Results 15,621-15,640 of 50,294 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. He has been consistently raising it in the House. I agree entirely that workers across the economy, and without question our public servants and front-line healthcare workers, have made an extraordinary contribution to helping society deal with an unprecedented pandemic which has turned upside down all of our lives. Without front-line...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: As I said to the Deputy, the Government is committed to recognising the sacrifices that public sector workers, in particular front-line healthcare workers, have made. We are very conscious that across the board extraordinary efforts were made and continue to be made in respect of dealing with the pandemic by workers. The Government is actively examining this. We want to get the right...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: It is important that the proper balance and perspective is considered in this debate. The Government took measures to rein in vulture funds, or cuckoo funds as the Deputy calls them, and funds in general, in terms of competing with first-time buyers and to stop the type of activity we saw in Maynooth, which was the bulk purchases of housing estates in competition with first-time buyers....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: I did not say that.

Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence: Statements (6 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: Ba mhaith liom an deis seo a thapú chun déileáil leis agus caint faoin gceist ríthábhachtach seo. Is maith an rud é go bhfuil seans againn an t-ábhar seo a phlé. I thank the House for the opportunity to discuss this urgent and very important topic. Domestic abuse is an issue of concern across the Oireachtas, regardless of our political...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Northern Ireland (6 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 19 together. The Government's shared island initiative aims to harness the full potential of the Good Friday Agreement to enhance co-operation, connection and mutual understanding on the island, engaging with all communities and traditions to build consensus around a shared future. I established a shared island unit in my Department to act as a driver...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Northern Ireland (6 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: Research into the shared experience of Covid on the island, how the response could be improved and what lessons can be learned from the interactions that took place at the public health level is certainly an idea on which we can follow up. I am conscious of the fact that the chief medical officer in the North was very much directed from London and that part of that operation fell under the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Bodies (6 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: A lot of questions were asked. Deputy Kelly raised the decision unanimously agreed last evening by Dublin City Council. The Government has initiated a study in regard to this issue and will examine it. It will need to be examined in considerable detail because the implications are significant and dependent on the outcome of that evaluation in terms of productivity and what is best in the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Bodies (6 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: The workers are who we are primarily concerned about. We had a discussion about the situation, and SIPTU in particular raised the issue in regard to the Cork workers and the need for intervention there. Government will reflect and work on that with the social partners. Deputy Calleary is correct on the funding of the study in regard to a four-day week and social dialogue being a part of...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (6 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: Indeed, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Deputy Catherine Martin, has engaged with those in the arts and entertainment sector on a range of proposals they have brought forward and has responded generously to their suggestions. Likewise, we have met with members of a taxi group and those in that sector as well. Facilitation has been made to allow taxi...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (6 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: On Deputy Calleary's point about the Cabinet co-ordination committee, it has been briefed on cybersecurity. The cybersecurity issue had an enormous negative impact on our health services, and especially on front-line workers. I pay a very warm tribute to everybody in administration, in the higher levels of the HSE and on the front line of our healthcare services who bore the brunt of an...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Bodies (6 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 to 17, inclusive, together. As committed to in the programme for Government, the social dialogue unit has been established within the economic division of my Department to co-ordinate and support our approach to social dialogue. The unit's initial focus is on supporting, enhancing and engaging with the social partners, including through existing...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Bodies (6 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: I take it the Deputy does not mean the political sector. It would not suit politics-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Bodies (6 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: -----but maybe we can dream on.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (6 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: I will deal with the questions in the order that they were tabled. In response to Deputy Kelly, the Cabinet co-ordination committee does not have endless debates on every issue. Its primary focus is to clear the agenda for the Cabinet, to discuss general issues affecting Government and issues related to Covid. We have Cabinet sub-committees on Covid, as the Deputy knows, the economy,...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: That is a very specific case of a specific facility, and I would not immediately have the answers. I can approach the HSE in that respect, although I do not know if the Deputy has approached the HSE or the management on the issue. I will follow through and endeavour to get an answer.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for his initiative in bringing forward this legislation. The whole area of rare diseases and orphan drugs is an important one, and there has been significant investment in research at European Union level under the Horizon programmes. There is a need here in terms of our pricing frameworks to facilitate the research and development that goes into orphan drugs in...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: It is a very fair point. We have had a number of events and, from what I can gather, most of the outdoor events, and indoor events as well, have been well run. An evaluation is taking place and further decisions will be taken in respect of lessons learned from those events and how we can apply those lessons to further events, both outdoor and indoor. Obviously, we have to take on board...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I will go back to the Minister for Health in respect of it and see what proposals are coming forward. There has been a lot on in the health arena in the past year, as the Deputy knows, and it has been non-stop in respect of Covid and many other issues. I will pursue the matter with the Minister and get the latest update.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (6 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 8, inclusive, together. The Government co-ordination committee last met yesterday, 5 July, and its next meeting is scheduled for Monday, 12 July. The committee generally meets in advance of Government meetings to review the activity of Cabinet committees, review the agenda for that week’s Government meeting, discuss political priorities and...