Results 19,281-19,300 of 50,453 for speaker:Micheál Martin

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: My view is that we should utilise non-governmental organisations in the mental health area and in the addiction services area. Over the past number of years, when I was actively pursuing mental health issues, one of the difficulties was in recruiting psychiatrists and psychologists to various mental health teams throughout the country. I pressed various Ministers to try to work with...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I will ask the Minister for Health to pursue that matter. Has the team been in touch with the HSE in respect of this?

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: We will check that out. I do not have the specifics regarding the team but we will pursue that.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: To respond to Deputy Ó Cuív, next week we will bring the Criminal Justice (Mutual Recognition of Decisions on Supervision Measures) Bill 2019 back before the House. I will revert to the Deputy in respect of the publication of the mutual recognition of custodial sentences Bill. I agree with Deputy Haughey's points about the need for greater provision for intervention teams in...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I do not propose to get into detailed calculations now.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: Of course, they always do that but I am not going to jump in now with specifics.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: So do we. There were three key elements for us, the Common Agricultural Policy, which we have protected; a special Brexit reserve fund of €5 billion to be used-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: That fund is important to farming.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: Farming will be one of the areas affected.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I apologise.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: There are two issues. The Government will decide on that this evening. I have said from the outset that we have postponed this. The publication of a green list was articulated some time ago. In terms of the challenges of living with Covid-19 and getting the balance right, the Government will decide on the matter.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Government will decide. In terms of testing, on other occasions Deputy Kelly will advocate adherence to the advice of NPHET, public health and so on. It is not in favour of a systemic testing regime at airports. It believes it could do more damage than good. We might have different views on the matter but ultimately Government has to decide. From a lay person's perspective it might...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: It also would have a huge impact on testing and contract tracing operations.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: The question is whether it is better to have contact tracing and testing deployed elsewhere, which we are doing at the moment.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Minister has announced that there will be an extension but equally there is a need for primary legislation to deal with this issue. The existing legislative base is not solid and could be open to attack and challenges subsequently. We have to get this right. The new law will prevent the eviction of tenants unable to pay their rent due to the impact of Covid-19. It protects them on a...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: The promised legislation protects renters. That is the purpose of it. It will do so far more effectively over the long term than the current statutory instrument. We are not caving into anybody. We do not want to go into the courts and lose. The advice is clear. The current statutory instrument is not legally sustainable.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Government has to act legally. Governments cannot act illegally. It is easy for the Deputy and other Opposition Deputies to proclaim that we should act illegally. Governments cannot act illegally because if we do so, we expose workers in terms of the compensation that would have to be paid, rights and so on. We do not want that. We want to protect renters. We want to protect people...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: -----a stronger primary legislative foundation to do that. That is the objective.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Minister with responsibility for housing is committed to the provision of affordable homes over the lifetime of this Government, to extending the serviced sites fund and to providing seed capital to local authorities to provide serviced sites at cost in towns and villages to allow individual families to build homes. In that context, I will ask the Minister to engage with the Deputy on...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: That point is very well made in terms of stimulating the domestic tourism industry and encouraging it through various mechanisms that are under consideration by the Cabinet sub-committee and the Cabinet. We need to develop incentives and mechanisms to encourage people to spend on bed and breakfasts and to take a weekend away in Ireland over the next number of months because, as we know,...