Results 11,221-11,240 of 51,889 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, along with Deputy Cairns, because it is an important one. The Government's policy, as the Deputy states, is to increase afforestation from the current level of 11%, or 808,848 ha, to 18% by 2050. This will require an additional 450,000 ha of new forests by 2050. Coillte, in its strategic vision, has committed to enabling 100,000 ha of new forests...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: The more fundamental part of the Government's strategy is the premiums and the large increase in that regard, which is a very significant incentive for farmers to use more of their land for afforestation.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: The size of the fund will be about €200 million. The fund aims ultimately to own a total of 12,000 ha of forest. This is what I have been informed. This equates to roughly 1.5% of our total existing forest estate. Of those 12,000 ha of forests, roughly 3,500 ha will be new forests, which the fund hopes to plant over the next five years. That is an average of 700 ha of new forests...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: We can change that mandate but that is the mandate. The Government does not run every semi-State organisation and if it did there would be problems. The first people in the House complaining about Government interference in semi-States, and correctly too, would be, guess who? The Opposition. That is an ongoing challenge. As to the basic point, farmers will benefit the most from the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: -----and there will be no privatisation of public land. I have made that clear in my original statement. There will be no privatisation of public land. That is the point. In fact, I would favour more State acquisition of land for forestry. That is the position the leaders of the Government have discussed with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Again, we have to be...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The first point I make is that we have international obligations under international law. What has distinguished Ireland on the global stage is the fact that we are a rules-based country that believes in the international rule of law and that we adhere to that. One aspect of that is the Geneva Convention and European laws in respect of the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: We should also acknowledge the support, goodwill and solidarity of many communities the length and breadth of the country, including in Kerry, displayed towards those who have sought shelter on our shores, particularly to those fleeing the war in Ukraine. There was a strong response in Killarney, for example, when there was an attempt to move Ukrainians out of Killarney. People at the grass...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: First of all, the Minister spoke to me on Sunday and outlined what had transpired. He gave an account and apologised to me for the omission and the mistake he had made in respect of this. He did raise those issues with me. He has also offered to come before the House again at the earliest opportunity in respect of the issues the Deputy raised. I am struck by the language the Deputy...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: I thank Deputy Cairns for raising what is a very important issue. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, and the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, are meeting Coillte today, and they will discuss Coillte's role in the Irish Strategic Forestry Fund and how Coillte should work closely with farmers and local contractors to achieve positive outcomes for the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Government does not run Coillte. Coillte is a separate-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: Yes, it is a semi-State, but with a mandate underpinned by legislation.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: Is é mo thuairim agus is é an taithí atá agam ó bheith ag obair leis an Aire, an Teachta Donohoe, ná gur fearr ionraic macánta atá ann. Déanann sé a dhícheall gach aon lá ar son na tíre. Oibríonn sé ar son mhuintir na tíre go macánta. Caithfidh mé é sin a rá. Is é sin an taithí...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: That has been my experience in my engagement with him. He has the country’s interests at heart in the discharge of his duties as a Minister. Second, I offer the viewpoint that in a legitimate controversy and issue of this kind we need balance and perspective in how we approach these issues. I make that point in terms of the issue at stake here. It is essential that Members...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: I merely say that because people can legitimately complain and we then have to weigh up who ultimately does the investigation in terms of the detail of a complaint. There is a danger. I fully subscribe to the idea of accountability to the House. Perhaps in the aftermath of the SIPO investigation, that accountability can be dealt with in more detail-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: -----but there is a problem with how I determine how Members want to proceed.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: My Department is responsible for processing Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) applications for people who are born abroad and claim Irish Citizenship through a grandparent born in Ireland or through a parent who has claimed citizenship also through FBR, Naturalisation or Post Nuptial Citizenship. Demand for this service increased significantly as a result of the Brexit vote in the UK. The...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: My Department is responsible for processing Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) applications for people who are born abroad and claim Irish Citizenship through a grandparent born in Ireland or through a parent who has claimed citizenship also through FBR, Naturalisation or Post Nuptial Citizenship. Demand for this service increased significantly as a result of the Brexit vote in the UK. The...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: Following national strike action by staff at the UK Royal Mail postal service during the month of December 2022, the Passport Service took contingency action to minimise disruption for customers. As a result, the Passport Service has temporarily suspended the dispatch by post of passports and supporting documentation to Great Britain and Northern Ireland, to avoid passports being affected...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy may be aware, the matter of a review of the Army Ranger Wing allowance is currently subject to a Claim under the Conciliation & Arbitration Scheme for members of the Permanent Defence Force. The proceedings of Council are confidential and as such, it would be inappropriate for me to comment any further on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Properties (19 Jan 2023)

Micheál Martin: The Curragh Camp is the main training centre for all Defence Force training, education and logistics units. I can confirm that there are no plans to change the status of this military installation. To this end, the Deputy may wish to note that the future development of the Defence Forces Training Centre is prioritised in the Infrastructure Plan and in recent years, we have seen the...