Results 14,901-14,920 of 50,297 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: There were some measures in the budget relating to the fuel issue. I will relate the Deputy's concerns about this issue to the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: It is my understanding, subject to checking the matter again, that the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, is giving detailed consideration to this issue in respect of the various cycles. It is important to get it right as well. It is extremely important that we modernise our approach to relationships and sexuality education in our schools and do it in a comprehensive way....

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: First, I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. As usual, he is on the money in terms of the level of activity under way in this regard and on the challenges. The Revenue Commissioners' experience is that from the volume of activity the vast majority of homeowners want to do the right thing by filing their LPT returns on time as the deadline fast approaches. The helpline is exceptionally...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: One of the reasons we introduced the carbon tax was to provide ring-fenced funding-----

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: -----to enable us to deal with low-income groups and people who would require supports as a result of fuel poverty. That was the objective and that is what we are doing in the broader increases in social welfare announced in the budget. We constantly keep these issues under review. The Deputy raised a particular point, but it is not an anomaly as such. The eligibility for fuel allowance...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: Then there were broader increases in social protection measures to deal with a range of other issues.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I have answered this question already and the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, will discuss it with me later.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: Throughout the pandemic there has always been a different approach adopted on the public health advice with regard to schools and activities outside the schools. That has been the consistent position. That does not necessarily mean that this should sustain here, so we will engage and the Minister of State has said that he wants to discuss this with me after this session.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: First, there is no coincidence and it is wrong to suggest there is.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: The point is there is no connection between climate change plans and proposals and the current issue with the supply of fertiliser. That is a global issue and it is gas related. At the European Council meeting, a number of Prime Ministers referenced challenges in regard to fertiliser supplies in the coming months. Yes, it is going to be problematic and there are lots of supply chain issues...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: There are very real issues in the global supply chain market at the moment and we are going to have to deal with them.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: Yes, it is.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I did not use the Government jet to go to Glasgow. Given the sheer number of people staying in the city, we stayed in Edinburgh and made the journey down. There are enormous crowds in Glasgow for COP26, with enormous interest from NGOs and so on. The Government jet is not being used that frequently, not by design, to be frank, because we do need to get to meetings and get back to be in...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: Basketball is a great sport and we will do everything we possibly can to facilitate its restoration in these difficult Covid times. The Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, spoke to me about it just before I came into the Chamber and we will be discussing it again later.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: First, more general issues in terms of protecting children and mothers can, of course, be discussed in this House at any time. However, the separation of powers means there are different jurisdictions where issues get dealt with.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I do not think it is fair to say that this House is somehow suppressing the issue. I do not think that is the intention at all.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy is very clear as well about the demarcation lines in terms of the separation of powers.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I have not had a chance to read the full report from the Oireachtas committee and do not know whether the inclusion of such a provision is recommended.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I will engage with the Minister on the issue to see what can be done to facilitate the Deputy's suggestion. Her suggestion is very fair given that content moderators have a very stressful and traumatic sort of experience in terms of the content they review.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I brought in the nursing degree programme quite a number of years ago as Minister for Health and, if I say so myself, it was a transformative thing to do in how we educate nursing in this country and moved it on, by way of advanced nurse practitioners and postgraduate degrees, which has made a significant difference to our health system and the delivery of our health service. I am very keen...