Results 39,361-39,380 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (4 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: Yes. As I said earlier today, the HSE did send a team to Limerick. It has had some impact. It illustrates the importance of governance, management, patient flow and all of that. This issue has been featuring for quite some time. The Government has accelerated what was being planned for Galway and Cork, in particular, in terms of elective units. In the past six months, in particular,...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (4 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 7, inclusive, together. The measures announced in the budget last week will continue to strengthen our schools and third level institutions, help families, support students and children with special needs and improve the learning environment for all. I do not have a date for the next meeting of the committee but, obviously, I liaise regularly with...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (4 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: Deputy McDonald raised the issue of the OECD. GDP is not the correct metric. GNI* is a more appropriate metric given the particular composition of the Irish economy and the influence of foreign direct investment, FDI. In the OECD Programme for International Student Assessments, PISA, the Irish education system stands up pretty well in respect of literacy, numeracy and so forth, but we need...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (4 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 to 14, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on economic recovery and investment first met on 8 July 2020. It has met on a total of 21 occasions, most recently yesterday, 3 October. The next meeting has not yet been scheduled. Membership of the committee comprises the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Employment and...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (4 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: Deputy McDonald raised the issue of Wind Energy Ireland. There is no question but that the next ten years will be an exciting ten years in respect of offshore wind development, and it is very important that we do that in a managed and controlled way. The Minister has already issued consents for the first seven wind farms and there is an auction to happen later in the year. That process is...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (4 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: Does the Deputy want us to abolish all of the local authorities?

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (4 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: In a situation where somebody is in a HAP or RAS tenancy, they should not be evicted and the council should buy the house. That facility is now there and the Minister has made that clear to the councils. However, the Minister cannot make every operational decision in respect of every housing unit in every local authority area across the country. On another day, people in this House...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (4 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: A circular has issued from the Minister.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (4 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: In response to Deputy Conway-Walsh, the EU is not broken. I disagree with her assertion.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (4 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy mentioned the European Union in terms of the energy security meeting and the windfall tax. We are committed to a windfall tax. The Energy Council last week agreed an approach to a windfall tax and a solidarity tax from fossil fuel producers and a windfall tax from wind generation. The Deputy referenced the ESB. We own the ESB. The State owns the ESB so the facility is there...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (4 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: Apologies. The Government is going to examine that matter. It did not feature in social protection because it comes under Tusla, but the Government will examine that situation.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (4 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 to 27, inclusive, together. First, as Taoiseach I want to put on record my sincere condolences on behalf of the Government of Ireland to the British people on the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth Il. I have met Prime Minister Liz Truss MP on two occasions since her appointment on 6 September. We also spoke by phone. I had a good call with the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (4 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: But they are not.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (4 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Griffin raised the issue of the protocol. To answer in general all the Deputies who have raised issues in this regard, following my meetings with the British Prime Minister, and her meetings with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, there is a preference on all sides for a negotiated settlement. If negotiations commence, let us give them space. I do not...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (4 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: We are not comparable. Our taxation system is one of the most progressive in Europe. Those who earn the most in Ireland pay the most in income tax. If the Deputy looks at the Department of Finance documents on that, he will readily see how the top levels pay by far the vast amount of income tax in this country.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (4 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I dealt with Deputy Ó Murchú's question on the shared dialogue issues. I am not discussing domestic economic policies other than to say, obviously, in terms of us being so close to the British market, it has a great deal of significance for companies in Ireland. Deputy Bacik raised the protocol. I have dealt with that in respect of the broader question of a negotiated...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Policies (4 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 to 40, inclusive, together. Through the Government’s Shared Island initiative, we are engaging with all communities and traditions to build consensus around a shared future; and delivering tangible benefits for the whole island, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement. In the Budget last week, the Government confirmed an allocation of...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Programmes (4 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 66 and 67 together. Ireland submitted its National Reform Programme (NRP) for 2022 to the European Commission on 4 May. The NRP was laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas and published on gov.ie thereafter. The NRP is an element of the European Semester, the annual cycle of economic and fiscal policy co-ordination among EU Member States. The NRP provides...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Investigations (4 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: The investigation to which the Deputy refers is being conducted by a senior official in my Department and it has not yet been concluded. I have not involved myself in the detail of the process and it is not possible at this point to indicate when the process will be completed.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Transport (4 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: My Department has not incurred any expenditure on domestic flights in the period in question.