Results 33,561-33,580 of 51,089 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: The national task force envisages having the portal up and running in mid-April, perhaps the third week in April. I will get the specific dates for the Deputy. That is the intention. On the specifics of each company, I will get the details on each of them for the second quarter for the Deputy. On average, between April and May, we are looking at 2 million doses with a higher amount in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Beacon is a good vaccination centre. It was facilitating vaccinations, particularly for the people in that area, as efficiently and effectively as it could.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: I reject what the Deputy has said. He accused the Government and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, of not negotiating or engaging on the issue of fisheries during the Brexit negotiations. I consulted with fisheries representatives and so did the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney, who had ongoing engagement with Michel Barnier. The Minister...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: Everybody knew that a no-deal Brexit would have been the ultimate disaster for fisheries because of the historic catch we have in British waters. Everybody knew from the moment Brexit was announced and was later passed by referendum, that we were in difficulty as regards fisheries. Deep down, the fishing industry realised that. I recall meetings four years ago at which the consequences of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: We certainly had to avoid a no-deal Brexit. I am sure the Deputy will accept that a no-deal Brexit would have been a disaster for fishing. In that context, we fought for as high a share of quota for the Irish fishing industry as we possibly could in order to ensure we can create viability into the future. It is an extremely difficult deal for fishing. We are not at all happy with...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Minister has established a task force on the Irish fishing industry and creating a sustainable future for it. Resources will be allocated to ensure that and to continue to fight for and ensure balance in quota distribution. I wrote to the President of the Commission in the aftermath of the deal pointing out the disproportionality of the deal on fisheries with the United Kingdom and its...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: On COVAX and what Dr. Mike Ryan has said more generally, Ireland and indeed the European Union is the strongest contributor to COVAX and, as we know, given the EU’s strong manufacturing capacity with manufacturing sites across Europe, it is one of the biggest contributors globally to the distribution of vaccines which are paid for by other countries but are manufactured within the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: I always defer to the clinical advice on this. The Deputy is aware of reports from Brazil on massive reinfection in parts of-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: It is mainly massive reinfection-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: ----- from people who had felt that they would be protected-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: -----from antibodies. We cannot ignore that reality. I prefer the cautious approach and when we said we wanted to vaccinate healthcare workers, it was, incidentally, warmly received in hospitals and the relief there and in nursing homes was overwhelming and could be seen when people were vaccinated. I am not sure we are talking about a huge cohort of people here in any event. There are...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: There will be statements tomorrow on the "RTÉ Investigates" programme and the issues raised in it. There will be 100 minutes provided for the debate tomorrow, in accordance with the wishes of the Business Committee and the House. Again, I say to the House in respect of Deputy Barry and others, and I am very clear on this, the role of government is to act as advocates for children. In...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: I would welcome the Oireachtas Committee on Health assessing it. This is an important point with regard to examining this issue in its entirety and bringing forward witnesses. I want the full truth on this out there. I have no issue with that happening.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Department itself is preparing an urgent brief that will facilitate Deputies also. This is an important point because assertions are being made. I welcome the fact that objectivity is being brought to this also. I take what Deputy Naughten has said, that this is a broader issue with regard to other litigation relating to vaccines and other issues. The debate will be held tomorrow, with...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: I ask Deputy Tóibín to withdraw the statement he just made to the effect that the HSE is in combat with patients.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: Let us get a sense of perspective here. The HSE and the many people who work for it day in and day out are working to protect the lives of people. That needs to be acknowledged. It is outrageous that a Deputy would say that. The Deputy made a general statement that the HSE is in combat with patients. That is an outrageous statement.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: It lacks perspective. It lacks any balance. We are talking about people who are on the front line, working every day to protect people.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: I think that should be withdrawn.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: Agreed.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Government has laid the order before the House. This is apportioning blame in advance. There is an Oireachtas committee that can examine everything, and there is no issue there. Again, in the context of the assertions that have been made, I stated earlier that I never authorised anything. Innuendo, of course, is Deputy Barry's favourite pastime - to damn people by innuendo and by...