Results 101-120 of 49,960 for speaker:Micheál Martin
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Apr 2025)
Micheál Martin: The lads are watching it in Arbour Hill as well.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2025)
Micheál Martin: I have been very consistent in this House, as the Government has been, in condemning Israeli attacks on Gaza and the continuing bombardment of Gaza. We have been absolutely consistent, without question. We have taken a whole range of steps since the outbreak of this terrible war and the horrific attack by Hamas on 7 October, which also deserves to be roundly condemned. I have done that,...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2025)
Micheál Martin: It is not-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2025)
Micheál Martin: I never used the word "pride", so do not put words in my mouth, please. I never used that word, nor did I use the word "boast". Everything within our capacity to have an impact on this situation, we have been doing. We should not overinflate the impact of other measures the Deputy mentioned. There are no planes leaving Shannon for Gaza.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2025)
Micheál Martin: The Deputy is very dismissive of the vacancy grants. They are a huge-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2025)
Micheál Martin: They are a huge addition to making houses affordable for God's sake.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2025)
Micheál Martin: If the Deputy talks to anybody who avails of those grants, he see they are incredibly substantial, and so are the grants for dereliction if a person buys a derelict house and refurbishes it.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2025)
Micheál Martin: That makes it affordable. It made it possible, and it has been a success. I know the Social Democrats opposed it.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2025)
Micheál Martin: Some of them went out against that as well-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2025)
Micheál Martin: -----because they went against the affordability legislation that passed through the House in the previous Dáil. The homelessness issue is becoming much more complex in terms of the composition of those who are homeless now-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2025)
Micheál Martin: -----and the additional pressures that have come on in terms of emergency housing accommodation. It is not similar to what homelessness was five or six years ago. That needs to be acknowledged and analysed as well. What Government is focusing on is exiting people from homelessness as quickly as possible and preventing people from becoming homeless in the first instance.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2025)
Micheál Martin: I appreciate the Deputy raising this issue again. Some 7,100 affordable housing solutions were delivered in 2024, exceeding the delivery target of 6,400. Since we came into office in 2020, nearly 13,000 affordable housing options have been delivered by the various delivery partners. Help to buy has helped young people to afford to buy first time new-build houses. Bridge the gap has also...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2025)
Micheál Martin: As I said, there is a plan. In the past five years, we provided 11 new special schools and five more are set for 2025-26. On the High Court decision some years ago in respect of preliminary assessments or the then system organised by the HSE, the experts have come back to the Government and stated that it has compounded the delay and backlog relating to assessments of need. The...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2025)
Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue which is top of the Government's priorities, namely, special needs in general and especially special needs education. I make the point special education now accounts for about 28% of the entire education budget. That is a 48% increase in four years since 2020. Staffing has grown 27%, with 23,400 special needs assistants now in our...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2025)
Micheál Martin: That includes €450 million for a further 3,000 affordable and social homes and €325 million in respect of second-hand acquisitions, incorporating the tenant in situ scheme and the provision for that. Since 2023 alone-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2025)
Micheál Martin: -----over 3,300 homes have been acquired through second-hand acquisitions, as they are called, by local authorities across the country. We have published the national planning framework since coming back into office, which will facilitate the zoning of a considerably greater degree of land. I hope Sinn Féin will support that on local authorities across the country and get rid of its...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2025)
Micheál Martin: The heads of the short-term lets Bill have been brought to Cabinet-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2025)
Micheál Martin: -----and approved by Cabinet.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2025)
Micheál Martin: The Government decided today to establish the housing activation office. No decision has been taken as to who will head up that office but the person will be seconded from within the public service. That is an intention, which basically means there will be no additional cost in salary or whatever-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2025)
Micheál Martin: -----to housing - or to anybody, for that matter - in terms of a secondment-----