Results 7,601-7,620 of 50,213 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)

Micheál Martin: I did not say that.

Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)

Micheál Martin: With the greatest of respect and as the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform pointed out, the Labour Party favoured increased public expenditure and less taxation.

Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)

Micheál Martin: Before the 2007 general election, the then leader of the Labour Party, Deputy Rabbitte - who was subsequently removed from that position - was first out of the traps in the context of promising further tax reductions. We accept some culpability in respect of reducing the tax base, a matter to which both reports refer. However, the Labour Party wanted to reduce that base further and to...

Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)

Micheál Martin: The level of interruption is appalling.

Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)

Micheál Martin: Tax incentive schemes relating to property were not introduced today or yesterday. The first urban renewal schemes were, for example, introduced in the 1980s. The parties opposite are well acquainted with schemes because it was they who introduced them.

Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)

Micheál Martin: I accept that they were needed. Do the Deputies recall the seaside resorts scheme? That was quite a recent scheme that was pioneered by Deputies Kenny and Quinn. Earlier, Deputy Quinn referred to the horror in the midlands and section 23. Does the Deputy not recall the seaside resorts scheme?

Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)

Micheál Martin: What was pathetic about that scheme was that there was one for everybody in the audience. By audience, I refer to those who served in the Cabinet of the rainbow coalition.

Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)

Micheál Martin: Once one Minister in the Cabinet to which I refer was granted a seaside resort scheme, they all wanted one.

Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)

Micheál Martin: I invite the Deputies opposite to visit some of those seaside resorts-----

Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)

Micheál Martin: -----in order to witness the appalling consequences of the scheme.

Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)

Micheál Martin: The Taoiseach, when he was Minister for Finance, was the first person to-----

Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)

Micheál Martin: ----take action in respect of tax reliefs. He was the first Minister for Finance to do so.

Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)

Micheál Martin: All of those opposite were lobbying for tax relief at the time.

Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)

Micheál Martin: Deputy P. J. Sheehan was lobbying for-----

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (15 Jun 2010)

Micheál Martin: I was very concerned to hear of the death in unexplained circumstances on 2 June in the Democratic Republic of the Congo of Mr Floribert Chebeya Bahizire, executive director of the organisation "La Voix des Sans Voix" (Voice of the Voiceless). The discovery two days later of the body of Mr Fidele Bazana Edadi, Mr Chebeya's colleague and driver, was reason for further concern. Mr Chebeya was a...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (15 Jun 2010)

Micheál Martin: Ireland and its E.U. partners have been seriously concerned about human rights violations in Iran for many years. In the past year, these concerns have been greatly increased by Iran's large-scale actions to repress dissent. These measures include executions, arrests and actions against free speech, such as closing newspapers, blocking websites and arresting contributors to websites of...

Written Answers — Emigrant Support Services: Emigrant Support Services (15 Jun 2010)

Micheál Martin: I am very much aware of the difficulties confronting undocumented Irish citizens in the United States and the distress which both they and their families in the US and Ireland experience arising from their situation. I would urge anybody who might be tempted in the current economic climate to follow in the footsteps of the undocumented to take account of the plight in which they now find...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (15 Jun 2010)

Micheál Martin: Colombia has witnessed the longest period of upheaval of any country in Latin America - over 50 years in all. The Colombian people have endured relentless suffering, reflected in the more than two million persons who have been internally displaced over the past number of years, a number second only to that of Sudan. The degree of lawlessness that arises from the absence of peace presents a...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (15 Jun 2010)

Micheál Martin: Together with its EU partners, Ireland attaches considerable importance to achieving stability in the Western Balkans. A significant factor in building this is the EU perspective of the countries in the region. The June 2003 European Council in Thessalonika agreed that the future of the countries of the Western Balkans was in the EU. The European Union's Stabilisation and Association...

Written Answers — Passport Offices: Passport Offices (16 Jun 2010)

Micheál Martin: As I indicated to the Deputy on 27 May last I have asked my officials to examine the feasibility of providing passport production equipment in other parts of the country. This could include the case for establishing a passport office service in the North West region. However, I do not expect that a decision in this regard will be made in the short term. The priority for the Passport Service...