Results 33,921-33,940 of 51,089 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: What we have now in housing policy is an interventionist approach in terms of the State's role in social housing and the Minister's affordability legislation. These provide for a range of schemes where the State is getting directly involved in building affordable housing, not just social housing. It is through a range of supports, either through the serviced sites fund, the shared equity...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: There is a project developing in Cork on the Boherboy Road, from which the Deputy will get a strong sense of what that affordability is in terms of the range of prices, which are really affordable. The Government is ten months in office. Without question, it has taken a significant interventionist approach in the provision of housing, both social and affordable, along with the necessary...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy has deliberately ignored the substance of the Government's intervention in the housing market. We are on the cusp of the largest social housing building programme, through the allocation of substantial funding on unprecedented scale. That is a reality. The issue will be delivery and getting those houses built through the local authorities. The authorities must start...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: -----it will need initiatives around affordable housing-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: -----and it will need investment in infrastructure. It will need the provision of State land for affordable housing. Many projects have been objected to on the councils by the colleagues of those on the other side of this House and that has happened because there has been a mix of affordable, social and other forms of housing.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: Opposition parties have taken an absolutist position that it is one type of housing or nothing. In the crisis in which we are currently find ourselves, we must build far more houses than we have been over the last number of years. That will take a variety of initiatives and approaches. I have no objection to any type of approach, by the way. I believe in a very strong social housing...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy is wrong and has completely ignored the impact of Covid-19 on house construction in the past 12 months. He completely brushed the latter aside. We were closed down early last year and, unfortunately, early this year. That, however, will not stop us in terms of the funding we have allocated to social housing. It has been allocated to the direct build of social houses, which is...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: This has been going on for years. Every time someone comes up with a proposal, Opposition parties feel that they have to find a way to object to it. I wonder why. It just goes on and on. Deputy Boyd Barrett opposes everything. Every item of legislation. It is his way or the highway.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: We are not building enough houses in this country right now. We need all hands on deck in order to get houses built for people. That is what we need, not just the exploitation of the issue for electoral advantage, which is what I see repeatedly, time and time again.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: I appreciate the Deputy raising this very important matter. I also appreciate that the Deputy supports the broad thrust of the policy and its underpinning rationale. We are seven months away from the introduction of minimum unit pricing, which will happen next January, and I appeal to the Northern Ireland Executive, all political parties in the North and anyone with influence on those...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: We will do that. As I stated, I appeal to the Northern Ireland Executive on this. We are seven months away from this being implemented. The legislation was passed in 2018 and my understanding is it had all-party agreement at the time. The Northern Ireland Executive should align with this policy and I appeal to the parties to give this serious consideration. It is really designed to help...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (12 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: I agree 100% and I agree with and support the Chief Medical Officer's view that, given the situation with the suppression of the virus and the vaccination programme, there is no good public health reason for these restrictions remaining in place. I urge that, where appropriate, all maternity services relax their restrictions. The updated national guidance issued by the Health Protection...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (12 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: It is not mixed messaging.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (12 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: There has been a bit of difference of opinion from the get-go. The Deputy knows that. The Deputy asked what is going on but he knows exactly what is going on.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (12 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: People have different perspectives on the efficacy of antigen testing. I support the roll-out of antigen testing, as does the Government. The Government and the Minister established an expert group made up of a range of different disciplines and chaired by Professor Mark Ferguson, the chief scientific adviser and the CEO of Science Foundation Ireland. It has made a number of...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (12 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: Therefore, it has already been operational in certain sectors such as meat plants. At European level, for example, the European Commission has promoted the use of antigen testing and has made supports available.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (12 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: I never said to the Deputy that it was inappropriate for politicians to make-----

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (12 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: I did not interrupt the Deputy. I never said that about Bessborough because politicians write to planning authorities every day of the week to make observations.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (12 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: Their observations are not ones that have to be taken on board but politicians are entitled to make observations. That is a fact so I would not have said that. This is a parliament and we are entitled to articulate perspectives. This Government has brought in a landmark climate change Bill

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (12 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: I did not interrupt the Deputy. I will deal with her questions. This Government has brought in a landmark climate Bill with significant challenges. We want to bring people with us on this journey to meet the significant challenges that will face many sectors, including agriculture, in meeting our climate change goals. We need to bring people on board and that means balance in the public...