Results 19,381-19,400 of 50,453 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: That is the position.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputies for raising what is an important issue for the farming community. I do not think that legislation will be dealt with this month, so it will fall to the autumn session. I have, however, asked the Ministers to prioritise this matter and it is in the programme for Government. The Deputies are correct, however, that people have been waiting for some time. There have been...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I will make two points on this issue. I do not believe so but I do not know the man at all. The attacks on the Minister for children were completely outrageous and unacceptable. It was the kind of online hate campaign that we should really be very strongly against. We have good centre ground in this country that really resents the online vile hatred that is directed against people in an...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: No. My experience regarding the development of the relationships and sexuality education, RSE, programme is that the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, will have an input, as well as expertise from psychologists etc.. It is a much more rounded formulation and development for children, obviously age appropriate and with different programs at different levels. Much work...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: It is based on core human values of respect, consent, self-esteem and self-respect. People have misguided views regarding what sex education is about and what sexuality and relationship education is about and we need to keep this in perspective. Frankly, I would have thought the last place for that to be deliberated upon is on social media.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I recall the Deputy raising this issue last week and I did move to try to bring this matter to a conclusion. That is why on Friday the Minister for Health signed the regulations regarding the wearing of masks on public transport. I did that notwithstanding the tensions. These things can be delayed indefinitely because of people wanting to know who is going to do everything, specifically...

Nomination of Member of Government: Motion (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Chambers assumes the position Deputy Calleary held.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: There was no Covid-19 during the general election and the assertions made then bore no relationship to what subsequently happened. The eviction ban and freeze on rent increases was grounded in the emergency public health legislation arising out of Covid-19. There are issues around that but the Government is examining them. We are conscious that it has helped public health by preventing...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for his question. As an overall policy position, I am establishing a new social dialogue unit within my Department and I would like to explore the issues to which the Deputy has referred such as collective bargaining and so on with the various stakeholders in that regard. I will check with the Tánaiste about receipt of the Low Pay Commission report. The position...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: First, I did participate in a Zoom meeting with Debenhams workers, and the Deputy should know that. Of course, I will meet a delegation of the workers. There is no difficulty whatsoever. I have communicated with workers in my constituency in that regard. The difficulty I have is that in situations such as this I am very reluctant to create false expectations and false hopes for people who...

Nomination of Member of Government: Motion (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the nomination by the Taoiseach of Deputy Dara Calleary for appointment by the President to be a member of the Government. Pursuant to section 4(1) of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1946, I propose to assign him to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. In his short time as Government Chief Whip, the Minister of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: On the travel issue, the decision in terms of the green list will be taken next Monday but along with that will be issues pertaining to stronger defences and a stronger presence at airports, and further issues to which the Deputy has alluded will be examined.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I accept the Deputy's well-articulated concerns and she is correct that people are very concerned about the fact there is travelling from what we might call hot spot areas or areas that, to me, appear to be out of control with regard to the virus. I accept the Deputy's point on this. Since the start of the pandemic, travel has never been banned. The Deputy's point about follow-up is...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: -----in terms of the other areas the Deputy has highlighted.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: On the Deputy's opening statement on Apple getting sorted and so on, Apple did not get sorted. Apple is also about workers. Apple has been in Ireland since 1980 and the court decision is that there was no state aid to Apple. This is the essential point that the court decided. Apple now employs 6,000 people throughout the country. This is important. There has been an ongoing view from...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: Again, I have to be very clear. I made it very clear in my speech to the House yesterday evening, and again today and also to Deputy Cowen on Monday evening and yesterday morning, that he had an obligation to speak to the House to clarify issues that had emerged. Particularly since I saw the PULSE file itself, I felt he should because there was a demand that he come-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I am sorry, but this is an issue of grave public controversy.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I asked Deputy Cowen to share his personal data with me. To be fair to him, he did so in the end. I felt I needed that because I am here now accounting to the House. One moment it is being said that I know everything without seeing any PULSE file, the next moment when I do seek access to the PULSE file that is something that is terribly wrong as well. That is not fair or balanced. It is...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: I cannot be definitive about that. My understanding is that it is a PULSE file, but I do not know. I was given information. From my understanding, it is a PULSE file.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2020)

Micheál Martin: The provenance of it is this: it relates to the drink-driving incident and it relates to two other issues, one of which is a speeding fine, which the Deputy knows about because it was published in the newspaper. Deputy Cowen was in a situation where people had more information about what was on his file than he himself might have had-----