Results 17,221-17,240 of 50,297 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: Otherwise, one would have a situation where company after company would start reneging on social protection.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: That is to protect the Social Insurance Fund. Why is the Social Insurance Fund important? It is so that the State can pay €13 million in statutory redundancy to the Debenhams workers-----

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: -----and to other workers who become redundant. It is about time Deputy Boyd Barrett had a bit of honesty in his presentation on these issues rather than just playing to the gallery every single day and pretending there is a great, easy solution if only the Government would do what it can easily do.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Boyd Barrett knows full well that is not the case.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I take on board what the Deputy says and I will inquire further into it. As he is aware, there was a High Court judgment in 2019, which reaffirmed that commercial peat extraction, absent planning permission, constitutes unauthorised development and the onus is on operators to first regularise their past activity via the planning system. I do not say that necessarily applies here. Planning...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I take the point that the suspension of commercial peat extraction has implications for operators in the sector and for the horticultural sector.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I will see what can be done.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I have had many Zoom calls on many issues. In fairness, is it the Taoiseach's task to do every ring road in the country? We have a local authority, a Minister for Transport and a Minister of State at the Department of Transport, who is at the Cabinet table. We need to reflect on that. Am I now to actively-----

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: It is not too far away from Cork. The Deputy knows it has never been too far away from Cork.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: We were a bit behind Tipperary this year. Cork has a great love affair with Tipperary. The Deputy knows that.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I take the Deputy's point. He will appreciate that things were hectic with Covid-19 and everything else. I will talk to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and the Minister of State, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, and I will check out where the project is at.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, which is a very serious one. Other Deputies such as Deputy Cathal Crowe have raised it with me as well. I would like to discuss the matter further with the Deputy and other Deputies as well. I know the Minister has plans to support aviation in particular and the heritage sites and the evolution of the Shannon Group.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I will come back to the Deputy.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: As I said, the intention is to continue this on an administrative basis first and then to see if we can introduce legislation to underpin it. Essentially, officials in the Department of Health are giving detailed consideration to the implementation of a unilateral cross-border directive type of arrangement. It cannot be the same because the UK is no longer in the European Union and it does...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Government has not left the workers cruelly exposed, and no legislation will stop liquidations in the future. There are issues with regard to whether we can give greater protections to collective agreements. I have read Mr. Kevin Foley's report on this and the Deputy should as well. It is just playing politics to say it is the Government's fault. That is the easy thing to do....

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Government is the only party that stood up to the plate. We provided the statutory redundancy. Some €13 million has been paid in statutory redundancy payments, and as a result of Mr.Kevin Foley's report, the Government will provide an additional €3 million to support guidance, training, education and business start-ups for the former Debenhams workers. That is what we can...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I am aware of the seriousness of this matter. Deputies Cahill and Lowry have consistently raised it with me, as has the mayor, Councillor Smith. I have been in contact with the Health Service Executive on the matter and I will speak again to the Minister for Health. I have spoken to him previously about this and I intend to engage further now. Given yesterday's meeting and its potential...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: First of all, there will undoubtedly be ongoing consideration of the scheme. There needs to be an evaluation of the scheme, how it worked and its effectiveness. I have no doubt that it has been very effective in terms of supporting many businesses. As I stated, more than 66,500 firms received a payment under the TWSS, supporting more than 664,000 jobs. If the Deputy can submit the details...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: First, on Brexit, we have been working very hard to avoid a no-deal Brexit. The Deputy is correct in stating that the western regions and the Border counties in particular would suffer very severely from a no-deal Brexit, and farming would be very negatively impacted in terms of dairy, beef, sheep and all agricultural products. The impact would be very severe. As for fish, it would...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: We will be in discussions with the Executive and will discuss the Covid situation on Friday. There are political sensitivities here, and one must always be mindful that whatever initiatives the Northern Ireland Executive takes, they are the Executive's initiatives. It has to own them and be comfortable in bringing them forward, even if that means further restrictions. It is to be regretted...