Results 15,921-15,940 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

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...

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

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising what is a very important issue and I share his impatience. We want to get this done as fast as we possibly can. I was in Cobh recently, as was, I believe, the Deputy. This was a very significant achievement by Irish Water on the wastewater treatment system that is now operational and in place in the lower harbour region of Cork and significant progress was...

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

Micheál Martin: -----if we are serious about all of these issues as a country and as an Oireachtas, we need to get a bit real in how we deliver these projects faster. They are just being held up all over the place across the board and we cannot afford the luxury of doing that anymore.

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

Micheál Martin: Everybody needs to be honest. The farmers do not believe that what we are proposing is anything other than too much.

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

Micheál Martin: Let us all be honest here. The farming representatives have a view that what is being proposed is excessive.

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

Micheál Martin: I am just taking that point. The Deputy is giving the impression that they would appreciate if there were higher targets set for them. They would not, actually.

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

Micheál Martin: They need supports and they will be provided with them. We need a more diverse approach to farming in income streams to give opportunities to farming. We need to work with farmers. As I said earlier, there is a very significant hunger in the farming community for its capacity to reduce costs through alternative energy solutions, and that is something that I am very supportive of, but again...

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

Micheál Martin: We need to be clear about this. The Deputy reported the figure of 3,726 cases and he almost, by juxtaposition, blames schools for this. This is an incredible presentation and it is not the case.

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

Micheál Martin: The issue is this. It is vital that children go to school and that their full range of development is catered for. That is the first priority and objective. What is the biggest issue facing children right now, if you talk to public health people or to people in hospitals? I was in Clonmel on Friday and met the paediatrician, the director of nursing in the paediatric ward there. The...

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

Micheál Martin: I think that there will be a role, having spoken to the Chief Medical Officer, for antigen testing in specific areas, in schools and so on.

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

Micheál Martin: I will engage with the Minister for Justice on that Bill and legislation, where it is and I will come back to the Deputy on that.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, which is impacting on many businesses, people and homeowners throughout the country. The Government is very aware of the affordability issues and the difficulties very often with getting adequate insurance cover and availability of cover for certain businesses, particularly in the leisure sector and the sector the Deputy has just outlined....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2021)

Micheál Martin: I ask the Deputy to send on the details of the situation to me and the background to it. I fully commend the work of Air Bound with children with disabilities and special needs. Unfortunately, under the EU Solvency II legislation, the Government is prohibited from setting insurance premiums so there is no silver bullet. However, I would like to hear more detail on the background to this....