Results 6,021-6,040 of 49,984 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: -----and that needs to be said as well. Without question, the issue of garda recruitment is one that is accelerating with the numbers coming in every 11 weeks now.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: Sorry, these gardaí are coming into training and that is the key issue. Increasing numbers are being recruited through Templemore and the issue then is the allocation-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: -----of those gardaí. The numbers are approaching 200 recruits going to Templemore every 11 weeks, so the numbers are increasing very significantly through the pipeline. Yes, we need to get more gardaí to Cork and other jurisdictions.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. It is a progressive piece of legislation. I will talk to the relevant Ministers to see if we can be responsive to her initiative and to see how we can progress this. As the Deputy will be aware, the Minister has announced funding for the first time ever for IVF and we are positively disposed to other initiatives on this front.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: First of all, there has been record numbers of social housing provided in the last two years because of Government capital allocation and funding. As I said earlier, approximately 30,000 social homes have been delivered since we came to office and a further 22,000 are at design, tender or delivery stage. Therefore, there has been very substantial provision on the social housing front....

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: Approximately 713 households were prevented from entering emergency accommodation by way of a tenancy being created. I apologise that I did not have enough time to go through it all.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: There has, without question, been an exponential increase in funding towards childcare and a reduction in cost for parents in particular. There was a 25% reduction last year and by the end of this year, there will be a further 25% reduction. I am not familiar with the details of the individual case the Deputy raises regarding a Discoveries crèche. I will talk to the Minister for...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: I am not sure I can add anything further to what the Minister said to the Deputy last month, but I will engage again. We need a scheme but I have no doubt that there are significant implications and complications involved in the design of any such scheme. I am of the view that such a scheme should come through.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: I admire the Deputy's ingenuity and creativity in turning a chronic disease management programme into the deficiencies of the grant-based system for retrofitting. That is to be applauded.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: I acknowledge what the Deputy is saying. He is alluding to the fact that there are so many applications and the capacity of the scheme to provide responses more quickly. There is no doubt, comparing it to before this Government came into power, about the contrast in the volume of retrofitting now going on. An entire new industry is being created as a result of guaranteed funding over the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. The UCD sexual exploitation research programme, SERP, report raises matters of the most profound concern. The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and Tusla are aware of risks to children in care. Tusla is continually working to address these complex and concerning issues, including working with An Garda...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I think, if she does not mind me saying, that she has performed a good public service in having the issue brought to the floor of this House during Leaders' Questions. It gives the issue the attention and profile that it, without question, deserves and justifies. In 2021, Tusla implemented a child exploitation procedure in partnership with An Garda...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: First of all, there is a dearth of proposals and solutions coming from her and her party on housing. I do not see any detailed proposals over and above what is in Housing for All, the Government's comprehensive housing plan in terms of increasing supply. The Deputy has made a passing reference in her question where she accepts that there is a higher and greater need for housing supply....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: Some of the policies which she has put forward such as banning and freezing would actually reduce supply, and would have a very negative impact on the rental market. That would mean higher prices again. I have to challenge that simplistic notion that we can simply ban everything for three years and that everything will then be the same, or will get better. If one bans anything for three...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue. Historically, Ireland has a very high prevalence of COPD. There can be different factors involved, even climate. The Deputy outlined towards the end of his contribution the public health framework which governs much of this. Smoking was a big factor but also tended to be a socio-economic issue with regard to its prevalence and...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: It is clear that the situation would get far worse if Sinn Féin was in charge of housing.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: Banning rent increases will not produce one additional house. In fact, it would reduce the number of houses available for rent in the market. That would be the impact of Sinn Féin's decision and its entire approach to the matter. We need to support renters in terms of alleviation in terms of the tax rental credit which we have now but Sinn Féin's proposal-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: -----would reduce the availability of housing, and if one reduces supply the rents will go up even further. Supply is the key to this.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Doherty talks about affordability. Sinn Féin opposed the help-to-buy scheme.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2023)

Micheál Martin: Sinn Féin would abolish it. Sinn Féin opposed the first home scheme. Sinn Féin opposed the grants around dereliction and vacancy.