Results 12,001-12,020 of 50,453 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Mahon Tribunal Report: Statements (27 Mar 2012)

Micheál Martin: I welcome the final report of the Mahon tribunal. I supported its establishment in 1997 and I believe it has carried out important and valuable work and has been of significant public service. I have accepted the findings of every tribunal of inquiry which has reported during my membership of this House. I also accept the findings of Judge Mahon and his colleagues. This is a very...

Mahon Tribunal Report: Statements (27 Mar 2012)

Micheál Martin: In over 3,200 pages there is no mention of Deputy O'Dea and the only mention of former Deputy Roche is his signature on revised terms of reference. I do not accept that Ministers had no right to criticise the workings of the tribunal. There is a difference between legitimate criticism and trying to collapse it. It was not a Minister but a judge of the Supreme Court who used words like...

Mahon Tribunal Report: Statements (27 Mar 2012)

Micheál Martin: -----but it is an outrage that journalists and commentators should be targeted for being forthright in talking about the findings of Mr. Justice Moriarty. If we are now entering a new era in this country where the standards and level of scrutiny being applied to public affairs depends on how a story aligns with the interests of media owners we are actually going backwards. The Mahon report...

Mahon Tribunal Report: Statements (27 Mar 2012)

Micheál Martin: Gabh mo leithscéal.

Written Answers — Hospital Waiting Lists: Hospital Waiting Lists (27 Mar 2012)

Micheál Martin: Question 34: To ask the Minister for Health the number of day case patient and elective inpatients on waiting lists at the end of 2010; if he will provide the same figure for the end of 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16477/12]

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (27 Mar 2012)

Micheál Martin: Question 78: To ask the Taoiseach his plans to bring up the ongoing issue of the sensitive materials deposited in Boston College, that have been ordered by a US District Court to be handed over to the PSNI for criminal investigations, with President Obama during the annual St.Patrick's Day visit to the USA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16397/12]

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (27 Mar 2012)

Micheál Martin: Question 79: To ask the Taoiseach if he has previously brought up the ongoing issue of the sensitive materials deposited in Boston College, that have been ordered by a US District Court to be handed over to the PSNI for criminal investigations, with the US Department of State or in correspondence with US authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16398/12]

Written Answers — Hospitals Building Programme: Hospitals Building Programme (27 Mar 2012)

Micheál Martin: Question 586: To ask the Minister for Health if he will make a statement on the need for a National Paediatric Hospital. [12273/12]

Leaders' Questions (28 Mar 2012)

Micheál Martin: The former Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, John Gormley, established an independent review into the planning practices in a number of local authorities and had undertaken considerable work to ensure these would be completed.

Leaders' Questions (28 Mar 2012)

Micheál Martin: I will come to that. Why are the Minister, Deputy Phil Hogan, the Minister of State, Deputy Alan Kelly, and the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, misleading the public by suggesting that the former Minister, Mr. Gormley, had done nothing to progress his independent reviews of planning practices in a number of local authorities? It is more than one year since he took office. Why is there...

Leaders' Questions (28 Mar 2012)

Micheál Martin: He had an extensive dossier prepared by planning officials in the Department following an internal review of complaints made from 2007 to 2009. He had a series of reports from the managers in each of the local authorities submitted in response to a formal request from the Minister using his statutory powers under the planning and development Acts. He had terms of reference for a panel of...

Leaders' Questions (28 Mar 2012)

Micheál Martin: Given the debate going on in the House this week everyone seems to be agreed that the planning process has to be above reproach. There are significant reasons the former Minister, Mr. Gormley, proceeded with these inquiries.

Leaders' Questions (28 Mar 2012)

Micheál Martin: Frankly, questions need to be answered about why an independent review was suppressed by the incoming Government. It is a serious issue that demands a serious response from the Government.

Leaders' Questions (28 Mar 2012)

Micheál Martin: Why were the independent reviews established by Mr. Gormley suppressed?

Leaders' Questions (28 Mar 2012)

Micheál Martin: That is completely disingenuous.

Leaders' Questions (28 Mar 2012)

Micheál Martin: It is important to point out that an internal review of these complaints has already been carried out.

Leaders' Questions (28 Mar 2012)

Micheál Martin: The answer given this morning is a complete whitewash. As far back as 2009 the spatial planning section of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government had carried out an internal review of planning practices in these counties. I illustrate this with the comments of the former Louth county manager, Mr. Quinlivan, who carried out an investigation into matters in Carlow.

Leaders' Questions (28 Mar 2012)

Micheál Martin: I am asking a question. This is a serious issue.

Leaders' Questions (28 Mar 2012)

Micheál Martin: He stated that effective planning enforcement to ensure legislation was observed "was not in place" in Carlow.

Leaders' Questions (28 Mar 2012)

Micheál Martin: It rendered the whole enforcement process questionable. Mr. Quinlivan recommended that "prolonged consultation with those who breached the planning system must not take place". Complaints were received from many people, including members of the public, the Ombudsman, An Taisce and many other reputable bodies, about planning practices in these counties in recent years.