Results 381-400 of 49,960 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: I remember when former Deputy Mick Barry, Deputy Murphy's colleague, was first elected to the House he said on his first day that there is a saying in France to the effect that you must bring the politics of the street into the Parliament. That has always been Deputy Murphy's view.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: Exactly. He does not agree with parliamentary institutions.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: It is no surprise to me that he would threaten more mayhem and chaos next week because that is what he does. In terms of the Order of Business, we have had a charade for quite a long time whereby the Business Committee meets for a lengthy period-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: -----and an Order of Business is allegedly agreed. We then come in here, and people stand up and sit down and say they do not agree the Order of Business. Sometimes we lose ten or 15 minutes when other Deputies could have the opportunity to raise issues specific to their constituencies or that they are concerned about.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: No. We are allowing Deputies to have a greater say and not to be dominated by yourself and others, who tend to dominate and take ten minutes of other people's time every time they oppose, sometimes for superficial reasons-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: In respect of Leaders' Questions, no party here is in any way losing anything.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: Some parties have gained more and will have more time on Leaders' Questions. I would favour Friday sittings for legislation because I do not think Government time is enough in terms of-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: -----getting legislation through. We are a legislative Chamber; not just a debating Chamber. If the Dáil wants to sit longer, I have no issue with that at all.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: I agree with the Deputy. This needs to be urgently reviewed. I will ask the Minister involved to do that. Chronological age does not determine a person's health and fitness, in particular in a modern era where, thankfully, the population is living longer and lifespan is increasing. There are huge issues around having enough drivers for school transport. Our systems need to be far more...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: The Government is very supportive of the motorway. I understand it has gone through the various planning stages. There will be a further review of the national development plan and I expect the project will be included in that. As the Deputy knows, the project has gone through route selection and so forth. It is something that people eagerly await. We have seen the transformative...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I know he perhaps did not want to identify the plight of a young boy. I will certainly speak to the Minister for Health to see what we can do. I understand there should be a CAMHS-ID team available. I will follow up on the matter and see what we can do to help.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: I agree with what the Deputy said regarding how the Ceann Comhairle was treated yesterday. We have invested significantly in national roads funding. I take on board what the Deputy said. As I say, the national development plan gives us an opportunity to review and refresh these proposals. We have invested heavily in the national road network but, obviously, we need to do more. The...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: Yes, and Deputy Lowry. I will just make the point that the only name that comes from you is Deputy Lowry, not the others. There is a problem there.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: We need as a Dáil to respect the mandate of every Deputy in this House.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: What I have witnessed over the last while is a very deliberate attempt to undermine the rights of certain Independents.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: There are other Independents, by the way. Other Independents need to be facilitated as well, in my view. That was part of what was meant to be in the facilitation of non-aligned TDs. By the way, many Opposition TDs come to meet me on different issues or they will raise issues with me. I will always try to respond, as do Ministers.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: We have always had that tradition in the House where we try to respond to issues that people will raise with us. I respect the mandate. People are elected here. Again I come back to this. The most fundamental obligation after a general election is to form a Government. I take that seriously, along with the Tánaiste.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: The Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael parties were short the requisite majority to form a Government that could last four to five years. That is the genesis of this in terms of the Regional Independents Group wanting to co-operate----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy has made it very clear from the outset and set the precedent on day one of this Dáil. Total disruption, total opposition. She said before the Dáil even convened that there would be total opposition. In the Sinn Féin tradition, I know what that means.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: I know what that means. You have form in this. I say to the Deputy that she showed a complete lack of respect yesterday for the Ceann Comhairle, her party did and she did, in terms of the behaviour in the House. It is going to be very difficult for any Ceann Comhairle in future Dáileanna. The next Dáil will have the same problem because you have now created a new precedent. I...