Results 19,161-19,180 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: -----to the inquiries, I spoke to the survivors. The Deputy should speak to the survivors, who will tell her how honestly I engaged with them.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: With all due respect, I do not take lectures from anybody on that issue.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: I went beyond what most people wanted done at that time and did it-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: -----in the interests of the survivors of industrial schools. I put a historian into the Department of Education at the time to go through all of the archives and to make them available to survivors in regard to their personal records. Some of them only saw them for the first time when they went to Athlone to the Department of Education and Science.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: We are not going to seal these records either. That is not the agenda. Let us not try to undermine the good faith of people involved. The Minister is not trying to do that. Deputy Cairns knows there is an issue. The issue is if he does not act the records disappear for all time. That is his problem.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: That is the issue.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: The more fundamental issue is what one does with the records and how one releases them. The Deputy knows-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: I have no agenda to try to suppress records. Please do not suggest that.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: May I-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: On a point of order, there has been a constitutional issue about access to records for a long time that predates this issue. People who are long-time Members of this House know that. The previous Minister for Children and Youth Affairs did not resolve it. There are two steps. We need to preserve the records in the first instance and ensure they do not get into jeopardy or get lost. That...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: I am for that.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: I am asking the House to not try to undermine people's bona fides. I am not trying to seal anything. I have no interest in sealing any of the records.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: I deal with people just as the Deputy does. I deal with people who want access to these records.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy should stop taking the high moral ground and saying that others on this side of the House, because we are in government trying to do the right thing, are somehow trying to undermine people's access.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: On the lockdown, the measures are very clear in terms of what is essential and non-essential work. That will apply. The Garda, as in the case of the previous lockdown and under the level 3 restrictions, has operational discretion but the situation is clear. We have allowed construction and manufacturing work to continue and there is a list of exemptions. I am not, on foot of every...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: I am very well aware of the situation and I thank the Deputy for raising it. The Minister is very possessed with the issue. Discussions took place recently between the Departments of Employment Affairs and Social Protection and Public Expenditure and Reform, which has a key role in this matter as well given concerns previously that there may be knock-on implications arising out a mechanism...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: I spoke on this matter in the House last week. The issues with the Bill are very clear. It is for the preservation, in the first instance, of the records and the necessity to do that before the end of this month. The bona fides of the Minister in this should not be questioned. He wants to do the right thing by those most affected as well and-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: -----this will be followed by further legislation. He is willing to engage with Members of the Opposition on the issues.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: If the Deputy is agreeable to a Business Committee meeting-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2020)

Micheál Martin: No, I cannot. I do not want to do that. I am not going to dictate to the Business Committee.