Results 981-1,000 of 49,960 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (25 Feb 2025)

Micheál Martin: I cannot pre-empt what HIQA will recommend. It will depend on the recommendation because I know there is a lot of demand for additionality in the mid-west more generally. On Deputy Cahill's question, there is a great team at University Hospital Kerry. His proposals are fairly significant in terms of investment and capital. We will engage with the HSE in that respect, particularly to...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (25 Feb 2025)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 30 to 40, inclusive, together. The Programme for Government 2025: Securing Ireland's Future, recognises the importance of Cabinet committees to the policy development and oversight work of Government. The Cabinet committee on EU and international affairs was established by the Government on 18 February 2025. Its role is to oversee implementation of...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (25 Feb 2025)

Micheál Martin: I thank the large number of Deputies who tabled questions on this issue. Quite a substantial number focused in on the nitrates directive to begin with, for which I thank Deputies Cleere, O'Meara, Dolan, McCormack, Cahill and Scanlon. The establishment of the Cabinet committee demonstrates the Government's commitment to addressing water quality improvements across all sectors. Obviously it...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (25 Feb 2025)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 to 29, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on health has been established and is due to meet soon. The Cabinet committee will oversee: implementation of programme for Government commitments on health; receive detailed reports; identify policy areas; and consider health reforms including Sláintecare, reform of the public health system and...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (25 Feb 2025)

Micheál Martin: Or we could just join you in prayer.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Feb 2025)

Micheál Martin: I agree with the Deputy. Every effort is being made by the various State agencies to restore services. I have met with most of them - Uisce Éireann, ESB Networks, EirGrid and so on - in the context of getting power restored as quickly as possible and also in terms of the restoration of communications networks. More than that, we need to invest in areas in terms of the social and human...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Feb 2025)

Micheál Martin: Glacaim go bhfuil deacracht ann gan amhras. Nílim cinnte gurb í stailc an tslí is fearr chun é seo a réiteach. Bhíos ag labhairt leis an Aire, an Teachta Calleary, faoi seo ar maidin. Bhí an tAire ag Ard-Fheis Chonradh na Gaeilge i rith an deireadh seachtaine agus bhí daoine ag caint faoi. Beimid, agus tá súil agam go mbeidh an...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Feb 2025)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy has raised this issue previously. Again, I do not intervene in every single case. The Minister with responsibility obviously assesses the situation in different locations. I will certainly alert the Minister that Deputy Lawless has raised the matter.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Feb 2025)

Micheál Martin: The Bill is being currently. Some 450 homes are under construction or being refurbished at the moment.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Feb 2025)

Micheál Martin: Yes, but there are 450 under construction. That is a significant number. We have to keep ensuring that there is momentum behind this in terms of getting houses refurbished, rebuilt or whatever. This is a hugely resourced scheme. The Government has committed enormous sums of money towards it, and correctly so. If the Deputy is saying there is an insufficiency in terms of the scheme,...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Feb 2025)

Micheál Martin: It is my understanding that there is a High Court action, in which the judge-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Feb 2025)

Micheál Martin: I know, but it is not the Government's fault that we lost. The previous Government had decided-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Feb 2025)

Micheál Martin: I agree with the policy. I was going to make the point that because of the High Court decision, the Department said it had to be exhaustive in terms of the second consultation to make sure that it would not fall foul of another court decision in the time ahead if someone challenged it. It was concluded last summer. The consultation is over now. My view now is that we need to move ahead...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (25 Feb 2025)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions No. 1 to 11, inclusive, together. The Programme for Government 2025, Securing Ireland’s Future, recognises the importance of Cabinet committees to the policy development and oversight work of Government and commits to the establishment of a reformed structure of Cabinet committees. The Government followed through on that commitment, part of which was...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Feb 2025)

Micheál Martin: Fundamentally, it is about recruitment and retention. What is the name of the service?

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Feb 2025)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy outlined the situation. One person is on maternity leave - I will check with the HSE about that because there should be a locum operating in that role - and another has left. The recruitment and retention of therapists has been a real issue for the HSE. There have been additional resources provided. Progress is slow. Approximately 272 extra whole-time equivalent staff were...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Feb 2025)

Micheál Martin: I agree with the Deputy 100%. He articulated very well the importance of St. Patrick's week in the US, particularly in regard to solidarity with our significant diaspora there. The diaspora really values the engagement with Ireland. It is important in terms of the undocumented. The link with Senators and Congressmen and Congresswomen is extremely important in terms of looking out for the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Feb 2025)

Micheál Martin: The economic relationship is enormous. Many thousands of Irish livelihoods and Irish workers depend on the economic relationship between the United States and Ireland. That needs to be said. It has been taken too much for granted. Hence the need for a very proactive engagement for the entirety of St. Patrick’s week across the length and breadth of the US.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Feb 2025)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising an important matter. As he will know, along with him and others, I have been a champion of an elective site being built on this site. I am also supportive of the project relating to an elective hospital for Galway. The HSE tends to have rather lengthy processes, particularly in terms of getting to the stage of tendering for a project of this scale. My...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Feb 2025)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy will accept that the Government has invested heavily in the Dundalk area over many years.