Results 16,441-16,460 of 51,089 for speaker:Micheál Martin

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

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. He has been a consistent and very powerful advocate for a law in this area for some time. He has contributed to the work of the Parliament in a very informed way, resulting in the passage of this legislation. I will follow through in respect of its implementation on the ground. It would concern me if complainants were getting that type of...

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

Micheál Martin: In the first instance, we must be careful of pre-empting the outcome of the discussions between the hospitality sector and the Government and conflating the two issues in terms of travel and the digital Covid certificate. The latter has taken considerable work and has presented many challenges given the various sources of information – vaccination, disease recovery and PCR testing,...

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

Micheál Martin: The Government is now examining that with the industry as to how best we can operationalise it.

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

Micheál Martin: That is Government policy. The Government has made it clear, particularly given the extraordinary success of the vaccination programme in the hospital setting and the very low rates of transmission within hospitals, that partners should be facilitated with absolute access in maternity wards and for scans and so on.

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

Micheál Martin: It is extremely important that the guidelines that have issued from the HSE and from the national clinical director would be applied in all maternity hospitals. That is the clear position that has been articulated from the top of the HSE and the clinicians on the ground should implement that.

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

Micheál Martin: My understanding is that the NDP will not be finished before the recess. Some further work must be deliberated on. It is very close to finalisation. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform is in discussions with line Ministers across different Departments, which the Deputy will be aware of given his previous experience. In particular, he is in discussions with the Minister for...

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

Micheál Martin: I hope that the Deputy is not suggesting that I do not believe women.

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

Micheál Martin: I did not say that at all. The Deputy should not make innuendo and wrongly imply what I said. What I have said, repeatedly, is that the national clinical director, the CEO of the HSE, the Minister for Health and the Government have said that there should be no restrictions. I acknowledge, because I am getting feedback from Deputies that they are getting feedback from constituents and...

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

Micheál Martin: There is an issue on the ground locally. I believe what people are saying to me. It should not happen. No one should have to go through a miscarriage on their own. That is appalling. They should not have to. If the Deputy can send me on the emails, I will pursue them with the HSE.

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

Micheál Martin: The PUP, in some respects, reflected what people were earning. It represented an unprecedented support of students because it would have been the first time they received welfare payments from the Department of Social Protection. The PUP was an exceptional payment in the context of the pandemic. It still represents a very unprecedented support of students by the Government over a prolonged...

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

Micheál Martin: First, there is a very comprehensive and busy agenda over the next number of days to be deliberated upon and to get through. The Government wants to progress legislation and bring it to a conclusion before the summer recess. We are very clear about that. We have been pushing for this and very adequate time has been provided over recent weeks for a range of legislative items in respect of...

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

Micheál Martin: The Opposition Members are saying two to three weeks ago and now it has gone to a month.

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

Micheál Martin: My understanding is that there was a debate in the House on the Common Agricultural Policy and there was a reasonable expectation that such a debate would not be sought again given the fact there was a comprehensive debate already on it.

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

Micheál Martin: On the vaccine issue, which a number of Deputies have raised and which Deputy McGrath referred to as "medical apartheid", which is an appalling phrase to use - Deputies Tóibín and Connolly raised this issue also-----

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

Micheál Martin: -----the fundamental objective of all public health advice we receive is to protect lives and livelihoods. Do not forget that - through the Chair. It is up to Government to operationalise that and we are in discussions at the moment with the hospitality sector with a view to having a plan ready by the 19th of this month. There is a big challenge facing us in respect of the Delta variant,...

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

Micheál Martin: It is very regrettable that, since the Government was formed, debate has become very partisan and divisive.

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

Micheál Martin: The public health advice should be accepted in good faith. One can disagree or agree but you should not be casting aspersions and using language such as "medical apartheid" and so forth-----

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

Micheál Martin: -----when the only objective from the public health perspective is to protect people who are not vaccinated. Why would we want unvaccinated people to get the virus? Why would we want to throw caution to the wind? Is that okay? Is that what we are actually saying, if you look at the counterargument?

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: I acknowledge the Deputy's positive comments in respect of the Committee Stage amendments to the climate Bill in the Seanad last week. It illustrates the Minister's openness and accommodation in taking on the views and ideas of others in the legislative process. He has a high regard for agriculture and rural Ireland. He has made that clear on an ongoing and consistent basis. The...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Jul 2021)

Micheál Martin: Maybe the Deputy is watching the European Championship because he has shown such agility of foot across the pitch here in the past two minutes. It is highly impressive. He has covered everything from slurry spreading and forestry to carbon sinks-----