Results 35,341-35,360 of 51,299 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for her comments but I have to say that she suffers from an abundance of negativity at times and seems to persistently want to undermine what are genuine and transformative decisions by this Government to step-change our response to climate change, which we have done through the climate action legislation, the establishment of the climate council in the plan and the carbon...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: It is not Deputy Barry's turn. It emanates from coal mining, for example, and landfill, as well as agriculture. There are a variety of means. The pledge recognises that countries have varying methane emission profiles and reduction potential and that the energy sector globally has the greatest potential for targeted mitigation by 2030. That is why the US, which has partnered with Europe...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: There are some fair points in terms of the delivery but it is absolutely important that we set the targets.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I am answering the questions. The Deputy stated that it is all well and good to set targets. It is not all well and good; it is vital to set targets----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: -----because if you do not set targets, the investment community does not have the framework within which to change tack and invest in renewables and other spheres of activity and move away from fossil fuels and other activities that generate greenhouse gas emissions. That is a very important point and should not be dismissed.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: For example, in terms of the public transport initiatives, we have in the national development plan provided the resources for the metro project and a whole range of other projects. It is time to consider how some people object to everything in this country-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I am answering the questions. The Deputy spoke about the metro project and public transport. The biggest issue facing us in wind, for example - we nearly had a motion this week from the major party opposite on guidelines around wind-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: The biggest issue will be: are we prepared to allow offshore wind farms in this country-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: ----and are we prepared to allow them properly-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: Yes. I am absolutely serious.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I made that clear yesterday. When we were in opposition as a party, we supported the carbon tax, for example, even though-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: -----it would have been far easier for us to oppose it as an Opposition party, like the current party opposite has done.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: We have worked to be progressive on the issue for a number of years. I am very serious about it, because we simply do not have time-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: -----as a race, to hang around any longer without dealing with climate change. We have to do it.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I would prefer it if the Deputy was a bit more engaging and was an advocate for change, as opposed to nitpicking all the time.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: The first point I would make is that the prism through which the Deputy sees climate change really is in the overall world view he has about what he calls the political establishment, and his perception of an elite capitalist caste that is responsible for all the ills in the world and for climate change itself. He believes that nobody else has a role to play. As he does with every other...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: On carbon taxation, we have brought in a broad measure that will do two things. It will disincentivise the use of fossil fuel over time and it will also give us the resources to retrofit the homes of ordinary people in this country to enable them to reduce heating costs on a sustainable basis over a long period. There are very ambitious plans there in terms of the thousands of houses that...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, which is impacting on many businesses, people and homeowners throughout the country. The Government is very aware of the affordability issues and the difficulties very often with getting adequate insurance cover and availability of cover for certain businesses, particularly in the leisure sector and the sector the Deputy has just outlined....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I ask the Deputy to send on the details of the situation to me and the background to it. I fully commend the work of Air Bound with children with disabilities and special needs. Unfortunately, under the EU Solvency II legislation, the Government is prohibited from setting insurance premiums so there is no silver bullet. However, I would like to hear more detail on the background to this....

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I brought in the nursing degree programme quite a number of years ago as Minister for Health and, if I say so myself, it was a transformative thing to do in how we educate nursing in this country and moved it on, by way of advanced nurse practitioners and postgraduate degrees, which has made a significant difference to our health system and the delivery of our health service. I am very keen...