Results 37,121-37,140 of 51,299 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: Aontaím leis an Teachta agus admhaím go bhfuil ról faoi leith ag cúrsaí teanga agus cultúir ó thaobh sláinte na tíre. I accept his basic point and will refer it back to my officials and the group that is involved in drawing up the well-being framework. It was a joy to witness Ballygunner win on Saturday. I am not so sure the Ballyhale supporters...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: I will talk to the Minister of State, Deputy English, about that. I am not aware of the Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, vetoing anything. I will discuss it with him.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: I will examine the matter but I want to give the Deputy an illustration. When the county managers came to me many years ago regarding Spike Island - I believe Senator McDowell was the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform at the time - Cork County Council did not hang around and was not worried about the cost implications of taking over the site. It saw the potential in it, took it...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: I do not believe those classes should be phased out across Ireland. We need more preschool interventions, not fewer. I am not aware of the national policy background to this, if that is indeed the case or what specifics are regarding this school. I have had a number of specific queries today in respect of SNAs and so on. The State drew up a White Paper on this way back in the context of...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, has been working extremely hard with other Ministers in respect of insurance costs more generally. I am not aware of mass closures of indoor sporting or play areas. However, there are issues. There are challenges as a result of high insurance costs. We are working hard to get those costs down. If the Deputy has specifics, we will take them from her...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 10, inclusive together. I spoke to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, by telephone on Wednesday, 24 November, when we discussed the Northern Ireland protocol. I also congratulated him on the successful hosting of COP26 in Glasgow. We briefly referenced the latest developments on Covid-19. I welcomed the continuation of the talks between the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: Deputy McDonald raised a range of issues, primarily in respect of the ombudsman's report, which Deputy Haughey has also raised. It was shocking behaviour, as Deputy Haughey described it. The ombudsman described collusive behaviour - collusion, essentially - in the use of agents and weapons, including the handing back of weapons to loyalist paramilitaries. I have indicated a specific...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: There are more than 100,000 Russian troops on the border of Ukraine. Ukraine should be entitled to its self-determination. I do not believe it is justifiable to have so many troops on the border with Ukraine-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: -----and such militarisation there. I hope this continues to de-escalate. We do not want war. Above all, the people of Ukraine do not need war, destruction or conflict. Dialogue and diplomacy is extremely important. It is not in any way accurate to suggest that NATO is beating the drums of war here. NATO does not want war. The European Union does not want war and the member states of...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy has moved very quickly from the 120,000 Russian troops amassing on the Ukrainian border to blaming the British and the US. That is fantastic. He is back on terra firma again in terms of his ideological position on these matters

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: I did not say that at all.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: I think I covered all three Deputies in the one response there.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: I fully agree with Deputy Richmond. There is full engagement with the United Kingdom Government in respect of all aspects of the current situation in Northern Ireland, including legacy, the protocol and implementation of the trade agreement. On Deputy Kelly's question, I am not aware of any agreement but I will come back to him on the specifics of the issue he raised with regard to RAF...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: There are new hybrid threats happening all over member states of the European Union.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: Look at what happened in Belarus, which is protected by Russia. The use of migrants to create issues with EU member states was appalling in that respect.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: I fully take on board what Deputy Haughey said. I believe I answered his question in my response to Deputy McDonald in respect of that 344-page report from the ombudsman. We will come back to that again.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 to 16, inclusive, together. The Covid-19 and health unit of my Department supports me and the Government in co-ordinating the Government's response to Covid-19, and in developing and implementing health policy and related matters. This includes supporting the work of the Cabinet committee on Covid-19, the Cabinet committee on health and the associated...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Boyd Barrett raised issues in terms of health. He stated that there has been a chronic lack of resourcing and referred to difficulties recruiting. The Deputy said that nobody wants to work in the service. There are 132,000 people working in the service. Since 2022, there has been record recruitment to the health service of 12,500 net and 32,000 gross. It must be remembered that...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 to 24, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on social affairs and equality oversees implementation of programme for Government commitments in the areas of social policy, including sport, arts and culture, equality, including children and youth affairs, and public services, including matters relating to justice, policing reform and community...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputies for raising a range of issues with me. Deputy McDonald referred to domestic violence and the violence against women policy. The publication of the Tusla review will be this week and it is my understanding that the Minister is intent on doing that. There will be a joint delivery board chaired by the Secretary General of my Department and the Secretary General of the...