Results 13,961-13,980 of 51,063 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy cannot deny the global nature of this.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: During budget time, the Deputy is the first in the queue looking for higher investment in roads, rail and projects in his constituency, and greater social protection measures. There has to be a revenue base to pay for all of that.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: That is the reality. The revenue we generate relates to what we can do for society and for the public, more generally.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: We have to be transparent and straight up about this. There is no denying the global nature of this issue. We must take measures to try to help people alleviate the pressure.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: It is my understanding that National Council for Special Education, NCSE, is meeting with the school concerned and that the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, is also engaged on the issue. I must say that SNA provision is not in crisis. The expenditure on special needs education has grown dramatically in recent years. We have expanded the number of SNAs in our schools.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: That should be acknowledged. There needs to be balance in the debate here. Ministers do not allocate to every individual school across the country. We cannot be expected to do that and neither can the Oireachtas. We make representations in respect of different schools. There is a general allocation system and so forth. However, the numbers have never been higher. It is a system I...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: In the first instance, we have already put a 10% stamp duty on the purchase of ten or more houses, as the Deputy knows. Supply is the answer. It is the only answer, ultimately. The Deputy knows that, as does everybody else. We need to ramp up the supply of apartments and houses. We do not want to take steps that will reduce apartment building.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: Gouging is all wrong. That should not happen. If Deputy Howlin knows of specific cases, he should send those details to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. I do not think that is in any way proper. Proper contractual arrangements should be entered into and honoured by all parties involved in such transactions.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: It is not going to be influenced in any way-----

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy should let me finish. It is not going to involve or be influenced by any religious organisation, be it Catholic or whatever. What needs to happen is the hospital needs to be built now. Negotiations are ongoing but have gone on far too long. The existing conditions are not acceptable in the modern era. What I am annoyed about is that it taking so long. I have been Taoiseach...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: I am a great admirer of the work the Cork Life Centre undertakes. I disagree with the Deputy's assessment, which I think is unfair. I have involved myself personally in this issue over the past two years. I have engaged with the education and training board, ETB, which has also engaged with the Cork Life Centre. Significant supports have been provided to the centre. There have been...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: Again, I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I hear what he is saying in respect of the publication of the Brandon report in full. As I said, the matter is not closed from the Government's perspective. We do not want to undermine any disciplinary issues or any other issues that may arise out of this.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: I am just making the point that it is not closed. We are not finished with this yet because it is a very serious case and a very serious issue. Speaking more generally, there has to be balance here. To return to the previous question, our existing agencies have to be able to do the work. Increasingly, almost daily now, it is an independent review for this and an independent review for...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: Hear me out. We have GSOC in respect of the Garda-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: No. Into the future, we are going to have make sure that agencies such as HIQA and GSOC do their work like all of the other bodies that are there to regulate and to enforce regulation, otherwise we will have commissions being established every two months, with all of the implications that that brings with it. The Deputy will be aware that there are commissions of inquiry still going on six...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: I would have to disagree with the Deputy. Let us deal with 2022, not 2008, which is a long time ago and there was a different economic situation.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: I did not interrupt the Deputy.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: The bottom line is this. We all know the current cause of the inflationary cycle is global. Oil and gas prices have risen dramatically. Two and a half months ago, on 1 December, the cost of the barrel of oil was $68. Do you agree?

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: It now costs $93 or $94. That clearly is a dramatic increase in a number of months, which the Central Bank and Europe are saying is a pandemic-related cycle of inflation.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: Natural gas costs £1.65 per therm on international markets, compared with 42 pence per therm last February. Higher gas prices have pushed up electricity costs as gas was used to generate half of this country's electricity last year. The latest CSO data on wages shows that average weekly earnings rose 5.4% in quarter 3 of 2021 from a year earlier and were up to 8.9% from their...