Results 8,941-8,960 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Priorities for 2023: Minister for Foreign Affairs (28 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: I think the best solution is the two-state solution. I will make my call as to the language I use, and when I use it. I wish Senator Ó Donnghaile would do the same when he meets his American interlocutors. I rarely hear Senator Ó Donnghaile or members of his party ever coming back from a delegation to the United States saying that they have raised Palestine with Senators or the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Priorities for 2023: Minister for Foreign Affairs (28 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: It is a fair point, and I am putting it back to the Senator. I think the Senator should be consistent-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Priorities for 2023: Minister for Foreign Affairs (28 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: I have answered the question on accountability, and I will answer it again. However, I am making a point. Senator Ó Donnghaile attacked me about language I used-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Priorities for 2023: Minister for Foreign Affairs (28 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Senator did, and he had a criticism, which he is entitled to make, by the way.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Priorities for 2023: Minister for Foreign Affairs (28 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: I am entitled to respond also and say that I think Senator Ó Donnghaile is playing a double game here. When he goes to the United States and engages with United States Senators and Congress people, I rarely hear, in any press release afterwards, any commentary whatsoever about Palestine. The Senator's party tends to reserve it for the Irish Government all of the time, or certain...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Priorities for 2023: Minister for Foreign Affairs (28 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: What I can do, as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence, and what we can do as a Government and as a country, is strengthen the capacity of bodies like the International Criminal Court, the UN more generally, and the European Court of Human Rights. We can strengthen their capacities by supporting them with funding, resources and personnel. It is a source of great pride that we have an...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Priorities for 2023: Minister for Foreign Affairs (28 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: I do not believe that specific legislation would have any impact on accountability, in real terms. Its practical application has always been questionable. As a symbol, it had merit in getting a message to Israel but in terms of its practical working out, Senator Ó Donnghaile would have to acknowledge that in terms of realities on the ground, there will always be difficulties with it....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Priorities for 2023: Minister for Foreign Affairs (28 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: I accept fully what Senator Wilson said. He is correct in terms of the territory, and it is about 10% of the population. That does not matter; parts of it are occupied. I would like to say, in response to the point Senator O'Reilly made, that I am in favour of enlargement. I fully accept what he is saying. He is correct in terms of the territory and 10% of the population. That does not...

Standards in Public Office (Amendment) Bill 2023: First Stage (23 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: No.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (23 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: I agree wholeheartedly with Deputy Smith, who has a long-standing commitment to peace on the island. In his work as a public representative over many years he has been a significant contributor to peace on the island, particularly in the Border region, so I know his comments are heartfelt. We were all very shocked at the callous and depraved manner of yesterday's attack, which injures...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (23 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy has had a consistent position and has raised this consistently in the House. As he says, there is legislation in the other House, which is subject to the rules and procedures in that House. Certainly I think everybody will be anxious to progress that legislation as quickly as possible. I will relate to and discuss with the Minister for Justice the Deputy's other comments in...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (23 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: I appreciate the comments the Deputy has made. I will revert to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and to Government more generally. There is a need to review the planning framework earlier than perhaps was originally intended because of significant growth in population and to evaluate what has happened in recent years. We need that constant evaluation so we can inform...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (23 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: I do not have the exact timeline here for the Deputy but I will revert to the Minister and seek to get a timeline for the Deputy in respect of that proposed legislation.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (23 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Minister is very conscious of that particular issue, and in quite a number schemes some provision is made for four-bedroom houses in respect of larger families. In this era, housing is provided in a range of sizes, smaller houses for smaller families and for individuals living on their own and so forth. The full range should be provided. As we build up the schemes and get more critical...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (23 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising that issue. I will certainly engage with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in respect of it. There have been an ongoing wide variety of supports under the Common Agricultural Policy more generally, but I will engage with him on the issue of targeted supports. Obviously, there are cyclical aspects to the industry and to different sectors within...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (23 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Government is very conscious of the need to expand the numbers in An Garda Síochána. We have provided funding for 1,000 new gardaí this year and we are seeing more Garda recruits enter Templemore every 11 weeks. The Garda Commissioner, obviously, is responsible for the deployment of gardaí operationally and the Minister for Justice engages regularly with him to...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (23 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I joined him in Youghal recently, where we visited a number of schools and the family resource centre organisation regarding a location for Youghal. A permanent base has been sought and we will work with Cork Education and Training Board, ETB, to see whether a solution can be found. I pay tribute to all the schools for their generosity and warm...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (23 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: First, the Government has not ignored any representatives or group within the fishing industry, and we have been working extremely hard on the Brexit issue and the adjustment reserve fund, for example, to provide supports as a result of the very negative consequences of Brexit on our fisheries, which was beyond the Government's control. Britain decided to leave, with very negative...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (23 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Government has acted, particularly for prepaid users. People should not be cut off.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (23 Feb 2023)

Micheál Martin: If Deputy O'Callaghan can give me the specifics of the particular location where that happened, I would appreciate it. The package we have provided over the last 12 months amounts to approximately 3.5% of GNI and includes well over €1 billion in supports to households. There is a specific issue around district heating, which the Deputy has identified. Regarding the prepaid...