Results 9,641-9,660 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2022)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. It is not one of resources. Funding has been provided through the Department of Health to the HSE to provide for the recruitment of therapists, particularly in disability network teams. The HSE says it is having particular difficulties recruiting therapists for child disability services. We are not happy with the situation. We have had a series...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2022)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, is engaging with local authorities in respect of this. The 600-page report looks like a hefty one. The issue is financial. The Taoiseach: Firstly, legacy is an important issue for all victims in Northern Ireland of the Troubles and their families who seek redress....

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2022)

Micheál Martin: The new CEO in the National Council for Special Education and the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, provided over €13 million to expand the staff up to about 160.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2022)

Micheál Martin: They are on their way. There is €2.6 billion being spent on special education, which is a further 10% increase over last year's budget. We have over 20,000 special needs assistants, SNAs, in the system, with additional special needs teachers and so forth. There is very extensive provision in special education. I do not think that can be argued with. We have had new special schools...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2022)

Micheál Martin: Táim buíoch den Teachta as an gceist phráinneach seo a ardú. Tuigim an méid atá ráite aige ó thaobh cabhair agus tacaíocht a thabhairt do mhuintir na dúiche ina bhfuil na fadhbanna. Regarding the cost of boiling water, Irish Water has a strong customer service focus. It outlines the standard of service customers should expect to receive,...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2022)

Micheál Martin: My understanding is that last week, Deputy Gould informed the House that an interim agreement had been arrived at.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2022)

Micheál Martin: He said the HSE had communicated with him that it had an arrangement in place. I remember he and Deputy-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2022)

Micheál Martin: Deputy O'Sullivan was in the House but he is not here today to enlighten us.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2022)

Micheál Martin: I think maybe Deputy Gould and Deputy O'Sullivan-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2022)

Micheál Martin: I am not going to ask the two Deputies to step outside the Chamber.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2022)

Micheál Martin: What I would say to the Deputy is that the legislation governing the HSE does not allow for a Taoiseach of the day, no matter who that is, to simply issue instructions to do this or that. That is not the way it works. I hear what the Deputy is saying. It is a localised issue involving the HSE in the Cork area. It needs to resolve this in the best interests of the community of Blarney. I...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2022)

Micheál Martin: I do, and well.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 Dec 2022)

Micheál Martin: I again thank the Deputy for raising the issue. He might feed through some of the individual examples to the Minister, Deputy McGrath, or me. That is one aspect of it. On the second aspect, we will give this further consideration in the form of a review of the existing Act and the regulations that govern this area of payment of subcontractors, to see if we can get the balance right.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy is unfair and incorrect to say the first response of the Minister is around career breaks. It is not, and no decision has been made on that. A whole range of initiatives have been taken in respect of teacher supply. The limits on substitute work applying to teachers on career breaks have also been temporarily suspended. The Teaching Council made regulations allowing for the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2022)

Micheál Martin: I have a point of difference with the Deputy on that. I appreciate the motivation but we need to allow flexibility to each local authority. We very often criticise the centralisation of a whole range of decision-making and then every now and again, we pay lip service to the idea of devolution of authority to local councils. There is a balance to be struck here and a balance within the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2022)

Micheál Martin: The focus has to be on additional supply in the first instance, getting local authorities to commission new housing programmes, and also to work with approved social housing bodies and using the tenant in situscheme, which the local authorities are developing with some degree of flexibility. I am not clear how legislating with the RTB would fast-track anything.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2022)

Micheál Martin: There might be a better way of doing it.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2022)

Micheál Martin: On the prepay situation, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications is working on it and will come forward with proposals. Those involve the Money Advice & Budgeting Service, MABS, in particular and there is engagement with the Minister for Social Protection on that.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2022)

Micheál Martin: We will see if we can do something on that as well, although it is a bit more challenging. We are working on it.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2022)

Micheál Martin: The regulator is very conscious of the need to expand the number of taxi drivers. An average increase in taxi fares of 12% was approved from September last. A driver recruitment campaign ran on national radio and digital platforms in July to encourage interested parties into the industry. Current analysis carried out by the NTA indicates this campaign has been successful, with a 24%...