Results 17,501-17,520 of 50,297 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Shared Island Fund (2 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Programme for Government sets out the Government’s commitments on a Shared Island and to working with all communities and traditions on the island to build consensus around a shared future, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement. In Budget 2021, the Government announced the Shared Island Fund, with a planned €500m to be made available out to 2025, ring-fenced for Shared...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (1 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 7, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on social affairs and equality was established in July 2020 and oversees implementation of programme for Government commitments in the areas of social policy, equality and public services, including matters relating to justice, policing reform and community safety. It receives detailed reports on...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (1 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: First, I will respond to Deputy Kelly's questions about the reopening. Dance classes are a very difficult area. The issue is where one draws the line. Individual tuition is allowed in terms of culture, arts and music, but where does one draw the line with dance classes?

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (1 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: There are so many different types of dance. One is also drawing children from different communities and backgrounds to the one centre, so one is potentially facilitating the spread of the virus. As I stated in my address on Friday, we are prepared to go so far but no further. Unfortunately, quite a number of groups were left out in the modifications to level 3. The objective was to try to...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Garda Reform (1 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: On Deputy Kelly's question, that issue is being examined in the context of the implementation of the commission's reports in terms of the governance-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Garda Reform (1 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy should look at the programme for Government, for example, on the precise nature of this in terms of balancing governance with accountability. I am not so sure that the Policing Authority worked, to be honest. I do not mean that in any way to apportion blame, but there were some issues regarding role definition-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Garda Reform (1 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: -----in terms of whether it was about governance or accountability and who was ultimately responsible for the governance of An Garda Síochána. We need to reflect on that continually. I take the Deputy's point that one does not want an in-house culture that promotes certain people in certain areas. One wants an arm's-length, independent, objective approach to recruitment-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Garda Reform (1 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: -----and especially with senior appointments. That is accepted. That has been in place in recent times. We agree on the principles in this, but we must get a model and ensure it works. The Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland put a great deal of work into it. I and all Deputies engaged with it, irrespective of whether we were in or out of Government.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Garda Reform (1 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: Theesprit de corpsof the commission was a positive one. It was designed to transform. I believe the most important areas are recruitment and education. That is in the next phase and needs a radical change, in my view. We must broaden the experiences of people who apply to An Garda Síochána. On the other questions, the recruitment is ongoing. A report from the future of policing...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (1 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: Regarding Deputy Kelly's question, I said to him earlier that I appreciate the constructive way in which the question was put. I established a task force and asked my Department to co-ordinate its work in order to give a sense of the national priority that attaches to what will be a very significant logistical undertaking in regard to the procurement, storage and distribution of the vaccine,...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Garda Reform (1 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: In September 2018, the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland published its report outlining a clear vision and roadmap for strengthening An Garda Síochána and the broader national framework for policing, security and community safety.  In December 2018, the Government approved A Policing Service for the Future as the plan to implement the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (1 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. The Government co-ordination committee was established by the Government to review the activity of Cabinet committees, review the agenda for that week's Government meeting, discuss political priorities and review implementation of a specified element of the programme for Government. The committee meets in advance of Government...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: Legislation on the holding of AGMs was completed yesterday in the Seanad and will come before this House, I think, in the next two weeks. I will consult the Attorney General and the Minister for Finance, who can in turn consult the Central Bank to see if this issue can be resolved. The whole idea of the legislation was to facilitate virtual dealing or the holding of AGMs and so on because...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I have met virtually with the organisation concerned regarding Bessborough. The organisation is very focused and very pragmatic. I am not sure that the land in question is right for development, to be frank, but that is another story. On the matter Deputy Connolly raised, that legislation was not ostensibly about delaying the publication of the-----

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: No, it was not the excuse, actually.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I take exception to that. The rationale put forward by the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, was very clear and was to preserve and protect the records in order that people could avail of them. It was not ostensibly about anything or about delaying; it was about preserving the record. That truth will emerge. The bottom line is this: the Minister is in consultation with all the groups and a...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: I must respectfully say that Deputy McDonald is wrong. The legislation has been published. The pension age will remain at 66. I find her comments extraordinary when to a person, her members of the Northern Ireland Assembly all voted to raise the pension age there to 66. This is an area where the Assembly has devolved authority. Under the changes we are making, no one will have to queue...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: There is no doubt that a catch-up programme is required in light of what transpired during the first Covid-19 lockdown, when services were essentially mothballed and many people did not turn up for appointments. There has been a significant ramping up of efforts there. Screening programmes have been re-established and non-Covid-19 health services are being protected. There is capacity in...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: Very significant resources are being put into emergency services for homeless people. That will continue. Local authorities are working with NGOs, which are experienced and have been working with the homeless for a long time, to get the best accommodation for people as they require it. The figure of a third of rough sleepers, which the Deputy cites as the number refused emergency...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Dec 2020)

Micheál Martin: A mediation process was put in place. We worked on that and we thank Mr. Kevin Foley for taking responsibility. I said in the Dáil last week that space should be given by all parties, including KPMG, to facilitate the conduct of those mediation talks.