Results 19,741-19,760 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy is trying to criticise a colleague of his party in the Executive-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: -----yet his party is part of that Executive.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: It is not on the programme for this session, but the heads are still being prepared.

Dying with Dignity Bill 2020: First Stage (15 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: No.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: Again, the operation of the testing system in terms of locations and centres is organised by the HSE. I will communicate the Deputies’ representations in respect of their towns and their constituencies. The testing programme has been expanded very significantly over the summer and the number of tests has been significantly ramped up as well, which is not being acknowledged but,...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: First, the 2,000 people were paid for by the Irish taxpayer.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: Sorry. The cross-border directive was something we entered into under the EU. People have availed of it and the taxpayer has refunded them - that is the scheme. The Deputy and his colleagues have put on the buses and have run a great old operation for quite some time. The most important-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: If Britain leaves the EU, Britain leaves the EU. Does the Deputy understand that? Cross-border directives may no longer apply to it. I think that what is more important is that we improve capacity in our own system in terms of cataract-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: No, I did not say that at all. I said we have to increase capacity in the Cork centre, which is the biggest in Munster in terms of cataracts and many other procedures. We should be doing it in Dublin and across the country. We should actually be sparing people the necessity to travel long distances for cataract operations.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: Hold on. This is outrageous. I have told the Deputy but how can there be a cross-border directive in those circumstances? We will deal with that. The Minister, Deputy Donnelly, is taking a different approach to this in terms of making sure that people-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: Hear me out. We have arrangements with Belfast and with Altnagelvin in respect of a whole range of health services. We would like to expand that with the North, and we would like to enter into contracts and procurement with them where necessary to provide treatment, and vice versaas well, given the North wants to avail of health services in the Republic. That is the way we should proceed.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: Yes, I will. Obviously, the winter initiative funding that was announced today is an additional €600 million, with €200 million on top of existing resources to the end of this year and €400 million for the early part of 2021. That is available now to deal with both with the human resources requirements for the hospital system, particularly on the emergency side, and...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: I answered questions last week or the week before on the citizens' assemblies and the timelines for them. One of the big problems we have is that Covid-19 is impacting on the capacity to do citizens' assemblies. We have one at the moment on gender but it has been limited to one or two online engagements, and we are limited in terms of what we can do. I will revert back to the Deputy in...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: Did I hear the Deputy correctly? Did he say the minister granted permission-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: -----or did it go through the planning process in the North?

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: Is the Deputy's party not a member of that Executive?

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs, Deputy Thomas Byrne, spoke with his Greek counterpart on 9 September, immediately after the fire and offered Ireland's full solidarity and support. The Greek Government has requested assistance from its European partners in dealing with the immediate humanitarian need. Without...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: Four.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: Sometimes proposals are presented as if they are simple to do but the idea of increasing social insurance contributions from all employers in order to cover the failings of some raises its own questions. There is also the issue of retrospection in terms of how one could apply any funding that would be raised in the future on foot of legislation passed here. These issues are being examined...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Sep 2020)

Micheál Martin: We can cherry pick and pit one activity against another-----