Results 18,501-18,520 of 50,453 for speaker:Micheál Martin

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: I also want to make the point that people know, in terms of physical matters, about getting things done in one full day between meeting with NPHET yesterday, and we had a very good, long meeting with NPHET, further discussions, into a Cabinet meeting and communicating with the general public. I have to put on the record this business of excluding Opposition parties. In terms of Laois,...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: I am saying that each time we extended to level 3 we briefed people because we knew TDs, Senators, councillors on the ground and the mayors of each council would be under pressure.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: I have no difficulty at all with having a debate in the House on this but I put it to the House that everybody wants to cram everything into Tuesday and Wednesday. I believe Oral Questions tonight will be at 11 o'clock.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: No. It is not.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: Why? Is it because everybody is here on Tuesday and Wednesday? If we want a serious debate, and let us have a serious debate, we should have it on Friday morning and I will take part in it. What goes on here every week is that the business is agreed by the Business Committee and then every Tuesday, since I have been coming in here, someone stands up and says it is not agreed because he or...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: Those in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment will be in a better position, relatively speaking. Obviously losing a job puts people in a very difficult position. We did not want to increase the number of people losing their jobs this week. That is one of the factors that fed into the Government's decision yesterday not to move to level 5. Quite a number of businesses may not be...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: It will not be possible to raise everybody's payment to €350 per week. There are limits to what the Oireachtas and the State will be in a position to do.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: That is why we have to try to manage the situation in the most fair and sustainable way we possibly can. The implications of the pandemic for people will now go beyond April 2021. Therefore, we also have to spend money on creating jobs and work for people in areas such as construction and other projects, such as retrofitting, where we can create meaningful opportunities for young people in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy is correct to say that we received advice on Thursday and Sunday. A lot has been done in public service and about capacity in acute services since the first lockdown in March. What is increasingly happening is that non-Covid-19 issues are being dealt with. That is why quite a substantial number of ICU beds are being used - they are predominantly being used for non-Covid...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: I apologise to Deputy Michael Healy-Rae if there was any offence. I meant it in good faith.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: It was said to me, by the way, by a clinician. The Deputy may not have realised who was who but that is fine. That is evidence of the degree of energy he applies to the scheme, making sure to inform people who do not know that they can avail of the trip to Belfast.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: Absolutely.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: In any event, the most effective way of dealing with this is to build capacity locally and in the region in order that we do not spend excessive amounts on people having to travel outside of the jurisdiction.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: Does the Deputy understand that Brexit is happening?

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: It is happening on 1 January. Does he understand that EU directives will not apply to Britain from then on? Does he understand that? What does that mean?

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: Through the Chair-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: -----it means that as the European Union directive will no longer apply to Britain, we have to do a separate agreement with Britain in relation to that. The Deputy has not paid for any one of these cataract operations. The taxpayer pays for them. Let us all be clear about that. Anybody in this country is entitled to utilise the directive in any EU member state right now. Some Deputies...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: The State is ensuring that people do not go blind through------

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: The NTPF paid €10 million for ophthalmology procedures in 2018. The Government and the State are not resiling from underpinning this financially. The NTPF is paying about €1,450 per cataract operation. That is outsourced to private hospitals here or in the North. Since I became Taoiseach, I have been anxious that we build up capacity in our own centres in order that people...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for his remarks. I also thank him for the seat on the bus for any constituent of mine. My emphasis, however, is to avoid people having to go on long journeys to get cataract operations. We should be increasing capacity locally. That is what I modestly announced last week. There was no fanfare. I simply said there would be a significant investment going into the South...