Results 34,941-34,960 of 51,211 for speaker:Micheál Martin

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Sep 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I understand the importance in respect of Longford and the major frozen food facilities there. I will talk to Gas Networks Ireland and engage with it. Obviously, in the first instance, the routing of natural gas pipelines or the connections to towns is its responsibility and that of the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, but the Deputy has...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Sep 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has been engaging with the working group in respect of developing a scheme. As that group has been meeting, other areas of the country have also signalled potential issues. As the Deputy will be aware, a submission from Clare County Council arrived in the Department at the end of July. That...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Sep 2021)

Micheál Martin: As Minister for Health, I introduced a new nursing degree programme, which was a transformative development in nursing education. The idea was to free up nursing for education purposes. We developed new facilities in universities and institutes of technology across the country. Whatever we do, we must not damage that education space and aspect of undergraduate and postgraduate nursing...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Sep 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputies. Deputy Ryan raised a question about the women in "Women of Honour" and their search for justice and for the truth to be told. The Government has made no decision in respect of this. As I said earlier to Deputy Tóibín, the Minister for Defence, Deputy Coveney, will be meeting the group. I will be also meeting them on foot of an email I received yesterday...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Community Development Projects (15 Sep 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. The Mulvey report, Dublin North East Inner City - Creating a Brighter Future, which was commissioned by the Government and published in February 2017, contained recommendations for the social and economic regeneration of Dublin's north inner city. This report has been further supplemented by the publishing of the north-east inner city...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Community Development Projects (15 Sep 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputies for raising these issues. To respond to Deputy McDonald's basic point about a review of probity, yes, we should do that. I will talk to my Secretary General about that and about the broader interest in terms of just reviewing the progress that has been made, the remaining issues and perhaps lessons learnt from the model. As I said earlier, maybe during Leaders'...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Community Development Projects (15 Sep 2021)

Micheál Martin: I understand.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Community Development Projects (15 Sep 2021)

Micheál Martin: There were two items there. I will take up the issue of the childcare question. I will ask the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, to engage with the Deputy on that and I will follow up with the Minister. I cannot agree to any form of new inquiry today. I will make the general point that, ultimately, we have to get to a position where our existing mechanisms are ones in which we trust and...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (15 Sep 2021)

Micheál Martin: Following the disclosure in a newspaper report earlier this year of certain information relating to the final report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes in advance of consideration of the report by the Government, I requested that an investigation be carried out. A senior official in my Department is carrying out the investigation in the context of a broader...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (15 Sep 2021)

Micheál Martin: The general point the Deputies have made is valid, in regard to the protection of documentation and information. The storage and dissemination of such information has to be protected. I have asked for new mechanisms to be brought into play to ensure the protection of material that comes before the Government. The entire response of the Government to the Commission of Investigation into...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (15 Sep 2021)

Micheál Martin: I have not interfered with the investigation. It was undertaken by an official in my Department. I am not in a position to say who did what, or to give the Deputy any confirmation of that, nor indeed on the conclusion of it.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (15 Sep 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 and 5 together. I spoke with Paul Givan, First Minister, at the British-Irish Association conference in Oxford on 3 September. My most recent detailed engagement with him and with the deputy First Minister was on 30 July when I chaired the latest plenary meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council via videoconference. This wide-ranging discussion...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (15 Sep 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank Deputies Haughey and Richmond for raising these issues. I thank Deputies Tóibín and McDonald for their questions. Deputy Haughey asked about my meeting with the new DUP leader and the issue of the Executive in the North. The DUP leader took the opportunity to highlight his concerns. He left me in no doubt that there is unionist concern over the protocol. Whether you...

Confidence in Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence: Motion (15 Sep 2021)

Micheál Martin: I move: "That Dáil Éireann has confidence in the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence, Simon Coveney T.D.” A motion seeking the removal of a member of Government is a serious matter. Since the foundation of the State, Dáil Éireann has held that these motions are the most serious that can be tabled. They are supposed to mark an important statement on...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Staff (15 Sep 2021)

Micheál Martin: My Department and the National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) - the only body under my Department's aegis - actively support diversity and inclusion in the workplace including the employment of people with disabilities. As at 31 December 2019, 4.3% of the staff of my Department and 6.3% of the staff of the National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) voluntarily...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Expenditure (15 Sep 2021)

Micheál Martin: There has been no expenditure or booking by my Department or by the National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO), which is the only agency under the aegis of my Department, for the event at the Merrion Hotel involving Ms Katherine Zappone.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Confidentiality (15 Sep 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 141 and 153 together. I have not requested an investigation into the matter referred to by the Deputies.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Ministerial Appointments (15 Sep 2021)

Micheál Martin: There are no roles held by the person in question with or involving my Department or bodies under the aegis of my Department.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Flexible Work Practices (15 Sep 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 143, 144 and 145 together. Since March 2020, in line with public health advice, many of the staff in my Department have been working from home with the exception of staff supporting the essential operation of Government Buildings to support the work of the Taoiseach and Government during this period. A significant proportion of staff already had remote...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Freedom of Information (15 Sep 2021)

Micheál Martin: The table provides details of the number of freedom of information requests received in my Department from 2016 until 10 September this year. With the exception of 53 requests received this year which are still ongoing, all of the other requests received were responded to. In the main the requests concerned were either granted, part granted, refused or transferred to other public bodies...