Results 15,741-15,760 of 50,294 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (30 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: That is your approach.

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

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue and I accept fully the importance of the LEADER programme in respect of regional economic development. Since 1991, I have been a great advocate for it and it has played a huge role in the development and enhancement of rural areas, particularly through rural economies and entrepreneurship. With co-financing from the European Union, LEADER has created...

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

Micheál Martin: With regard to Deputy Canney's point on LEADER, I will engage with the Minister again to see what can be done. With regard to the TAP scheme, the vaccination programme has been very effective in nursing homes and very effective overall in terms of those aged over 65. The prospect has been raised that if we have very high volumes of infection as a result of the Delta variant in the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (30 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Minister for Finance is very clear on this in relation to the story in terms of an official in the Department of Finance warning the Government that exempting apartments bought by investment funds from a tax increase would make it impossible for first-time buyers to enter the market. We all know in terms of policy development, and for healthy policy development, that a range of opinions...

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

Micheál Martin: I agree with the Deputy that housing is the single greatest social issue facing the country, and particularly for generations of our young people. It is absolutely essential that we do everything we possibly can to build houses, get supply up, and to provide social and affordable housing: houses that people can afford to buy. The Minister has brought in a range of measures, and is bringing...

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

Micheál Martin: The Deputy is great for motions, but motions will never build a house. That is all that goes on here, motion after motion. It will not build a house. Once we get the Land Development Agency Bill through and once it is on a statutory footing, the agency will build houses. Up to 4,000 homes can get started fairly quickly-----

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

Micheál Martin: No, I am not talking about individuals, I am talking about across the country. We can get State land working to get houses built, with social houses and affordable houses, for people. The majority of such lands will remain in local authority ownership post development. There is a portfolio of nine sites already waiting to go that can provide 4,000 houses. The difference really is that to...

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

Micheál Martin: We want to get on with it. We want to get houses built. We urgently need to do that as a country.

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

Micheál Martin: There is an element here of turning on NPHET or its modelling. The results of the modelling are not something we all welcome. It is difficult and challenging. Therefore, I think we did the right thing to pause and delay the reopening of hospitality in light of the stark advice. Surely we have learned something from the past year and a half about this pandemic. I never underestimate this...

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

Micheál Martin: Again, the Delta variant has been described as a cloud on the horizon for quite some time. We got advice from which we formulated the original opening in July and at that stage we were told we were in a low- to medium-risk scenario. The Delta variant had not quite penetrated here at that point but everybody knew in the days leading up to last weekend that there were issues arising in the...

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

Micheál Martin: The Deputy is being slightly disingenuous about briefings. I have had ongoing discussions with people. When things are going well with Covid-19, the Deputy never refers to the pandemic or seeks a briefing. That seems to be the rule of thumb. When challenges emerge, Deputies pile in. That tends to be the nature of the exchanges on Covid-19.

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

Micheál Martin: We can leave that to one side. A briefing will be organised. The Deputy had a discussion with me not so long ago and arranged a briefing for me from the zero Covid group for which she was advocating. I met that group.

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

Micheál Martin: The Deputy's position all along has been that we should not open indoor hospitality at all. Let us be honest. That is her position.

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

Micheál Martin: The Deputy is having it both ways.

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

Micheál Martin: She advocates zero Covid one month and something else the next. I agree with the Deputy about other measures and we must consider them for the hospitality industry, including testing and ventilation. Recommendations have been made on the ventilation for premises across the board because that is an important issue.

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

Micheál Martin: I agree with the Deputy's fundamental assertions. I regret the fact that since this Government was formed, she has been so divisive in her approach to Covid-19. She has always sought to use it as an avenue to exploit for political gain. My more important point is this. Everyone in the House should take on board that the Delta variant is a serious and challenging issue, and will be across...

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

Micheál Martin: I asked the Deputy a question which she did not answer. The modelling from NPHET was new and stark in its scale with respect to the number of cases predicted through different scenarios, namely, optimistic, central 1, central 2 and pessimistic. However, I asked the Deputy a straight question and she did not answer me. Should we have proceeded? Should we have ignored the modelling and...

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

Micheál Martin: Through the Chair, nobody likes to be told------

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committees (30 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Government Co-ordination Committee is scheduled to next meet on Monday 5 July 2021.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Northern Ireland (30 Jun 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 34 and 35 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...