Results 44,661-44,680 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: There was a further review of previous reports. I am not sure the 2017 report is as clear as the Deputy has outlined in terms of undergrounding. EirGrid has been consistent in saying undergrounding is not feasible. We did ask for a review of that and we secured it from the Minister. We looked at what happens internationally, as well as the specifics of this case. The review has since...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: I am not sure what proposals will work.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy has been a consistent advocate in this area. The Revenue is engaged in an awareness programme around people's entitlements and what they can claim. I will certainly talk to various Ministers to see whether it is worthwhile putting a cross-departmental-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: What happens sometimes is that there can be an overestimation of what Departments might think would be the expenditure of a given programme. For example, we would argue that the expenditure for rent relief may have been overestimated. On another level, there is a lower take-up, although there might be other reasons for this situation. I take the Deputy's point that we must examine it. The...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: Perhaps the one Department that might want to sit on it, but we might think about it, would be the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. I am not so sure it would be so enthusiastic about the idea that we would encourage people to take up all their expenditure entitlements.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: As I said earlier, there has been a significant increase in the number of special classes and seven new special schools have been formed in recent years. I do not have the background to the specific individual cases the Deputy referred to. The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, is there. I ask the Deputy to engage with the Minister and bring to her attention the specific area...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: I think we have legislated for this in terms of more proactive undertakings. In many instances, it is about NCSE approval, planning, etc., in conjunction with the Department. Our objective is that every child needing a place will get a place. This means, then, that we must plan for this provision and ensure it happens, and this is what we have been doing over the last two to three years....

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: That is what I mean. There can be an area-based response if there is a problem in the area.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: What did the Department say?

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 160, 164 and 165 together. I very much welcome the decision by the International Court of Justice to order provisional measures in the South Africa v Israel case last week. In particular, the Court’s order to Israel to ensure its military does not commit actions prohibited under the Genocide Convention - and takes immediate and effective measures...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Funding (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: I understand that the document referred to in the article provided by the Deputy is an internal document produced by the Council Secretariat under its own responsibility. I further understand that this is a factual account of the Hungarian economy and does not reflect the status of the ongoing negotiations. The document note does not outline any specific plan relating to the Multiannual...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: I can assure the Deputy that officials in my Department have been in regular contact with the Irish citizen in this case and are continuing to provide consular assistance and guidance. I have met personally with the citizen concerned and provided clear advice. I can appreciate that the circumstances of this case are difficult for all concerned. The Embassy of Ireland has engaged with the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: I am pleased to confirm that, following Government approval on 7 September 2022, Ireland will open a resident Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan this year. The decision to open a mission in Pakistan is part of the Government’s Global Ireland strategy, which seeks a doubling of Ireland’s global footprint and influence, including through an expanded and strengthened diplomatic...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: Ireland was among the first countries to call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and this remains a central focus of my continuing engagement, in addition to calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, and a massive scale up in humanitarian assistance, through full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access. I will continue to use all the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: In December 2022, the military authorities advised that their induction training capacity for 2023 would be 880. 415 personnel were inducted in 2023 comprised of 350 enlisted personnel, 63 cadets and 2 officers. There continues to be a strong pipeline of interest in joining the Defence Forces with some 9,479 applications received in 2023. At a recruitment briefing in December 2023,...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: Normally there would be defence personnel on standby to aid the civil power, but anyway.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Chair and members. I welcome this opportunity to engage with the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence to consider the 2024 Revised Estimates for the defence Vote group. I have a short opening statement that sets out the overall position and updates members on some recent developments in the defence sector. Last September, the Strategic Framework - Transformation of...