Results 17,621-17,640 of 50,297 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Covid-19: Statements (24 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: It has been nearly nine months since the threat of an unprecedented global pandemic became a reality. Since then, Ireland and every country in Europe and throughout the world have had to take dramatic action to contain the terrible toll that this virus can take. Every aspect of social, economic and cultural life has been upended as we have worked to shield those most at risk and to limit...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (24 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: It was not meant to be personal.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (24 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: Just as a point of clarity, I have no issue with campaigning or campaigns, but I am always reminded that, when Deputy Barry was elected in 2016, he made a very clear statement of his philosophy. He said that there was a saying in Paris, namely, that which parliament does, the street undoes. That sums up the difference in our philosophies. I am a committed parliamentarian and I believe in...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (24 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: That is the way politics works, and that is the way it has worked. That is what the Deputies are at.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (24 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy instanced correctly the War of Independence as being a campaign, but what about comparing that to whether we should replace the RTÉ licence fee with another charge? That is the point I am getting at. The Deputies will still believe that it will become a big, unjust tax and they will run a big campaign and big protests around it. The point is: Parliament and decision-makers...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (24 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: Yes, the Deputies will.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (24 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: They will do everything they possibly can to resist what this Government, including the Green Party, has proposed in different iterations. For example, on the Oireachtas committee in the previous Dáil, a majority of parties decided on a course of action to try for a reduction. That involved a carbon tax and to utilise that money to protect against fuel poverty and to deal with...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (24 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: As we discovered during our programme for Government discussions, trying to bring levels down by an average of 7% over the next ten years will be very challenging, but we are committed to doing it as a Government. The climate change Bill is a good Bill. It has a whole range of commitments. It establishes a 2050 emissions target. It introduces a system of successive five-year...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (24 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: -----and he will do so in a constructive manner. His main aim is to improve the Bill if people come forward with workable improvements. The Bill in itself is a major advance on what we have had and is something that commends itself to the House. He is open to amendments, of course, given the detailed examination that has taken place. In the House, Members may come forward on that. In...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Functions (24 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: I thank Deputy Nash for his acknowledgment of my championing of Dáil reform in the previous Dáil, which is true. We brought in many reforms after the 2016 general election. They were significant and they were advances on anything that went before. The Minister for Justice is willing to come into the House. She offered to come in next Tuesday and was turned down by the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Functions (24 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Boyd Barrett makes the point about having only six and a half minutes but I could equally refer to the perspective of others. The three parties that make up the Government have well over 80 Members in total. It seems to be the position of Deputy Boyd Barrett and some others in the House that backbenchers and Members from the larger parties should be shut up forever and never get an...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Functions (24 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: On Deputy McDonald's point on remote learning, I do not adopt a dismissive attitude to issues of that kind and I regret the Deputy using that phrase, which is not fair or correct. The Deputy raises a lot of issues with me and I have answered them fairly. I do not dismiss them. It is a serious issue for the Minister for Education and her Department. I have approached them on the issue....

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Functions (24 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: That is in relation to Dáil reform. I will check and get further clarity on that for the Deputy. The parliamentary liaison unit is headed up by a principal officer in my Department. It is a fairly small unit. I think there are about three members. On the commitments that have been made in relation to Oireachtas reform, the unit works with the Oireachtas and officials here on...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (24 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 to 11, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on the environment and climate change last met on 9 November 2020 and is scheduled to meet again on 7 December 2020. The members of the committee are the Taoiseach; the Tånaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Employment and Trade; the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications; the Minister...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Future of Media Commission (24 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: Through the Chair, I am saying that as a general observation. We can campaign all we like. I believe our national broadcaster needs sustainability and support. It needs reform and it needs to change. Fundamentally, given what has happened in other countries and states, we need to be mindful and careful of the degree to which democracy can be undermined by a plethora of platforms that seek...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Future of Media Commission (24 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: Which?

Ceisteanna - Questions: Future of Media Commission (24 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: I do not understand. I am making a general point in answering. I was asked questions on the idea of the universal charge. It has been around for a long time. It is not a new concept. An all-party Oireachtas committee supported it in the past. It is my understanding that the committee, either by majority or unanimity, supported the idea of a universal charge. Anyway, it is up to the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Future of Media Commission (24 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: No, I did not. I made a political point.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Future of Media Commission (24 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: As I said, the commission is broad in its membership and I believe it will deal with the core issues that are necessary, especially in terms of public service broadcasting. Then it will deal with regional media, local media and the private sector media as well.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Functions (24 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 7, inclusive, together. The parliamentary liaison unit assists Government in its relationship with the Oireachtas. It works with the Office of the Government Chief Whip on issues that arise at the Business Committee and the Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform, including Dáil reform proposals and amendments to Standing Orders. The unit...