Results 14,721-14,740 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Climate Change Policy (1 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Interim Climate Actions 2021 committed to “Establish an appropriately resourced Climate Action Unit in every Government Department to ensure Climate considerations are at the core of policy development” (Action 22). The latest progress report on the Interim Climate Actions, covering the period up to the end of September 2021confirmed that 16 of 18 (89%) Government...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Confidentiality (1 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: I refer the Deputy to my replies to Questions Nos. 154 of 25 January 2022 and 1 to 4 of 26 January 2022 which set out the position in this regard. The terms of reference of the investigation are framed broadly in order to facilitate whatever inquiries are considered necessary and to encompass the IT system used to support Government meetings and the provisions of the Cabinet Handbook.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Programme for Government (1 Feb 2022)

Micheál Martin: A First Report on the development of the Well-Being Framework for Ireland was published by Government in July last year and was informed by consultation facilitated by the National Economic and Social Research Council. This work is being led by the Department of the Taoiseach, and its joint sponsors the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform and supported by a broader...

Post-European Council Meeting: Statements (26 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: I attended a meeting of the European Council on Thursday, 16 December in Brussels. Cruinniú suimiúil agus tábhachtach a bhí ann. This was preceded by the Eastern Partnership summit, also in Brussels, which I attended on Wednesday, 15 December. The European Council had a full agenda, addressing some of the most pressing issues facing the Union. We discussed Covid-19....

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Expenditure (26 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: I thank all of the Deputies for the questions raised. On Deputy Alan Kelly's question-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Expenditure (26 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: Yes, but it provoked questions from others which the Deputy must be happy with. In any event, I will deal with the core point he made. I did not involve myself with the specifics. I take the Deputy's point about power and such a large volume of expenditure being allocated to advertising. It happened in the context of a once in 100-year event. The pandemic is still with us, and I remember...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Foreign Policy (26 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: No, we do not. The Commission will help to develop the capacity and the technology transfers to enable them to produce on home soil, but this takes time. In the interim, we must get the vaccine supplied to Africa as quickly as we possibly can. Deputy Haughey raised a number of issues. There will be a mid-term review in respect of the strategy. On the Security Council, I commend the work...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Expenditure (26 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: My Department incurred expenditure of €11,615,375 on advertising in 2021. This figure is provisional until the 2021 accounts are finalised. The majority of that spend related to Covid-19 public information campaigns, amounting to €11,565,853. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic there have been 68 separate public information campaigns, with each campaign using a...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Foreign Policy (26 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: Deputy McDonald spoke about vaccine sharing, the TRIPS waiver and so forth. I argue that the European Union has been the leader across the globe in respect of vaccine donation. It is the largest donor, ahead of the United States, Russia, India and any other country or continent for that matter. It has made an extraordinary effort not to have any export bans at any stage, despite some...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Foreign Policy (26 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: Yes. I will come to that.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Foreign Policy (26 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: The TRIPS waiver itself does not deal with that.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Foreign Policy (26 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: It would never have provided the magic solution that was suggested when it was advocated. There is no single or simple answer except that we must improve production capacity within Africa. The European Union is uniquely the global organisation that will do just that. Africa currently imports 99% of its vaccines and 94% of its medicines. That is unsustainable and we must work within the EU...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Foreign Policy (26 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: To be fair, Africa has suffered worst in respect of vaccine sharing and access to vaccines. That must be dealt with. Given Ireland's history of pharmaceutical production and capacity, we should be lending any knowledge we have in order to achieve that, and to help Africa with access to vaccines and developing manufacturing capacity. Work is under way in South Africa and Senegal, and the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (26 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy suggested this is part of a long list of broken promises. I want to make it very clear that we are going to follow through on every part of the action plan that we have outlined. We are doing that. People may quibble about or disagree with aspects of that, but we have committed to the more fundamental issues that survivors have wanted action on for many years and did not get,...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (26 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: With regard to the payment scheme, the Minister did not depend on the commission's reports in respect of framing and establishing that payments scheme. In other words, he went beyond it and beyond the recommendations of the report. That legislation will come through the House and Members will come forward with their amendments and proposals. The Minister will consider those on that Stage...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (26 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: I will come back to that. The Deputy said the Government is not committing.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (26 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: I have not interfered in the investigation. The Government took the decision to widen it out at the very beginning because in the modern era there has been a lot of leaking and so forth. In terms of the comments I made, I was asked basic questions about whether I would be offering an apology. It was not the first time I was asked that in respect of the Government's response to the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (26 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: That commission had been established some years ago. The commission of investigation model is the one we have. It may not have been the optimal model for this type of investigation-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (26 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: We did separate ones in respect of the industrial schools and others, and perhaps lessons can be learned from that.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (26 Jan 2022)

Micheál Martin: I am not in a position to say yet, but I certainly hope we can bring it to a conclusion as quickly as possible.