Results 461-480 of 50,683 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: You can smile all you like but we need to be real with people here. It seems to me that what the Opposition really wants is for us to stay static in policy terms so that we end up not actually making the step change that is required on housing.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: Parallel with sustained investment from the public purse, the Exchequer, we will need a significant increase in private sector investment. We need to be in line with the Housing Commission and we will see what the review brings forward but we most certainly need to create a secure investment landscape for investment in housing into the future on the private side to supplement the record...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Church-State Relations (21 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 3 together. There is a Structured Dialogue Process in place to facilitate engagement between government and those who lead our churches, faith communities and non-confessional bodies in line with Article 17 of the Treaty of Lisbon. Engagement under this Process may take the form of plenary or bilateral engagement between government and the...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (21 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: I attended the funeral of His Holiness Pope Francis at St Peter’s Square on Saturday, 26 April as part of the Irish Delegation led by President Higgins. It was an honour to represent the Government and the people of Ireland at the funeral and to reflect on and appreciate the remarkable achievements of the life of Pope Francis. Pope Francis had a deep commitment to service. He was...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Consultations (21 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: A disability unit is being established in Department of the Taoiseach. The unit is supporting the work of the Cabinet Committee on Disability. It is also supporting the work of the Minister for Children, Disability, and Equality and other Ministers in driving cross-government, inter-agency and inter-disciplinary working and collaboration to improve the lives of people with disabilities and...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: It does not work the same way.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: I thank all the Deputies who contributed. I congratulate Deputy Cleere and join him in his comments on the camogie teams from Kilkenny and Carlow. I note his heartfelt concern about Cork's defeat on Sunday and the sincerity of how he expressed it. The season is young yet. There is a theme all around the House of the need to deploy as many gardaí as possible in rural Ireland as well...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: One often wonders whether local solutions in terms of accommodation could have been resolved. I do not know but I will talk to the Minister for education about the school and what the issue is there. Is it school transport we are primarily talking about here?

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: They have been hit twice in that respect, both in not getting a place in the first place and then not getting transport. I hear Deputy Cahill loud and clear in terms of the need to accelerate the regeneration schemes in a variety of villages in Kerry. I think he referred to Killorglin and Dingle, and there are many more. I want to say publicly that I note his recent correspondence to me...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 to 30, inclusive, together. The Government has established Cabinet committees across a range of policy areas: economy, trade and competitiveness; housing; infrastructure; climate action and energy; disability; health; EU and international affairs; justice, migration and social affairs; water quality; Northern Ireland; and children and education. Issues...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Ukraine War (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: I again thank all the Deputies who contributed. Deputy Bacik spoke about the European Union membership of Ukraine. We were one of the steadfast early supporters of Ukraine's membership of the European Union, believing it would end a vacuum geopolitically, create its own implicit security for Ukraine and also enable it to be a full participant in the economic benefits and basic liberties...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Ukraine War (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: It is not.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Ukraine War (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: For people who live in Estonia, Poland, Lithuania or Latvia, the daily fear and number one overriding consideration is whether they continue to exist as a sovereign country, and how they protect their territorial integrity, because of what history has taught them, what they have experienced historically and what they fear. The Deputy cannot tell them what they should be afraid of, no more...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: It is not, really. It is also sending a signal that we have asylum laws for people who genuinely need asylum, not for everyone who comes in. A lot of economic migrants come in who should be applying for work permits. That is the point. Deputy Lawless followed up on the costs ballooning. We have obligations. There has been a significant inflationary cycle but we are reducing the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: Apologies. Deputy Connolly raised the issue of local area disadvantage. I accept his point that health figures are not as good, by definition, in areas of disadvantage. It is extremely important, both on the education and health fronts. In education, we have a successful DEIS programme. We are now looking at DEIS plus. The Minister was at the Cabinet today signalling a move to DEIS plus...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Ukraine War (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take questions Nos. 13 to 19, inclusive, together. On Thursday, 27 February I met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Shannon Airport during a scheduled stopover on his way to Washington. We had a warm and substantial meeting. We discussed the most recent developments with regard to the situation in Ukraine. I reiterated Ireland's steadfast support for Ukraine and its...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputies for their contributions. Deputy Brabazon has consistently raised in the House the issue of how the regulations are currently operating in respect of e-scooters and scrambler bikes. He referenced how some of these new vehicles are being utilised as part of criminal enterprises, particularly the utilisation of young minors in the distribution of drugs. This is a very...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: I understand the issues the Deputy and her colleagues have raised in respect of it. It was a shocking situation overall. Deputy Smith raised the issue of reconfiguration of Garda districts. I will talk to the Minister for Justice in respect of the point about the unique policing demands of Border areas requiring specific resourcing. Deputy Ó Murchú supported that. As for...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 12, inclusive, together. The Cabinet Committee on Justice, Migration and Social Affairs will oversee the implementation of programme for Government commitments that regard matters under these headings. It was established in February 2025 following the appointment of the new Government in January. The Cabinet Committee on Justice, Migration and...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 May 2025)

Micheál Martin: Part of me would say these agencies, the Garda and so on need to get this sorted out. The Government cannot be intervening left, right and centre in every organisation it establishes that has statutory duties and functions. We need to create a culture in this regard. I fully appreciate the Deputy raising this issue and I will talk to both Ministers in respect of this issue. These...