Results 12,541-12,560 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna - Questions: Economic Policy (9 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: No disrespect, but what planet is the Deputy on?  War has happened.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Economic Policy (9 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: Russia has invaded Ukraine in a savage way. It is bombing civilians. It has torn up the multilateral rules-based order with no regard for UN universal values of territorial integrity, sovereignty and democracy.  Russia is afraid of democracy and wants to kill democracy in Ukraine. Deputy Boyd Barrett is saying that Europe is using this as an excuse to militarise.  Europe did not...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Economic Policy (9 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: There is a vulnerability now in the security architecture of Europe.  Germany believed in trade and in good relationships with Russia over a long period of time, certainly since the early 1990s, and had been very consistent in that.  Unfortunately, I do not believe that has been responded to by the Russian Federation over time. The latest manifestation of that is the wholesale war...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Economic Policy (9 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: Democracy is important, but it is now in recession and is receding vis-à-vis authoritarianism.  Europe wants to defend its Single Market, its economy and the quality of life of its people.  There are no warmongers that I have ever noticed in Europe or in the European Union that I have seen-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Economic Policy (9 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: ----- in the past number of years.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Economic Policy (9 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I was there as Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Economic Policy (9 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: Europe’s predominant role is an interventionist one which is trying-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Economic Policy (9 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: Of course it is shocking because it does not fit the Deputy’s world view.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Economic Policy (9 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: The immediate focus of the Deputy’s approach is always to attack the European Union and not the aggressors, the despots or the authoritarians.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Economic Policy (9 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: That is his response all of the time.  He attacks the war by Russia but suggests it is all the European Union’s fault. That seems to be the Deputy’s fallback position.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Economic Policy (9 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: That is the essence of the Deputy’s presentation.  Europe goes to great lengths to intervene to prevent conflict and, where there is conflict, to provide humanitarian assistance. The EU is probably the biggest provider of such assistance in the world to less developed states and to areas of conflict.  Enormous sums of money are allocated. Similarly, the recovery and...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Economic Policy (9 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: Yes. An Garda Síochána must follow through and hold those people to account if people’s money has been taken from them in respect of products.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Economic Policy (9 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I will talk to the Department on this because it is very bad for the individuals concerned. Their money is being stolen and they are not getting what they thought they would be getting.  It is very bad for the country’s reputation also.   On the financial services issue raised by Deputy Mairéad Farrell, I gave figures last week in the Dáil in respect of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Policies (9 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Ceann Comhairle. The first question related to the setting of policy and budgetary priorities. The well-being framework will ultimately help to inform policy, the budgetary framework and budgetary initiatives. Deputy Mairéad Farrell specifically raised the issue of Brain Awareness Week being next week and the issue of Alzheimer's, dementia and so on. I believe the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Policies (9 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I will come back to the Deputy on wards of court. He raised an issue. I will talk to the Minister for Justice, who has responsibility over that area. As to the point raised by Deputy Barry, again in terms of excise duties and the cuts we have made------

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Policies (9 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I am not in a position now to say what inflation will rise to. I know there have been various scenarios around that but it is going to rise because of the war, on top of the rate of 5.7% in February.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Economic Policy (9 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 to 15, inclusive, together. The national reform programme is an important element of the European semester, the annual cycle of economic and fiscal policy co-ordination among EU member states. As part of the semester, Ireland, along with all other member states, prepares and submits a national reform programme to the European Commission each April....

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Policies (9 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 to 11, inclusive, together. Ireland's well-being framework is the result of a programme for Government commitment to develop a set of well-being indices to create a well-rounded, holistic view of how Irish society is faring. This will help us to do things differently and place an emphasis on quality of life issues, as we recover from the impacts of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Brexit Issues (9 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: On Deputy Richmond's points, in essence we welcome the fact that the EU–UK joint committee, co-chaired by Vice President Šefčovič and the UK Foreign Secretary, Ms Liz Truss, met on 21 February. We also welcome the continuation of the technical talks and the meeting yesterday of the Specialised Committee on the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland. At the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Brexit Issues (9 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on Brexit and Northern Ireland was formally established by the Government on 6 July 2020 and had its first meeting on 29 October 2020. The committee last met on 4 March 2021. A meeting scheduled for 29 November 2021 was postponed due to a Covid meeting. A meeting on 24 February 2022 also had to be postponed...