Results 11,281-11,300 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: I did not make it to Kilgarvan, a Cheann Comhairle. I will talk to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage about Irish Water. I hope to meet Irish Water myself at some stage to discuss the water treatment plants. I acknowledge the pressure on University Hospital Kerry, as on all hospitals. The impact of Covid-19 is very...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Projects (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 8, inclusive, together. The well-being framework is a programme for Government commitment to measure how we are doing overall as a country and a nation and to improve our understanding of quality of life in Ireland. It does so by bringing economic, societal and environmental impacts together under one framework. It also places a particular focus on...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: I appreciate the concerns of the Deputy but-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: Two matters have been raised involving individual applications to State services. I can certainly comment on policy frameworks but I am not clear that I can arbitrate without having any details.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: Legislation will be brought forward to shorten the legislation that was previously introduced in the House some years ago in respect of giving directions to schools to accept children with special needs. We want to move quickly so that we can deal with an outstanding number of cases where children do not have access to school places next September. More fundamentally, I want to see a...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy is aware, the overall commemoration and the decade of centenaries programme have been advised by an expert advisory committee. Dr. Maurice Manning, Dr. Martin Mansergh and other historians have been involved and they have done a very good job overall in advising successive Governments and the Oireachtas on the decade of centenaries programme. They did not recommend memorials...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: -----which merits mentioning.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: In the context of the budget, income thresholds in respect of the fuel allowance will certainly be looked at. We are very conscious of the constraints from an income threshold perspective.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: We can thank Deputy Ó Cuív, the Minister who brought in the rural social scheme, which has proven to be a very effective scheme across rural Ireland. The Government is aware of the issues the Deputy has raised and has, in fact, reviewed this scheme and the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, will make an announcement on this shortly. We will be responsive to the needs and supportive of...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: To be fair, there has been exhaustive and ongoing consultation with representatives of those who have houses affected by mica. The Government has provided very substantial resources, now amounting to billions, to deal with this over a prolonged period of time. There has been a lot of engagement and it is not correct to say that there has not been engagement. In fact, many people are...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: In response to both Deputies, I had a successful trip to Kerry recently and the announcement of 300 jobs in Tralee was well received. By the way, the work done by Kerry County Council on the pavements in Tralee is fantastic, including the pedestrianisation. The money allocated through the urban regeneration and development fund has been well spent by the council. I then went to Killarney...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: We have the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, and various mechanisms to oversee any application of the kind the Deputy referred to. We cannot arbitrate for that on the floor of the House. Again, regarding any fresh investigation, there has been a whole series of reviews and I am not going to give an off-the-cuff response to the Deputy's request either. I will talk to the Tánaiste...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: I congratulate the Ukrainian mother on the birth of her baby boy in the midst of the obvious trauma that family has gone through in fleeing a terrible war on the Ukrainian people. This is a moment of joy for the mother and the family. I ask the Deputy to give me the details. Many people have pledged homes, not for the long term but for relatively good timeframes, where I am sure...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: I did not get the full gist of everything the Deputy said. I do not pick up on the adjournments of every county council in the country. Was it Cork County Council that adjourned yesterday?

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: Again, regarding cost-of-living issues, we have taken measures in respect of hauliers, farmers, including tillage farmers, and various groups to try to alleviate the pressures on them in respect of the cost of fuels. We also took certain measures under the Brexit adjustment reserve and funding has been made available for decommissioning schemes and so on. I accept those measures relate to...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: I will speak to the Minister and come back to the Deputy regarding the interim measures. Four years seems a bit long.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: There has been a huge acceleration in home care. Over 1 million extra hours have been provided in the last year and a half. However, because of that extra provision the skills issue or the availability of workers became a big issue. The Deputy is right that the task force was set up to see if something could be done in respect of upskilling, etc. I will come back to the Deputy on whether...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: I appreciate the Deputy's concerns. Core funding is worth up to €221 million to the sector, so it is a significant provision. To access the new funding, services must guarantee to maintain fees at or below September 2021 levels. It is based on operating hours, the number of places offered by services, the age group of the children to whom places are offered and the number of...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy acknowledged that this has been the largest ever increase in the DEIS programme. We will work with the Minister regarding other aspects of supports for those schools, particularly in terms of meals, etc. It was interesting to see that the systemic study undertaken by the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, of the education systems North and South, that we funded under...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Jun 2022)

Micheál Martin: It is difficult to comment on each individual case that comes up on the floor of the House, particularly regarding a treatment abroad application.