Results 38,821-38,840 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: That balance has to be readjusted. I am saying that from the Government side of the House. I have always consistently, since I was elected to this House, seen it primarily as a legislative assembly. That means we get things done, as opposed to just playing to the gallery all of the time. I am not saying that is what you are all doing from time to time, but there is an element of it, I am...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: First, as I said earlier this morning and have said consistently, I find this legislation, and the decision by the UK Government to legislate unilaterally in regard to the protocol, to be regrettable and unacceptable. This is a trend within the current British Government towards aspects of the Good Friday Agreement, be it the protocol, legacy issues or, most recently, its action on human...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: Yes, the law of the land must be applied, and it must be applied evenly and uniformly across the country. In my view, individual hospitals cannot exclude themselves from the operation of the Act and need to take all actions to ensure it is fulfilled. What has happened in Roe v. Wade cannot happen here, in my view, given the fact we had a referendum and, through the mechanism of that...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: The legislation coming through the House should reflect that. We have seen what has happened in other European countries. I think the Chief Justice was correct in saying that many aspects we consider fundamental can, at times, be fragile. We are witnessing that now in countries like the United States and the United Kingdom as well-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: -----in terms of the European Convention on Human Rights.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: To clarify, the recommendations are not amendments, as the Deputy noted.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: However, the recommendations will obviously be considered, as would normally be done.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: The recommendations have to be put into the form of amendments. If the recommendations were accepted by the Government and the Minister, they then have to be legalesed, so to speak, and put into the required amendments. I will pursue that with the Minister.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: We have the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, and various mechanisms to oversee any application of the kind the Deputy referred to. We cannot arbitrate for that on the floor of the House. Again, regarding any fresh investigation, there has been a whole series of reviews and I am not going to give an off-the-cuff response to the Deputy's request either. I will talk to the Tánaiste...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: I congratulate the Ukrainian mother on the birth of her baby boy in the midst of the obvious trauma that family has gone through in fleeing a terrible war on the Ukrainian people. This is a moment of joy for the mother and the family. I ask the Deputy to give me the details. Many people have pledged homes, not for the long term but for relatively good timeframes, where I am sure...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: I did not get the full gist of everything the Deputy said. I do not pick up on the adjournments of every county council in the country. Was it Cork County Council that adjourned yesterday?

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: Again, regarding cost-of-living issues, we have taken measures in respect of hauliers, farmers, including tillage farmers, and various groups to try to alleviate the pressures on them in respect of the cost of fuels. We also took certain measures under the Brexit adjustment reserve and funding has been made available for decommissioning schemes and so on. I accept those measures relate to...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: I will speak to the Minister and come back to the Deputy regarding the interim measures. Four years seems a bit long.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: There has been a huge acceleration in home care. Over 1 million extra hours have been provided in the last year and a half. However, because of that extra provision the skills issue or the availability of workers became a big issue. The Deputy is right that the task force was set up to see if something could be done in respect of upskilling, etc. I will come back to the Deputy on whether...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: I appreciate the Deputy's concerns. Core funding is worth up to €221 million to the sector, so it is a significant provision. To access the new funding, services must guarantee to maintain fees at or below September 2021 levels. It is based on operating hours, the number of places offered by services, the age group of the children to whom places are offered and the number of...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy acknowledged that this has been the largest ever increase in the DEIS programme. We will work with the Minister regarding other aspects of supports for those schools, particularly in terms of meals, etc. It was interesting to see that the systemic study undertaken by the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, of the education systems North and South, that we funded under...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: It is difficult to comment on each individual case that comes up on the floor of the House, particularly regarding a treatment abroad application.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: Yes, just let me finish. I take it from what the Deputy is saying that the consultant has unequivocally recommended treatment.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: If the Deputy will send on the details to us, we can pursue it.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: I appreciate the concerns of the Deputy but-----