Results 201-220 of 46,537 for speaker:Micheál Martin
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)
Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. When I was Minister for Education in 1998, I took a decision and brought a related memorandum to the Cabinet providing for the employment of SNAs for the first time in mainstream schools. It was a watershed decision and I can recall how dubious Department of Finance officials were about my protestations to the effect that the measure...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)
Micheál Martin: It is noticeable from his reply that the Deputy avoided any response to the fundamental problem-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)
Micheál Martin: Through the Chair.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)
Micheál Martin: There are 550 first-time buyers each week now buying their first home. Mortgage drawdowns by first-time buyers reached a new peak at almost 26,000 in 2023. That is the highest annual level since 2007.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)
Micheál Martin: Listening to the Deputy one would be forgiven for thinking that none of that is happening. What has been important in that is the expanded help-to-buy scheme of €30,000 to support home ownership.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)
Micheál Martin: More than 45,000 first-time buyers have benefited and the Deputy's party wants to take that support away from those who want to buy their first home.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)
Micheál Martin: The first home scheme and the shared equity scheme was opposed by the Deputy.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)
Micheál Martin: The Deputy also opposed the grants for the vacancies and so on. Housing supply is growing very significantly.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)
Micheál Martin: It is very interesting that as I endeavour to respond to the Deputy; I did not interrupt the Deputy once-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)
Micheál Martin: I have known from the Deputy that most people like a bit of melody, but with Deputy Pearse Doherty it is a cacophony all the way with shouting, roaring and noise as if the decibel levels reveals the Deputy's rightness-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)
Micheál Martin: This Government has actually been supporting workers and we have a very strong record on strengthening and introducing workers' rights. In January 2023, we introduced statutory sick pay entitlement for all workers, which provides a crucial safety net to protect workers who become ill. It again underscores our commitment to the welfare and well-being of our workforce. From 1 January this...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)
Micheál Martin: At dtús báire, ní aontaím leis an Teachta. Níl aon amhras orm ach go bhfuil an straitéis Housing for All i bhfad níos fearr ná aon rud atá foilsithe aige féin nó ag a pháirtí, Sinn Féin. Níl aon amhras dá mba rud é go raibh siad sa Rialtas, go mbeadh an scéal i bhfad níos measa agus go mbeadh...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)
Micheál Martin: Through the decades and generations of this country's history, Fianna Fáil built houses. In terms of what is happening right now, the commencement notices provide extraordinary figures for the first four months of this year. Some 18,000 new houses were commenced in April 2024. That is approximately 600% higher than last year and the highest in any month since the series began in 2014....
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)
Micheál Martin: We are trying to create sustainability through the future Ireland fund, which Sinn Féin Deputies voted against yesterday. In the infrastructure fund that is part of that, we want to build in capital reserves so we can keep building houses at a sustainable rate into the future. Deputy Doherty told Davy stockbrokers he would support the future Ireland fund, then voted against it in the...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)
Micheál Martin: What should the Irish people believe when it comes to Sinn Féin housing policy? Deputy Doherty talks about house prices increasing. I do not like house prices increasing at the rate they are doing.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)
Micheál Martin: The rate has come down, but not enough.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)
Micheál Martin: The key to it is supply. Sinn Féín said it would remove the help-to-buy scheme. He voted against the first home scheme and the capital refurbishment grants----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)
Micheál Martin: -----in terms of vacancy and dereliction. The net outcome of Sinn Féin policies would be a substantial and significant increase in house prices for first-time buyers. There are 450 per week now buying houses for the first time.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)
Micheál Martin: Sinn Féin policies would take away the supports we have put in place for first-time buyers that enable them to buy houses at unprecedented rates----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)
Micheál Martin: ------in the past number of years. The number of first-time buyers is increasing because of the Government's policies over the past four years-----