Results 10,241-10,260 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Properties (8 Nov 2022)

Micheál Martin: My Department does not own any property. All accommodation used by both my Department and the National Economic & Social Development Office (NESDO) is provided and managed by the Office of Public Works. All accommodation provided is used and occupied.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Staff (8 Nov 2022)

Micheál Martin: No member of staff from my Department has availed of the Harvard Business School advanced management programme through the Department's learning and development programme in the past ten years to date.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cabinet Committees (26 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: -----and we were acting on that. In terms of the Ukrainian situation, decisions have been taken. Again, we appreciate the constructive role Deputy Bacik has played in terms of giving any potential properties that we can act upon in terms of the call for pledges but also the reconfiguration of existing buildings and development of modular accommodation or as I prefer to call it, rapid-build...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cabinet Committees (26 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I know but, again, I am open to having it examined. I would just be careful about it. On another day, the Deputy would be very strong in giving out about a lack of safety regulation in other areas of life. He attacks us on housing and on everything else. It could be argued that what he is proposing here could have safety implications. I will get it checked. I will talk to the Minister...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cabinet Committees (26 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: You name it, the State is getting involved in building and trying to get houses for young people. The State is the provider. We are not relying on the market because the market is not performing to the degree one would like.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cabinet Committees (26 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I am sorry. Deputy O'Callaghan raised the issue of Tathony House. The Tyrrelstown amendment was meant to deal with this issue in terms of block evictions in apartment blocks. I will have to do a further examination but I understand the owner here is claiming there is a depreciation in value. I might be wrong. I will not say anything further than that. We need to examine the basis upon...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cabinet Committees (26 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputies for raising a range of issues. Deputy Gould raised the housing issue. I would disagree with him in terms of his assessment and his presentation of the issues. The factual position is Fianna Fáil has been in government for two and a half years, not six years.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cabinet Committees (26 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: We were not in government-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cabinet Committees (26 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: Fianna Fáil has not been in government for six years, as the Deputy said. We have been in government for two and a half years and, since then, we have made significant efforts on the housing issue. It is the biggest social issue facing us. We have a lot more to do but, this year, we have the highest number of housing completions since 2008. We have the highest number of commencements...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cabinet Committees (26 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: They are proposing cost rental and developing affordable as well as social housing projects, and they are also doing a lot of good work in respect of the Ukrainian situation by creating good projects to house Ukrainians and to co-ordinate work around those fleeing the war in Ukraine. Deputy Bacik raised that issue specifically. I am hoping that meeting can be organised whereby an...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland (26 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: On the shared island dialogue, in particular the All-Island Women's Forum civic initiative, Deputy Gould made a point about the potential of research and shared data on domestic and gender-based violence in particular. We will pursue that. We have the capacity to do it working with the various groups North and South and the agencies that are in a position to collect the data and do the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cabinet Committees (26 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 to 14, inclusive, together. The Government co-ordination committee will meet again ahead of the next Government meeting, which is next week. The committee reviews the agenda of Government meetings, discusses political priorities, reviews implementation of a specified element of the programme for Government, and reviews the activity of Cabinet...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland (26 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 8, inclusive, together. Through the Government's shared island initiative, we are engaging with all communities and traditions to build consensus around a shared future and delivering tangible benefits for the whole island. This is underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement. This work is proceeding on a whole-of-government basis and we are working...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Functions (26 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: First, I am taken aback by Deputy Gould's comments. The north-east inner city initiative has not been going at a glacial pace. It has been very effective. I think that is widely acknowledged. I was recently at the restoration of Fitzgibbon Street Garda station and saw the community room in the station. There has been tremendous focus in the north-east inner city initiative. This year,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Functions (26 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: It is not that the Government is dragging its feet on that.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Functions (26 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: Well, no. If a planning application goes in and it is refused by the independent planning authorities then I do not think that we can blame the Government for that. In any event, I would be interested in consultations or engagement as to how we can progress a facility like that and in learning lessons about why it has not happened to date and the obstacles that it faced in planning and the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Functions (26 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: There are issues around that too, and the Deputy knows that.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Functions (26 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: Would you support - through the Chair -----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Functions (26 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I know we cannot do that. Apologies. But would the Deputy support the redevelopment of O'Connell Street as proposed by Hammerson?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Functions (26 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: Well then we go another ten years for something else to come along. That is the problem.