Results 44,401-44,420 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: It is very cynical. It seems to be more about leverage electoral and political advantage for themselves than about an objective and rational assessment of how we proceed. In terms of intervention, the point is that we cannot intervene until we know the basis of the case. Our approach to this is exactly the same as our approach to Ukraine. Ukraine was refuting Russian allegations, which...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: Going back to the court case, states that consider they have a legal basis for intervention in the ICJ must seek the court's permission to intervene. This is typically done in all cases. Nothing new is happening here. It is typically done after the court has made any provisional measures orders. The court is now saying it will deliver that tomorrow. What are the provisional measures...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: I just answered it.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: If the Deputy is suggesting that somebody is doing this, maybe she should call it out, if there is validity to it. More generally, public representatives should be upfront and transparent in their communications. In my view, no public representative or political party should be creating a bot machine, or a whole series of approaches that facilitate trending and the creation of false news or...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: I am representing the Government this afternoon in respect of Government policy, by the way, not just the Fianna Fáil Party. Fianna Fáil has an ethical framework governing social media policy. If the Deputy had bothered to ask me as leader of the party, I would have provided-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: -----her with that. We have a disciplinary process as well if anyone violates that policy or undermines people in an untoward and unacceptable way. I hope all parties have.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: It is an evolving situation. Does the Deputy have a specific example? She has laced her contribution with innuendo, which is difficult to reply to. I do not know the specifics of what she is talking about.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: I have no idea about what she is alleging and who she is alleging it against.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy just thrown something out there into the ether, which is not a very honest way of doing things. If she has a problem with a particular person, say it to me. Say it to the Fianna Fáil Party. We have commented on other tweets about situations that we found unacceptable. That happens across all parties and individuals. There is a policy and a disciplinary process to deal with it.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for acknowledging that there has been an increase in house completions. The Central Statistics Office indicated today that 32,695 houses were completed in 2023. That is a 10% increase on 2022, which saw a 45% increase on 2021. The momentum on house building is in the right direction. Without question, Covid held us back. Over 100,000 houses will have been built since...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: I do not agree entirely that people cannot avail of the schemes. Quite a number are availing of them. I know people like those the Deputy just described who have been in a position to purchase homes. The situation is particularly acute in Dublin, which I acknowledge.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: It is possible in Clare for people in the areas the Deputy identified to purchase homes, particularly with the support of the help-to-buy scheme, the first home and various grant schemes and the local authority home loans that have been made available. It is improving. I know of people in exactly the categories the Deputy mentioned who have managed to purchase homes in the past year or two.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: That majority are double-income families. No question, and I acknowledge that. The Deputy makes a fair point in that regard. It is a combination of factors, but there has been huge take-up in respect of the help-to-buy scheme. The first home schemes is particularly geared towards trying to help people bridge the gap in the context of what a house costs, with the State providing equity to...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: That is an outrageous assertion. We established the council back then. I believe passionately in the idea of an independent fiscal advisory council. I respect the outcomes of the council's deliberations. That is democracy. Any suggestion that there is an attempt to undermine the council is outrageous, ill-founded and wrong. I looked at Sinn Féin's budget proposals. I recall...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: Sinn Féin wanted to bankroll the oil companies-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: -----and the gas companies, which would have had very difficult consequences for the Irish economy.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Minister for Finance will revert to the Deputy. Deputy Doherty is party's spokesperson on finance and can engage with the Minister.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: I have no doubt there will be a very prosaic explanation for what is going on.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: There was no missed opportunity last night. I have to say that no country has joined the ICJ case by South Africa because it has only asked for preliminary provisional measures. Typically, countries intervene after the country that has asked for preliminary measures submits a substantive case. As a legal person, the Deputy knows in her heart that no opportunity was missed last night. Can...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: People talk about a cross-party approach. A week ago, the all of those opposite got together with People Before Profit, which even this morning could not condemn the Hamas attack on October 7. Labour wants a cross-party approach yet it attacked us a week ago and called us cowardly, notwithstanding the fact that we are before the ICJ. The bona fides all around in the context of working on a...