Results 39,381-39,400 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (4 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I visited New York for UN High Level Week from 21-23 September. While there, in addition to delivering Ireland’s National Statement, I had the opportunity to engage with a number of other Leaders in roundtable discussions, bilateral meetings and in the margins. I had formal bilateral meetings with the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres; the President of the UN General...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Citizens' Assembly (4 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: Two Citizens’ Assemblies committed to in the Programme for Government were established in February this year, one on the issue of Biodiversity Loss and the other on the type of directly elected mayor and local government structures best suited for Dublin. The inaugural meeting for both Assemblies took place in April 2022. The Terms of Reference, as set out by the Oireachtas, call...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: Géarchéim uafásach atá againn maidir le praghsanna. Níl aon amhras ach go bhfuil an Rialtas ag déanamh a dhícheall cabhair agus tacaíocht a thabhairt do gach éinne: teaghlaigh éagsúla ar fud na tíre; gnóthaí; agus eagrais éagsúla atá ag obair ar son muintir na tíre san áireamh. Táimid ag...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: Blessed be the malfunctioning clock.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I am not rehashing any global generalities. Rather, I am bringing the hard reality of a wartime situation in Europe to the floor of the House. I will never make an apology for that. The Deputy is trying to create the delusion or illusion that everything is normal and we can go back to pre-crisis levels. That is the Deputy's line. She believes we can all make it go away magically.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy cannot make it go away magically. She simply cannot do that and it is dishonest to people-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: It is dishonest, in the middle of a terrible crisis, to pretend there is no war or the war does not have an impact. We are doing people a disservice when we do that. We need to be honest with people. We know the war is having a terrible impact.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: The total number of prepay electricity meters is around 340,000. Some 90,000 of those meters have been provided to people who have experienced electricity debt in order to help them budget these costs. Gas Networks Ireland has confirmed that there are about 117,000 pay-as-you-go meters. Through the social protection systems and the work of the CRU, which is a statutory body, we will...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I did not.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue. I met Finola Cassidy and the Irish Thalidomide Association representatives, along with their legal representatives, in my office a couple of weeks ago. It was a good meeting. I listened very carefully to the concerns expressed. There has been a long history of interventions by Governments in respect of this issue and the people...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I fully accept the Deputy's right to put forward a cross-party motion but, in my experience, where one has a legal process and a political process, someone has to represent the broad issue as well. The optimal way to resolve this is to get into a meaningful process and tease through all of the issues. The ultimate liability, never forget, is with the company involved. Legislation was...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Government has intervened.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: We have intervened. I reject Deputy Murphy's presentation of this. The measures we have taken of putting cash into people's accounts and reducing the bills are unprecedented. I read out the list. The measures we have taken have an impact. The impact they should demonstrably have is that people should not be cut off, by definition, given the scale of the energy credits, free fuel...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: To be fair, the CRU has done more than that. It has increased the emergency credit of no less than €20 but it has also provided a reduction in the debt repayment level on pay-as-you-go meters from 25% to a maximum of 10%. Consequently, €20 would have €2 deducted to pay debt. That came into operation on the first day of this month. There is also an obligation on...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the twin issues of south-east economic and enterprise development and the issue around business supports in the current energy crisis. The Government is introducing a temporary business energy support scheme as announced by the Minister for Finance in the budget. That scheme will be open to businesses that carry on a case 1 trade, are tax-compliant and have...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: A regional enterprise plan for the south east has been put in place. We need to analyse more deeply the factors that give rise to the growth in given regions. The medtech cluster in the west probably has been one of the more significant developments. It is based largely on research and development in the University of Galway and it also connects down to the mid-west with the University of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: It has been key. I accept that historically there has been an issue with different regions progressing at different levels. What I have announced is very significant foreign direct investment in Waterford and the south east more generally. That will grow. Horizon Therapeutics has recently announced 350 jobs, as the Deputy knows. All of those matter and will have impact. As we expand the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I have already outlined to the Deputy measures we have taken that will prevent disconnections this winter. There are always exceptional situations for different reasons, but we are clear about what has brought about this energy crisis and the level of price increases. We want to keep the lights on and we want people to be able to have warm food and heat themselves over this winter....

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: -----as will the CRU.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue. Since its formation, the Government has made it clear that tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is a priority. The Government has approved the recommendations in the report prepared by the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, for the introduction of paid domestic violence leave. On its introduction, Ireland will be one of the...