Results 34,161-34,180 of 51,089 for speaker:Micheál Martin

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

Micheál Martin: Project woodland is a good initiative. Clearly, there have been significant backlogs as a result of all the objections to a host of licence applications in recent years. There has now been significant recruitment to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and a 90% reduction regarding aspects of this. However, there are still backlogs. I met recently with the Minister of...

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

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. It is obviously a good and solid project in respect of the provision of independent living accommodation, which is something I strongly support. I commend the council for proceeding to build the facility. I will work with the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, the Deputies in the constituency and with the HSE to see if we can get a...

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

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, is currently preparing updated rural housing planning guidelines which will continue to allow for the development of homes in rural areas, while also highlighting the need to manage certain areas around cities and towns to avoid overdevelopment. He expects to...

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

Micheál Martin: Kilkee is a popular and attractive location for many people. Many Corkonians, indeed, spend their summer holidays there. I will intervene and talk to the Minister to see if we can get this project accelerated, because pumping raw sewage into a bay of this importance is not acceptable in this day and age. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Michael McGrath, has allocated...

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

Micheál Martin: I thank Deputy Tully for raising this important issue. The RSA has begun offering the driver theory test online on a pilot basis and, as such, only a limited number of places are available. The RSA will offer more than 3,000 online tests in June and it aims to increase this number in the coming months, subject to the pilot not raising security or other issues. A key priority for the...

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

Micheál Martin: I did meet the CEO of Aer Lingus. The Deputy is correct that I met with him, Deputy Cathal Crowe and all the Deputies and Senators from the region. That meeting served to convey the sense of urgency and importance that public representatives in the mid-west, and in Limerick and Clare especially, feel about this issue, as well as the need for action concerning Shannon more generally and in...

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

Micheál Martin: I will engage with the Minister on this matter. We want to have the optimal level of retrofitting in all housing in order to facilitate energy efficiency and reduce fuel poverty. I will examine the matter and talk to the Minister about it. Obviously, some people have had no access to any supports or have not had their houses retrofitted. I will certainly look into the issue.

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

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. However, I caution that we cannot overstate the leverage that can be gained from something like the Horizon fund in respect of this issue because there is not unanimity across the European Union with regard to Israel and Palestine. Ireland has had a very strong position on the matter for many years. Other member states do not share our...

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

Micheál Martin: As I stated earlier, a limited number of places were made available on the pilot scheme that was announced and initiated by the Road Safety Authority. It has begun offering driving theory tests online on a pilot basis. It will offer in excess of 3,000 online tests in June and aims to increase this in the coming months. The aim is to ramp up numbers as quickly as we possibly can. We do...

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

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy and others for raising this most important issue. He made a good point that the summer months represent a very good opportunity to get moving on this issue. I stated that in excess of 3,000 online tests will be offered by the Road Safety Authority in June. The authority is also working to increase capacity in its physical testing centres, a matter to which the Deputy...

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

Micheál Martin: Those are very succinct and pertinent questions in the context of the debate that took place yesterday at the EU Council meeting. Ireland was broadly able to accept the conclusions. The Commissioner made a presentation. What I would say is that a simulation or modelling exercise or a comprehensive impact assessment need to be carried out in respect of the effect of Commission's proposals...

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

Micheál Martin: The budget for health this year has been very expensive and unprecedented. The issue has been to facilitate the safe return of non-Covid services. The focus in the reopening of society on a cautious and phased basis was to prioritise the return of health services. The cyberattack has hit that even more in terms of what it did to the Nimis diagnostic system and scanning capacity,...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Programmes (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 9, inclusive, together. On 22 October last, I set out the Government's vision and priorities on a shared island at an online event at Dublin Castle. Our approach is founded on the Good Friday Agreement and engaging with all communities and traditions to build consensus on a shared future on the island of Ireland. I established the shared island unit in...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Programmes (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Richmond asked about the specific number of in-person dialogues that have taken place. I do not have a specific number with me but I can refer him to the shared island unit which can give an update and briefing on the matter. We have been pressing for, and insisting on, full adherence with meetings of the North-South Ministerial Council. We are being told that there is no...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Programmes (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: The same point applies to the Stormont House Agreement. There can be no unilateral action under the Stormont House Agreement. There must be full engagement with all of the parties and, indeed, the two Governments. That is the approach of the Irish Government to that matter. Deputy Tóibín asked about justice for the families of the victims of the Ballymurphy massacre. That is...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 to 14, inclusive, together. Matters relating to arts, culture and equality are dealt with by the Cabinet committee on social affairs and equality. This Cabinet committee last met on 30 November and will meet again shortly. I have regular engagement with Ministers, at Cabinet and individually, to discuss priority issues relating to their Departments. ...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Cian O'Callaghan made the first point regarding the No End in Site report. First, the report is a shocking indictment of all concerned in terms of the failure to develop plans for both the halting site itself and the housing that will be needed to deal with all of the residents. The site is far too overcrowded and there have been many issues with it for a long time. In my view, the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: -----from sound technicians to those who are acting, dancing and performing. That should apply. I will ask the various authorities and the Minister to investigate that, assess it and make their own analysis of what has happened here. On the matter raised by Deputy Bríd Smith, I am not familiar with the specific service and the HSE decision to withdraw funding. Again, I am unsure...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: I will. I will ask my officials to contact the HSE immediately about it and I will talk to the Minister about it.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (26 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Barry also raised the 66 children living in appalling conditions at a halting site. That must come to an end. All parties to this must agree to the decisions the council takes on this. All parties to this must agree to the various proposals that have been put forward in the past and we now need cohesion and unity of approach to get this issue properly resolved, from a human rights...