Results 2,501-2,520 of 49,960 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: Sinn Féin opposed the carbon tax. The reality is the retrofit programme would not be possible at all. Sinn Féin needs to get its house in order in respect of a coherent plan.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: Yes, we want more to do with them, but you are not.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: There are ongoing challenges in agriculture, particularly because of climate, inclement weather and changing and uncertain weather patterns. It seems to me, from people to whom I have been talking recently, that there is a particular challenge on the tillage side. We will keep this under review.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Government has continually prioritised the homelessness issue. Government has provided increased funding, year after year, to many of the social housing providers and approved housing bodies, AHB, quite an extensive number of which receive very substantial funding. As I said in an earlier reply, our focus has been on prevention where we have had significant success-----.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: We are not sitting on the report. Everybody in the House should analyse the report, including the Social Democrats.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: No, in terms of the rental market. I am not sure that what it recommends would fit with the policy platform of the Deputy's party in terms of the rental market. We need to examine it and the Department is examining it. It is a substantial and comprehensive document which merits detailed examination. Some issues are being progressed but it merits detailed examination, as opposed to...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: They should be able to use the playgrounds.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: I will follow that up. As the Deputy said, the housing policy is that it be available to all.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: There should not be social segregation. It is abhorrent to our way of thinking and values as a society. There cannot be that segregation. I will talk to the Minister on enforcement of the policy.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for his generosity of spirit in texting me on Sunday congratulating the Cork hurling team on its success.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: Waterford hospital is one of the best-performing hospitals in the country. I pay tribute to all the staff who work there. We are committed to increasing investment in the hospital. In 2019, it had a budget of €201 million; in 2024, the budget is more than €290 million. That has grown by €89 million, which is a substantial investment.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: Staffing in the hospital has grown by 841, or 44%, since the end of December 2019, from 1,949 to 2,805.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: There are 47 more consultants, 100 additional non-consultant hospital doctors and 370 more nurses and midwives, as well as 123 additional health and social care professionals. It has dramatically increased.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: The people decided in the referendum and-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: The people decided in the referendum and governments and political parties of all persuasions must uphold the decision of the people in terms of legislating for what was decided in a constitutional referendum. That said, a range of measures have been provided for and funded. Free contraception up to the age of 35 is a significant measure and an enhancement of what went before. There have...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: The answer is it has not been about reducing cost because the older scheme in 2019 was far inferior and costs have gone up dramatically. As I said earlier, the provision for the costs is about €2.3 billion. I do not understand how anyone could say that amounts to reducing costs. We have increased the maximum grant available to €420,000. On top of that, recipients get the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: And also in terms of rental and so on like that.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: You settled for less.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: You settled for less in 2019.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Jul 2024)

Micheál Martin: Come on. The Government is reducing tax for workers. We are reducing income tax for workers and we reduced the universal social charge last year. The focus has been on reducing income tax to give people more disposable income and enable them to spend at their discretion. That has been the focus of the Government over the last four years. We have also reduced the cost of services in terms...