Results 15,481-15,500 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna - Questions: Budget Process (23 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 6, inclusive, together. Social impact assessments, SIAs, are an analytical framework that is designed to examine the demographic profile of public services users and how they are impacted by budgetary policy decisions. SIAs seek to answer questions about the impact of Government expenditure, such as whether the policy change in question resulted in a...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: That legislation is progressing. It should be, hopefully, through the House this session, but that is ambitious. I have been consistent in my view with regard to objections to good housing schemes. Eight hundred and fifty homes would have been available if that scheme had got the green light. I do not understand why people are objecting to schemes that have been worked out for a...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I will ask the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to revert to the Deputy on the matter because I do not have the background to the situation he raises in terms of whether there was a legislative change. I will ask the Minister to clarify the situation for the Deputy.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: Decisions have been made.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: Yes, it will, but it will be fine-tuned for the early childhood sector. In respect of Shannon Heritage, decisions have been made in terms of its future. I take the Deputy's point. We need to progress those and to get them embedded and delivered.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: Yes. That is very important.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I will not interfere in the operations of Cork County Council. That would be totally wrong. Has the rate been struck? I did not pick that up.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I cannot interfere. That is that.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Government's main focus is on drawing up a scheme to comprehensively deal with issues for householders who have been affected by mica. Parallel with that, we are looking at accountability and at which legal mechanisms may be available. The Deputy refers to a public inquiry. That would take a minimum of five or six years and would not deal with the immediate issue, knowing how things happen.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: The HSE has conducted an incredible number of PCR tests. There were 207,000 PCR tests in the last seven days. That indicates the pressure on the system and the level of infection. If people are symptomatic, they should simply stay at home. The HSE is doing everything it can to increase capacity further. It has brought in additional private sector capacity to add further to the HSE's core...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: Yes, it can. We do everything that we can to support University Hospital Limerick. It is acknowledged that the hospital is under much pressure. There are high numbers with Covid in Limerick, which manifest in hospitalisation rates, especially in the intensive care unit. The high numbers are getting attention from the HSE. We are looking at what resources and innovation we can provide to...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I understand that the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has been alerted about this and about issues with a number of defective units other than those affected by mica. It is a general concern for the State. I cannot yet give a timeline on the working group but I believe it is close to finality. The Minister will publish that.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I will come back to the Deputy about the exact timelines. I do not want to pre-empt it.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: How many evictions have there been?

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: If we could get an indication of the number of evictions, that would help us to work on the issue. There should be no excuse for not bringing vacant houses back into use because unprecedented funding has been allocated to local authorities to bring the voids back into use quickly. The Residential Tenancies Board should be used by those who are being threatened with eviction to make sure...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I take the point that the Deputy has made. Legislation was passed in the Oireachtas some time ago, by a previous Dáil, stating that the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, can recommend that the Minister mandatorily instruct a school to have an ASD class. That should be more streamlined and simplified. The Minister should not have to tell a school that it needs to have an...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Government has decided to keep everything under review but I will make a point in respect of pandemic unemployment payments. Taking the hospitality sector, for example, there has been a consistent response from that sector, as well as from retail, that it is finding it difficult to fill vacancies. One would like to think that notwithstanding the impact of the measures we took last week...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I did not say that. I ask the Deputy not to put words in my mouth and to let me finish. I am just talking about hospitality workers for the hospitality sector, in that there should be an absorption capacity within the totality of hospitality to deal with anybody in that sector who may be looking for work. In terms of bespoke areas, we have provided supports for the entertainment and music...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: No, it is not unlawful. It is within the parameters of state aid. Generally, the State airports - and they are State airports - are important to the country's connectivity. They are not just specific to one local area. Dublin and Cork airports are part of the Dublin Airport Authority, DAA. Shannon Airport has its own governance structures but it has a reach to the entire west. Knock...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: There have been a number of issues with Waterford for quite some time, to be fair, which predated this Government. Previous Governments provided supports to Waterford.-----