Results 12,921-12,940 of 50,151 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (23 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: It was verbal. A number of people told me that yesterday.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (23 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: Deputy McDonald's spoke about the trade with the illegal settlements, and she also raised the Ukraine issue. Ukraine will be the dominant feature here. With regard to the illegal settlements and the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill, legal advice has been issued around the competency of the European Union to govern trade policy of the EU and third countries. That is...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Programmes (23 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputies for raising the issues they have raised. With regard to the Stardust inquest, I met relatives at a recent event. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation commissioned a memorial for all those who lost their lives in the Stardust inferno and tragedy. We had a meeting afterwards. The Government has provided resources and amended the free legal aid framework to...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Programmes (23 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: And they said it was inadvertent. It is a matter then for GSOC if it wishes to take it up, or if people wish to refer it to GSOC. That is why GSOC is there. Where we have agencies such as GSOC and others they should be used to pursue issues of this kind to get them dealt with and to get early closure in respect of such issues. We have put a lot of resources behind enforcement agencies and...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (23 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 15, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on Europe oversees implementation of programme for Government commitments on the European Union and related issues. It generally meets in advance of a meeting of the European Council. The Cabinet committee discusses the agenda for European Council meetings, as well as other programme for Government...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: I do not disagree. It has always been the bane of politicians' lives that they could not get a pitch or access to a hall, particularly in State-owned schools such as the ETB schools, formerly vocational education committee schools. I was struck by the number of school and club partnerships in the recent sport applications for funding that got funding from the Department of Tourism, Culture,...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: Yes.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Programmes (23 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, and 55 together. A Policing Service for our Future is the Government's plan to implement the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland. As recommended in the commission's report, implementation of the plan is being overseen by a dedicated programme office in the Department of the Taoiseach. The policing reform...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: I agree with the broad principle that Airbnb and short-term lettings are injurious to the housing market. Housing, as I have said consistently, is the number one issue. It is the biggest social crisis facing the country. We need to deal with it with all of the weapons at our disposal. That is what Housing for All is and is what the delivery mechanism at the heart of Government is about....

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: I did not quite grasp it. I am sorry, Deputy.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: I genuinely admire the Deputy’s advocacy for Shannon Airport on a consistent basis. I will investigate that to see what the issue is. I am not quite clear at this stage whether it will make the agenda in any potential meeting with President Biden.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: The roll-out of the contract that was agreed with NBI some years ago continues. My understanding is that approximately 6.7 million m of fibre cable have been installed across the length and breadth of Ireland. Some 54,000 premises are currently ready for service across 22 counties. This means that homeowners, businesses and farms can now order and pre-order through a retail service...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I am aware that the matter has been under review by the Minister along with other issues relating to local authority tenancies. There is a broad range of issues there. I will relay the Deputy’s points to the Minister along with the Deputy’s specific recommendations.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: That is clearly a matter for the local authority which should deal with it in a sympathetic, human way. In situations like that in other local authorities, people are rehoused in a different location, particularly if the house is boarded up. We cannot intervene in every individual housing allocation. I do not know the full background, but I think the council should act appropriately in...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: In the first instance, I think the RSA is doing a very good job, overall.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: No, but I just want to make the point. We are not a PR agency for it or anything like that. This House legislated for and created that body on a statutory footing to reduce deaths and accidents on our roads and that has been a spectacular success, if one looks at what has happened.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: I know. I have answered the question. I will make a further point. I will communicate to the RSA what Deputies Moynihan and MacSharry have said. I do not have the reply here with me but my recollection is clearly that it has moved to an appointments-based system. It is saying to the public that it will be doing this work by appointment rather than everyone having to queue up. It is...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: First, Government officials have been meeting and co-ordinating in respect of the Russia-Ukraine crisis in terms of contingency planning on a number of fronts in the context of potential repercussions from the escalation of the crisis and the resulting impact on fuel supplies, cost and so forth. In terms of peat, that was not a Government decision. The courts decided what was going on was...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: The courts made a decision. We cannot just keep going on with illegality. The courts were very clear on that.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: We have, however, developed alternative approaches and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, as the Deputy is aware, has plans-----