Results 141-160 of 299 for 5 million speaker:Micheál Martin

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (27 May 2020)

Micheál Martin: ...concerned about whether we are handling the process of the return of social and economic activity properly. The evidence is that there remains a broad and strong compliance amongst the public when it comes to measures they have been told are essential. Eighty per cent are staying home and few in urban areas are moving more than 5 km from their homes. A serious concern, though, is that...

Financial Resolutions 2019 - Financial Resolution No. 9: General (Resumed) (9 Oct 2019)

Micheál Martin: ...have been prepared. Even the Government's most sycophantic backbenchers have to admit that Ireland was manifestly not ready for Brexit in March, when we came within days of a chaotic Brexit happening. Less than 5% of key Brexit funding had been allocated, staff were not in place and critical facilities were not ready. Since then, vital information and training has been provided and...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Strategic Communications Unit (14 May 2019)

Micheál Martin: ...to this contract. How do brochures get financed and published by the Government in advance of contracts being signed? It reduces the Government's leverage when negotiating contracts. The €5 million spend on this is extraordinary. We are being treated to launch after launch and, unfortunately, very little delivery on a lot of issues.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Staff (5 Feb 2019)

Micheál Martin: Of course, it is; we took €5 million out of the communications unit, which would have put the Taoiseach far ahead of his predecessor. No other predecessor had a €5 million communications unit. Get off the stage.

Brexit: Motion (21 Nov 2018)

Micheál Martin: ...the only independent economic impact assessment commissioned by the Government, the full implementation of the agreement will deliver a loss of between 2.8% and 4.3% of national income. In monetary terms, and using the conservative GNI* measure, the hit to national income will be between €5 billion and €7.7 billion per annum. This is over twice the size of the enormous...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Nov 2018)

Micheál Martin: Over the past number of years, budgets have reduced income tax and the universal social charge, USC, modestly by approximately €300 million per year. To do that and maintain increased spending, there had to be increases in taxes elsewhere. Last year, for example, commercial stamp duty went from 2% to 6%. That yielded approximately €400 million, which paid for the tax...

Financial Resolutions 2019 - Financial Resolution No. 4: General (Resumed) (10 Oct 2018)

Micheál Martin: ...the worst of Fine Gael's instincts, he should consult Deputy Varadkar. The social protection package includes modest improvements and we make no apologies for insisting that a minimum increase of €5 be given to everyone who receives a social protection payment. This has happened for the past three years and helps to partially address the increased cost of living. The first...

Strategic Communications Unit: Motion [Private Members] (20 Mar 2018)

Micheál Martin: ...has been disproven. It has been claimed that the unit is about streamlining Government communications and saving public money. The facts show this is nonsense. When the Taoiseach sought €5 million for this year's budget, the Department of Finance asked that this be subject to other Departments reducing their advertising budgets by this amount to prove the savings. The...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Strategic Communications Unit (7 Feb 2018)

Micheál Martin: ...the Taoiseach deny knowledge of something he had already discussed in detail and why was he so eager to distance himself from a unit he established, the head of which he chooses and for which he got €5 million to spend? The Taoiseach likes to present an image of candour during questions in the Dáil but this shows a very different approach. I remind him that he and the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Priorities (6 Feb 2018)

Micheál Martin: .... Only when this is done can there be any idea about the implications for Ireland and other countries. In terms of the Taoiseach's departmental priorities, clearly propaganda will be a core priority with €5 million being spent on priorities decided by the Taoiseach before any public consultation was launched. When this was last discussed, the Taoiseach laughed at the idea that...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Economic Policy (23 Jan 2018)

Micheál Martin: ...of an advertising campaign led by the Taoiseach's staff. It is fair to say the expertise within the Taoiseach's Department has focused largely on recruiting communications staff and allocating €5 million towards marketing and communications advice he requires. I am aware that Ministers have been ringing around telling people to get their plans together so they can be submitted to...

Leaders' Questions (12 Dec 2017)

Micheál Martin: The orchestras are being caught up in the RTÉ financial challenges. The allocation to the orchestras from the licence fee revenue is around 7% or 7.5%. I do not want the Taoiseach's analysis, I only want a commitment to intervene on the matter to see if something can be done. Something can be done. Look at the Creative Ireland budget. We have asked several parliamentary questions...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Administrative Arrangements (6 Dec 2017)

Micheál Martin: ...life and accountability by the Government to the people. That is what having an independent media is all about. The use of taxpayers' money and the ramping up of the SCU from nothing to 11 staff and €5 million outstrip the extra allocations of staff for Enterprise Ireland to deal with Brexit in the early months. That is the general point I am making.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Policy Functions (29 Nov 2017)

Micheál Martin: My point is that there is a sense that the real function of the communications unit and the €5 million of taxpayers' money is to promote the Government and the Ministers, not the hospital. I genuinely believe there is a danger in how this grows and evolves. If a hospital is a self-contained entity in its work it is difficult to comprehend why its communications agenda is located...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Strategic Communications Unit (28 Nov 2017)

Micheál Martin: .... What is extraordinary about the unit is it has undertaken research on what it should do, but it has already decided on what it will do. Will the Taoiseach explain how it was decided to spend €5 million on marketing to promote a select series of initiatives before any work was undertaken to get feedback from the public on what it would like to receive information on? The...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Strategic Communications Unit (17 Oct 2017)

Micheál Martin: 91. To ask the Taoiseach his plans for the €5 million announced in budget 2018 for the strategic communications unit; and the number of additional staff he plans to recruit in addition to the six who are working there. [43665/17]

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Strategic Communications Unit (17 Oct 2017)

Micheál Martin: 92. To ask the Taoiseach the element that is current and capital in the €5 million announced for the strategic communications unit in his Department in budget 2018. [43666/17]

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Strategic Communications Unit (17 Oct 2017)

Micheál Martin: 93. To ask the Taoiseach the way in which the strategic communications unit can be cost neutral and save money for his Department as outlined previously and receive €5 million. [43667/17]

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Strategic Communications Unit (17 Oct 2017)

Micheál Martin: 96. To ask the Taoiseach the locations and the way in which he and his officials plan to spend the €5 million allocated in budget 2018 for the strategic communications unit. [43860/17]

Leaders' Questions (11 Oct 2017)

Micheál Martin: There was some surprise on the announcement of the budget yesterday at the allocation of €5 million for the new strategic communications unit. It is not an insignificant sum of money when contrasted with for €3 million for DEIS schools and €2.5 million for the Irish language as well as other needy causes I could mention which required some extra allocation. In reply to...