Results 34,741-34,760 of 51,089 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council (7 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: I take Deputy Brendan Smith's point on Russia. There was a good meeting and a good discussion including at a prior Council meeting for some time. The point has been made that the five principles that govern the EU's approach in the relationship include the full implementation of the Minsk agreements and strengthening relations with eastern partner countries, which was reiterated at the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council (7 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: I agree with Deputy Boyd Barrett that what is going on in terms of the discrimination against Palestinians is unacceptable. There is no question about that. Ireland continues to call out Israel in respect of that.

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council (7 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: We consistently seek to get an alternative approach.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Citizens' Assembly (7 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 18 together. The Citizens' Assembly on gender equality was established in January 2020 and submitted its final report to the Oireachtas on 2 June. The assembly agreed 45 priority recommendations covering a wide range of areas set out in its mandate. These include recommendations on politics and leadership, care giving and childcare, domestic,...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Citizens' Assembly (7 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: I would be broadly in agreement with the Deputy's point that the world has changed and society has changed. It is not just the church and education and social services; it is also what happens post the church leaving certain sectors of society. I am particularly conscious of the disability sector and section 38 organisations more generally, capacity issues and relationships between the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: First, I take the opportunity to congratulate Deputy Bacik on her election to Dáil Éireann and welcome her warmly to the House.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: She has been a long-standing activist on public and social issues. I think the people of Dublin Bay South recognised that and reflected it in their affirmation of her role. I have no doubt from her previous parliamentary experience that the Deputy will add value to Dáil Éireann. I also pay tribute to her party for its success in the by-election. No doubt we will have the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Government is a year in office. It has been hit by the Covid pandemic, which resulted in 8,000 or 9,000, if not 10,000, houses not being built due to the two lockdowns. That has set us back somewhat but we are going to try to catch up as quickly as we possibly can. Anyone looking at the figures would have to come back with the conclusion that the focus is on direct builds, both social...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising what is an important issue. I take on board the comments made by Uachtarán na hÉireann on gambling advertising. As the Deputy knows, the programme for Government commits to comprehensively reforming the licensing and regulation of gambling activities and the Minister of State, Deputy James Browne, is overseeing the reform of that legislation. In...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: As I said, there are two steps involved in this. We need to get a gambling regulator in place. The Minister of State, Deputy James Browne, is determined to do that. He is competent, diligent and committed to it and I have no doubt he will get it done. We will then need to have a wider debate about gambling advertising more generally. It would be useful for an all-party committee to give...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: The need for a national maternity hospital is without question. The women of Ireland need a modern national maternity hospital providing the best of care at a tertiary level. The current conditions are simply not good enough or tenable into the future and cannot be sustained. We need a new national maternity hospital. In terms of value for money, the procurement provisions in public...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. Value for public expenditure is very important. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Michael McGrath, is both keenly aware of and focused on that and has already taken a range of measures and decisions to provide for it. I reassure the Deputy that the Government is absolutely committed to the south east. That is evidenced by...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue with me. However, as I have said to her previously, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including the Garda estate. The Deputy will be aware the Office of Public Works has responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. Works on Garda...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: I accept the Deputy is not grandstanding and I know other Deputies in the House raised the matter also. I get the sense from Deputies that local members of the Garda are clearly very concerned about this. The issue for the Government is that the Garda Commissioner has made a decision in respect of the new operating model and in light of this has made a decision on the capital works across...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: In the context of the legislation pertaining to hospitality, the fundamental objective is to facilitate the reopening of indoor dining and hospitality in a safe way, in line with the advice from the national public health authorities. This is not something we would ordinarily enter into in terms of differentiating between vaccinated and unvaccinated people, but with the spread of the Delta...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: -----through vaccination certificates, and to restrict it to those who are vaccinated and those who have recovered from Covid The second phase is to do an assessment of the potential use of PCR testing and the third phase is to look at antigen testing. The legislation provides a framework to enable that to happen. One way or the other, we must get off the fence in this regard. Last...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: It is in the light of that advice that the legislation is framed. We said we would have a plan by 19 July for the hospitality sector. It is interesting that France and Greece are moving in the same direction. Ireland would have been considered an outlier ten days ago in this regard, but not so any more. Such is the fast-moving nature and evolution of Covid-19 that we must protect...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: The CAP has been debated in this House. Through the Chair, we should refrain from the frequent use of such language. In recent weeks, I have asked the Deputy not to keep using terms such as "Nazis" and "totalitarianism".

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy did previously. He consistently makes ridiculous assertions in this House that insult and are offensive to people.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: It is not my opinion. They are offensive. Do you understand what Nazism was about?