Results 13,721-13,740 of 50,151 for speaker:Micheál Martin

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: I instanced the changes that have been made already in health-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: -----relating to the eligibility of children for GP care, the drug payment scheme threshold being reduced and hospital charges for children being reduced.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: There are targeted ways of doing this without adding to the inflationary cycle. That is what I am saying.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has engaged with Trinity College Dublin. With the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, it has offered to provide funding for a number of years to help to contribute towards a sustainable model in Science Gallery Dublin. Trinity College Dublin needs to do work to develop a new vision...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: We should acknowledge the progress that has been made since the first strategy relating to remote working was published early last year. In fact, I believe Finland, Luxembourg and Ireland top the EU league table in terms of working from home, at over 20%, although I am open to correction on that. That is an indication of the progress-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: -----and also the balanced and partnership approach that has been the hallmark of the Irish employer-employee relationship generally. The heads of the legislation the Government agreed today in respect of giving an employee the right to request remote working is another positive, progressive step forward. That will come to the House to be debated and all Deputies will have an input into it....

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Minister secured record additional funding this year for the DEIS programme. The details of that will have to be announced, but I believe it could represent a 20% increase in additional cover for DEIS schools; in other words, an additional 20% being added to the existing cohort. That will be good and impactful. We have provided additional funding to the Cork Life Centre. I will check...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: First, I again commend and pay tribute to the Women of Honour for their courage in coming forward to tell their stories and also to effect fundamental change in terms of the culture and behaviour in the Defence Forces in respect of any violence against women in the Defence Forces, or against vulnerable males as well. The Minister for Defence is acting, and has engaged, very sincerely with...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: That is a separate question entirely in terms of Covid-19 which I will deal with-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: I know but let us be honest that this is a wider issue. First of all, significant additional funding has been provided this year through the Department of Justice and Tusla and funding to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in respect of all of the strands of the issue around domestic violence and addressing it. Additional funding was provided this year but the strategy...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: This is the first time I have even been referred to as a magic dragon. There may have been a few dragons in it in terms of the public health decision. I believe that a Dáil debate on this matter is a very good idea. Perhaps it can be facilitated next week because we need a reflection and an analysis on people’s inputs on the advices we received from NPHET on the decisions that...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising what is a very serious issue for us as a society. The level and scale of domestic violence is shocking and unacceptable. The funding will be provided to deal with it. Tusla will soon publish its review of the provision of accommodation for victims of domestic violence. This will assist in developing a plan to address the shortfall of adequate refuge...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: The billionaires will always get access to third level education.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: The harder task is to make sure we create from the early years on the opportunities for people to progress in early education to primary and second level education so they have the capacity to progress to third level. That is where I would put the extra investment - into early childhood education and childcare, where the full development of the child can be realised much earlier and the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: I accept it has been a very stressful time for the students who are due to sit the leaving certificate this year, during the Covid-19 pandemic. This Government has been in office for one year and a half, not three years. We had to deal with the leaving certificate last year. Already there are differences between what we did last year and what we are doing now, or could do now. For...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: I am not clear about what the Deputy did on rent because rent kept increasing after he left office. I think we are ultimately dealing with a supply issue in housing. Chasing after an inflationary cycle has never worked. It is not a sustainable way of doing it.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: Yes, we do need to protect workers, but we have to do that working with the social partners in an intelligent way. The Government will be up for that in terms of how to do that, but it has to be done in a manner that protects disposable incomes and enables people to be in a position to access the necessities of life in terms of food, shelter, fuel and all the basics. That is why in the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: On the VAT issue, if we reduced VAT temporarily for a couple of months, ultimately we would create higher electricity prices because Ireland would lose its special derogation from the European Union and the rate of VAT on energy products in the new year would rise from 13.5% at present to the standard rate of 23%. I have explained that to the House on a number of occasions but the Opposition...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: I am talking to Deputy Kelly. Deputy Carthy is not a leader yet. He should let me talk to Deputy Kelly. We have to engage with the social partners as well and work our way through this, and take further measures, if required, at the appropriate time to deal with what is happening and what is likely to happen for the remainder of 2022. However, we must do so in a way that does not just add...