Results 6,881-6,900 of 50,134 for speaker:Micheál Martin
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (5 Oct 2023)
Micheál Martin: When I used to attend secondary school, I was always five minutes late and my twin brother was always five minutes early, to which at the end of my sixth year in school the Deputy Principal, totally flummoxed by this, said: "Is that why you only had one spoon to eat the egg?" That has been the story of my life. I apologise when I get here a minute too late.
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (5 Oct 2023)
Micheál Martin: On the serious question of long Covid, and I know the Minister for Health is here, we are committed in a programmatic way to deal with the implications of long Covid in all its manifestations, through the primary care sector, diagnostics and also in terms of ongoing care. We are also doing research, which I think is critical, because we are still learning.
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (5 Oct 2023)
Micheál Martin: I agree 100% with the Deputy. Maybe he could pass the case on to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. I will certainly alert him to the fact that he has raised the issue. We need to be flexible and sensible in our implementation of regulations and in administering loans of this kind. The spirit must be one of facilitation as opposed to creating hurdles. If someone is...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)
Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and for raising a more general issue, through an individual case that has come to his constituency office, that highlights wider issues in terms of pension entitlements, pension contributions and the jobseeker's allowance. I think the Deputy said that the person is 61 years of age.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)
Micheál Martin: He has worked for 40 years, to be fair. The Department of Social Protection is available to help him in sourcing alternative employment, if that is-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)
Micheál Martin: It is there-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)
Micheál Martin: It is there and it should be there. I will certainly take the details from the Deputy but it is there and the office exists to try to help people to secure alternative employment. I do not know the background of the means test and the issues that were assessed or not assessed. Normally the assessment involves the household's income, savings, shares, investments or property, apart from a...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)
Micheál Martin: I will revert to the Minister for Social Protection and I ask the Deputy to send me on the details so the case can be examined more closely. I cannot discuss individual cases on the floor of the House. I do not know the full background to it but, obviously, the Government is anxious to incentivise people to work, in the first instance, but also to ensure that there would be basic amounts...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)
Micheál Martin: Did he get jobseeker's benefit?
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)
Micheál Martin: I presume he would have received jobseeker's benefit for nine months.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)
Micheál Martin: He would have gotten nine months of jobseeker's benefit when he became unemployed, which would have been a higher payment, based on his contributions, than the jobseeker's allowance. I presume the nine-month period has elapsed and now he is on jobseeker's allowance. Exceptional needs payments are available if any particular issues arise but again, I do not have the background to the case....
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)
Micheál Martin: -----and, therefore, they need a cushion to get them through difficult periods. Again, I thank the Deputy for raising this matter.
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (5 Oct 2023)
Micheál Martin: I thought the Deputy might acknowledge that this Government has done more on all-island and cross-Border projects than most, whether that be the Ulster Canal, the Narrow Water Bridge, the €40 million-----
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (5 Oct 2023)
Micheál Martin: -----for research involving third level collaboration, the geopark in Cuilcagh, where we purchased thousands of hectares for the first cross-Border geopark-----
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (5 Oct 2023)
Micheál Martin: I am delighted about the UEFA bid. What is important is that, first of all, we get host nation participation in the finals. That should be sorted. Stadia have to be developed and the UK Government has significant obligations in this regard as well. The Irish Government will work with the UK Government to make sure that our stadia are fit for purpose, available and developed with a view to...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)
Micheál Martin: First of all, I dispute the Deputy's presentation of the facts, or the facts as he puts them and the position he is adopting here. The Government is very committed to protecting people against the cost-of-living increases. Last year we provided €12 billion to cushion the impact of rising prices on households, businesses and farmers. The Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI,...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)
Micheál Martin: Most Irish small- to medium-sized companies want to engage in free trade, but the Deputy is against it. His policies would undermine the enterprise economy-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)
Micheál Martin: -----that has resulted in very high employment in the country, and career progression.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)
Micheál Martin: We addressed the cost-of-living issues last year in an unprecedented way and in a way no other government in Europe did, with respect to the scale of the intervention. There were a whole range of measures, double social protection payments and all of that. We spent €12 billion last year alone and we are going to take similar action this year in the form of interventions to protect...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2023)
Micheál Martin: -----the lowest in the European Union and our population rose by nearly 100,000 people over the year to the end of April 2023.