Results 34,341-34,360 of 51,089 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna - Questions: British-Irish Co-operation (15 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank Deputies for raising those various issues. Deputy Brendan Smith has been a very strong advocate for the Stanley and Reilly families for many years regarding the murder of their loved ones, Patrick and Geraldine, in the 1972 Belturbet bombing and also in respect of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. The information about the Nottingham University research which the Deputy referred to...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategies (15 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 10, inclusive, together. My Department's new statement of strategy, published earlier this year, reflects the role of the Department to support me, as Taoiseach, and the Government to develop a sustainable economy and a successful society, to pursue Ireland's interests abroad, to implement the Government's programme and to build a better future for...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategies (15 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Kelly raised the question of aviation and made a very fair point. The Government is very clear about the importance of connectivity for our economy and society. I have said repeatedly that we are a small, open economy and society. Covid-19 has hit us hard. We have provided a direction of travel, so to speak, for resuming travel in a structured way from 19 July, arising from our...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategies (15 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: There were other queries from Deputies, but I can only deal with them within the time I have. Deputy Boyd Barrett raised the taxis again. Through the Chair, I do not believe that what the Deputy has said is fair. A package was announced last week that dealt with the issues as raised with me in a meeting. On the extension of the requirement to replace a vehicle to 15 years, people wanted...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategies (15 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: But 15 years was not mentioned. I stand to be corrected but I do not believe that 15 years was identified at the meeting. On the access to bus lanes, this has been agreed. I have gone back on numerous occasions to double check. The delegation asked about this in the context of BusConnects. The Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, was clear that they will have access on the arterial routes...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategies (15 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: -----in addition to the supports already there.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (15 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 to 18, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on education oversees implementation of the programme for Government commitments in the area of education, including preparing for post-Covid education. This Cabinet committee last met on 13 May and discussed topics including special education policy in schools, the broader legislative framework governing...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (15 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: It will be helpful to all the other Members.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (15 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I recall that it was the Labour Party many years ago which stated that there would be 500 multidenominational schools. That was without a plan at all and had to do with the amalgamation of existing buildings. Be that as it may, I am very committed to the provision of multidenominational schools. When I was Minister for Education and Science in the late 1990s, I was responsible for the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (15 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: To respond to Deputy Gannon's point on compassion, I have a lot of sympathy for this. When I was Minister for Education and Science 20 years ago, I tried to introduce an alternative approach for someone who suffers an appalling bereavement or trauma in the middle of the leaving certificate examination. To be fair, at the time the view of the examinations section was it could undermine...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Websites (15 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: My Department incurred expenditure of €215,940.31 on travel and subsistence in 2020 and €26,405.88 to the end of May 2021. These figures include expenditure on items such as flights, hotel accommodation, rail tickets, bus and taxi fares, and subsistence payments. Detailed information on foreign travel costs for myself, my Advisers and senior officials are published on a monthly...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Reviews (15 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: My Department has not conducted, nor incurred any expenditure, on value for money and policy reviews from 1 January 2019 to date.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Websites (15 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: My Department’s website www.taoiseach.gov.ie is hosted on the gov.ie central platform managed by the Office of the Government Chief Information Office ( OGCIO ). This is the main government site with over 122 million pageviews in 2020 and it partially complies with the double-A WCAG 2.1 standards and the 4 principles of accessibility in that it is perceivable, operable, understandable...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Websites (15 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: My Department’s website (www.taoiseach.gov.ie) has a compliant accessibility statement which details the commitments, compliance, and testing details of the website. It contains a commitment to achieve the AA standard under WCAG 2.1 guidelines. The website uses the WCAG level AA guidelines to test how accessible it is. The website Accessibility Conformance Evaluation Methodology...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Planning Issues (15 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Government supports initiatives and projects that promote the sustainable and balanced development of the economic, social and cultural infrastructures of the country. Such development must happen in accordance with all relevant planning legislation, guidelines and processes as determined by the relevant statutory authority who are independent in their decision-making. I and my...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I do not accept the arguments or assertions put forward by the Deputy. The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, is working proactively to protect renters and the legislation he introduced did just that. The 475 people who applied did so because they were vulnerable as a result of Covid-19 and they then received the protections that were provided under the Planning and Development, and...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy has no substance to her policies and she has no solutions to the housing problem. Sinn Féin wants a blanket ban on evictions and a rent freeze for another six months only with no focus at all on what that will do in growing the number of houses that are available to rent. I told the Deputy earlier that 3,857 fewer houses are available for rent in 2020. That is a significant...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: When the Land Development Agency legislation is passed we will have capacity to increase dramatically the supply of cost rental accommodation, along with more affordable housing and serviced sites.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I am more into solutions to the housing problem. I am not trying to make it worse, which Sinn Féin is in the proposals it is advocating.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: There is no doubt but that the impact of Covid-19 has been severe on children. It is a once in a century pandemic, which has turned everybody's world upside down, but that is particularly true for children. It has led to isolation at a family level. Children born in the past year, for example, have not been able to see their wider families which is important, at a basic level, for...