Results 43,221-43,240 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: Through the Chair, the context is very important because there is a huge difference between €5 billion or €6 billion and €17 billion of expenditure, which is what the Social Democrats are proposing. The credibility of that needs examination. I accept that Deputy Whitmore's party is proposing tax hikes of €1 billion to pay for this, and a new tax rate of 43%....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: That is an outrageous assertion to make to say that the needs of children have been forgotten by this Government. It does not stack up at all across the full range of measures that we have taken in the last three budgets in respect of childcare more generally but also in terms of support of maternal care leave and so on. We have introduced a whole range of measures. It is not a credible-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: Through the Chair, I do not believe the assertion the Deputy just made is a fair or credible one.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: It defies any realistic understanding. In respect of childcare costs, over the last two years we have met our commitments.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: The more significant commitment is improving the status, pay and conditions of workers, in conjunction with the social partners in terms of a new JLC framework for people working in the childcare sector, which gives sustainability and continuity to the childcare sector in terms of a career pathway. That is key and crucial. In terms of the reduction in childcare costs, parents did feel the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: First of all, I dispute the Deputy's presentation of the facts, or the facts as he puts them and the position he is adopting here. The Government is very committed to protecting people against the cost-of-living increases. Last year we provided €12 billion to cushion the impact of rising prices on households, businesses and farmers. The Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: Most Irish small- to medium-sized companies want to engage in free trade, but the Deputy is against it. His policies would undermine the enterprise economy-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: -----that has resulted in very high employment in the country, and career progression.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: We addressed the cost-of-living issues last year in an unprecedented way and in a way no other government in Europe did, with respect to the scale of the intervention. There were a whole range of measures, double social protection payments and all of that. We spent €12 billion last year alone and we are going to take similar action this year in the form of interventions to protect...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: -----the lowest in the European Union and our population rose by nearly 100,000 people over the year to the end of April 2023.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: That is an alternative-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: -----and there is much more I could say but we are committed in the budget to protecting people, especially those on the lowest incomes, from the very significant and acknowledged pressures of cost-of-living increases.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and for raising a more general issue, through an individual case that has come to his constituency office, that highlights wider issues in terms of pension entitlements, pension contributions and the jobseeker's allowance. I think the Deputy said that the person is 61 years of age.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: He has worked for 40 years, to be fair. The Department of Social Protection is available to help him in sourcing alternative employment, if that is-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: It is there-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: It is there and it should be there. I will certainly take the details from the Deputy but it is there and the office exists to try to help people to secure alternative employment. I do not know the background of the means test and the issues that were assessed or not assessed. Normally the assessment involves the household's income, savings, shares, investments or property, apart from a...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: I will revert to the Minister for Social Protection and I ask the Deputy to send me on the details so the case can be examined more closely. I cannot discuss individual cases on the floor of the House. I do not know the full background to it but, obviously, the Government is anxious to incentivise people to work, in the first instance, but also to ensure that there would be basic amounts...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: Did he get jobseeker's benefit?

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: I presume he would have received jobseeker's benefit for nine months.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: He would have gotten nine months of jobseeker's benefit when he became unemployed, which would have been a higher payment, based on his contributions, than the jobseeker's allowance. I presume the nine-month period has elapsed and now he is on jobseeker's allowance. Exceptional needs payments are available if any particular issues arise but again, I do not have the background to the case....