Results 5,221-5,240 of 50,064 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Advertising (7 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: I wish to advise the Deputy, my Department spent the following amounts on traditional and online advertising in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024: Year Expenditure 2014 €45,606.64 2015 €44,983.93 2016 €43,779.68 2017 €45,205.51 ...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Contracts (7 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: The detailed information sought by the Deputy is not readily available within the time frame sought. At the request of my Department the military authorities are conducting the search, retrieval and collation of same. I will arrange to have this information forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy has been a consistent advocate in this area. The Revenue is engaged in an awareness programme around people's entitlements and what they can claim. I will certainly talk to various Ministers to see whether it is worthwhile putting a cross-departmental-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: What happens sometimes is that there can be an overestimation of what Departments might think would be the expenditure of a given programme. For example, we would argue that the expenditure for rent relief may have been overestimated. On another level, there is a lower take-up, although there might be other reasons for this situation. I take the Deputy's point that we must examine it. The...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: Perhaps the one Department that might want to sit on it, but we might think about it, would be the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. I am not so sure it would be so enthusiastic about the idea that we would encourage people to take up all their expenditure entitlements.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: As I said earlier, there has been a significant increase in the number of special classes and seven new special schools have been formed in recent years. I do not have the background to the specific individual cases the Deputy referred to. The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, is there. I ask the Deputy to engage with the Minister and bring to her attention the specific area...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: I think we have legislated for this in terms of more proactive undertakings. In many instances, it is about NCSE approval, planning, etc., in conjunction with the Department. Our objective is that every child needing a place will get a place. This means, then, that we must plan for this provision and ensure it happens, and this is what we have been doing over the last two to three years....

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: That is what I mean. There can be an area-based response if there is a problem in the area.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: What did the Department say?

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: First, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications will deal with that question. I will ask him to respond. I think we are looking at some date at the beginning of June. I am not clear on whether Saturday is the best day either but we will see.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: I know the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, has been very active and proactive in working with the Irish Postmasters Union in respect of supports for postmasters generally. I am not sure in this case if the closure was occasioned by a retirement-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: -----or whether it was a policy decision to close it. I do not know the background to the case but I will certainly talk to the Minister in regard to it. I would have had my reservations about some colocations with supermarkets but it has worked in some areas because of the significant footfall, which means there is more access and more people use the service and that, in turn,...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: I appreciate the Deputy raising the issue. We have had ongoing engagement with the HSE and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in respect of this issue. There had been issues with the recruitment of therapists and the filling of vacancies in particular in paediatric services and the children's disability network teams in certain locations. The roll-out...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: We did take that forward-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: -----and we did ensure a rethink. There was a review.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: There was a further review of previous reports. I am not sure the 2017 report is as clear as the Deputy has outlined in terms of undergrounding. EirGrid has been consistent in saying undergrounding is not feasible. We did ask for a review of that and we secured it from the Minister. We looked at what happens internationally, as well as the specifics of this case. The review has since...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: I am not sure what proposals will work.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: It will deal with settlers in the West Bank and not the ministers initially-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: I am answering the question. Last week I saw Deputy Gannon's tweet saying I was in the Chamber for only five minutes giving a speech. I was actually here for an hour and I made a submission.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Micheál Martin: It is a bit unfair of Deputy Gannon. It will apply to the settlers and particular settlers have already been identified at European Union level. If it does not happen at European Union level we will then consider doing it ourselves.