Results 16,681-16,700 of 50,297 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Undocumented Irish in the USA (21 Apr 2021)

Micheál Martin: As a consequence of the Covid19 pandemic, this year’s programme of events to mark St. Patrick’s Day took place online. On 17 March, I had meetings with President Biden, Vice President Harris, Speaker Pelosi, and with members of the Friends of Ireland caucus. My discussions with President Biden, covered a broad range of issues including: Covid-19; the Ireland-US bilateral...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Appointments to State Boards (21 Apr 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 139, 140 and 141 together. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) is an independent Office under the aegis of the Department of the Taoiseach. The National Statistics Board (NSB) was established under the National Statistics Act 1993 to guide the strategic direction of the Central Statistics Office. The National Statistics Board, as mandated under Section 18 of...

Post-European Council Meeting: Statements (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: I can organise one for the Deputy. I was told Covid was the reason for not distributing speeches.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: I find some of the rhetoric here extraordinary. I take it Deputy Tóibín realises we are in a global pandemic. No Government premeditatedly decides to reduce cancer services. The Deputy should get bloody well realistic. Excuse me, I should not use the word "bloody" but I genuinely think it is a bit much. We want to provide the maximum level of cancer services. There have been...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Kelly made a very fair point about the reduction in HPV vaccinations. That is a very important issue on which I will revert to him. I will engage with the HSE in terms of the catch-up, perhaps utilising other agencies. Again, all hands are on deck in terms of the vaccination and will be in respect of GPs in particular.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: Hopefully, pharmacists will also be involved as we move more into critical mass vaccination. I take the Deputy's point. The HPV vaccination is extremely important and Laura Brennan's legacy must be honoured in that respect. I take that point. Deputy Boyd Barrett raised the issue of pathways for those studying for a PhD in psychology. I am certainly of the view that we must do...

Post-European Council Meeting: Statements (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: I participated in a videoconference meeting of the members of the European Council last Thursday, 25 March. Provision had been made for this meeting to continue on the morning of 26 March. This did not prove necessary, however, as we concluded our discussions on the evening of 25 March. Our meeting began at noon with the customary exchange of views with the President of the European...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 to 19, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on health oversees implementation of programme for Government commitments in relation to health, receives detailed reports on identified policy areas and considers the implementation of health reforms, including Sláintecare. The Cabinet committee last met on Monday, 14 December and will meet again...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputies, who have raised a range of matters. Deputy Barry again raised questions relating to public and private hospitals. We live in a country where people have choices. I support as strong and well-resourced a public health service as possible and will continue to do so. That is why record funding was provided this year to the HSE to develop, advance and expand the public...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Paul Murphy raised a number of points. The NPHET recommendations we have adopted are, in effect, to have a very slow, steady and safe reopening and to give people some relief in respect of, for example, the 5 km restriction and other matters. We have dealt with outbreaks in meat plants. From the Deputy's political perspective, he can identify meat plants as the great evil. As far...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 to 14, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on Covid-19 was re-established by the Government on 29 June 2020 to continue to assess the social and economic impacts of the potential spread of Covid-19 and oversee the cross-Government response. The committee met this week on Monday, 29 March. The date of the next meeting has not yet been set. On 23...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: First, in terms of the issues raised by Deputy Kelly in relation to special education, I will have the issue of developing schools and special needs provision looked at again, to ensure that there is an adequacy of provision for children in that context. On the issue around the Beacon Hospital, what happened there was a fundamental breach of trust in the administration of vaccines. It...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 6, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on education oversees implementation of the programme for Government commitments in the area of education, including preparing for post-Covid education. This Cabinet committee last met on 17 February and will meet again shortly. I have regular engagement with the Minister for Education and the Minister...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. As he pointed out, the main construction contract was awarded and the second cath lab is included in the programme for Government and the resources provided. The current funding, in terms of the recruitment of staff and so on, will also be provided with regard to ensuring the successful operation of the cath lab and the vital diagnostic services it...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: -----and into the future. We will continue to engage with all of the Deputies on the issue.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the three Deputies for raising the issue. Deputy Cahill has been speaking to me about this issue on an ongoing basis and articulating his concerns. There is a balance to be struck in terms of objecting to significant facilities. People have rights to object but on the other hand the increasing use of judicial review is something on which we, as a society, will have to reflect....

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: In respect of Deputy Connolly's remarks, I regard them as somewhat disingenuous. Politicians are elected in general elections. People elect politicians. I have been elected in quite a number of general elections. That is what I go by; nothing else. We are in a parliamentary democracy. People may not like us sometimes but that is acceptable. I salute and respect anybody who goes before...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: We most certainly are discussing it. If she goes through the Order of Business for the past number of weeks she will see sessions on vaccinations, mental health and Covid, childcare and Covid and education and Covid. It is extremely disingenuous to suggest that once a month would be some sort of a commitment on Covid when the reality is we have been discussing Covid day in and day out in...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: It is incredible that the Deputy can stand up and speak in the manner in which she has done. This is exactly the scheme that was designed in the North, to which Sinn Féin was a party and which it implemented. The latter is a scheme based on age. We are taking medical and clinical advice in respect of this change. We want to vaccinate people as fast as we possibly can. We are in the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (31 Mar 2021)

Micheál Martin: We have established a senior officials group under the stewardship of my Department to consider the policy implications of such certificates. On the technical side, we are progressing work to make sure that we develop a technical solution that would be interoperable with an EU-wide system for certification, once a person has received a vaccination. The EU is also talking about negative PCR...