Results 16,261-16,280 of 50,297 for speaker:Micheál Martin

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: I am saying that we have responded and we are going to respond to the aviation issue. The aviation industry has been negatively undermined by the virus. The Deputy knows that and I know that.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: Yes, it is. There are people working on this and we will, in the fullness of time, have a full report on it. Obviously, the containment, repair, remedy, restoration and assessment of this are currently ongoing in terms of the impact of the attack. The briefing will be comprehensive. Hopefully, we can do it before the close of business.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: Is the Deputy referring to the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund?

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: If he is, the Government does not get involved. The Government has no direct involvement in its decisions in terms of its investments. I will make a broader point. Capital is important to create building and to get housing and residential units going. The State provides the bulk of it right now in terms of allocating funding to local authorities and approved housing bodies to get...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: Can I first of all say that we have consistently as a Government called for an immediate ceasefire in Palestine and the Middle East? We have condemned the rocket firing by Hamas, which needs to be condemned as well and should not have happened. It killed children and other people as well, but the response from the Israeli Government has been wholly disproportionate and indiscriminate and...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: I agree.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: I fully accept that, a Cheann Comhairle. I endorse and agree with what you are saying but Deputy Mac Lochlainn was looking at me plaintively as if I could do something about it. I was just making the point that you have responded to public health-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has met with a representative group. I believe this meeting was in February. He asked for a submission on its proposals in respect of the scheme, a scheme which had been committed to and which has been up and running since last year. He got that submission towards the end of April. He is now going to consider the proposals. He is...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: A briefing will be offered. In fact, the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, was contacting his counterparts this afternoon to facilitate such a briefing. We can facilitate a briefing with leaders and we intend to do so. With regard to the specific questions the Deputy has asked, it is still far too early to identify the entry point or the manner or nature of this attack.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: It is interesting how times move fairly quickly here. Deputies Duncan Smith, Cian O'Callaghan and McNamara raised aviation policy. To be fair to Deputy McNamara, he has had a consistent approach to Covid-19 from the get-go, which if he does not mind me saying so, is probably on the more civil libertarian wing, and he was never a great enthusiast for the Covid regulations per se.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: I am just putting on the record how I perceive the Deputy's contributions. I say to Deputies Smith and O'Callaghan that they were the guys looking for mandatory hotel quarantine, which impacts on aviation.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: It is not simplistic. You attacked the Government. Your leader attacked the Government - could not do it quick enough.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: He could not have zero Covid quick enough about two months ago.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: It is two months on. Of course there is an issue. There are consequences arising out of Covid-19 and the measures that we take to deal with Covid-19. Without question, aviation has been a significant casualty because of the virus and measures that have been taken which have not facilitated travel. That is simple and the correct position. You cannot have it both ways.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy cannot come into the House and attack the Government for not moving quickly enough on mandatory hotel quarantine, and I remember the debates well and the fervour with which those debates were articulated-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: -----and now, moving forward, say we do not have an aviation policy. We do and the Government will bring forward an approach to the travel issue that will be consistent with the European digital green certificate framework that the Commission, in parallel with the Parliament and the Council, has been working on. We will follow through on that. We have no issue with debating that in the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: Regarding the lateness of the hour this evening, the Chief Whip said that was at the request of the Business Committee, with members and other parties wanting to discuss the cyberattack on the HSE and the restoration of service as quickly as possible. I understand that was requested at the Business Committee.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: Do Members want to drop that? That was what I understood the Chief Whip had said.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: I think that is reasonable, given the gravity and seriousness of the attack itself. Deputy Tóibín raised the issue of hot meals in schools. An expanded scheme has been provided for that this year. I do not know whether that necessitates changing the agenda or not. We can get the Minister to respond to Deputies about that point. On the broader point regarding Covid, that is a...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 May 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue, particularly for the residents of the area and those who stand to benefit from the Kilcummin sewerage scheme. The sanctioning of the scheme is important. The Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, was very keen to allocate substantial resources to waste water treatment plants and to water infrastructure more generally because it is an...