Results 1,321-1,340 of 50,909 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: I accept what the Deputy is saying. There is a fundamental issue with the urban landscape, and with high streets in particular. The world has changed and that needs to be taken on board in the modern planning of towns and cities. We need more residential in our towns and cities. I believe there is a future for retail but it will be a different kind of retail than the multi-stores we had...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: What has happened in the past is there was a modification for those terminally ill. I know that is not a great message either in terms of allocation of medical cards. I think Government is sympathetic but then it would have to apply to all. There are different forms of illness, like motor neurone, dementia, chronic cardiovascular disease and others. The principle advanced so far on the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the case. It has been a traumatic experience for the family and that continues to the present day. Will the Deputy send me the details? Generally speaking, in terms of maternal and infant mortality there are issues we need to be constantly vigilant about. There have been a number of cases. I will not say they are ongoing but there is no question but that...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: As I said earlier, the Government will update the national development plan. We hope to have that ready by July and roads will be a part of it. We are conscious of the serious congestion issues and delays for people on the N11. We will also be investing in public transport, which is very important for the future sustainability of transport. There will be a parallel approach comprising...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: There are established and well-tried industrial relations procedures to deal with any disputes that arise, particularly in our health service. As I said, there has been a significant increase in healthcare staff in recent years, higher than any comparable period before 2020. For any new health facility, there will be engagement on the staffing arrangements for the new facility. That is...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: I absolutely reject the Deputy's assertions. What has happened with the Order of Business is to keep 30 minutes for Deputies, and to not have it for Questions on Policy or Legislation or to not have it as a second round of Leaders' Questions, which had become the practice for certain Deputies in the House. Questions on Policy or Legislation is much better now, in particular for backbenchers...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: There was a lot of discussion at the Dáil reform committee on the issue. I believe that certain elements of the Opposition did not want this situation to be resolved because it did not suit the agenda, which is to take a wrecking ball to the procedures of Leinster House and Dáil Éireann.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: In the two months of this Government, we have allocated close to an additional €800 million in public funding, much of it to the approved housing bodies. That is what we have done. We will continue to look at ways to provide more housing.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: We came forward with the help to buy scheme and the first home scheme, now called the bridge the gap scheme, which the Deputy opposed. That is helping a lot of first-time buyers. I accept that prices are too high and I accept that until we get more supply, we will not get into a position where we can moderate house prices. We need more supply. That is the key but the supply will have to...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: I remember when former Deputy Mick Barry, Deputy Murphy's colleague, was first elected to the House he said on his first day that there is a saying in France to the effect that you must bring the politics of the street into the Parliament. That has always been Deputy Murphy's view.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: Exactly. He does not agree with parliamentary institutions.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: It is no surprise to me that he would threaten more mayhem and chaos next week because that is what he does. In terms of the Order of Business, we have had a charade for quite a long time whereby the Business Committee meets for a lengthy period-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: -----and an Order of Business is allegedly agreed. We then come in here, and people stand up and sit down and say they do not agree the Order of Business. Sometimes we lose ten or 15 minutes when other Deputies could have the opportunity to raise issues specific to their constituencies or that they are concerned about.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: No. We are allowing Deputies to have a greater say and not to be dominated by yourself and others, who tend to dominate and take ten minutes of other people's time every time they oppose, sometimes for superficial reasons-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: In respect of Leaders' Questions, no party here is in any way losing anything.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: Some parties have gained more and will have more time on Leaders' Questions. I would favour Friday sittings for legislation because I do not think Government time is enough in terms of-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: -----getting legislation through. We are a legislative Chamber; not just a debating Chamber. If the Dáil wants to sit longer, I have no issue with that at all.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: I agree with the Deputy. This needs to be urgently reviewed. I will ask the Minister involved to do that. Chronological age does not determine a person's health and fitness, in particular in a modern era where, thankfully, the population is living longer and lifespan is increasing. There are huge issues around having enough drivers for school transport. Our systems need to be far more...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: The Government is very supportive of the motorway. I understand it has gone through the various planning stages. There will be a further review of the national development plan and I expect the project will be included in that. As the Deputy knows, the project has gone through route selection and so forth. It is something that people eagerly await. We have seen the transformative...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Mar 2025)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I know he perhaps did not want to identify the plight of a young boy. I will certainly speak to the Minister for Health to see what we can do. I understand there should be a CAMHS-ID team available. I will follow up on the matter and see what we can do to help.