Results 19,041-19,060 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: There are two dimensions to the points raised by the Deputy, which I thank her for raising. The first relates to the overall issue of connectivity in rural Ireland and the roll-out of the national broadband contract. It is no longer a plan. The contract was signed with National Broadband Ireland, NBI, in November last year and a copy of the contract between the Government and NBI was...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: I accept Deputy Naughten's point about the need for research to inform future actions. With regard to the tools and what is being done in Europe, in many ways we have been ahead of what many European countries have been doing in dealing with the second wave. When I met with EU Heads of State and other Prime Ministers, what they were calling lockdown was our level 3, which was the closure of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for his constructive raising of this issue and his questions. I accept fully his broad thesis regarding the need for Irish-specific research. I read the article to which Deputy Naughten referred regarding Dr. Paddy Mallon. I think it was in the Sunday Independenton Sunday, and concerned the need to do some more work on the specific data emanating from Irish sources....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: I answered the question on the Tánaiste, who made it very clear to me and the leader of the Green Party, Deputy Eamon Ryan, that he did not do something like this before or since. We take it from this that this applies to his advisers as well. He did not authorise any other type of action like this one relating to the GP contract. I was not a member of the previous Government. It...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: That seems to be the implication - were to take upon themselves the obligation to start sanctioning members of previous governments for decisions they took. The decisions taken by any government must be accountable to the people in a subsequent election, and indeed that is the way it works. That is a general point I have to make.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: Has the Deputy asserted criminality?

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy seems to be asking me whether-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: -----there was, in my opinion, criminality.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: I want to know what the Deputy is saying. She needs to make up her mind.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: She needs to call it out and stop trying to be a bit-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: I have asked the Tánaiste that question and the answer was "No" and that he had not done something like this before or since. As far as I am concerned, the most important thing when something like this emerges is that there is full accountability to the House. That was my main concern on Saturday. To be fair to the Tánaiste, he had no issue whatsoever with coming before the House...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: She was anxious that all correspondence would be published. This is the letter I received from the Secretary General this morning. It is the only letter and I felt obliged to bring it in because I know the Deputy was very concerned about what she perceives to be numerous pieces of correspondence in my Department on this issue. I have to inform her, from a preliminary examination of this...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: Yes.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: First of all, the Tánaiste rang me on Saturday morning on this issue when the article had been published by Villagemagazine. On the issue around when he first found out, obviously there was a Cabinet meeting, as I said, which approved this matter. The Tánaiste is going to address all those issues but my understanding is that he would have got the document from the Department of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: I know I am, but I am not responsible for what the previous Government did, either from a policy perspective or in any other areas. I want to be clear about that. We formed a new Government to deal with the essential issues facing this country, namely, Covid-19, the economy, keeping our schools open, investing at record levels in health services and dealing with climate change. That is...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: I have made it very clear that what the Tánaiste did on the GP contract when he was Taoiseach in the last Government was not best practice. It was inappropriate and the wrong way to do things. I have said that and the Tánaiste has acknowledged that and has agreed to come to the House to address the issue and answer any questions that Members have on it. The GP contract was a...

Cancer Screening: Statements (3 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: Late on Friday evening I was contacted by Mr. Damien Carrick. He wanted to talk to me about the terrible experience of his wife, Patricia, and his family. I want to share it with the House. In 1994, almost 30 years ago, Patricia and Damien Carrick were married. They started a life together in Galway, where over the following years they had four children. They made a home for those...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Commission on the Future of Policing (3 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: In September 2018, the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland (CoFPI) 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 our Futureas the Plan to implement the CoFPI Report. The Plan was...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: Further consideration is being given to making the information in theResilience and Recovery 2020-2021, Plan for Living with COVID-19 available in other accessible formats and my Department is consulting with the National Disability Authority on the matter. The HSE has partnered with NCBI to produce audio, braille and Large Print versions of public health information. The partnership includes...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Nov 2020)

Micheál Martin: Further consideration is being given to making the information in theResilience and Recovery 2020-2021, Plan for Living with COVID-19 available in other accessible formats and my Department is consulting with the National Disability Authority on the matter. The HSE has partnered with NCBI to produce audio, braille and Large Print versions of public health information. The partnership includes...