Results 37,301-37,320 of 51,299 for speaker:Micheál Martin
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Staff (1 Mar 2022)
Micheál Martin: On mortality, in our hospital system and more critically, in terms of our broader societal response, the Irish public service stands up alongside its peers across Europe and globally. While there is no doubt but that lessons can be learned from that, if one looks at the vaccination programme alone, it was one of the best vaccination programmes administered in the world, which dramatically...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Staff (1 Mar 2022)
Micheál Martin: I am not generalising. These are not-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Staff (1 Mar 2022)
Micheál Martin: I am just making the point. The Deputy specifically spoke about performance and productivity-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Staff (1 Mar 2022)
Micheál Martin: -----and he specifically spoke about the Irish public service and the issues he had with it. I wanted to give the Deputy the other side of that story. The vast majority of salaries and so forth are centrally negotiated with trade unions-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Staff (1 Mar 2022)
Micheál Martin: -----throughout the public service, whether it is the Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants or other unions, through national wage agreements. The most effective way to tackle high salaries is the income tax system, which is progressive in this country. It basically means that when one gets to a certain level, approximately 50% is taxed. That rarely gets said in the debate but it...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: National Economic and Social Council (1 Mar 2022)
Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 to 11, inclusive, together. The National Economic and Social Council, NESC, advises me on strategic policy issues relating to sustainable economic, social and environmental development in Ireland. The NESC work programme in 2022 includes five main areas. It will carry out a major piece of research and consultation on climate, biodiversity and how to...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: National Economic and Social Council (1 Mar 2022)
Micheál Martin: I thank all the Deputies for raising these issues. In the first instance, I support NESC's work with regard to the shared island unit and the work it has done in terms of greater potential for cross-Border co-operation projects, particularly in respect of health, which has been one of the more effective cross-Border areas over a long time and, in particular, in respect of paediatric health...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: National Economic and Social Council (1 Mar 2022)
Micheál Martin: -----and quite effective in terms of European wild bison, for example. A programme is being led from the wildlife park in terms of various species of toads. We need to be funding organisations like Fota Wildlife Park, Dublin Zoo and those which are involved in global interbreeding, breeding programmes around wildlife and protecting endangered species. That is what we need to be doing more...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Programmes (1 Mar 2022)
Micheál Martin: The Deputy is as enthusiastic as ever.
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Programmes (1 Mar 2022)
Micheál Martin: The Deputy is eager and he always has been.
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Programmes (1 Mar 2022)
Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 to 18, inclusive, together. My Department’s Strategy Statement 2021-2023, which was published last year, reflects the role of the Department to support me, as Taoiseach, and the Government in order to ensure a sustainable economy and a successful society, to pursue Ireland’s interests abroad, to implement the Government programme and to...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Programmes (1 Mar 2022)
Micheál Martin: That is exactly what it is.
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Programmes (1 Mar 2022)
Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputies for raising those issues. To respond to Deputy Boyd Barrett in respect of what Ireland's place in Europe means, it means that from the outset of this crisis we have decided to take a proactive role in supporting a unified response from the 27 member states of the European Union to Vladimir Putin's assault on the Ukrainian people. As I said at the European Council...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Programmes (1 Mar 2022)
Micheál Martin: I will tell the Deputy why. Every country-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Programmes (1 Mar 2022)
Micheál Martin: Every country in Europe, irrespective of whether it is a member of NATO, did not want the war and did everything possible to prevent the war, such as the German Chancellor at the eleventh hour going again to Russia. Anyone who knows the German-Russian relationship knows that Germany has tried everything, including the diplomatic channel and every other channel available to it. Germany has...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Programmes (1 Mar 2022)
Micheál Martin: France has tried everything. Emmanuel Macron, with his country’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, has tried everything, and the Deputy does not give credit for that or even acknowledge it. He calls those leaders warmongers on the same level as Putin. I think that is nonsense.
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Programmes (1 Mar 2022)
Micheál Martin: Deputy Boyd Barrett’s approach is all wrong and it undermines the broader unity of purpose here. In respect of the wider issue, for 20 years, irrespective of what the Deputy says, the western presence in Afghanistan gave some light to the women of Afghanistan through access to education and so on. Now they have nothing-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Programmes (1 Mar 2022)
Micheál Martin: There is no question that it was better to free Afghanistan from the clutches of the Taliban and other extremists who are now back.
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Programmes (1 Mar 2022)
Micheál Martin: We need to be crystal clear and consistent. This idea of attacking pro formaor in a formulaic way – I am not saying every Deputy is doing that - the Russian aggression and then pivoting to attacking NATO and other countries as being the real culprits is unacceptable. Morally, I cannot stand over it without calling it out. Too much of that has been going on in this House in recent...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Programmes (1 Mar 2022)
Micheál Martin: The Deputy needs to stand up and be counted and call this out, without equivocating on it or trying to dilute it-----