Results 14,261-14,280 of 50,297 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: Yes.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: As I said in response to an earlier question from Deputy Doherty, the Government has not failed throughout the pandemic to intervene in an unprecedented way to support businesses, including hospitality businesses, throughout the country. The EWSS has been the most successful and effective scheme in underpinning companies. It is an economy-wide scheme. The Government is keeping it under...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: Overall, with regard to the allocation of resources and recruitment, there has been very extended financial provision, both last year and this year, for the acute hospital service. An increase in capacity has been provided for across the country. I do not have the specifics for Sligo hospital. Close to 4,500 staff were recruited in the HSE this year, and over 6,000 were recruited in 2020....

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: Again, figures are being plucked out of the air and tossed about the place in the context of the mica scheme. My understanding is that a house of the size just referred to could be entitled to up to €300,000 for a rebuild, plus the €20,000 for rent and storage. This is a very expansive scheme, and is much better than the previous one. We have listened and taken on board a...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: I fully appreciate the issue raised by the Deputy. I am aware that the Minister of State, Deputy Joe O'Brien, is working on this. We are considering ways in which we can give additional supports to the community task forces. The Deputy is correct in identifying the huge scourge and devastating damage being done to many families, particularly young people, because of the proliferation of...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: I will talk to the Minister for Transport about that. 1 o’clock There should be consultations between Transport Infrastructure Ireland, if it is responsible for that stretch of road, and the community groups representing the residents and the general community. That is how the matter should be progressed.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: I agree with the Deputy that it is commendable that the public have responded to the public health measures of recent weeks in terms of reducing socialisation and general congregation. That does have an impact on certain sectors. About a quarter of employers on the EWSS are in hospitality while about 40% of employees are in companies in the hospitality sector. The EWSS is an economy-wide...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: I will certainly discuss what the Deputy has just raised with the Minister for Health. Obviously in the course of such legislation there are always exchanges and clarifications and, if necessary, amendments if they are desired to facilitate situations such as the Deputy has referenced with be facilitated. I will discuss this with the Minister.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: The school authorities, the Department of Education and the Minister have been guided all along by public health advice. In respect of ventilation, there has been guidance issued to the schools advising that the first and most effective form of ventilation is fresh air. I take the Deputy's point that there can be caveats to that in certain conditions. The Minister is providing for...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: I do not know the details of the scheme, but the GP did not have to issue the €60 bill immediately. I just want to make that point. The Deputy's overall point is correct, however. There is a huge challenge in respect of the registration of births and deaths and getting certificates. My understanding is there is a major problem in the greater Dublin area especially. One third of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: This relates to the registration issue. We are living in extraordinary times. We are in the middle of a global pandemic and we have had a cybersecurity attack on top of that, which has damaged systems. All round, people need to adopt some degree of flexibility and practicality as well. That is the point I made. Many people will know those coming into them in surgeries, etc. A small bit...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: There is great hope for Louth in the future, in all sports, I have no doubt, if there are more Fitzpatricks coming on the scene.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: Will the Deputy hear me out please? Developmentally, children being in school trumps everything. The development needs of children regress or are undermined if they are out of school for any prolonged period. That is the context here. To protect that central objective, the public health advice recommends the wearing of masks. The Chief Medical Officer and the deputy chief medical officer...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: The legal framework is obviously that, from a public health perspective, our fundamental obligation is to protect the public from this virus.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: I am not going to arbitrate on what would transpire should people take challenges and so on.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: I dispute that. The Deputy is not a constitutional lawyer.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: I accept the point and I can see-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: I can see the conflicting arguments that will ultimately transpire. I accept the Deputy's bona fides in saying that this is the right thing to do. I agree with that.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the serious issue of rising gas prices and energy prices more generally. This is a problem across Europe and the globe. In anticipation of that, we increased the fuel allowance and brought in a set of social protection measures in the budget that are designed to help people deal with this issue. I said "help" because it does not cover it in its entirety. We...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Dec 2021)

Micheál Martin: We have already taken measures, which the Deputy has dismissed. We have increased the eligibility threshold for the fuel allowance which will be retrospective to budget day. We have also brought in a tax package that will help those who earn more than those income thresholds and who are working. This will make a contribution towards dealing with the current wave of energy costs. We are...