Results 41-60 of 39,052 for speaker:Micheál Martin

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

Micheál Martin: The Government is finalising regulations relating to measures to enhance air quality. The Deputy did not mention air quality in his presentation. Does he have any-----

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

Micheál Martin: I know that but the Deputy cannot be just defending the coal industry all the time because that is what goes to the-----

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

Micheál Martin: The issue in terms of these regulations is smoky coal, which is killing people. That is the big picture.

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

Micheál Martin: The Deputy's party just keeps ducking and diving. He refuses to accept responsibility, which he should, as a legislator, in respect of the need to protect people. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is one of the biggest killers in Ireland. The town of Enniscorthy had air quality measures similar to those of New Delhi in the middle of winter because of smoky coal. That is the real...

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

Micheál Martin: In respect of turf, representatives of my party and others have made very sensible ideas and suggestions and those will be reflected in the regulations in the context of the traditional turbary rights of bog owners being protected.

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

Micheál Martin: Yes.

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

Micheál Martin: The setting of such levels is extremely challenging. The Deputy heard the remarks of the previous speaker. She and I are at one on the climate crisis. I am not sure that is true of those seated to her left in the House because all I get from them are reasons we should keep delaying doing anything. It is urgent. We are very late to the table. In a global sense, climate change is...

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

Micheál Martin: Yes. The Government has demonstrated that it is up for the challenge. In the two years it has been in office, it has done very significant work-----

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

Micheál Martin: -----in terms of legislation, the funding allocated to active travel and rewetting our bogs. There are huge resources going into biodiversity now, contrary to what was happening before, in terms of the National Parks and Wildlife Service being established as an agency by the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan. There is significant work going on across the board, including the agri-climate...

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

Micheál Martin: -----and calculations because these ceilings have serious implications for every sector. It is not like switching on and off a light.

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

Micheál Martin: I will get a more detailed reply from the HSE on the issue of the procurement of PPE. It is important to point out that, in the midst of a pandemic, actions were taken on a set of principles and making sure that we would have a sufficiency of supply of PPE.

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

Micheál Martin: I will get a more detailed response from the HSE on the matter.

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

Micheál Martin: I have long enough experience in health to know that different consultants can produce different perspectives.

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

Micheál Martin: The Deputy asked a question; I am trying to make a point in reply. As he will be aware, other consultants were arguing very strongly for actions in respect of Navan and they argued differently from the consultants to whom the Deputy has spoken. That is fair enough. That is the way the world works. There is no one uniform view in respect to the configuration of services from the medical...

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

Micheál Martin: The Deputy means "wagging".

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

Micheál Martin: We are only two years in government. We inherited a massive backlog. Why? Be honest and tell the truth now and again and stop the political nonsense. There were individuals out in society that objected to every planning application on forestry, including felling, planting and harvesting. The Deputy knows that as well as I know that. He should not be trying to blame Government or...

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

Micheál Martin: First, I want to thank the Deputy for raising this issue. He has been consistently raising this issue for quite some time along with Deputy Cahill, who has been very persistent on it. We are aware of the depth of feeling among the people in Roscrea associated with the Dean Maxwell Community Nursing Unit. The Deputy gave the background to the decision making that led to where we are. It...

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

Micheál Martin: Many of these amendments are not offensive and are quite pragmatic. We should always work to streamline our planning system and make it more efficient. Most people are saying it takes too long to get anything through the planning system. Judicial reviews need streamlining. That does not stop anybody having the right to go to judicial review. We need to examine the system because...

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

Micheál Martin: The Deputy is the first person in the House to ask why this and that have not been done. Any State agency asked about the vital infrastructure that is needed in the country will say planning delays are the most significant ones. It can take two or three years. In maritime area planning, it will take eight to ten years to get an offshore wind energy project done. That is too long....

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

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue and accept the sincerity of the case he is making in respect of the climate action plan and the need to reduce emission ceilings. I think the Deputy agrees there is an overall need to create emission ceilings and to reduce emissions in all sectors of the economy, including agriculture. It is important the Irish Government supports the Irish...