Results 37,281-37,300 of 51,299 for speaker:Micheál Martin

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: As a Cork man, I am particularly anxious to bring light to the Tipperary heartland.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: This summer, as we travel to Thurles, we will be shedding a lot of light in the sporting arena. I will talk to the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, about this matter. It is a beautiful castle and we should do everything we possibly can to enhance it.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I commend the Deputy on her attention to the detail of almost all schemes under the aegis of the State. Was the Deputy speaking to the Minister for Education or the Minister for Transport?

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I will revert to the Deputy. Given that, in the context of pensions and so on, we are talking about ending the mandatory retirement age, that matter merits review and consideration.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I said last Thursday at the European Council meeting that I believe the European perspective is the most strategic available option for the EU in terms of the neighbourhood. I support Ukraine's application for EU membership. It is a process but we should be clear in our support for Ukraine's application for candidate status. I support it. As I said last week, we should also support the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I do not know. Someone who was eligible before the pandemic on income grounds should be eligible after the pandemic.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy can send the details to the Minister for Health.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I am agreeable to the line the Deputy is taking. We should not complicate these issues. God knows that to get a health facility built takes an ordinate length of time, as we know from the various hospitals under construction, at planning or where there is a row before they even get off the ground. My view on elective hospitals is that where we have State land, we should get on with it.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: First, in terms of the planning for the ceremony, the families of the bereaved, regardless of setting and whether from Covid-19 or not, will be represented at the ceremony, along with front-line workers from all sectors. It is difficult to specify a particular sector but all those who were bereaved will be represented in a proportional way at the ceremony. In terms of the wider issue, a...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I am taking a broader look at the situation in terms of communities more generally because different communities are coming forward now with real issues around drug abuse, infiltration by drug gangs in certain areas and the undermining of social infrastructure and the quality of life of many families. We cannot just go on taking one community after another. There has to be a more...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: There is a broader issue in respect of the ongoing negotiations between the Department of Health and the Irish Dental Association regarding the provision of dentists. A total of €10 million has been made available through the Estimates for allocation to dental services. Obviously, that would include, in particular, the provision of dental services for people with autism, which...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: There are processes for applications to the European Union, which have been going on for quite a long time. In my view, there has been a lot of meddling and manipulation going on in the geopolitical world. We saw that, for instance, with vaccines. It is interesting that Russia was offering Sputnik to various countries in the western Balkans, notwithstanding that it had not vaccinated its...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: Likewise, given what is now happening in Ukraine, we need to accelerate its prospect as an EU candidate country.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I do not have time to answer.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I will talk to the Minister about that and revert to the Deputy.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: There is a very comprehensive provision through the ETBs for in-prison education. I am a very strong supporter of the work of our education services in prisons across the length and breadth of the country, which does a lot to facilitate rehabilitation as well as career pathways for people once they leave prison. It is extremely important that we do that and we will do it in whatever way we...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Staff (1 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: The role of my Department is to support me as Taoiseach, and the Government, to ensure a sustainable economy and a successful society, pursue Ireland's interests abroad, implement the Government's programme and build a better future for Ireland and all of her citizens. In order to ensure my Department remains agile in responding to emerging priorities, its staffing resources are kept under...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Staff (1 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: On the points Deputy Tóibín raised, I will make the general point that Ireland has the most progressive taxation system in Europe and the world. The point of that is that those on high wages pay the highest amount of tax in this country-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Staff (1 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: -----which is how it should be. It is objectively regarded as a progressive taxation system. The Deputy referred to performance and productivity and I am a strong admirer of the Irish public service and have been for a long time. That is notwithstanding weaknesses, flaws and uneven performance at times but if one looks at the evolution of the Irish State over the last 50 or 60 years or...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Staff (1 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: -----so there has been a lot of systemic good work done in recent decades by the Irish public service. In more recent times, that has been manifested in our performance during Covid again notwithstanding flaws and mistakes that could have been made. Overall, however,Irish public servants put all hands on deck in responding to a one-in-100-year event.