Results 11,781-11,800 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of the Report of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: -----on the Constitution could just muddy the waters.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of the Report of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Government is committed to the strategy on women and girls, for example. It is being worked on and, similar to Housing for All, will provide an overarching framework.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of the Report of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: On the Deputy's second point, in respect of which she quoted Professor Farrell, fundamentally it is the Oireachtas Members who are elected. It falls to the Oireachtas to make decisions. The Oireachtas committee worked on the eighth amendment, for example. It did not stick to the letter of what the citizens' assembly prescribed. Not every member of the committee voted for it. Some were...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of the Report of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: As a general point, that is valid. Members are elected by people as well, and they have different views, as we know. People will want to do things differently. That is the balance we want to get right. I would engage on Professor Farrell's point that the model is too managerial. I believe he was involved with the original models. There was criticism in certain quarters of this House of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of the Report of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: The shared island dialogue series we have developed, which has had a different form altogether, has been long-standing and impressive. Up to 2,000 people in the North and South have engaged in different teams in that dialogue. We should always be open to different approaches and models and to learning lessons from what has gone right and wrong.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of the Report of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: That is a fair point but we would say we have responded to a number of the recommendations of the specific Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality already in terms of childcare and so on. Also, this committee represents a response. There is a degree to which we want this Oireachtas committee to come back to the Executive and the full plenary gathering and say this is how we think this should...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of the Report of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: There no issue for me on that. It is all Article 41.3. I apologise.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of the Report of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: Yes I am committed to them. I fully accept that for a long time the definition of marriage was too restrictive in the context of the understanding of that article. Many legal people might have a different perspective legally on that but I am very clear that the family is a very broad concept as far as I am concerned. I look at it in the broadest way. I am very committed to changing that....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of the Report of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: On Senator Doherty's points, I ask her to come back to me with the full report as quickly as she possibly can because there is a process there. The role of this Oireachtas committee is to consider the citizens' assembly report on gender equality and bring forward recommendations for Government to bring forward and implement. That is where we are. The final report will be published on 1...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of the Report of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: When I reference referendum commissions, I have been through it in the past. Once an allegation is made that a referendum commission is not allowed to do its job, that increases suspicion about what they are at and what the elite are at by putting a referendum on citizens when it has not been fully explained, and whether they are covering something up. That is my point. We have improved...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (11 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: First, in regard to drug reform, Deputy Gino Kenny outlined the appalling death toll in Ireland from drug abuse. There are a number of approaches to dealing with this. I think part of the issue we have is that there tend to be stop-start initiatives. We need a continuous perseverance in communities in regard to drug traffickers and all of that, as well as in terms of giving young people...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (11 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: Let us help the person in need, not engage in cross-examination. That is my position and I am making it absolutely clear legislation will not see any provision of that kind.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (11 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I will come back on that. Again, this is breaking new ground, to be fair to the Minister. It is a very good start but we will revisit it. Deputy Bacik raised the issue of funding for Acquired Brain Injury Ireland. I will look at that. It does fantastic work and I think it needs multi-annual funding. I have visited the organisation on many occasions. I believe it should also benefit...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (11 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I have dealt with the issue raised by Deputy Barry in my answer to Deputy O'Reilly's point about the leave entitlement of five days versus ten days.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (11 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: In response to Deputy Bríd Smith, there is a dilemma here. In the first instance, the response to climate change must be global. It has to involve all the states insofar as that is possible. That includes Egypt and many other states whose political systems or systems of governance are obviously not what we would be happy with. Through the European Union, we consistently raise issues...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (11 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I did not decide on its location.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (11 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: It has been decided; I am not going to change that.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (11 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: The issue for us is whether we attend. That seems to be what the Deputy raised. We have to have a voice on the climate issue. We made significant contributions at COP26, as did the European Union. If anything, the European Union and United States led the charge on climate at COP26. Together with Japan and other countries, there is now potential that we can get better outcomes. I refer...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (11 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: -----and not just within Europe. We need to convert those outside of Europe as well and persuade them towards this agenda. Deputy Cullinane raised the issue of solar panels. The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, announced good moves recently around planning around schools and houses and so on. Basically, we want to make it as fast as we possibly can in terms of the planning process....

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (11 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: The point is that we will need offshore wind.