Results 50,201-50,220 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputies for their contributions. Deputy Brabazon has consistently raised in the House the issue of how the regulations are currently operating in respect of e-scooters and scrambler bikes. He referenced how some of these new vehicles are being utilised as part of criminal enterprises, particularly the utilisation of young minors in the distribution of drugs. This is a very...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: I understand the issues the Deputy and her colleagues have raised in respect of it. It was a shocking situation overall. Deputy Smith raised the issue of reconfiguration of Garda districts. I will talk to the Minister for Justice in respect of the point about the unique policing demands of Border areas requiring specific resourcing. Deputy Ó Murchú supported that. As for...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: It is not, really. It is also sending a signal that we have asylum laws for people who genuinely need asylum, not for everyone who comes in. A lot of economic migrants come in who should be applying for work permits. That is the point. Deputy Lawless followed up on the costs ballooning. We have obligations. There has been a significant inflationary cycle but we are reducing the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: Apologies. Deputy Connolly raised the issue of local area disadvantage. I accept his point that health figures are not as good, by definition, in areas of disadvantage. It is extremely important, both on the education and health fronts. In education, we have a successful DEIS programme. We are now looking at DEIS plus. The Minister was at the Cabinet today signalling a move to DEIS plus...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Ukraine War (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take questions Nos. 13 to 19, inclusive, together. On Thursday, 27 February I met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Shannon Airport during a scheduled stopover on his way to Washington. We had a warm and substantial meeting. We discussed the most recent developments with regard to the situation in Ukraine. I reiterated Ireland's steadfast support for Ukraine and its...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Ukraine War (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: I again thank all the Deputies who contributed. Deputy Bacik spoke about the European Union membership of Ukraine. We were one of the steadfast early supporters of Ukraine's membership of the European Union, believing it would end a vacuum geopolitically, create its own implicit security for Ukraine and also enable it to be a full participant in the economic benefits and basic liberties...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Ukraine War (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: It is not.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Ukraine War (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: For people who live in Estonia, Poland, Lithuania or Latvia, the daily fear and number one overriding consideration is whether they continue to exist as a sovereign country, and how they protect their territorial integrity, because of what history has taught them, what they have experienced historically and what they fear. The Deputy cannot tell them what they should be afraid of, no more...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 to 30, inclusive, together. The Government has established Cabinet committees across a range of policy areas: economy, trade and competitiveness; housing; infrastructure; climate action and energy; disability; health; EU and international affairs; justice, migration and social affairs; water quality; Northern Ireland; and children and education. Issues...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: I thank all the Deputies who contributed. I congratulate Deputy Cleere and join him in his comments on the camogie teams from Kilkenny and Carlow. I note his heartfelt concern about Cork's defeat on Sunday and the sincerity of how he expressed it. The season is young yet. There is a theme all around the House of the need to deploy as many gardaí as possible in rural Ireland as well...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: One often wonders whether local solutions in terms of accommodation could have been resolved. I do not know but I will talk to the Minister for education about the school and what the issue is there. Is it school transport we are primarily talking about here?

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: They have been hit twice in that respect, both in not getting a place in the first place and then not getting transport. I hear Deputy Cahill loud and clear in terms of the need to accelerate the regeneration schemes in a variety of villages in Kerry. I think he referred to Killorglin and Dingle, and there are many more. I want to say publicly that I note his recent correspondence to me...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: It does not work the same way.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cross-Border Co-operation (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: On 10 April, I announced the new phase of the Government’s Shared Island Initiative in a keynote address to the 4th Shared Island Forum. Our Programme for Government sets out an ambitious agenda for building a shared island, backed by a further €1 billion commitment to the Shared Island Fund out to 2035. On 25 February, the Government announced over €50 million from...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: National Security (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: The Programme for Government 2025, Securing Ireland's Future, sets out a number of commitments relating to our national security and defence, and work to give effect to these is already underway. The Government is committed to the delivery of a revised National Security Strategy and work is ongoing in drawing up the strategy, co-ordinated by the National Security Secretariat in my...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committees (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: The Cabinet Committee on Disability last met on 28th April and is due to meet again on the 5th of June.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Weather Events (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: The Department of the Taoiseach follows the guidance of the National Emergency Co-ordination Group in the case of a severe weather event. Depending on the severity of the weather event, employees of the Department may be advised to work from home for a period of time in the interests of their safety - in particular when it may be unsafe to travel during, and in the immediate aftermath of, a...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Anti-Racism Measures (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: In March 2023, Ireland published its National Action Plan against Racism (NAPAR), which was developed by an Anti-Racism Committee, that was fully independent of Government and Government Ministries. Ireland was of the opinion that a single comprehensive plan, considering all facets of racism, is the best approach in an Irish societal context, and this is reflected in our NAPAR. The NAPAR...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: The RTB rent index is the most reliable indicator for rent prices. It was published on 15 May and, according to the RTB, the standardised average rent for new tenancies rose nationally by 5.5% year-on-year to €1,680 in quarter 4 of 2024 while the rents for existing tenancies rose by 4.6% year-on-year to €1,440. These are high rents. We are under no illusions about that. Even...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: Look at it overall and look at the context. Across the European Union and many western economies, they are having this dilemma in the mismatch of housing demand and supply. In a European Union context, Ireland is probably doing more than most in increasing housing supply.