Results 36,301-36,320 of 51,299 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategies (14 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy does know the answer.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategies (14 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: Deputy McDonald raised the question of Women of Honour group. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, met with the group’s members. My understanding is that he was very taken by their presentation and was anxious to do the right thing for and by them. When the Deputy talks about an external investigation to compel witnesses, what does she have in mind? She needs to spell that out. Is she...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategies (14 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: I will come back to Deputy Tóibín, who also used that phrase. It is very important to know what we mean by that here in the House. We can all promise things and say we will do them but if crimes have been committed, and I think the Deputy is saying that crimes were committed, they need to be investigated. In the first instance, they have to be investigated by An Garda...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategies (14 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: -----without undermining any investigation by the gardaí. That is the problem and the challenge which I think the Minister may be grappling with. I will talk to the Minister again on this but we need to have clear lines of demarcation between different types of reviews. There is no question but that this needs to be addressed as an issue. I would like to think that any crimes should...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategies (14 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: On the Construction Defects Alliance, Deputy Ó Ríordáin has said that the report should be due by the second quarter of 2022. The Minister is very conscious of this issue. We have already had a number of issues in the context of pyrite, mica and so forth. We will be moving on that and responding to the issues that arise out of that report. Deputy Cathal Crowe raised the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategies (14 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: Therefore, the Minister cannot sign off on it.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategies (14 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Minister cannot sign off on it if has been legally challenged.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategies (14 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: I love the way the Deputy casually throws in that the Minister did not bother to sign it.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategies (14 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: That is not the way it worked.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategies (14 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: In any event, our view is that we support the JLC process and we believe the awards should be followed through and fulfilled by employers in respect of JLC recommendations. On the issue of ventilation raised by Deputy Paul Murphy, the legislation has been passed and very extensive guidance has been issued. To illustrate my point that one cannot have a universal approach, yesterday I was...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Government Communications (14 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take the Questions Nos. 7 to 9, inclusive, together. The Government Information Service, GIS co-ordinates cross-Government communications and comprises the Government Press Office and the Merrion Street content team. The GIS co-ordinates communications on cross-Government priority issues such as Housing for All and the State’s response to Brexit and Covid-19. The GIS...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Government Communications (14 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: I beg the Deputy's pardon?

Ceisteanna - Questions: Government Communications (14 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: I have to stand back and reflect on some of the commentary that is emerging. Deputy Tóibín stated that this reminds him of the confusion at the start of the vaccination programme. We have a great capacity to knock ourselves as a country. I will go to the European Council meeting tomorrow. When I have gone to such meetings recently, the refrain has always been about the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Government Communications (14 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: Through the Chair, just to make the point-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Government Communications (14 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: I am just reflecting on it. It says a lot about the lack of balance and perspective in terms of his commentary in respect of what has been achieved by those involved in the vaccination programme. In terms of GPs, for example, stocks can be supplied to a GP within two days now. Those are the logistical operations the HSE has established with GPs. I have heard that GPs have said they are...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Government Communications (14 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: More broadly, without doubt the Omicron variant has created a very strong sense of urgency. There is no question about that. It is vital that we vaccinate as many people as possible as quickly as possible. To be fair, every effort is being made. We are working with GPs and pharmacies and the Defence Forces are helping by providing additionality with logistics support for the booster...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Government Communications (14 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Minister with responsibility for tourism has been given additional funding by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for performers. We want performers to perform and venues to stay open as much as possible. There is the Omicron variant threat but we have supports put in place because we acknowledge such people have been hit by the Delta variant threat and guidance we have...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Economic Policy (14 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: I do not know what language he does not like because I have not answered yet. Was his comment anticipatory?

Ceisteanna - Questions: Economic Policy (14 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 to 14, inclusive, together. The National Competitiveness and Productivity Council published its annual Competitiveness Challenge report in September. This makes recommendations to the Government across a range of policy areas. On 30 November, the Government published a formal response to the council's recommendations. This response was co-ordinated...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Economic Policy (14 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: The questions related to the competitiveness challenge report. Deputy Boyd Barrett, to be fair to him, spoke to the report and the question that was asked. I acknowledge his aversion or discomfort with the word "competition" but we need a competitive economy. Competition at a certain level can bring standards, although it can have the opposite impact in different contexts. We need a...