Results 8,861-8,880 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: To be fair there is no doubt about the impact of the energy crisis on people's bills and the challenges it presents. There will be an energy credit in the March and April period of up to €200. There is also the doubling of the free fuel allowance and various payments. We have an additional payment for pensioners over and above the energy credit. There will be a payment in April of...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: No. No one has to turn off the lights and Deputy Doherty knows this.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: No one in those situations will be disconnected and Deputy Doherty knows that. Let us not put fear among people unnecessarily.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: Significant intervention has been made in respect of early childhood development and early childcare services. We have different types of services in different localities and communities. What Deputy Bacik has outlined suggests that significant resources have been allocated to the club.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: These resources have been allocated by the Government.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: I ask Deputy Bacik to forward to me the context, the nature of the group, who it works with and what umbrella it works under, we can certainly examine what we can do.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: I thank Deputy O'Callaghan for raising this serious and worrying situation. I met Traveller representative organisations last year. I met the Traveller disability group in Cork and the national organisation. Suffice it to say it is very worrying. Without question there has been an increase in suicides among the Traveller community and particularly among young people. We have to examine...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: We have to change this. People must feel part of society and feel they have an opportunity. This is vital for mental health and respect.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: My apologies.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: In terms of housing policy, plans and resources the Government is the biggest actor, player and provider of resources in the housing market. That is a long way from the so-called free market extremism that Deputy Barry is asserting and labelling the Government with. The opposite is the case. The Government is providing record numbers of social housing. Last year we built close to 30,000...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: I want to nail Deputy Barry's sloganeering and I am entitled to do that. Deputy Barry started it. He said "extremism" and I am entitled to come back on it.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Government is considering the eviction ban and will examine it. Why will we do this? It is because we want to make sure that whatever we do does not make the situation worse. Deputy Barry is not worried about this because what he is worried about is how he can label the Government again in six months' time if the situation is much worse because of the decisions we take.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: We are going to look at this seriously----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: -----in terms of protecting people as best we can and making sure we do not have a continuing exodus from the rental market that would mean fewer houses to give to people and to rent to people. Those are the issues that we have to consider.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: We adhere to and support the UN human rights aspect the Deputy articulated. There has been progressive decongregation over the years, which has sometimes been controversial, as we seek to ensure people with disabilities can live in their communities and homes. It is extremely important that we continue with that, although we must do it sensitively and in full consultation with families....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising a range of issues under the umbrella of CAMHS and the availability of therapies and disabilities. Will he send me details of the individual child he mentioned?

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: The specific assertion relating this case that a child had to have a blood test sent to England causes me great concern. It could be for specific reasons. I presume our labs cannot pick up the particular condition. That no one has contacted the family for ten months after the blood test being sent should not happen because we have primary care services. We need to get to get to bottom of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: Under the waiting list initiative, there is funding in that envelope for access to private care in the context of long waiting lists for access to therapy services. This was provided for. Perhaps the Minister can engage with Deputy Fitzmaurice on how best to utilise the provision in the waiting list funding overall. The fundamental response ultimately has to be recruitment and retention on...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: As I said, the Government will respond with clarity, commitment and resources to do everything we can to make sure we look after the patients who have been discommoded significantly as a result of this tragedy and meet the broader health needs of those served by the hospital, the consultants, the various clinics and so on. We expect that an assessment will be made quickly, both physically...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Martin: We must have a multidisciplinary approach and examine what can be done without patients and what can be done with various different services. We should allow the experts at the coal face to come back to us. The Government will respond to say what we think is the best way to deal with oncology, diagnostics and outpatient appointments, for example. That is immediate-----