Results 44,101-44,120 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Dec 2023)
Micheál Martin: Again, Deputy Ó Broin does not want the truth to be told in the House. I am being heckled again.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Dec 2023)
Micheál Martin: It happens here, week in and week out. When we want to put a few facts on the agenda, Deputies Ó Broin and Doherty seek to intervene.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Dec 2023)
Micheál Martin: The bottom line is that there is a pipeline of over 23,600 social homes at either the on-site stage or the design-and-tender stage. The funding is in place-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Dec 2023)
Micheál Martin: -----to deliver over 11,600 social homes in 2024. Thirty thousand five hundred homes have been added to the social housing stock-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Dec 2023)
Micheál Martin: I am answering the question but the Deputy does not like the answer-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Dec 2023)
Micheál Martin: -----including over 19,500 new builds.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Dec 2023)
Micheál Martin: I will finally say-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Dec 2023)
Micheál Martin: Let me quote, if I may-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Dec 2023)
Micheál Martin: The latest report from EUROCONSTRUCT, which is an independent construction market forecast, notes that construction output in Ireland is forecast to grow at the strongest rate among 19 European countries, expanding by 3.2% this year and 4.4% in 2024.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)
Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising two issues, namely, the constitutional amendments and the review of the operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018. She consistently endeavours to characterise the Government's position as one of patronising women. She is entitled to her perspectives but so are people on the Government side of the House. I do not believe her...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)
Micheál Martin: As I said and as the Deputy confirmed, this was sent to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and that committee has now completed its report. If we did not send it to the committee, I would respectfully suggest that the Deputy would be standing here this morning asking why it was not referred to the committee and why the committee should not deal with it. We have to follow up on that...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)
Micheál Martin: -----including the review but we cannot dismiss the fact that we put certain arguments before the people at a given time not so long and people voted on the basis of those arguments. That was the Taoiseach's point and it is a valid point. That said, the review was also contained within the Act. We have had the review and we will act on it. The Government will give that active...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)
Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. It reflects the hardworking nature of the Deputy in terms of the cases that come to him via his constituency office and the people he meets on a regular basis and I respect that. More generally, I would make the point that there has been record investment in health since this Government came into office. This has focused a lot on reducing costs...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)
Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising those issues. Since 2015, medical cards are awarded without the need for a financial assessment to children under 18 years of age with a diagnosis of cancer. More broadly, the Government took a position whereby if there was a terminal prognosis of 24 months, the Government would facilitate the granting of a medical card. In other words, eligibility does not...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)
Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising multiple issues under the overall umbrella of farming and agriculture. The fundamental objective of the Government is to protect farm family incomes. The most effective mechanism to do that is through the Common Agricultural Policy. We negotiated a Common Agricultural Policy for the period 2023-27, with a strong focus on supporting family farms regardless of...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)
Micheál Martin: He said "senior politicians".
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)
Micheál Martin: I know he was not there but I was there. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan facilitated it.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)
Micheál Martin: Actually, it was a very constructive meeting. We went to see how farmers in the Timoleague-Kilbrittain area were dealing with a research project with Teagasc in respect of water quality. We spent a good three hours there. It was informative and insightful.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)
Micheál Martin: The bottom line in the discussion afterwards was about how we avoid losing the derogation or going below 220 kg. There was much realism at that meeting. Many people realised the reality of the situation. It was critical that, nationally, we take every effort, working with the farming community, to make sure we do not go below the 220 kg limit and that we retain that at the time of the next...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)
Micheál Martin: The Deputy raised a multiplicity of issues. The farm organisations are being invited to meet the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Finance to discuss the VAT issue next week. The Department works with the farming organisations and farmers on these issues.