Results 13,701-13,720 of 50,453 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Freedom of Information Legislation (23 Oct 2012)

Micheál Martin: I was told I could not address that point because it was out of order.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Freedom of Information Legislation (23 Oct 2012)

Micheál Martin: On a point of order, I mentioned this issue and was told it was out of order. The Taoiseach can do what he likes.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Freedom of Information Legislation (23 Oct 2012)

Micheál Martin: I have already put it on the public record.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Freedom of Information Legislation (23 Oct 2012)

Micheál Martin: That was a very relevant answer.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Northern Ireland Issues (23 Oct 2012)

Micheál Martin: To ask the Taoiseach his views on the progress that has been made in relation to the implementation of the St. Andrews Agreement; the aspects of the agreement in which he is not satisfied with the rate of implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41258/12]

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Northern Ireland Issues (23 Oct 2012)

Micheál Martin: To ask the Taoiseach when the next North South Ministerial meeting will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44246/12]

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Northern Ireland Issues (23 Oct 2012)

Micheál Martin: It is fair to say that the basic infrastructure put in place under the Belfast Agreement means that meetings, committees and engagements keep going on no matter what. It is also fair to say that very little progress can be achieved if all sides are simply going through the motions. That is sometimes the sense one gets as one observes the situation. That is what we are getting from the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Northern Ireland Issues (23 Oct 2012)

Micheál Martin: I am somewhat concerned. First, I see nothing new in what the Taoiseach has just said, so my basic criticism remains that nothing new is being added to the narrative in terms of progressing the St. Andrews Agreement and the North-South issues. I am concerned that, despite the fact that the St. Andrews Agreement provides for a case to be made for additional bodies, the Taoiseach does not...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Northern Ireland Issues (23 Oct 2012)

Micheál Martin: He said he was not going to set off to appoint a plethora of new bodies. It was announced that the position of the Irish Government was that there should be a replacement for the Lights Agency and also that it would seek areas in which we could appoint new bodies. To make a suggestion, one obvious area is the food sector. There is food safety, but we could broaden that out. Food is an...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Northern Ireland Issues (23 Oct 2012)

Micheál Martin: There are other areas in which bodies could be useful if people would get over their political problems in facilitating them. The Irish language Bill is also a requirement of the St. Andrews Agreement. I am somewhat concerned by the Taoiseach's statement that he is not aware of the difficulties. He has been in office for 18 months and should be aware of some of the difficulties.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Northern Ireland Issues (23 Oct 2012)

Micheál Martin: Sorry, 21 months.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Northern Ireland Issues (23 Oct 2012)

Micheál Martin: I ask the Taoiseach to get on his bike and start promoting the actual agreement the two sovereign Governments-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Northern Ireland Issues (23 Oct 2012)

Micheál Martin: These are issues the sovereign Governments have agreed on with the parties. People signed off on these issues at St. Andrews, so they are not optional extras. The other key point is that we need far more in terms of anti-sectarian initiatives and the building of cross-community relationships. I ask the Taoiseach, even from the limited budget available, to add something in order to give...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Northern Ireland Issues (23 Oct 2012)

Micheál Martin: -----then we are storing up problems for ourselves in terms of the future of the island. That is my main outstanding concern. Having been a Minister for Foreign Affairs, with experience of where some of the support for certain groups comes from, I believe we need to do an awful lot more to ensure the Good Friday Agreement has a social and economic dividend. It was never meant to be just...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Northern Ireland Issues (23 Oct 2012)

Micheál Martin: Especially Deputy Adams.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Northern Ireland Issues (23 Oct 2012)

Micheál Martin: That is not true.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Northern Ireland Issues (23 Oct 2012)

Micheál Martin: The photo-ops take up the vast majority of his time. The PR companies are in full flight.

Order of Business (23 Oct 2012)

Micheál Martin: In the context of the Freedom of Information Act, will the Taoiseach and the Minister of State, Deputy Alex White, who is sitting beside him, take urgent steps to release the documentation on the selection of primary care centres? We have now been told, following a request for information under freedom of information legislation, that it will be a further four weeks before we get the...

Order of Business (23 Oct 2012)

Micheál Martin: -----that the Government had no objection to the release of all the documentation pertaining to the decision. I am at a loss as to why the information cannot be laid before the Oireachtas Library and why Deputies and Senators cannot get access to it and make of it what they wish. We should at least have access to the information. It is bringing the House into disrepute that we cannot get...

Order of Business (23 Oct 2012)

Micheál Martin: What is the status of the Freedom of Information Act? It needs urgent review, in particular in the context of making sure that information on policy decisions are made available as quickly as possible. Will the Taoiseach also indicate when the Credit Reporting Bill, which is legislation necessary to establish a credit register to inform lending decisions and improve insolvency procedures,...