Results 4,881-4,900 of 49,960 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: The only point I would make in response to Deputy Tully is that it is important that the organisations in question and their employees get funded. They are not HSE organisations, which perhaps explains why the HSE is outsourcing it. There is a tendency for us to micromanage every agency in the country. The HSE is not every agency, and do not get me wrong on that, but we appoint boards and...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: -----for the efficiency and timeliness of their employees getting paid. I question whether we should micromanage every single decision that a CEO or board makes. The HSE has a board. That board’s members are appointed and they are accountable to the House eventually and they appear before the various committees. My comments are not targeted at Deputy Tully. There is just a general...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: I am not so sure about that. The Deputy should be careful what she wishes for. The agencies were created for various reasons. Sometimes, it was to give them greater autonomy to get things done. Perhaps the Deputy and I will speak again some time.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: First, I condemn unreservedly what happened. I do not think it is fair to say that if it happened in one club or another, there would be a different----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: It is not fair to say that if something happened outside one club as opposed to another-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: Will the Deputy let me finish? What happened is wrong, fundamentally on the part of those gathering. Second, there has been very significant sustained investment in Knocknaheeny and in the north side across housing, health and so on. There is a great community there.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: We need to promote what is a great community. I have been there a lot, as the Deputy knows. There are great schools there and great community endeavour and spirit. At various times in the history of the city, we have had different outbreaks at different times. The best way to get at it was through on-the-ground community interventions, at which the Garda has, historically, been very good....

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: I will talk to the Garda, get a report and get back to the Deputy.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: I am unsure. Is the Deputy saying she supports this but she wants to make sure services are in place?

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: Apologies. I will check out what the position is. There should, of course, be consultation and engagement between the local authorities and their representatives. I am not ware of the specific proposal to which the Deputy referred. We have built modular homes in different locations across the country and, by and large, it has gone fine. There has been no issue and it has worked out okay,...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: Every agency of the State should be cognisant and conscious of the need to align with overall Government policy on disability access. There may be operational issues in terms of adjusting every single bus in the fleet right now. I would have to check all that out. I do not want to make commitments in advance but I am very clear that there should be a legal and legislative framework...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: Boliden Tara is officially on board as a client company of Enterprise Ireland. The latter is liaising with the company on energy and productivity supports that can assist with a sustainable reopening. The Government is very committed to a sustainable reopening because of the impact Tara Mines has on the wider region. It generates about €75 million in annual economic activity in the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: That is an interesting question to which I do not have an immediate answer. There is an issue in this regard. We have provided financial supports to An Post to support post offices. Increasingly, it is becoming an issue that a postmaster exits and there is no subsequent take-up. I will talk to the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, who has been working with the postmaster organisations,...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: First, the review on school transport that the Minister, Deputy Foley, published represents the most comprehensive reforms of the school transport system since the State was founded. I pay tribute to the Minister in getting this through Cabinet. Obviously, there will be an implementation phase. All of us are familiar with the anomalies, rows, disputation and challenges facing families that...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: On the qualified bus driver over 70, we are discussing that at Cabinet. The suggestion now is perhaps that an independent medical-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: -----review could enable us to unblock what has been the position that CIÉ has taken in respect of not allowing over 70s. I take the Deputy's point.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: Sorry, I missed that bit.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: Apologies, I missed the last bit there.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: We have a date for the North-South Ministerial Council. It is certainly an issue I will raise with representatives of the Northern Ireland Executive. They have their challenges in terms of revenue raising as well, but I certainly will raise it and take it forward. I appreciate the Deputy raising the case.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. The Deputy is correct in terms of the temporary special scheme having been in place since July 2022. It has been extended on a number of occasions, most recently in October 2023 up to 31 March 2024, and people would have received notification. People have been advised that they may utilise the full provisions of the public service sick leave...