Results 19,121-19,140 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: The only guaranteed way of preventing lockdowns in the future is human behaviour. The virus spreads when people congregate. That is, unfortunately, the truth of this virus. It is very challenging for people generally because we all have to do things we would not normally do. It has upended our lives when it comes to the normal practices of daily life. That is the unfortunate reality of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: I outlined the very significant increase in capacity in testing to put it on the record of the House and it needs to be acknowledged. Things need to be viewed with balance and perspective. I am not happy and I am disappointed that because of the extraordinary demand over the weekend given the level of community transmission we currently have, there is not a test-and-tracing system in the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: I got a text last evening which included The Irish Timesarticle. That was when I first knew. I was not informed of the operational measure the HSE undertook in response to the extraordinary demands it was under over the weekend with community tracing. The HSE has reconfigured the call structure to deal with 1,500 positive cases per day this week. All the cases yesterday were dealt with....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: I thank Deputy McDonald for her remarks and for raising this issue. Since the new Government was formed and came into office at the end of June, we have been determined to build up our testing and tracing capacity. That is what has happened. Without question, the contact tracing dimension has come under extreme pressure in recent days, in particular over the weekend. I recall the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: State Legal Services (21 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: Fees paid 2014 – 2020:

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: State Legal Services (21 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: The number of both junior and senior counsel that submitted applications to the Office of the Attorney General to be nominated as counsel for State work in each of the years 2014 to 2019 are detailed below. - 2014: 10 applicants - 9 BL and 1 SC - 2015: 35 applicants - 33 BL and 2 SC - 2016: 34 applicants - 33 BL and 1 SC - 2017: 70 applicants - 65 BL and 5 SC - 2018: 33 applicants - 31 BL...

Post-European Council Meeting on 15 and 16 October: Statements (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: I attended a meeting of the European Council in Brussels on Thursday and Friday last, 15 and 16 October. We discussed a wide range of pressing and strategic issues over the course of two days. Our meeting opened on Thursday with a presentation by the President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli. He set out the Parliament’s thinking on the European Union's seven-year budget...

Ceisteanna – Questions: Programme for Government (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: Yes, if it is possible. The issue in terms of the application of level 5 is clear. Essential work is listed as to what is exempt and what is allowed. What we are discussing here is a very difficult situation. It involves a liquidation. The Government provides ordinary statutory redundancy. The capacity to go over and above this opens up a whole new chapter in terms of how the State will...

Ceisteanna – Questions: Programme for Government (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: I will not, as Taoiseach, start listing what is in and what is out. That is not something I will engage in until the Government makes these decisions.

Ceisteanna – Questions: Programme for Government (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: Non-essential retail is not part of level 5.

Ceisteanna – Questions: Programme for Government (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: I will go and check the full list. The issue here is to try to get this matter resolved. As someone said, after the lockdown, we do not want them back picketing up until Christmas. We do not want people on the streets. Gardaí use their discretion all the time, and have done since the outset of this dispute when the first lockdown was in place. To be fair to the Garda, it will be...

Ceisteanna – Questions: Programme for Government (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: On Deputy McDonald's point about domestic abuse, resourcing will not be an issue in dealing with this, particularly during the lockdown. If there are particular issues she has identified with any specific refuges or centres that need additional funding, the Government will certainly respond. The issue is that the evidence from the first lockdown was that the level of domestic violence did...

Ceisteanna – Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: In terms of mortgages, the Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform will engage with the banks on this issue. On the first occasion, good work was done. That is not acknowledged in this House, of course, but the payment breaks worked effectively.

Ceisteanna – Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: Deputy McDonald knows the reason. It is not that we ended them. Once we came out of lockdown, there was a time limit to it with the European Banking Authority. It did not add to the number of non-performing loans.

Ceisteanna – Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: This scheme did not create difficulties for borrowers either.

Ceisteanna – Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: Indefinite payment breaks forever are not, on their own, the ideal solution either in terms of those who are borrowers or lenders. I refer here not just to mortgages but also personal loans, business loans and so on.

Ceisteanna – Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: I did not interrupt the Deputy. I would appreciate being given the opportunity to answer the questions asked by Deputies in this House.

Ceisteanna – Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: With regard to the ban on evictions issue raised by Deputy Kelly-----

Ceisteanna – Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: -----the bottom line is that there is a constitutional issue as well. Let us not pretend there is not. The ban came in during lockdown because a lockdown restricts movement. It gives a basis to prevent evictions because of the constraint on people's movement and then the danger of becoming homeless if evicted and so on. The Minister, therefore, will bring in legislation that will be...

Ceisteanna – Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: We did not let it slide. The Deputy deliberately misreads the situation. She knows that is not the case.