Results 34,401-34,420 of 51,089 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna - Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (16 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on Covid-19 was re-established by Government on 29 June 2020 to continue to assess the social and economic impacts of the potential spread of Covid-19 and oversee the cross-government response. The committee met most recently on Thursday, 27 May. The date of the next meeting has not been set. Our...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (16 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: On Deputy Kelly's questions, I will check in relation to Janssen. I have not seen research either in respect of the Janssen vaccine and its efficacy in protecting against the Delta variant. Unfortunately, the situation with Janssen supply has been very difficult in terms of the vaccines being in a plant in America and not being freed up. That has significantly impacted on supplies to this...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (16 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I will see what I can do to relax the criteria. We did not ask that they be that tight. We want to support community facilities because communities have been very good during Covid-19. They have been very effective in helping the State's efforts and society's efforts to deal with Covid-19. When we allocated the funding, we did not want the criteria to be too tight. Obviously, the funding...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (16 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I know, but a 92% effectiveness against hospitalisation is an important point. It was an important piece of research that deserves to be highlighted. That is the point I am making. Also, NIAC has not recommended the mixing of vaccines. By the middle of July, we will be down to only two vaccines - Moderna and Pfizer. That is where we will be once we have completed the second dosage of...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (16 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: On the maternity issue, I have spoken to the chief executive officer of the HSE. The HSE runs its organisation and the CEO and his management team deal and work with the hospitals across the country in terms of the clinical guidance that has issued from the HSE. That is the proper way for it to happen. I will engage again with the HSE in respect of comments that have been made in the House...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (16 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 to 8, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on health oversees implementation of programme for Government commitments in relation to health, receives detailed reports on identified policy areas and considers the implementation of health reforms, including Sláintecare. The Cabinet committee last met on Monday, 14 December. Since then, there...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (16 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputies for raising these issues. On the points raised by Deputy Kelly, there is no reason partners and family members cannot attend scans and appointments relating to maternity services.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (16 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: It should not be happening. Clear guidance has been given by the HSE to hospitals. That is clinical guidance. The question is often asked as to who is in charge. In health and in the world of medicine, politicians do not dictate - and have never done so - to medics in terms of clinical guidance. Given that we have had such a successful vaccination programme in hospitals and in view of...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (16 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I am making the point generally. I am not saying it happened in this context. I am making the point generally, which we must acknowledge. We can criticise the health service a lot, but the work it has done in the context of Covid and in the aftermath of the cyberattack has been truly heroic. I must say that. It has stood up to the test and we must say that a bit more because we are...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (16 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: Those resources, coming into the winter period, were very effective and had much impact.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (16 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: As to the upskilling and recruitment of people, we will continue to work on that. Deputy Paul Murphy stated that it is only a question of whether we use the word “gamble” or the word “choice”. There is a fundamental difference between taking a gamble and making a choice. I say emphatically that I do not gamble with peoples’ lives. I do not gamble with...

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council (16 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 to 12, inclusive, together. I joined European Union leaders in Brussels on 24 and 25 May for a special meeting of the European Council. We discussed Covid-19, including ongoing developments on vaccination across Europe, and the roll-out of the EU digital Covid certificate this summer. We reaffirmed our commitment to accelerating vaccine sharing with...

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council (16 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Kelly raised issues in respect of Belarus. There was great anger at the meeting of the European Council regarding the hijacking of the Ryanair aeroplane and the subsequent treatment of Roman Protasevich and his partner. There was a sense at that meeting that a line had been crossed by the Lukashenko regime and that it was unacceptable. A move was made immediately to initiate strong...

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council (16 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: Regarding the Covid-19 certificate, the Deputy's point concerning interoperability with the United States is a good one. We are on target. It is challenging. The Covid-19 certificate is fine and we have PCR tests from different providers etc.. Work is progressing to meet the 19 July target. The idea of Europe and the United States having an interoperable certificate is very important and...

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council (16 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I just want to make the point, if I may, that unilateral behaviour in respect of international agreements is not acceptable and it is not the course of travel for any country that has signed up to international agreements. A mechanism exists to resolve this issue and it can be resolved with some goodwill and common sense.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committees (16 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 together. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Recovery and Investment has been established and first met on 8 July 2020. It has met on a total of thirteen times, most recently on 27 May. The next meeting is not yet scheduled. Membership of the Committee is comprised of the Taoiseach; Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise,...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: National Security Committee (16 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 20 together. The National Security Committee is chaired by the Secretary General to the Government and comprises representatives at the highest level of the Departments of Justice, Defence, Foreign Affairs, Environment, Communications and Climate and of the Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces. The secretariat to the Committee is provided by...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committees (16 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Cabinet Committee on COVID-19 meets as required. It last met on 27 May.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I ask the Deputy where she stands. I listened to her soundbite after soundbite, slogan after slogan, which is really all about electioneering, is it not? The reference to Ringsend is no accident, obviously. We have all been out and about. I am very conscious of the significant issue that housing is. I have said repeatedly in the House that housing is a crisis. The Government is just...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: The young people I have met and continue to meet want to be able to buy a house at an affordable price, yet the Deputy opposes every measure, not just the one mentioned in terms of equity. The help to buy scheme helped 22,000 people to buy homes, yet the Deputy opposed it and continues to oppose it. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has also introduced a new affordable...