Results 13,581-13,600 of 51,063 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna - Questions: Civil Service (8 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: No, I do not think it was. It just happened around 2016. I will have to check that out again and come back to the Deputy on it. In relation to the point raised by Deputy Tóibín, I do not have a figure here in terms of how many people within the public service are working remotely. There was during the pandemic a general view that if we could facilitate off-site working,...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Civil Service (8 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: Well, the Government press secretary is there and always has been, and there is the Government Information Service, GIS, because communications are important. I can recall right throughout the pandemic the clarion call was for more communications on issues of vital importance to employers, employees, the general public and various sectors of the economy. Communications are important in that...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: First of all, I wish to make the point that, already, very significant supports have been offered by Ireland as a member of the EU in the waiving of visa requirements and through the temporary protection directive, which gives residency to all Ukrainian women fleeing to Ireland with their children and assists them in accessing social protection payments, education, childcare and...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Civil Service (8 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. The Civil Service Management Board provides collective leadership to the Civil Service renewal programme. The board is chaired by the Secretary General to the Government and its membership consists of all Secretaries General of Departments and heads of major offices. The board meets, in general, once a month and the minutes of...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: We are all very conscious of the impact of the war in Ukraine and various issues on fuel prices, the cost of home heating and, in particular, the cost of getting to work that is incurred at the petrol pump. The Government is keeping this under very active consideration, as I said earlier, and will continue to do so. On Racheal's journey from a war zone, it is good to witness the progress...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I would have to give that some thought. Some equity release schemes are not the best sometimes for senior citizens. I would like to explore these issues further with the Deputy.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Minister for Justice and Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth have published the audit on refuge spaces for women who are victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence. The work will commence very quickly on that. Of course, it will take time to design facilities and work with groups on the ground in given locations to bring about the construction and...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: That matter is under consideration by the Government. The Government is positively disposed to holding such a referendum. The timelines have to be discussed.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I will talk to the Minister responsible for that area to see what the specifics are. I am not au faitwith the specific contracts.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: My understanding is that it stands to be introduced in the autumn, in August or September. This is when the Minister envisages introducing it.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: The matter is under active consideration by the Government in terms of the broader issue of the increased fuel prices.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Government is actively considering an issue regarding fuel price increases; the Government has no interest in hurting anybody. The Deputy knows well these are international matters.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: Shouting and roaring does not get the point across, in my view. Shouting and roaring the point does not make it right. The bottom line is that international circumstances have forced a very bad situation in terms of global oil and gas prices. We are dealing with it, we have dealt with aspects of it, and we are going to deal with it again.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: As I said before, Cork Life Centre provides a very considerable service to a very important cohort of learners with a diverse range of needs whose individual requirements can be such that it can be difficult for them at times to be in mainstream education but who really flourish and develop well within the centre and under the supports available there. The centre plays a very important role...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: That will then establish the longer term arrangements for Cork Life Centre in the context of a sustainable framework for out-of-school provision. The Department will continue to work with the staff and board of the centre, which is doing such excellent work for young people.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: First, I want to say in passing that I think we need to reflect on what we just did, in such an enclosed environment and with so many people, in terms of a roll-call vote. It is farcical in itself but makes no sense at all from a Covid perspective. Covid has not gone away. I just have to say that.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: It is something we should reflect on. I just had to get it off my chest because I found it incredible what we did, as a collective group in an enclosed space, when we have technology available to vote and enable a vote to be done. We really should cop on a small bit. In regard to the biggest humanitarian crisis we have seen since the Second World War because of the war on Ukraine, every...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Minister for Health is opening several endometriosis specialist centres in 2022 as part of an overall women's health strategy that will see an allocation of up to €30 million-odd, and €48 million in a full year, to women's health, with a particular focus on endometriosis as well as other issues.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy has raised a very fair point. There could be evidence of some price gouging going on but, clearly, there is a broader issue of an increase in fuel prices, which is receiving the Government's active attention right now. I take the Deputy's point and do not disagree with the need to be vigilant to make sure price gouging is not occurring.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: First, I refer to the reports of Paul Cunningham of RTÉ from the Polish-Ukrainian border. As a correspondent with experience covering a number of wars, he has said he cannot get over the comprehensive and very efficient response of the Polish authorities to an enormous migration of Ukrainians into Poland. Nobody would tolerate or accept any racism being applied to any migrants, but we...