Results 101-120 of 2,944 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Our Rural Future Policy: Statements (14 Jun 2023)

Martin Heydon: I am sharing time with Deputy English. I thank the Minister for her leadership, energy and enthusiasm, which are evident in her 15-minute statement. As a Deputy who was first elected to this House in 2011, the greatest charge against me from the Opposition benches, as a rural-based Government backbencher from 2011 to 2016, was that we were seeing the death of rural Ireland. Nobody is...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Homeless Persons Supports (1 Jun 2023)

Martin Heydon: I thank Senator Boyhan for raising this important matter. Regarding his initial comments, I look forward to attending Bloom this afternoon with my ministerial colleagues. It is a great opportunity and great credit is due to Bord Bia, an organisation that we support extensively through our Department. It comes directly under my remit in the Department. Great credit is due to Bord Bia for...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Homeless Persons Supports (1 Jun 2023)

Martin Heydon: Senator Boyhan is absolutely right. The major strength of the strategy is that it is more than the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, with the Department talking to NGOs, coming up with a strategy and talking to those with the lived experience, to those who work in the voluntary sector and to other Government Departments. This goes beyond housing. It deals with health...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Fire Service (1 Jun 2023)

Martin Heydon: I would like to start by thanking Senator Keogan for raising what is a very important issue. It is important we discuss this in advance of any potential action. The provision of a fire service in its functional area, as the Senator will be aware, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Fire Service (1 Jun 2023)

Martin Heydon: The Senator might not have heard my initial response and taken all of it fully on board. The key element is that SIPTU has confirmed it will adhere to the 1992 Act. We have a responsibility not to scaremonger. Public safety will be safeguarded by staff and management at all times. The Senator referenced Blanchardstown. If I were a member of the public looking at this debate, I would...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Fire Service (1 Jun 2023)

Martin Heydon: SIPTU has committed to that, in line with the 1992 Act, and we should not stand up in this House and allude to people that if there is a fire emergency, the fire service will not attend. I will get to my point about the retained fire service. I deal with the retained fire service in Kildare and know how it needs to be treated better. However, let us not scaremonger in the House and try to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Mental Health Services (1 Jun 2023)

Martin Heydon: I thank Senator Lombard. I know this is an issue that is particularly close to his heart which I have heard him raise and articulate on a number of occasions, particularly how much it impacts the Cork and Kerry area, the region he is from. It is timely that we get to discuss this here today and shine a light on it. The programme for government commits to improving all aspects of CAMHS in...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Mental Health Services (1 Jun 2023)

Martin Heydon: The Senator is dead right. It is as serious as it gets. What the Senator outlined is not acceptable in terms of the progress, which is why a number of initiatives across our multifaceted approach are being set up, including the ADHD team I mentioned, which will hopefully take 120 off the waiting list in a six-month period, as well as a number of different initiatives. I appreciate how...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Medicinal Products (1 Jun 2023)

Martin Heydon: I thank Senator Chambers for raising this important issue relating to women's health and for her ongoing work in respect of it. The Minister for Health sends his apologies that he cannot be here. As recommended in the Women's Health Action Plan 2022-2023, launched in March 2022, the Government aims to increase the public supports available to women before, during and after the menopause....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Medicinal Products (1 Jun 2023)

Martin Heydon: The point the Senator makes about the six-month dispensing not happening is practical. That matter is not referenced in the response I have from the Minister for Health. I will bring it back to the officials and Minister to highlight it to them. It is all well and good to talk about the DPS but for those getting it monthly and not passing the €80 limit, it will not have the benefit...

Nature Restoration Law and Irish Agriculture: Statements (31 May 2023)

Martin Heydon: Central government, local authorities and State bodies all have to play their part as well.

Nature Restoration Law and Irish Agriculture: Statements (31 May 2023)

Martin Heydon: Together with those across the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors we have a really positive impact.

Nature Restoration Law and Irish Agriculture: Statements (31 May 2023)

Martin Heydon: It is important too that the right funding mechanism is in place. The Deputy will not shut me down on that one. The CAP cannot be the sole delivery mechanism-----

Nature Restoration Law and Irish Agriculture: Statements (31 May 2023)

Martin Heydon: The Deputy should let me make my point; I did not interrupt him. The CAP cannot be the sole delivery mechanism for all obligations of the proposed regulation and we must fully consider all financial instruments available, including the opportunity to leverage private financial investment. I again acknowledge the clear concerns over the proposed regulation. Our focus here is to...

Nature Restoration Law and Irish Agriculture: Statements (31 May 2023)

Martin Heydon: Before I make my closing points, I acknowledge the confusion here. There is confusion for a very obvious reason, that is, there are currently two proposals in Europe. One of them is with the Council of the European Union, which represents national governments, and the other is with the European Parliament, which the MEPs discuss. They are very different. The Parliament proposal talks...

Nature Restoration Law and Irish Agriculture: Statements (31 May 2023)

Martin Heydon: There are different proposals here.

Nature Restoration Law and Irish Agriculture: Statements (31 May 2023)

Martin Heydon: Some people in this House understand that very clearly, but have not articulated it. These statements are very important. They are an opportunity to set out what Government does to ensure the concerns of rural and coastal communities around the nature restoration law are addressed. This is an emotive area, as we saw today, for those farming on peat-based soils. Thus, it is important we...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 May 2023)

Martin Heydon: I hope that Deputy is happy that it is I who will respond to this point. When he talks about people being part of a narrative, people on that side of the House have been part of a narrative for a long time. They have told farmers something that is not true, namely that the Government somehow wants to take cows off people and force a cull of the national herd. That is not the case. We have...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 May 2023)

Martin Heydon: You are not.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 May 2023)

Martin Heydon: You are not.