Results 21-40 of 39,052 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Jul 2022)

Micheál Martin: In response to Deputy Ryan, I did not get the name of the service.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Jul 2022)

Micheál Martin: I will pursue that with the HSE and will contact it in regard to the service. I am not aware of the background to the decision-making there. The “Disability Capacity Review to 2032 - A Review of Social Care Demand and Capacity Requirements to 2032” was published in July 2021.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Jul 2022)

Micheál Martin: No, the disability action plan was also published in July 2021. The framework plan was published alongside the terms of reference for an interdepartmental working group to develop this action plan for submission to the Cabinet sub-committee on social affairs and equality.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (13 Jul 2022)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 8, inclusive, together. On 23 May last, I welcomed a delegation from the US House of Representatives for a meeting at Government Buildings. This was the first visit to Ireland by a US congressional delegation since April 2019, when Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Congressman Richard Neal led a delegation to visit Dublin, London and Northern Ireland. The...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Jul 2022)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. He will be aware of my view that the proposals that emerged in terms of amnesties or qualified amnesties are unacceptable. The Deputy is correct in saying that the views of victims and the families of victims should be uppermost and paramount in any legacy policy or scheme. I do not want to get involved in what is happening in the UK in regard to...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Jul 2022)

Micheál Martin: I stand by the comments that I made yesterday. I met with Jigsaw at the weekend, actually, and had a very good discussion with young people who have used the Jigsaw service and are advocates for it. Of course, there is significant room for continued improvement and enhancement of services. Particularly post-Covid, there has been an increase in anxiety levels and mental well-being issues....

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Jul 2022)

Micheál Martin: I will say this. The Minister of State with responsibility for mental health, Deputy Butler, is working flat out on all of these issues and her diligence cannot be called into question.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Jul 2022)

Micheál Martin: There is a need for a comprehensive review of the needs of the Traveller community. I met recently with members of the Traveller Visibility Group who had particular concerns around a growing crisis in mental health among young Travellers in particular. Across all policies, be it housing, criminal justice, health or education, I believe we need a comprehensive review and to listen and engage...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Jul 2022)

Micheál Martin: I dealt with that in response to Deputy Michael Healy-Rae. Notwithstanding the huge input costs, this year will be a good year for dairy farming, not horrendous, devastating or catastrophic.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Jul 2022)

Micheál Martin: There are concerns.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Jul 2022)

Micheál Martin: Notwithstanding that, and the Minister has taken steps, we need balance in the debate. That is what I am saying. I understand fully the concerns farmers have in respect of emissions ceilings.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Jul 2022)

Micheál Martin: I fully respect those concerns but we are also providing over €1.5 billion in environmental funding to the farming community and we are willing to work with the it. Farmers here are efficient compared to other farming systems across the world.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Jul 2022)

Micheál Martin: We do not yet have agreement or finalisation on the various sectoral emissions across the economy. It is not only one sector but a whole range of sectors on which we must get finalisation of the figures.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Jul 2022)

Micheál Martin: I will engage with the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, in relation to that and revert to the Deputy. He raised a reasonable point.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Jul 2022)

Micheál Martin: As usual, the Deputy's feet are on the ground and she is engaged with the communities across her county. She raised a fair point in terms of cost-of-living issues for service providers, such as BEAM Services and the Cairdeas and Delta centres. In the context of a cost-of-living approach by the Government, we will examine what we can do for the sector. We are aware of the issue of pay...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Jul 2022)

Micheál Martin: -----treatments in Navan and other locations across the north east.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Jul 2022)

Micheál Martin: Core funding is worth up to €221 million to the sector. Obviously there are implications in terms of affordability and so forth. Last year, we allocated very substantial funds specifically for staffing, training and to create career pathways within the early childhood sector. In work under way within the Government legislation committee, GLC, this year the Government has signalled...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Jul 2022)

Micheál Martin: I am aware of the organisation. It is a wonderful service. We have the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind as well, which does wonderful work. That is a long-established centre. I certainly will talk to the HSE regarding the requirements of ChildVision and, in particular, the children they look after.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Jul 2022)

Micheál Martin: To be fair, on any balanced, objective assessment there has been very substantial investment in special needs education in this country over the past 20 years. In particular mainstreaming special needs education started in the late 1990s through the provision of a pupil-teacher ratio for children with autism. That started in 1998. SNA provision was implemented and now has many thousands of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (13 Jul 2022)

Micheál Martin: Whatever summer break I get will be a relatively short one. I am not going anywhere in a hurry due to pressing demands on our time. We can make arrangements to set up that meeting. The Minister of State has put a lot of work and thought into this. We will engage with the HSE as well to get a workable solution that can meet the needs of the community.