Results 17,001-17,020 of 50,297 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (10 Feb 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Final Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes was considered by Government and published on 12 January. On 13 January, I issued a formal apology in the Dáil on behalf of the State for the hurt experienced by many former residents of Mother and Baby Institutions and County Homes. I apologised for the profound generational wrong visited upon Irish mothers...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Citizens' Assembly (10 Feb 2021)

Micheál Martin: Consideration is being given to all possibilities with regard to methodology for future Citizen’s Assemblies, but any decisions in this regard will be guided by the experience of the current Assembly which aims to report in June this year. This is also being evaluated by an independent researcher who has been appointed to monitor and record, amongst other things, the perceived...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Shared Island Unit (10 Feb 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Government’s Shared Island initiative involves: - Working in partnership with the Northern Ireland Executive, through the North South Ministerial Council and with the British Government to address the strategic challenges facing this island; - Further developing the all-island economy, and deepening cooperation in key areas such as Health and Education and investing in the...

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

Micheál Martin: Deputy Cahill has been consistent on this issue for quite some time. I point out to Deputies Carthy and Durkan that a working group has been established by the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Noonan, to examine the future role of peat in the horticultural sector in relation to the long-term solution for peat alternatives for horticultural...

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

Micheál Martin: The HSE deserves considerable credit for ramping up a very significant testing and tracing capacity, with up to 150,000 tests per week now. I recall people articulating loudly not so long ago for 100,000 tests per week. I stand to be corrected, but my understanding is that 137,000 were conducted last week. However, the Deputy is correct in saying there has been a resistance from the...

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

Micheál Martin: The Deputy needs to change his tone. His continuing relentless hostility is regrettable to have to witness weekly, but that is the way he operates and that is his entitlement. I have refused to meet no one. The Deputy keeps coming in here every week saying I am refusing to meet somebody. I have refused to meet nobody. Obviously, with Covid, we cannot meet people physically.

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

Micheál Martin: We can meet people virtually, and I know that Deputy Cahill and others would facilitate that meeting tomorrow morning or whenever else. Deputy McGrath cannot keep on attacking people in a very nasty way left, right and centre and then expect-----

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

Micheál Martin: The reluctance, from what I can surmise and gather from the discussions I have had, is that NPHET believes the PCR test is gold standard. It believes a lot can be missed through antigen testing. That said, it has now advised that it can be used in outbreak settings. I know that the Deputy chaired the Special Committee on Covid-19 Response, which I presume discussed this, zero Covid and the...

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

Micheál Martin: -----throughout the summer. I do not accept the Deputy's point that there is a conflict of interest between being chair of NPHET and being director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory, NVRL. To be fair to all concerned, everybody has come together in different contexts to help the country defeat and suppress Covid-19. We should accept people's bona fides in that regard. There is a...

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

Micheál Martin: I am not an expert on testing or the most-----

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

Micheál Martin: No. They have their experts. We cannot just pick and choose à la carte. There are structures within the country and clinical and public health advice and-----

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

Micheál Martin: Maybe the Deputy's party could do something as well. Maybe it is time for Sinn Féin to help and assist in truth recovery in respect of the terrible atrocities-----

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

Micheál Martin: Why is it shocking? Why is it shocking that the relatives of those who were murdered in Kingsmill should get transparency and some truth as to what happened?

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

Micheál Martin: I did not interrupt. I listened and I wish to respond. It is a genuine response. The Deputy generically calls it "the conflict" as if the Provisional IRA and the Provisional movement had absolutely nothing to do with it. "People got killed by accident" seems to be the assertion in the lovely and articulate way in which this is put, but we know the reality-----

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

Micheál Martin: I know that, and we will do what we can. As a Government we have played our part through the setting up of the Smithwick tribunal of inquiry and we will do more if necessary to bring truth through to what happened, but the Deputy's party must also do more.

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

Micheál Martin: My response is that I have no difficulty meeting any groups, and I have met them in the past, but I do get tired of those who do not come to the table and I believe genuinely that the Provisional movement has not come to the table on many atrocities that were committed in the past. That needs to happen too. In response to the question about the protocol, yes, there has been subsequent...

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

Micheál Martin: I accept and believe there is a need collectively all round for calm, cool leadership. Certainly, we responded quickly on Friday evening when the Commission made, in my view, a mistake in terms of dealing with the AstraZeneca vaccination supply issue via the protocol and Article 16. To be fair, as soon as I engaged with the President of the Commission she responded quickly and reversed the...

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

Micheál Martin: The period in May was during the interregnum Government and the last Government as it dealt with the pandemic. As we know, through the summer months the numbers were low. Most of the representations in this House were with a view to relaxing restrictions and opening up. The overwhelming number of calls in the House were to do just that. Deputies were concerned about airports, airlines,...

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

Micheál Martin: It will improve this and give greater capacity. I appreciate Deputy Kelly's offer to facilitate the speedy passage of this legislation through the House. In fairness, the Deputy has indicated that he will do so.

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

Micheál Martin: Of course I will alert the Minister to the comments and the request of the Deputy. I wish to make the point that sustained action has been taken in respect of homelessness and the provision of emergency accommodation. The numbers are coming down. Obviously, we want them to come down further. Certainly, we want to create sustainable housing alternatives for people who are homeless in this...