Results 20,341-20,360 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: It is a desire of Government to accelerate the roll-out of the national broadband plan and to encourage and facilitate remote working, for example, which I believe could be a big game changer over time in terms of both the quality of life for people but also enabling greater economic activity in rural Ireland. I have seen it at first hand with the Ludgate development in Skibbereen, for...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: To be fair all round, the pandemic unemployment payment was at the time, and all parties leaders were engaged in consultations with the then Government on it, an extraordinary intervention in terms of supporting people's livelihood and incomes.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I know that. There are limits to what the State can do in terms of expanding that payment or wider supports. The next phase will involve a targeting of resources to make sure we can get people back to work and create alternative employment opportunities for people who have been laid off. Obviously, we will be borrowing for quite some time, but there is an obligation on us all to make sure...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: My understanding is that work is under way regarding the regulations on public transport. The point the Deputy has made is a very fair one. In my view, masks have to be worn on public transport and should be worn more frequently in enclosed areas, particularly in shops. All of us have to get into the habit of wearing a mask in enclosed environments and on public transport in the interests...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: That is a fair point. In most nursing homes that I am aware of families are allowed to visit their loved ones, albeit in restricted time limits and circumstances. In regard to the specific case the Deputy referenced, my understanding is that HIQA has compiled a report regarding that individual case. The overall point the Deputy is making, however, is that people need an advocate or a...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for the points he has raised. That legislation will not be brought forward in this session, but we will see how soon we can bring it in. I will check that with the Minister for Justice and Equality. The more general point the Deputy has made is apt given the role gardaí played in the implementation of the various legislative measures around Covid-19. It has to be...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. I will certainly do what I can to find out what is going on with those 12 children, particularly the 17 year old young woman referred to by her. I remember the campaign and the major commitment made by the families involved. There is an ongoing issue with orphan drugs, or drugs that are developed for what are classed as small populations in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: Every day matters to the people concerned and I will certainly do that. I appreciate the Deputy raising the matter.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I welcome the conversion of the Deputy and the Sinn Féin Party to affordable housing, especially as, during the lifetime of the previous Dáil, Sinn Féin voted against a Fianna Fáil motion on affordable housing. The programme for Government-----

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I have the floor for just a minute. I know the Ceann Comhairle is very anxious that I do not overstay my time in responding to this question. The key point is that the programme for Government is very comprehensive on the matter of affordable housing.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: It is a core part of our policy to enable people to get to a position where they can afford houses. The State will be far more involved as a result of the programme for Government in providing the wherewithal, either through the local authorities or the Land Development Agency, to provide affordable housing. It is something to which we are very committed. There are a number of schemes outlined.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Deputies can take it that the new Minister will pursue this with great energy.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: The European Banking Authority has clarified the matter of application of interest in cases of payment breaks that people have received from banks. It is worth pointing out that approximately 140,000 payment breaks have been issued in respect of approximately 78,000 mortgages. These are popular initiatives and many people have availed of them and found them very helpful. The Minister for...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising what is a serious issue, namely, mental health services in general, but specifically mental health services in Clonmel and the rest of Tipperary. There are two dimensions to mental health services. One is obviously physical facilities. I refer to acute capacity — in other words, acute beds — in particular facilities. The south east in general,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: First, I do have the will to deal with this issue. Second, as I said, the Minister of State will work with the Deputy on this. Every region needs acute capacity but the Deputy should not underestimate the importance of strong community-based mental health services. In my view, a continuum is needed. The better and the stronger the community health presence, the less the need for acute...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I think the Deputy was very disingenuous and dishonest in her presentation. I was not in government in 2015 and I have not been in government over the past number of years. We have been in government for one week. That is the reality, unlike the great political untruth and mantra that the Deputy and her party have been peddling for quite some time. It is disingenuous and it does a...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: It is in the programme for Government that there is a commitment to legislating-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: -----in respect of the separation of property from trading entities that is being used. The Tánaiste and Minister will be examining that legislation. That will happen but it is not going to deal with the Debenhams workers' plight, and the Deputy knows that.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: It is important that when we are dealing with workers who have gone through a traumatic situation, it is not to try to raise expectations unrealistically and blame everybody else when it is the company that is fundamentally at fault in its behaviour towards the workers.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: It was not the previous Government's fault and it is not this Government's fault, but what the Government certainly can do is look at the legislation in dealing with it.