Results 17,061-17,080 of 50,297 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: I will engage with the OPW in this regard to get alleviation as quickly as possible to the couples and landowners involved, and to the people living in such dreadful and very stressful situations because of the flooding in that particular area.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: The sharing of data will not cut off that gap. The Northern Ireland Executive wants us to share data on passengers coming in through Dublin Airport and who transit on to Northern Ireland. We are working to provide this. There was constructive engagement. Sometimes I am somewhat surprised by the public statements because they do not reflect the private conversations that have been had. I...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: I find it very difficult to comprehend what has just been said given all that has happened in the country. I know that in earlier stages of the debate Deputies Danny Healy-Rae, Michael Healy-Rae, Mary Lou McDonald and others called for the pubs to be opened, saying they should have been opened a long time ago. Have you learned anything from what has transpired? Human behaviour in all...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputies for raising the issue. I understand the concerns of the Deputies about this. It is in the programme for Government that the review of the national development plan would not frustrate existing projects that are under way. I will certainly bring the views of the Deputies to the Minister and will engage with him on the matter.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: I can definitely see the Deputy, given his former role, is on top of the detail of this area. I will pursue the issue on electric vehicle charging points in the current situation. I will make inquiries in this regard. The Minister is anxious to proceed with the new climate action plan as quickly as possible. There will be a series of Cabinet committee meetings in respect of this issue...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for his query. The broad range of regulations, which will emanate from yesterday's Government decisions, will be drawn up, hopefully, by the end of the week.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: I will make further inquiries on this. There are clearly legal obligations but that in itself is an enormous challenge going back to the early decades of the State from the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. The 1940s in particular saw an appallingly high infant mortality rate in mother and baby homes. The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is developing a broad base...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy is well aware that the Government has honoured its statutory redundancy commitments to workers in Debenhams. The Government is the only party which has honoured its commitments in respect of the workers concerned. The Deputy is correct about the deficiencies in whatever collective agreement had been previously entered into at the time. We have gone through this with the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: I agree with Deputy Berry in terms of the significance of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, particularly if it emerges that one jab would be sufficient in terms of its efficacy. From my understanding, it will be early April when it comes to authorisation by the European Medicines Agency. It could happen that it comes earlier but that is the timeline that I have right now. It may...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: They have been closed by the virus, not the Government. That is an important point to make.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Government is providing unprecedented resources to many businesses across the board. Utility companies should not be charging-----

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: Will the Deputy let me speak? Utility companies should not be charging for gas or electricity that people are not using. I will ask the Minister to engage with the utility companies on this. People should be charged for what they are using. We have provided rates relief which is extensive and significant in terms of the amounts of money involved. We have also provided supports through...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Minister is reviewing the threshold. It is a low threshold. That said, we have many people on the social housing list which is why this year the Government has allocated a record €3 billion to housing and announced a record programme of social house building for the next 12 months. Undoubtedly, that has been impacted by Covid and level 5 restrictions. However, we hope to...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: According to the Chief Whip, that is a complete misrepresentation of what has transpired at the Business Committee. There was a consensus at the Business Committee to try to get business done, obviously, in a shortened timeframe because of Covid-19 and the current levels that we are at. Deputy Boyd Barrett should not be grandstanding in such a disingenuous way.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: The idea that the Deputy is being gagged or muzzled does not stand up to any scrutiny. There is also a pattern emerging here every week on the Order of Business that, irrespective of whatever is agreed by the Business Committee, the Deputy or someone on his behalf will stand up even though the Deputy was at the Business Committee and raise an issue of one kind or another.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: The issue of Covid dominates tomorrow's agenda, and rightly so. The Deputy wants to raise questions relating to the health service and so on. The reality is our personnel and the people on the front line are performing heroically, as I stated earlier, and they are doing extraordinary work on behalf of all of us. That is why we want to get the numbers down. That is why we want to continue...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: Tomorrow, the Minister for Health is in for 100 minutes on statements and questions and answers on Covid-19 vaccinations. I presume that will not stop the Deputy from asking other questions either and the Minister from responding. Then the Minister for Social Protection has 135 minutes on Covid-19 and then the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for a fixed debate lasting...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Government is acutely aware of the enormous stress and anxiety that has been placed on leaving certificate students this year, particularly as they were in fifth year last year when schools closed as a result of the emergence of the pandemic and, because of this acute phase of the pandemic, schools have not been in a position to reopen. That creates real difficulties and challenges for...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: Last week, the Deputy was really on a rant about consultation in education.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Jan 2021)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy was the person who consistently argued about the need for consultation. To be fair to the Minister, Deputy Foley, she has been consistent on consultation.