Results 11,881-11,900 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 8, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on health oversees implementation of programme for Government commitments relating to health, receives detailed reports on identified policy areas and considers the implementation of health reforms, including Sláintecare. The Cabinet committee last met on Thursday, 9 June, and is expected to meet...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: We need to be careful about such a fundamental change. There are major issues with forestry licensing. We knew that when the Government came in. We made legislative changes and there has been a huge investment, for example, in resources in the Department. Ecologists are key to this. Therefore, we have more ecologists and forestry inspectors, in addition to administrative staff, assigned...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I want to acknowledge that there are issues here that need to be addressed. The Minister and Tusla’s CEO have met and discussed the issues of supports to foster carers. The Minister recognises that foster carers, like many others, are experiencing cost-of-living pressures now. Both the Minister and Tusla want to respond to this in a positive and meaningful way. There is interaction...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Minister will no doubt add more details to the design of the scheme. This has to go through the commission as well. The commission has already created a temporary state aid crisis framework. As we work through this scheme, obviously issues like this will arise and we will respond. This scheme will be responsive, basically. We want to have some degree of flexibility to cover...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I apologise. What is the key point?

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: That will work its way through the courts.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I was just trying to get the point that the Deputy was asking about, to be fair. I appreciate the clarity.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: We will take legal advice on all of that, as the Government ordinarily does.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: To be fair, if the money has already been allocated, there is a planning issue. I am not aware of the background detail in terms of the planning process, why the planning permission has expired or what bureaucratic issues gave rise to this.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I am sure the Minister is very well aware of it already. I will talk to her about it.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy has been a long-standing campaigner for this and has raised the matter before with me, I think in the bowels of the National Convention Centre. We still have recollections of the convention centre.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Bill has been passed. The Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022 has been passed and the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, tells me that measure has been included in it. There will need to be regulations to give effect to that. I will double-check that. They are being drawn up, allowing for the use of CCTV in respect of illegal dumping.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I am not responsible for what officials may be saying to councillors. It is not the end of the matter.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this. I know it has been an issue of concern for him for quite some time. I pay tribute to those in Ballymun. I met them with the Deputy on different occasions on the issue of drug addiction and recovery. I pay tribute to Jim Gavin and the citizens' assembly for its efficiency. There is no need to elaborate on Dublin's success on the football field to the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I take on board what the Deputy is saying in respect of the comments that have been made. This would require legislative underpinning, it would seem to me, but I will certainly follow that up with the Minister and all stakeholders. I imagine the National Transport Authority and the Road Safety Authority would be involved as well.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Government cannot intervene in every given situation in terms of car parking facilities and so forth. That is a matter for the employer. I do not think the employer should be charging staff for car parking.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: My understanding is that the vast majority of those working in the HSE have received their payment. There are some groups that have not received it yet. The vast majority of those eligible who are employed by the HSE have now received a payment and this includes many section 38 staff. That amounts to approximately 123,000 staff who have received their payment. In terms of non-HSE...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: A regional enterprise plan for the south east has been put in place. We need to analyse more deeply the factors that give rise to the growth in given regions. The medtech cluster in the west probably has been one of the more significant developments. It is based largely on research and development in the University of Galway and it also connects down to the mid-west with the University of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: It has been key. I accept that historically there has been an issue with different regions progressing at different levels. What I have announced is very significant foreign direct investment in Waterford and the south east more generally. That will grow. Horizon Therapeutics has recently announced 350 jobs, as the Deputy knows. All of those matter and will have impact. As we expand the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Oct 2022)

Micheál Martin: I have already outlined to the Deputy measures we have taken that will prevent disconnections this winter. There are always exceptional situations for different reasons, but we are clear about what has brought about this energy crisis and the level of price increases. We want to keep the lights on and we want people to be able to have warm food and heat themselves over this winter....