Results 10,061-10,080 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna - Questions: Sustainable Development Goals (16 Nov 2022)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputies for raising the issues. The focus today is very domestic, whereas the SDGs have declined globally to a far more significant extent, especially with respect to nutrition. The World Food Programme is extremely alarmed at how, over the past five years, the numbers facing famine have grown exponentially and reversed the progress of the previous decade. This is a big worry....

Ceisteanna - Questions: Government Communications (16 Nov 2022)

Micheál Martin: I will reply to the situation pertaining to CETA, as it was raised first. I have welcomed the clarity the Supreme Court has brought to the issue in respect of the manner in which CETA can be ratified. The ruling by a 6:1 majority was that CETA could be ratified by the Oireachtas if certain changes were made to domestic legislation, in particular the Arbitration Act 2010. The Deputy...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Government Communications (16 Nov 2022)

Micheál Martin: We exported €4 billion worth of goods and services to Canada in 2020. CETA is in the interests of workers, taxpayers and businesses in rural and urban Ireland. All agreements have dispute resolution mechanisms. Deputy Paul Murphy raised the SIPO decision. SIPO has decided. It is a body that is independent of the Oireachtas. At times, I worry that if a decision does not go a...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Government Communications (16 Nov 2022)

Micheál Martin: No, I mean from the Deputy's perspective. By raising it in the manner he did, he raised the spectre of not liking the result, suggesting it is wrong and that it should be changed. That would be a concern of mine.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Government Communications (16 Nov 2022)

Micheál Martin: No. My point is that if we create independent bodies, there comes a stage when they make decisions and adjudicate, and we must just get on with it. In terms of Deputy Barry's point, I would love to be at the cinema. I have not been there for quite some time.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Government Communications (16 Nov 2022)

Micheál Martin: I missed the Cork Film Festival this year, for the first time in a long time, so busy was I. in terms of the Government message at the end of the advertisements, depending on the quality of the advertisements, some people like watching them while others are impatient to get on with the film. I recall that some years back I went to see the premiere of "Michael Collins" in the Capitol cinema...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Government Communications (16 Nov 2022)

Micheál Martin: I apologise.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Government Communications (16 Nov 2022)

Micheál Martin: I am coming to that. I was missing a pen when Deputy Boyd Barrett raised the issue about housing. There is a cross-government communications approach to housing. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has clear communications portals for people to contact depending on their housing situation on the various schemes they can access. I will come back to Deputy Boyd Barrett...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Government Communications (16 Nov 2022)

Micheál Martin: I will come back to him in that regard. It was a fair point. In response to Deputy Bacik, during Covid, an assistant secretary in my Department oversaw the Covid situation and co-ordinated with other Departments. Advice was taken from professionals in the field about the type of advertisements and other such issues. Research was done by the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI,...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Sustainable Development Goals (16 Nov 2022)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 11, inclusive, together. The sustainable development goals, SDGs, adopted in 2015, are the United Nations blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all by 2030. They address the global challenges we face, including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice. Under the programme for...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Government Communications (16 Nov 2022)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. The Government Information Service, GIS, includes the Government Press Office and the MerrionStreet.ie content team and works on a cross-functional and collaborative basis to provide the Taoiseach, the Government and the Department with press office and communications support; to ensure strong collaboration and co-ordination among...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Nov 2022)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. Small to medium enterprises are the backbone of our economy. My understanding is that there was a task force up to a year ago and that it has completed its work and its recommendations have been implemented by the Ministers of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. LEEF does very valuable work. There is a long-standing issue...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Nov 2022)

Micheál Martin: I know but there is an SME component to IBEC too. I know the issues. There is a multiplicity, or really two bodies in the main, in the SME category. Generally on the export side, Enterprise Ireland looks after export companies. I have always thought there should be a continuum from the local enterprise offices, LEOS, or from the microenterprise sector to enable companies to get to the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Nov 2022)

Micheál Martin: I was reading a chapter of Mark Henry's book,In Fact: An Optimist's Guide to Ireland at 100the other night. It goes over the progress made in 100 years. Since the 1990s, there has been a transformation and dramatic improvement in wastewater compared with where we were through wastewater treatment plants and so on and a whole range of other issues. I am not clear why the situation is as it...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Nov 2022)

Micheál Martin: I think the Deputy must acknowledge that there has been tremendous investment by this Government in Rosslare. It has been unprecedented in recent decades.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Nov 2022)

Micheál Martin: No, not by the EU, it was by the Government. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform can give it list by list on customs funding and so on as a result of Brexit under the previous Government, as well as new development. Rosslare has been a beneficiary of Brexit, as it turned out, and also now there is also the area of offshore wind coming. I see very good potential for Rosslare. ...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Nov 2022)

Micheál Martin: The issue of CDNTs is one of recruitment of the therapists. I have convened meetings with the Ministers for Health and Education, Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and the HSE to prioritise the recruitment of therapists for special needs children. I have had issues on how this has progressed in certain areas with disability where children's access to therapists is not...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Nov 2022)

Micheál Martin: State contracts are issued in accordance with European Union procurement law. There is very little the State can do to cherry-pick who gets or does not get a contract. There are times when local authorities, states or even governments might like to do that, but then you are down a slippery slope. We urge that EROs not be challenged in the manner this one is being challenged. I will come...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Nov 2022)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this. He has consistently raised this issue. It was a significant initiative by Government to reduce student fees by €1,000 this year and €500 next September. There have been post-Brexit changes, generally speaking, in terms of the grant regime in Scotland vis-á-visIrish students and fees. I will discuss this again with the Minister for...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Nov 2022)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for alerting me to the news that I am sanctioned. It is a new development. I do not think I have ever been sanctioned before. I will have to be updated on that and see what the implications of it are. It is part of a broader propaganda war being waged by Russia. As I said in relation to Deputy Danny Healy-Rae's comments on the challenges around accommodation of...