Results 221-240 of 50,683 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: Ireland enjoys a deep and strong relationship with Canada, a country with which we share many values and are very often of like-mind. Increasingly that relationship has an economic focus. I offered Prime Minister Carney my congratulations on his election victory and said that I looked forward to cooperating with him and with his new Government in the period ahead. I have not had the...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committees (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 75, 76 and 77 together. The Cabinet Committee on Housing works to ensure a coordinated approach to the implementation of Programme for Government commitments regarding housing. The Programme for Government sets out our ambition to accelerate housing supply, building on progress already achieved, recognising housing as a major social and economic challenge....

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committees (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: The Government, on 18 February, established 12 Cabinet Committees as set out in the table below. The date of each Cabinet Committee meeting held to date is also listed. Cabinet Committee Dates of meetings Children and Education 1 May Climate Action, Environment and Energy 7 April Disability 24 Mar, 28...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: My attendance at the Munich Security Conference provided an important opportunity to discuss our many shared challenges and to set out our perspective on how best to manage them. I attended events with world leaders at the conference and had a number of bilateral meetings including with Maia Sandu, President of Moldova and Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. ...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: I met with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in Brussels on 8 May. We discussed a range of EU and international issues and I briefed President von der Leyen on the priorities of the Irish government. Our discussion included a focus on economic competitiveness and trade issues, and I expressed support for the measured approach the European Commission has...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: The Taoiseach spoke by phone with the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer on 13th May. The Taoiseach and Prime Minister reflected on the constructive bilateral discussions held between the Tánaiste, Minister O’Callaghan and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn at the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference in April on legacy issues relating to the Troubles....

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Staff (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: The Child Poverty and Well-Being Programme Office was established in Spring 2023 to prioritise action across government in areas that will have the greatest impact for children and families experiencing poverty. From Poverty to Potential: A Programme Plan for Child Poverty and Well-being 2023-2025 was published in August 2023 and is the initial Programme Plan for the Child Poverty and...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Programme for Government (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: As agreed by Government, the Department of the Taoiseach has convened an Interdepartmental Group (IDG) to examine the recommendations made by the Dublin City Taskforce. The IDG is currently finalising a Report which will be considered by Government shortly. Following this, further consideration will be given to how best the Taskforce approach could be deployed in other cities, towns and...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committees (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: The Cabinet Committee on Housing has met on three occasions under the current Government, on 31 March, 1 May and 5 June 2025 respectively. The membership of the Cabinet Committee on Housing is included below: Taoiseach Tánaiste, and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and for Defence Minister for Finance Minister for...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committees (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure has met on two occasions under the current Government, on 24 March and 28 April 2025 respectively. The membership of the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure is included below: Taoiseach Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and for Defence Minister for Finance Minister for...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy and appreciate the compliments he articulated in respect of the local authority being co-operative and proactive in terms of taking in charge unfinished estates. Where positive comments are made in respect of the performance of a local authority, that needs to be said, rather than just criticisms. I take the Deputy's point. We need to review the interaction between...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: Yesterday, Deputy Brendan Smith raised issues pertaining to the submission made by the Irish Wheelchair Association, and I responded to some aspects of that. Deputy Ward is focusing more on transport issues.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: The Minister for disability and equality brought forward proposals yesterday to transpose the EU directive on access, which is an important directive in respect of the access people with disabilities have to public transport in particular. That is something we are going to progress very quickly. There have been improvements. The Minister, Darragh O'Brien, has been working with Iarnród...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: I will speak to the relevant Minister and Minister of State about engaging with the local community. It is appalling that a thousand acres would be destroyed. I am not sure what the cause was, but destruction like this affects a variety of activities, including wildlife and biodiversity. I am aware there were also certain types of farming activity on that land. It shows the absolute...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: I will ask the Minister. I have been a supporter of the move of youth back into the Department of education and was involved in that in the programme for Government talks. When I was Minister for Education and Science, youth affairs was part of the Department. The VECs, in particular, did very good work with various youth organisations. I would like to see the ETBs continue that sort of...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: I appreciate the Deputy's persistent focus on this issue and his advocacy for emergency care in the mid-west. I do not have the details yet in terms of the timeline of the HIQA report, but I will talk to the Minister and alert her to the fact that the Deputy has raised this issue. I will say in passing that it is extremely important that we continue to develop the first responder capacity...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: I thank Deputy McCarthy for raising the issue of Shanagarry, which is famed for its pottery and so on. I will raise the issue with Uisce Éireann. There is a town and villages scheme, as the Deputy knows, that had limitations regarding funding. There is engagement, and a memorandum is being worked up, it is my understanding, by Irish Water in respect of local developers that are...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: I can recall two years ago when Sinn Féin was arguing and advocating very strongly that Government would do more to provide accommodation for those seeking asylum.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: That was Sinn Féin's position then and Government did respond to its advocacy and others', and the international law, in terms of procuring services. The Department of children had to procure services in an accelerated way. The cost of those services is expensive. There is no question about that. In fact, Government is legally vulnerable if it does not provide such services or such...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: I know now Sinn Féin has changed tack a bit and is moving in a different direction. I understand that. Politics is always supreme with it, but I-----