Results 19,021-19,040 of 50,353 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (29 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: Cahir is a beautiful, picturesque town with a wonderful streetscape. Since the opening of the motorway, we do not get through it as often as we would like.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (29 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I know that. The stimulus programme provides some funding for the reopening of heritage sites. We should explore whether that can be availed of to enable the Deputy's proposals to come through.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (29 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I will talk to the Minister responsible about the OPW because some Deputies have raised these issues with me in respect of sites across the country.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (29 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I apologise to the Deputy for not getting back to her on it. As she knows, approximately 35 patients with spinal muscular atrophy, SMA, aged 18 or under are deemed clinically eligible for treatment with Spinraza. To date, 34 patients have been approved by the HSE for use of Spinraza. The HSE has confirmed that a new patient commenced treatment on Spinraza last week, bringing the total...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (29 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: We need to be honest here. There is a fundamental issue in the travel debate and the implications for the aviation industry. I take the Deputies' point that the Government is there to support all sectors of the economy, including aviation. However, the aviation task force had no public health representative or anyone giving a public health perspective on it, which I think was a mistake. ...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (29 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: They are really. Last week it was all attacking over green lists and everything else and this week it is different. I take the Deputy's point. People need to come to a position on this. The fundamental problem with the aviation and hospitality sectors is that travel has collapsed, understandably because of Covid-19. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is, of course, concerned...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (29 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: To be fair, I gave a clear answer today to Deputies Kelly and Shortall regarding that cut not going ahead. It is not going ahead. As Deputy McDonald knows well because she heard it, the business case relates to the Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business and what it takes for each individual service provider to be in a position to reopen the services for those who badly need them. I...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (29 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: First, this communication happened before I became Taoiseach. The Secretary General of the Department of Justice and Equality received a query from the Secretary to the Government on Sunday, 28 June as to whether it was appropriate, on security grounds, for the Minister, Deputy Coveney, to retain his Garda driver. The security assessment is that it is important.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (29 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: No, the security assessment from the Garda to the Department of Justice and Equality is that it the Minister should retain a Garda car on security grounds. I am not getting involved in any security appraisal.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (29 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Kelly knows that. The Government did not take a decision on it.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (29 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: No, he is not driving without permission. It does not require a Government decision.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (29 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I will. The Deputy makes a fair point. Maternity and paternity leave should be provided as it is in other jurisdictions. Politics should not be an exemption in that regard so I will follow that up and keep in touch with Deputy Cairns on it.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (29 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy again for raising this important issue. In my view, the workers have been treated badly. I will meet worker representatives tomorrow and I will engage again with the Tánaiste on the matter. He spoke to me last week about his meeting with the workers and their union representatives. I have not had an update since but the Tánaiste was pursuing certain lines of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: There is a Minister of State. As the Deputy is aware, it is a new Department. It is located in the Department of Health right now and that whole area governing disability will move to the new Department with responsibility for children, youth affairs and disability.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy does not want to hear the fact that the pandemic unemployment payment has been a very substantial and effective intervention in our economy. He cannot bring himself to say that. He cannot bring himself to say that the wage subsidy scheme was a very effective intervention and that the continuation of both schemes to the end of March represents a substantial policy response to...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy has said he thinks people should not travel at all, and I hear what he is saying. The Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection has made the situation clear in respect of people travelling back to Ireland from countries that are on the green list. They do not necessarily have to restrict their movements when they return to Ireland from a green list country, as per...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I agree with the Deputy. I met the Minister for Health and his Secretary General yesterday evening in the aftermath of a Cabinet sub-committee meeting about health generally.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I did; that is the point. I asked for a proper response including a timeline for when services will be restored. Some 19,000 people are affected by this issue and they deserve the restoration of services, as the Deputy said, in the same way as children deserve the reopening of schools and so on. I will keep on top of this until I get satisfactory responses. I do not think the necessary...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I can confirm that the efficiency saving will not be applied. This is not about the 1% saving that the cut would represent. The funding to health services as a result of the pandemic is now multiples of that provided in the original health Estimate. Additional billions in funding will be going to health services in general. That cut will not be applied. More importantly, there must be...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I earlier referenced the meeting we had yesterday evening, which involved a lot of Ministers. This issue was discussed at that meeting and in its aftermath. I am making our position clear to the Deputy. She has asked a question and I am giving her the answer.