Results 15,381-15,400 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I did not.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: Yes, those who produced the defective blocks.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: Take that back, please. I think the Deputy should take that back.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I think the Deputy should take that back.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: First, we are living in a very fast-moving pandemic. No one, including the Deputy, at any stage suggested that we should, prior to utilisation of antigen testing, establish a regulatory framework governing them in advance. She has been an advocate for antigen testing for the past number of weeks and is of the view it should be happening much faster, etc.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: Now she has come back around the scrum to say,well, actually, slow down somewhat now and do not have it as freely available on the basis of the quality.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: Of course, and we need very strong communications around the types of tests people should buy.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: What is important as well is that, in key targeted areas, like schools and the food industry, we are up to 130,000 and close to 100,000 in terms of close contacts, which have been dispatched freely. In key target groups, they are free, have been free and will continue to be free.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I went through all the different sectors where that currently is happening. More generally, the price range now has come way down, because of engagement, by €2 up to €3, which is a very significant advance.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: However, we must always remember that PCR testing remains our core response and 210,000 were given out and done for free, properly so, last week.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy said the Government’s Covid-19 response in general was haphazard and chaotic. I would like to put that comment in context. More than 8.1 million vaccines have been administered in Ireland. We have the highest vaccination rate in the European Union, with 93.4% of the adult population fully vaccinated. The executive director today of the European Medicines Agency, EMA,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: No Opposition party replied to a written request two months ago, after the working group report was published, to detail their specific position on how the scheme should be improved. You need to answer that fundamental question. You could have got involved. You could have come up with your proposals and your plan, but you had no plan and you had no proposal.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: The reason you did not is that you simply want to exploit this, unfortunately, for electoral and political gain. We want to provide a solution.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: The bottom line is that the Deputy behind Deputy Doherty endorsed the original scheme back in January 2020, a scheme we accept was not suitable. We are saying we must depoliticise the methodology around the costings here. The SCSI on an annual basis updates the square footage building costs. They accept a sliding scale. Most people involved in building and surveying accept the methodology...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: -----and the upfront costs being dealt with. They will not have to find that money.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: First, I say to the Deputy that every party and every Dáil Deputy in this House is extremely well aware of and very concerned about the devastation wreaked on many families as a result of the mica scandal. The scandal is not about the absence of regulation; it is about a failure by certain operations to adhere to the regulations. We must call that out. Those responsible need to be...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: National Economic and Social Council (30 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: The National Economic and Social Council (NESC) advises me on strategic policy issues relating to sustainable economic, social and environmental development in Ireland. The NESC work programme includes work in five areas: 1. Shared Island: NESC is undertaking a programme of research covering a range of issues, including economy, regional development, poverty, mental health, climate,...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Advertising (30 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: Since taking up Office in June last year, my Department has spent €1,520,189 in online advertising. €1,507,897of this spend has been on the Government’s coordinated approach on 32 COVID-19 public information Campaigns. Included with the answer is a table with a detailed breakdown of campaign online costs since June 2020 as requested by the Deputy. Campaign:...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Strategies (30 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Well-being Framework for Ireland is being jointly sponsored by my Department, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Department of Finance. The First Report on this was approved by Government and published in July. It will help us to consider, understand and measure Ireland’s progress more holistically through the recovery and beyond. A follow-up phase of...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Covid-19 Pandemic (30 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: The importance of ventilation as a measure to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 is embedded in Government communications on the pandemic. This will continue to be the case in upcoming campaigns. For example, the current #ProtectOurProgress campaign from the Government Information Service (GIS) which is running on the MerrionStreet.ie social channels emphasises the importance of fresh air. In...