Results 40,601-40,620 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceapachán an Taoisigh agus Ainmniú Chomhaltaí an Rialtais - Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government (17 Dec 2022)

Micheál Martin: On behalf of the Fianna Fáil Party, I am pleased to confirm that we will vote to support the Taoiseach's proposal to nominate members of the Government. The Government reflects the shared commitment of our three parties to an ambitious programme across the full term of this Dáil. Tugann na hainmniúcháin agus na moltaí de bhaill an Rialtais léiriú ar...

Ceapachán an Taoisigh agus Ainmniú Chomhaltaí an Rialtais - Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government (17 Dec 2022)

Micheál Martin: As Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, has overseen a steady reduction in class sizes, a radical increase in the number of schools included in the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, DEIS, programme, an expansion of supports for pupils with special needs and the beginning of the largest programme of school refurbishment and construction in our history. She will continue this...

Ceapachán an Taoisigh agus Ainmniú Chomhaltaí an Rialtais - Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government (17 Dec 2022)

Micheál Martin: There is a cold, harsh cynicism to be found in Sinn Féin's comments today. Today must seem quaint to them in comparison to the non-stop carousel we have seen from them-----

Ceapachán an Taoisigh agus Ainmniú Chomhaltaí an Rialtais - Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government (17 Dec 2022)

Micheál Martin: -----in trading both elected and ministerial offices in Stormont. When Deputy McDonald claims, as she did with energy earlier today, that we claim everything is fine and want to change nothing, she is, of course, ignoring everything we have been saying. We very acutely understand the need to provide more housing for people to rent or buy. We see that people need help with rising bills or...

Ceapachán an Taoisigh agus Ainmniú Chomhaltaí an Rialtais - Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government (17 Dec 2022)

Micheál Martin: The true divide in politics is between those who see problems and want to solve them and those who simply want to exploit them. This is a Government determined to take on even the most complex and difficult problems, to support a strong society and strong economy, to show respect for others and to work constructively with the mandate we have from the Irish people. In two and a half...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: Is é mo thuairim agus is é an taithí atá agam ó bheith ag obair leis an Aire, an Teachta Donohoe, ná gur fearr ionraic macánta atá ann. Déanann sé a dhícheall gach aon lá ar son na tíre. Oibríonn sé ar son mhuintir na tíre go macánta. Caithfidh mé é sin a rá. Is é sin an taithí...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: That has been my experience in my engagement with him. He has the country’s interests at heart in the discharge of his duties as a Minister. Second, I offer the viewpoint that in a legitimate controversy and issue of this kind we need balance and perspective in how we approach these issues. I make that point in terms of the issue at stake here. It is essential that Members...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: I merely say that because people can legitimately complain and we then have to weigh up who ultimately does the investigation in terms of the detail of a complaint. There is a danger. I fully subscribe to the idea of accountability to the House. Perhaps in the aftermath of the SIPO investigation, that accountability can be dealt with in more detail-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: -----but there is a problem with how I determine how Members want to proceed.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: First of all, the Minister spoke to me on Sunday and outlined what had transpired. He gave an account and apologised to me for the omission and the mistake he had made in respect of this. He did raise those issues with me. He has also offered to come before the House again at the earliest opportunity in respect of the issues the Deputy raised. I am struck by the language the Deputy...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: I thank Deputy Cairns for raising what is a very important issue. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, and the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, are meeting Coillte today, and they will discuss Coillte's role in the Irish Strategic Forestry Fund and how Coillte should work closely with farmers and local contractors to achieve positive outcomes for the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Government does not run Coillte. Coillte is a separate-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: Yes, it is a semi-State, but with a mandate underpinned by legislation.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: We can change that mandate but that is the mandate. The Government does not run every semi-State organisation and if it did there would be problems. The first people in the House complaining about Government interference in semi-States, and correctly too, would be, guess who? The Opposition. That is an ongoing challenge. As to the basic point, farmers will benefit the most from the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: -----and there will be no privatisation of public land. I have made that clear in my original statement. There will be no privatisation of public land. That is the point. In fact, I would favour more State acquisition of land for forestry. That is the position the leaders of the Government have discussed with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Again, we have to be...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The first point I make is that we have international obligations under international law. What has distinguished Ireland on the global stage is the fact that we are a rules-based country that believes in the international rule of law and that we adhere to that. One aspect of that is the Geneva Convention and European laws in respect of the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: We should also acknowledge the support, goodwill and solidarity of many communities the length and breadth of the country, including in Kerry, displayed towards those who have sought shelter on our shores, particularly to those fleeing the war in Ukraine. There was a strong response in Killarney, for example, when there was an attempt to move Ukrainians out of Killarney. People at the grass...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: -----and that occasioned a change in direction, which I thought reflected the basic humanity of people in our communities. I understand the challenges, and the Government does as well, in terms of tourism and the pressure on accommodation. That is why a €50 million fund has been established and will be allocated to communities that have taken in a lot of migrants and asylum seekers,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: Putin is gambling on this exact debate happening in every parliament across the European Union. That is what he wants. I know Deputy Healy-Rae does not mean it that way. I accept his bona fides in terms of the pressures in his constituency, but essentially that is what Putin wants. Europe needs to hold its nerve for the next 12 months because what Putin is doing is attacking the values of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, along with Deputy Cairns, because it is an important one. The Government's policy, as the Deputy states, is to increase afforestation from the current level of 11%, or 808,848 ha, to 18% by 2050. This will require an additional 450,000 ha of new forests by 2050. Coillte, in its strategic vision, has committed to enabling 100,000 ha of new forests...