Results 38,441-38,460 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (17 May 2022)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Cian O'Callaghan raised the issue of the local property tax in respect of vacancies. Vacancies and dereliction are two separate concepts. In a recent analysis, 96% of all apartments in Dublin were occupied despite all the commentary that lots of apartments are empty. I think that was in the Daft report; I will check the source of that. We need to be careful with our descriptions...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (17 May 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Minister said his announcement is imminent. I will ask him to confirm when he will make an announcement in that respect and come back to the Deputy. It is welcome that we have cut the fares for public transport and that it is leading to an increase in uptake. Free fares is not a realistic prospect. The Government made the decision to cut fares as part of its anti-inflationary...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (17 May 2022)

Micheál Martin: That is not my understanding but I will follow that up. Deputy McAuliffe raised the issue of-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (17 May 2022)

Micheál Martin: I would love to call out to Finglas to visit the family resource centre. I will talk to the Minister about the primary care facility, housing need and the potential provision of housing in that area. I will talk to the Minister about the specifics of the proposal made by Deputy Murnane O'Connor in terms of providing greater opportunity to the people of Carlow to avail of affordable...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Bodies (17 May 2022)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 to 29, inclusive, together. The public service, justice and policing reform unit is part of the social policy and public service reform division of my Department. The work of the unit supports me, in my role as Taoiseach, on policing reform, criminal justice, public service reform, social affairs and other related matters. It incorporates the policing...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Bodies (17 May 2022)

Micheál Martin: There is a range of issues to be covered. First, on the draft policing, security and community safety Bill which Deputy Bacik raised, in April of last year the general scheme was published. Among the objectives, clearly, is to provide a new, more coherent governance and oversight framework to strengthen both the external oversight of An Garda Síochána, as well as its internal...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Bodies (17 May 2022)

Micheál Martin: I will revert back to the Deputy. I will engage with the Minister on that. We are all looking for a comprehensively sound database in respect of the crime statistics. Deputy Daly raised the issue of GSOC and historic inquiries. The volume of cases currently being heard by GSOC is quite considerable. As I have said previously, there has to be some balance, unfortunately, in terms of...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Bodies (17 May 2022)

Micheál Martin: A proper apology. An apology was issued-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Bodies (17 May 2022)

Micheál Martin: Maybe I took Deputy Daly up wrong but I thought he was looking for an historic inquiry into the case but we will have to assess that in the context of the capacity of GSOC, to be frank. We will look at that. On the death of Shane O'Farrell and the scoping exercise, I have met the O'Farrell family, most recently with Deputy Niamh Smyth, who raised Shane's death initially today. It is a very...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Bodies (17 May 2022)

Micheál Martin: Think it through in terms of the decisions. There is information and access but to what great degree? Policy has to dictate the public health system and the public health service.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Bodies (17 May 2022)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Paul Murphy asked about the stamp 2 visas. I believe these have been extended on nine occasions.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Bodies (17 May 2022)

Micheál Martin: The rhetoric articulated by the Deputy suggest that the Minister is doing nothing. The Minister has extended these on nine occasions.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Bodies (17 May 2022)

Micheál Martin: There comes a time when we must have some balance also in what we are doing on overall policy and frameworks, to be fair all around. I do not have the full details on Deputy Barry's question on the inquest. I will come back to the Deputy on the issue he has raised. Deputy McAuliffe asked about policing. We are working on this committee. We did not get to deal with it yesterday but at the...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Shared Island Dialogue (17 May 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Shared Island Dialogue series is a key part of the Government’s approach to engaging with all communities and political traditions on the island, to build consensus around a shared future, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement. In our approach, the Government is taking full account of the political complexity and challenges in Northern Ireland, and is working to listen to...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Staff (17 May 2022)

Micheál Martin: No staff of my Department are currently seconded to the university or third-level sector.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Investigations (17 May 2022)

Micheál Martin: There are currently two such investigations ongoing.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Northern Ireland (17 May 2022)

Micheál Martin: I had phone calls with the leaders of the main parties in Northern Ireland last week and I also met with Michelle O’Neill earlier this week. I will travel to Belfast on Friday for further meetings with party leaders. In the calls, I emphasised the importance of early formation of the Northern Ireland Executive and a functioning Assembly. The people of Northern Ireland want their...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Communications (17 May 2022)

Micheál Martin: I had an extensive discussion with Prime Minister Johnson on Tuesday 10 May. During our call, I urged the Prime Minister to engage in intensified EU-UK discussions to address issues relating to the implementation of the Protocol. I set out clearly my serious concerns at any unilateral action at this time, which would be destabilising in Northern Ireland and erode trust. I pointed out that...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Constitutional Convention (17 May 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Convention on the Constitution and the Citizens’ Assemblies to date were established by Resolutions of the Houses of the Oireachtas and operated independently of the Government, albeit they were assisted by my Department which provided Secretariat and other supports. Details of expenditure for the Convention on the Constitution are set out in the following table: Constitution...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Equal Opportunities Employment (17 May 2022)

Micheál Martin: My Department and the National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) - the only body under my Department's aegis - actively support diversity and inclusion in the workplace including the employment of people with disabilities and the provision of reasonable accommodations to employees where required. Recruitment to my Department and NESDO is, in the main, undertaken through the...