Results 121-140 of 50,683 for speaker:Micheál Martin

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: There is a process here. I do not interfere in every single process. I do not have executive authority to do that. I think the Deputy knows that.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue, which is obviously of huge concern to those in County Louth, in Carlingford and Dundalk. The additional investment in Irish Water, or Uisce Éireann, is a key priority for the next national development plan for clean water but also for housing supply. We will be ring-fencing quite substantial capital allocations for housing supply but also, as...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: There are challenges. Nonetheless, earlier this year, the new Government allocated up to €700 million additionally over the Estimate for a whole variety of schemes to give them the green light. It allocated about €450 million for new projects and then approximately €300 for the tenant in situ scheme and for further acquisitions of housing and so on by local authorities....

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: First, the Department makes its assessment in respect of new schools in terms of demographics, existing schools in the area that may be absorbing a lot at second level, and future trends. I am not in a position right here to question the work the Department has done on this. I will raise it with the Minister and indicate that the Deputy has raised this issue in Greystones on the Order of...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: I accept fully the frustrations as articulated by the Deputy in respect of this issue. As far back as September 2024, the Department of Transport sanctioned an additional 70 permanent positions for driver testers and this increases the total permanent posts sanctioned for testers to 200, which is a doubling of permanent posts since June 2022. A recruitment process in under way, with the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: The reference to complicity in genocide is shocking and wrong. I genuinely mean that.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: I do not in any way underestimate the Deputy’s sincerity on this issue. I respect it. She has been very consistent on this, but it is wrong to say others in this House are complicit in genocide when they most certainly are not.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: The legislation last week would have done nothing to change that.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: The Central Bank may be in a position over time to do something.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: There may be a route there, but that in itself is not going to change what is happening now.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: Excuse me, the Deputy’s time is up.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: I do not want to be facetious but under the triple lock arrangements at the moment, it would not be possible for the Naval Service to go overseas. In any event, I applaud the crew of the Madleen-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: -----because they acknowledged themselves that it was a symbolic gesture.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: It is not a back and forth.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: As the King of Jordan said to me at the weekend, we need trucks and trucks of aid, not drops. We need absolute, unimpeded aid going into Gaza at huge scale. On the other hand-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Taoiseach.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: We will do everything we can to endeavour to get an outcome in respect of the EU-Israeli association agreement. It will be difficult, because a lot of countries in Europe do not have the same mindset that we do.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: These figures are serious and of concern but they are from 2023, the year the data was collected. The Government had not yet, at that stage, brought in free school meals for all primary school students or free schoolbooks at second level. I am sure the Deputy would acknowledge these measures have had a significant impact on many families and are making a real difference to children in...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: At the weekend, I was in Nice for the United Nations Ocean Conference and took the opportunity to meet with a number of people in respect of this issue. The crew of the Madleen deserve our recognition. I pay tribute to their bravery and courage for profiling and keeping in the public and international spotlight the shocking situation in Gaza and the deprivation and starvation there. It...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Jun 2025)

Micheál Martin: I hope we can leverage significant international support for pressure to be put on Israel.