Results 34,141-34,160 of 51,089 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (19 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 to 44, inclusive, together. The Government recognises the importance of regular and open engagement with all sectors of society including the social partners. There are many different fora in place for these conversations, including the National Economic Dialogue, the National Economic and Social Council, and various Sectoral Groups. There is also...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Energy Usage (19 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: My Department’s 2021 Resource Efficiency Action Plan sets out a range of actions to improve the management of energy, water, material and waste resources within the Department and to increase sustainability awareness among staff. It also includes levels of energy and water usage and waste produced by the Department so that improvements can be tracked and measured following...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: I welcome the Deputy's acknowledgement that progress is being made on dealing with the Covid crisis and that the plan is working in terms of the steady cautious reopening of society as the vaccination programme successfully rolls out with great momentum. A total of 96% of the supply that comes in is being administered within a week by the HSE. People have commented on the efficiency of the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: As I said, the Cabinet sub-committee on economic recovery will be meeting in the next number of days to discuss the national economic recovery plan. Part of that plan will focus on the digital transformation and jobs in the new green economy. It will also be focusing in on the medium-term framework for particular sectors that have suffered more than most as a result of the pandemic and...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy of raising the issue of housing which is the key social issue of our time and of our generation. First, there is nothing wrong with the direct-build model. I want to see more direct build and I am supporting more direct build. We are saying Government wants to develop that. The housing assistance payment, HAP, scheme, the Deputy referred to, has been in place...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: We have made the position very clear. There are schemes in place. Last evening a scheme went through in Fingal. It has been in preparation for quite some time. There was opposition to that, again, and that is the point. The Deputy's party opposed it.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: If we keep on opposing every single housing project that comes before us-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: We have to get supply up. Everybody in opposition, including the Deputy, says this is an emergency. Yet, they seem to think we have the luxury of voting everything down at the last minute when the project is before the council and all of the negotiations between council officials and other parties have been finalised. The scheme to which I refer includes over 230 social housing units and...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising what is a very topical issue, as the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is currently in Brussels working on CAP. Of course, this Government did not introduce convergence. That is the first point. The focus of the Deputy's contribution was on this Government. This is a centrally mandated approach across the European Union and from the European...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: I would point out to the Deputy that 19 EU countries are fully converged right now. Ireland is not.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: I know. Were it not for successive Governments, the Common Agricultural Policy would not be as central and strong as it is currently. Ireland has been one of the great defenders of the Common Agricultural Policy for many years at European Union level. We have fought, along with a few other countries, to hold the line-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: -----on food production and the Common Agricultural Policy. The Minister did not deny anything this morning. He pointed out that there is a balance. Some win and have gained on this. Quite a lot of farmers have gained and quite a number of farmers have lost out because of convergence. That is the point the Minister was making this morning.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: We have got to look at other initiatives, including environmental initiatives, both to increase incomes for farming and to maintain the backbone of the direct payments system, which is key to farmers. We understand that. The direct payments system is absolutely essential as a backbone for farmers to underpin their projections and sustainability from an income perspective into the future.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: I always have to fundamentally disagree with this label "the establishment". Every Deputy in this House is elected at every general election. I have equal respect for all Deputies by dint of the fact that they have been elected. It is too easy a label to throw out there and it is deliberately done to undermine people, when we have a strong, functioning democracy in Ireland compared to...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Irish taxation system is one of the more progressive, globally. Those who earn the most, pay the most. The overall taxation framework in Germany is much more onerous than is the case here if one takes all the social insurance and contributions that have to be made into account. The Deputy is not comparing like with like there. If he is advocating that we leave the EU, I disagree with...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy knows, the establishment of the tribunal was based on the recommendation of Mr. Justice Charles Meenan and was provided for in legislation enacted in the previous Dáil, which had the support of all political parties in the House. It is the Government's view that the tribunal offers a number of advantages when compared with taking High Court proceedings, as outlined by Mr....

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. He has been a consistent advocate in respect of this matter. We have committed to establishing citizens' assemblies on a number of issues, including the Dublin Lord Mayor, biodiversity and drugs. I will come back to the Deputy on their sequencing and prioritisation. The Government will give further consideration to the matter as well. I take the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Minister for Health will be bringing forward details on the review of the legislation and I hope he will do so in the next number of weeks. It will be a comprehensive review covering all aspects of the implementation to date. The Minister will come before the House to outline this.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue. The Government, working with our European Union colleagues, has already conveyed and articulated our deep concerns about what is happening within Hong Kong more generally, particularly as regards democracy being applied. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and I will continue to make representations on this specific issue and more...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy. It is important to point out that according to the most recently available HSE data from 10 May, more than 6,675 applications have been processed under TAPS and €93.9 million in direct financial support has been provided to the nursing home sector. In total, €42 million has been made available for this year while €92 million was provided in 2020....