We should acknowledge that yesterday we passed a sad figure - a threshold of 3,000 people who have died in the Republic from Covid-19 and 1,760 who have passed in Northern Ireland. Our thoughts and our prayers are with the families of those who have been bereaved by this deadly and dangerous virus, which constantly evolves and is causing devastation to people's lives and to societies across...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: I expect everybody to lead from the front. The problem with the Deputy is that, unfortunately, she has been on the fence for much of this and has clung to the fence for as long as possible. I remember a headline on the 18 September edition of the Irish Daily Star, which stated "Mary Lou: Open all the pubs". The Deputy was quoted as saying there was no reason that all the pubs should not...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy's party is on the Northern Ireland Executive and has failed to gain the consensus required in respect of some of the issues she has raised. We will continue to work in a constructive fashion with the Northern Ireland Executive. The measures on travel will not take weeks to implement; they will be implemented very quickly. It is time for consistency all around, from all...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising those issues. The Government's view is very clear: people should not travel for non-essential reasons. There are very few reasons that people should travel. The Deputy is correct in saying that a significant number of people who have been travelling out of Ireland have, since the Christmas period, been going on holiday and coming back in. That clearly needs...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: We are introducing quarantine into the country.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: We are introducing it and the legislation will give us broad capacity to extend it. The numbers have collapsed to very low levels in terms of people coming into the Republic and we must maintain that over the coming period. That is the reality. The Deputy is correct in terms of identifying the variants as the significant factor now in how we deal with international travel. There is a lot...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: First, I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Is it related to the local improvement scheme?

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: My understanding is that a new scheme been announced with regard to that and the deadline for applications is 26 February. I will ask the Minister to correspond with the Deputy about the details, however. I take on board what the Deputy said about the challenges facing many people in terms of accessing funding for this over the years. The Government has been in office just over six months...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy has articulated a case very strongly on behalf of his constituents and the people of County Kerry. As I said, a new scheme has been announced and I believe applications are due in before 26 February. I will check that and ask the Minister to engage with the Deputy on this matter. I will certainly talk to the Minister about the allocation and whether that can make a meaningful...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy does not need to make an FOI request in order to obtain the Government's strategy on Covid-19. He is aware that the roadmap for living with Covid-19 was published a number of months ago and we are now at level 5 of that roadmap in the context of suppressing the numbers. The numbers are falling steeply but there is enormous pressure on our hospitals. As already stated, our...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: I am not as arrogant as the Deputy. I will always listen to other Deputies' perspectives and respond to them. I do not dismiss them like the Deputy does and I am not as cynical as him that he does not even bother worrying about or listening to the reply any more. He should not be putting the questions if that is his attitude. The Deputy knows I have spoken to the First Minister and...