Results 14,861-14,880 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

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

Micheál Martin: Motions never built a hospital. It just amazes me the degree to which it takes so long in this country to build hospitals. We urgently need a national------

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

Micheál Martin: I just want to make my point in response.

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

Micheál Martin: It will not happen on my watch. It is going to be built, and it will be commenced and be done with the public interest as the number one with regard to the lands and governorship and so on.

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

Micheál Martin: I agree with that. The Minister for Education is pursuing that. I do not have the timelines for the policy initiatives on that front, but I will revert back to the Deputy on the matter.

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

Micheál Martin: The Deputy has made a very fair point and I will certainly pursue that with the Minister.

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

Micheál Martin: Generally, we need to reflect on the broad issue of having statutory public inquiries one after the other, irrespective of this, and I do not believe anybody would doubt that these are serious cases the Deputy has raised. Previously, the Oireachtas decided to have statutory inquiries that have gone on for five, six or seven years with no conclusion. It is not a model that is working.

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

Micheál Martin: I do not know if the Deputy asked through my office or what-----

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

Micheál Martin: Once again, the Deputy is clearly distorting what I said. I never said anything of that sort. I said the Government must enter into discussions with social partners and others to see what would be the most targeted and effective way to give families and workers a way to protect their disposable income without adding to the inflationary cycle. That is what I said.

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

Micheál Martin: I am talking to Deputy Barry.

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

Micheál Martin: It is what I said.

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

Micheál Martin: It is what I said. Sorry, Deputy. Let us not start distorting.

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

Micheál Martin: The Deputies can do that when they are part of the Opposition. They can always label the Government as wrong.

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

Micheál Martin: I was very clear in what I said. I said we would enter into discussions with the social partners. It is on the record. I mentioned a more targeted approach, and I instanced as an example the Vincentian model in terms of minimum income standards.

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....