Results 6,941-6,960 of 50,064 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: In July 2022, the Government approved a move to Level of Ambition 2 (LOA2), as recommended by the Commission on the Defence Forces. As part of that decision the Government committed to increasing the Defence budget from €1.1 billion to €1.5 billion by 2028, as part of the annual budgetary process. This level of investment will allow for the required transformation and investment...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Strategies (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: The White Paper on Defence Published in 2015 set out the Government's defence policy framework out to 2025, the White paper also put in place a new fixed cycle of defence reviews. Such reviews are common practice internationally and give reassurance that policy remains up to date and relevant to changing future circumstances. The White Paper set out that every three years there will be...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Pension Provisions (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Defence Forces Pension Schemes are ‘fast accrual’ schemes under which maximum retirement benefits accrue after 31 years. The vast majority of public service pension schemes are ‘standard accrual’ pension schemes under which maximum benefits accrue after 40 years’ service. Under the pre-April 2004 Defence Forces Pension Schemes, in the case of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 170, 171 and 179 together. A key priority for me as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the capabilities of the Defence Forces are maintained, developed and enhanced in order to ensure that the Defence Forces can carry out all of the roles assigned to it by Government, as set out in the White Paper on Defence. Capability priorities for the Army, Air...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Naval Service, as the State's principal sea-going agency, is tasked with a variety of defence and other roles. While the main daily tasking of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with our obligations as a member of the EU, it also carries out a number of other non-fishery related tasks including contraband interdiction duties, search and rescue, and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 173, 174 and 175 together. The White Paper on Defence, approved by Government in July 2015, resulted from a comprehensive examination of Defence requirements. It provides the defence policy framework for the period up to 2025. This policy framework is designed to be flexible and responsive given the dynamic nature of the security environment and enables the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 176, 177 and 178 together. As at 31 August 2023, the strength of the Permanent Defence Forces was 7,671 personnel, of which there were 6,221 Army personnel, 695 Air Corps personnel and 775 Naval Service personnel. I have previously acknowledged the staffing difficulties in the Defence Forces and I can assure the Deputy that there are are a number of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Policies (3 Oct 2023)

Micheál Martin: In line with the National AI strategy and the National Cyber Security Centre’s Cyber Security Guidance on Generative AI for Public Sector Bodies, my Department continues to keep the use of artificial intelligence for business purposes under review. The use of artificial intelligence, as with all enabling technologies, will be considered on a solution by solution basis. Any such...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 Sep 2023)

Micheál Martin: That is primarily an issue for the HSE locally to resolve. Sometimes, the HSE will readvertise a position. These situations have evolved through demographic issues and so forth, including challenges in general practice in rural Ireland particularly. I will ask the Minister to talk to the HSE, but he does not get involved in every case. I presume that the HSE is alive to the issue with a...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 Sep 2023)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputies for raising these issues. Deputy Andrews referred to the GRA and the Garda situation. We support community policing and invest heavily in it, but the issues that remain outstanding in respect of the rosters should be resolved through the available industrial relations machinery. It is important that those avenues – the internal mechanisms and the established...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 Sep 2023)

Micheál Martin: In schools is where I would have them. The Progressing Disability Services, PDS, programme has a different view, but coming from an education background, that is what I believe. We had it ad hocin the past before PDS and it worked in many areas. To be fair to the HSE, it will argue that children who were not in special schools did not get the same level of access, but children in special...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 Sep 2023)

Micheál Martin: I welcome the Deputy's raising this very important Bill. It is at pre-legislative scrutiny stage. I smile sometimes when people want something implemented as soon as possible. I often prefer that approach coming from the Opposition. If the Government brought in legislation and said we want to introduce it as soon as possible, the Opposition would cry "guillotine, guillotine" and all hell...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 Sep 2023)

Micheál Martin: It is a very important Bill. It is at pre-legislative scrutiny.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 Sep 2023)

Micheál Martin: I am sorry, just for the record for Deputy Ellis, the Bill has finished pre-legislative scrutiny so we will progress it now.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 Sep 2023)

Micheál Martin: I accept what the Deputy is saying in respect of the challenges facing section 39 organisations. There were discussions between the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and the unions involved. We urge that those engagements would be restored and that we would have talks on this, and that the necessity for action on 17 October would be avoided. We do not want...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 Sep 2023)

Micheál Martin: That is a good suggestion. I will talk to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine with a view to putting forward the recommendation the Deputy has articulated for dealing with the issues that are critical for the sustainability of the food industry. There is much we can do in optimising the circular economy more generally.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 Sep 2023)

Micheál Martin: I appreciate the Deputy raising this issue. School transport is a vital public service. In the 2022-2023 school year, for example, 149,000 children, including more than 18,000 children with special educational needs, were transported daily to primary and post-primary schools. I will talk to the Minister for Education in respect of Tunnyduff National School which the Deputy has highlighted....

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 Sep 2023)

Micheál Martin: That behaviour is unacceptable in terms of the relationship between the developers and those who have purchased the houses. There are clear laws of contract and legal frameworks governing the purchase of houses which should be enforced. I will talk to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in respect of it. However, we always have to be mindful that over recent years the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 Sep 2023)

Micheál Martin: I appreciate the Deputy raising this issue. As he said, the national childcare scheme is a scheme of financial support to help parents with the cost of childcare. A component of the scheme is a sponsorship referral which makes special provision for vulnerable children. Officials in the Department are aware of the issues the Deputy has highlighted regarding the sponsored subsidy rates to...