Results 34,501-34,520 of 51,089 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: That report is deeply concerning in terms of the broader issue of domestic violence. The Department of Justice leads national policy and co-ordination of actions. Additional resources have been provided. We are fully committed to implementing the Istanbul Convention but also to providing additional resources to support the agencies and non-governmental organisations involved, and the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: -----domestic violence support services increased by more than 40% last year compared to 2019. That is deeply worrying. We are very conscious of the impact of Covid on this issue, and in particular the restrictions. During that period Tusla prioritised the delivery of front-line domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, DSGBV, services. Funding has been increased-----

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I know. We need to do more. We have increased funding.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I am not so sure international academic research backs that up. There is no compelling evidence that state-owned banks historically produced better outcomes or results for economies or societies. Invariably, state-owned banks in different locations around the world did not lend more or more cheaply than privately owned banks. No model is perfect, as we know from various crashes over the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: That is before disposing of these shares.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank Deputy Lowry for raising this pertinent issue. He makes a very fair point, one I am conscious of myself having been approached by a number of citizens who are working abroad in the Gulf region, in particular in countries such as the UAE. Of course, many of these people have been administered the Sinopharm vaccine and they are fully vaccinated. One of the challenges has been that...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: There have been challenges for specific amenities of this kind in terms of getting insurance, which is unacceptable. Insurance companies are pulling back from the market at an increasing rate. While I do not know the exact specifics, I take very seriously what the Deputy is saying. I will ask the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, to engage with the company.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: Táim buíoch den Teachta as ucht na ceiste. Aontaím go bhfuil sé tábhachtach go mbeidh seirbhísí faoisimh ar ais agus ar fáil do dhaoine, sna cásanna ina bhfuil géarghá ann ó thaobh na seirbhísí sin. I am satisfied to engage with the Minister in respect not just of Galway but of the entire country in terms of the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I agree with the Deputy. We need to move in terms of our towns first policy and in terms of rural development, and also, in my view, where we can, to incentivise people to reinvest or invest in buildings that are dilapidated or vacant, both for residential and entrepreneurial activities. It is something the Government is committed to. The key issue is to co-ordinate departmental work on...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I will engage with the Minister for Finance in this regard and perhaps the Deputy could bring some details to him. The rates seem punitive. I will certainly engage with the Minister for Finance on that point.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: There has been an issue around commodities globally and there has been an increase in costs in respect of building materials and fuel costs. Some of this is the recovering of declines, particularly in energy and fuel costs, where there would have been declines throughout 2020 on the 2019 prices, and some of that recovery is feeding into significant increases in prices now. However, there is...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy knows, we pursued this as part of the reopening of society. The gradual reopening of in-person driver theory test centres commenced from 8 June. The Road Safety Authority reopened test centres and introduced capacity to increase the number of tests from an average of 15,000 tests to 25,000 tests monthly to tackle the backlog and shorten waiting times. Capacity will gradually...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank Deputy Moynihan. It is a very fair point. The Department of Justice has continued to accept and process applications throughout the pandemic at all levels of public health restrictions. Unfortunately, processing rates have been impacted by the health and safety restrictions imposed and it has not been possible to hold in-person citizenship ceremonies. Following a High Court case...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: A further 3,000 applications have been fully processed by the Department but the applicants need to return their signed statutory declarations. Approximately 6,500 will have been offered and we take the Deputy's point.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: Work is ongoing to minimise the impact of Brexit. It is close to six months since the formal exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union. It is clear that it is already having an impact on trade and patterns of trade. It is certainly causing a reconfiguration and recalibration for both importers and exporters, as well as the impact that Brexit is having on the operations of...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the point. I do not know whether he has been in touch with his county council.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy has a fair bit of representation on Kerry County Council. He might more readily know why there has been a failure to get these bridges rebuilt more quickly. When a bridge falls down or collapses, I presume there are significant safety issues that have to be investigated. I agree that the sooner road structures can be restored to facilitate travel and so on, the better.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Government is committed to supporting community employment, including Tús and other employment support programmes. When in government in the past, my party was instrumental in introducing all those schemes. Last year, we spent €341 million on community employment. Some €84 million was spent on Tús schemes. There are approximately 200 Tús schemes nationwide...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. It is of concern that the rate of violent crime and crime with weapons has increased, especially knife crime. The Minister for Justice is conscious of this. The Garda Commissioner is developing a strong community garda initiative. There are strong penalties upon conviction for possessing a knife in a public place without good reason or lawful...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I agree 100% with what the Deputy has said. The governance arrangements for the new national maternity hospital will be absolutely clear. There will be absolutely no religious involvement in the management, ownership or operation of that hospital. All legally available services in the State will be available to the women who access services in the hospital.