Results 38,661-38,680 of 50,916 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Official Engagements (1 May 2012)

Micheál Martin: Question 36: To ask the Taoiseach if he has had discussions recently with Chancellor Merkel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21309/12]

Official Engagements (1 May 2012)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Taoiseach for his reply, which dealt with Questions Nos. 5 to 38, inclusive, 34 in total. I do not believe this is a satisfactory way to proceed. If the old system whereby questions to the Taoiseach were taken twice a week, as was the case at the beginning of the lifetime of this Dáil, were still in operation, we would have had a better chance of dealing with some of the 34...

Official Engagements (1 May 2012)

Micheál Martin: I am not clear about this. Are we seeking an explicit write-down of the promissory note debt? Will the Taoiseach clarify our position on this? Regarding the growth agenda, I accept there is more talk around growth and development. I accept in election campaigns people will make comments. If the French socialist leader gets elected, the one aspect of the treaty he will not change is the...

Official Engagements (1 May 2012)

Micheál Martin: We should not pretend we are out of the eurozone crisis. Will the Taoiseach comment on that dimension? We are still in a relatively volatile and uncertain scenario. We need to identify clearly the concrete steps we can take to put the country on a more secure pathway rather than the alternative uncertain scenario in the event of the treaty not being passed.

Order of Business (1 May 2012)

Micheál Martin: As Deputy Gerry Adams said earlier, today is May Day and the beginning of summer. I know he has a habit of pulling the wool over people's eyes, but he was fooling people if he could describe this as the beginning of summer.

Order of Business (1 May 2012)

Micheál Martin: We are witnessing a severe variation in climate and, in the past decade or two, scientists and others have identified significant changes. It is my contention that the Government has not taken this agenda seriously enough and I do not get any sense of urgency or that there is an ongoing focus on the serious issues around climate change. When will the climate change Bill be published and...

Order of Business (1 May 2012)

Micheál Martin: It is a serious issue because it goes to the hear of the hypocrisy and double standards of certain parties on the issue of political funding.

Leaders' Questions (1 May 2012)

Micheál Martin: The Central Bank has calculated, on the basis of a range of models, that residential property is now undervalued by between 12% and 26%. In essence, it has indicated that houses people can afford are not moving. This is having a significant impact on the economy, particularly the domestic economy. What is particularly worrying is that banks appear to be doing their best to turn down loan...

Leaders' Questions (1 May 2012)

Micheál Martin: The Taoiseach's answer is very unsatisfactory. It lacks clarity and is somewhat confusing in its presentation. According to the Central Bank, the facts are we have 40% fewer first-time buyers receiving mortgages this year than last year. These are the facts. We cannot articulate that some auctioneer told us he was beginning to see some interest. Only 6,300 were able to secure mortgages...

Leaders' Questions (1 May 2012)

Micheál Martin: Nothing has happened on the issue of mortgage arrears. The issue of personal insolvency is still trundling its way through the legislative process. Nothing has happened in respect of loans to small and medium enterprises. This is stated in official reports at Irish and European level; it is not anecdotal evidence. Now the Central Bank states people with very good records cannot get loans...

Leaders' Questions (1 May 2012)

Micheál Martin: Clearly, they are not having the desired impact. Will the Government intervene in the context of the Central Bank's report, talk to the banks and ensure there is some activity? On rents, we are doing very well. Mortgage repayments would actually be lower than the rent being charged by landlords in some cases in the domestic market. The domestic economy requires intervention. This is a...

Leaders' Questions (1 May 2012)

Micheál Martin: I am talking about recapitalisation and what we were told would happen as a result of it.

Leaders' Questions (1 May 2012)

Micheál Martin: The reorienteering was in Croke Park

Leaders' Questions (1 May 2012)

Micheál Martin: The Taoiseach is following the Tánaiste, Deputy Eamon Gilmore, in terms of it being Frankfurt's way or Labour's way.

Educational Projects (1 May 2012)

Micheál Martin: Question 3: To ask the Taoiseach if he will detail any new initiatives under his Department relating to public engagement with European Union issues. [16232/12]

Educational Projects (1 May 2012)

Micheál Martin: Question 4: To ask the Taoiseach the reason he removed the link to www.eumatters.ie from his Departments web site; if this decision was discussed with him directly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21299/12]

Educational Projects (1 May 2012)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. It is incredible, if I heard correctly, that it has been adjudicated by the Government that modern languages should not be part of the primary school curriculum. It was I who, in 1998-99, as Minister for Education, introduced the pilot programme for modern languages to introduce Spanish, French, German and Italian to primary schools. Since then, over 450...

Educational Projects (1 May 2012)

Micheál Martin: Is it good enough that important pillars that we have put in place to provide broad information on Europe should be collapsed simply because of bureaucratic issues between the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Department of the Taoiseach, or can the Taoiseach clarity further why, in the current context, an important avenue of providing information was shut down?

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (26 Apr 2012)

Micheál Martin: Question 29: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of targets missed in the Action Plan for Jobs; if the targets have been reset; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20935/12]

Written Answers — Parliamentary Questions: Parliamentary Questions (26 Apr 2012)

Micheál Martin: Question 55: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of Parliamentary Questions transferred from his Department to other Departments in the past six months; the reasons they were transferred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21151/12]