Results 11,221-11,240 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

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

Micheál Martin: As a country, we have an entitlement----

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

Micheál Martin: -----to seek amendments and give opinions and views-----

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

Micheál Martin: ---as a directive is being debated.

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

Micheál Martin: I am doing it through the Chair but I am being interrupted all the time. That is fine too; I take it on the chin.

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

Micheál Martin: Deputy Bacik raised the issue of water quality monitoring. I endorse what she said about some very imaginative advertisements around water safety. Her view is that we need to do more in terms of water quality monitoring. That is improving now. it is going to enhance for swimmers, in particular the quality of water in their bays. I read Mr. Mark Henry's chapter on this. There has been a...

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

Micheál Martin: People are very vulnerable. There always has to be a balance and trade-offs in terms of trying to get the vital infrastructure that protects water quality and protects people from being flooded on a continuing basis in place. There are always groups that want to get the optimum in different situations, and we have problems with infrastructure. I can tell Deputy Barry that I was not...

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

Micheál Martin: I highlighted it. I have been very modest about Ireland because Ireland has been a laggard for the last ten years of respect of climate change. We are now catching up but we have a long way to go and much to do. What I said at Sharm El-Sheik was that the carbon tax gave us very substantial funds to enable us to combat fuel poverty, provide for environmentally friendly farming and, above...

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

Micheál Martin: These are things the Deputy opposes all the time.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Defence Forces (16 Nov 2022)

Micheál Martin: I propose to answer questions Nos. 12 to 17, inclusive, together. The high-level action plan for the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces sets out initial implementation and oversight structures. It was agreed by the Government on 12 July 2022. Under the action plan, a high-level steering board will oversee the implementation of the report's recommendations. In addition to...

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...