Results 18,021-18,040 of 50,830 for speaker:Micheál Martin
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: I put it to the Minister of State that there is a constitutional framework which governs access to Cabinet papers. From my understanding, nobody has the right or entitlement under the law to access the Cabinet meetings, be they the agenda or minutes, of previous Governments unless it is within the law. In others, it is a 12 year or 30 year rule. Has the Minister of State been poring over...
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: I did not think I was entitled to look at them.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: The Minister of State needs to clarify urgently in a statement what access he had to the Cabinet meetings of previous Governments. I put it to him that, of course, there has been rolling Dáil reform. It includes the ending of the dual mandate between local government and the Dáil. The bringing in of Leaders' Questions was an initiative of a previous Government. Initiatives like...
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: I am not.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: With all due respect, I did not mention the Ceann Comhairle at all. This is something that has been floating in the public domain for about ten years.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: The Ceann Comhairle should not have clarified it. He is too touchy.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: Fine. I accept that. An argument has been put forward in the public domain to which I now subscribe and have included in my party's policy, which we submitted to the Government, to the effect that, in future, it would be good for the Parliament if it elected the Ceann Comhairle by secret ballot. People might disagree with that view, but it is a legitimate suggestion for parliamentary...
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: A democratic revolution was promised, but the Government's behaviour in the past three years has not matched that. If one does not accept the diktat of Government, one does not serve as a parliamentarian in any real shape or form.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: This is the message that the Government has given time and again to anyone who stands out from the herd. If we really want to change politics, this must change.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: Through the Chair, I want to make the point that I never pursued the guillotine in respect of any legislation that I tabled. I was in the Departments of education, health and enterprise.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: I am sorry, but I did not pursue the guillotine. In fact-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: I can say that now-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: -----and ask anyone to challenge it. I always got the agreement of Opposition spokespersons, I engaged in the Parliament with them-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: -----and I was known for accepting amendments from the Opposition to a range of Bills.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: The only reason the Social Welfare Bill was guillotined under this Government was the fact that there were too many draconian cuts and broken promises on, for example, child benefit.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: That is why it was guillotined.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: Regarding the Order Paper and so on, the Minister of State claims that the Government must propose to change them. Consider what happened last week.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: I am putting the question. Consider what happened last week. In fairness, the Minister of State was never a great fan of the North Korean way of doing things. Maybe the Tánaiste was in his student days. Last week was extraordinary. Everyone was invited to sing the praises of our dear leader. We all had to genuflect and say, "How great thou art".
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: Not only that, but we will do it again this week.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: It was meant to be about Government priorities, but what did we find out about those? We cannot be told about water charges until after the elections. We cannot be told about universal health insurance until after the elections. We cannot be told about HSE funding of universities until after the elections. That report is buried.