Results 32,761-32,780 of 50,830 for speaker:Micheál Martin
- Order of Business (11 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: We are not going to waste our time this week.
- 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.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: The report on sustaining small schools has been buried. We cannot hear about it either until after the local elections. The democratic revolution has not happened. Will the Minister of State embrace the kind of change that the Government promised before the election, one that would radically reform how politics works in Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann? He did not answer my...
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: The Minister of State said, "Cabinet".
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: The Minister of State said, "Cabinet".