Results 1-20 of 11,445 for at speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy. I fundamentally agree. We have all been shocked by the recent loss of life on our roads and concerned by the worrying increase in road fatalities after many years of progress in making our roads safer. I have always given great credit to the former Minister, Noel Dempsey, who took on a lot of opposition in the House when he brought in some fundamental measures...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Department is working on this. As the Deputy said, the key recommendation of Judge Dr. Geoffrey Shannon's independent review report on the handling of past complaints of abuse in St. John Ambulance was the appointment of a national safeguarding officer by the St. John Ambulance Ireland organisation. The national safeguarding lead is to work with the organisation for an agreed, specified...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: I do not know what the broader view in Clonmel is on that so I will not comment specifically on it. On the borough council - and I do not want to be mischievous as the Ceann Comhairle is looking at me very sharply - I think it was a Labour Party policy at the time-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: It was Deputy Howlin at the time when he was the Minister-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: ...social protection payments as well as an increase in the bank levy to €200 million. It also provided for a mortgage interest relief measure to help some borrowers with the increase in interest rates. That took place. It did not cover every situation but it has provided some relief and the Minister for Finance was very anxious to bring it in. I also welcome the announcement...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: I thank Deputy Ó Ríordáin. I know of his long-term commitment to this area. I have looked at the north-east area where there is a multidisciplinary team of psychologists, occupational therapists, speech and language across ten primary schools.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: I just want to say it because I am passionate about democracy and I do not want people to say we cannot knock on doors. We can. We do need to address it, and collectively the House should look at supports we can provide to public representatives in terms of protection, particularly at their homes.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: I acknowledge the sincerity with which the Deputy has approached this matter. That he comes across situations such as these is evidence of his diligence at constituency level. This is not the first case about which he has articulated concern due to his diligence on the ground. I indicated that a full review of the SNA contract is on the way as part of the SNA workforce development plan....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: It has considerable potential and has grown and expanded significantly over the past two decades. There has been significant investment in the town. I appreciate the Deputy acknowledging the investment in the university hospital. As far back as my time as Minister for Health, we invested significantly in Clonmel University Hospital. There is a challenge here on which we need to...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: A new 50-bed community nursing unit is being built at a cost of €13 million and will be completed this year. There is also a whole range of urban renewal and rural community development funds that are putting money into towns across the length and breadth of the country, including Clonmel. On drug dealing and addiction generally, we have a challenge in the country and not just in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: There is an issue. The most fundamental thing is to create employment opportunities in our economy. Most people want to be at work. The Deputy nodded in affirmation that the hospitality and retail sectors have been on to him. The first people to lose out if costs become unsustainable are those very vulnerable and low-paid workers he was talking about, because it will mean fewer people...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. When I was Minister for Education in 1998, I took a decision and brought a related memorandum to the Cabinet providing for the employment of SNAs for the first time in mainstream schools. It was a watershed decision and I can recall how dubious Department of Finance officials were about my protestations to the effect that the measure...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: There are 550 first-time buyers each week now buying their first home. Mortgage drawdowns by first-time buyers reached a new peak at almost 26,000 in 2023. That is the highest annual level since 2007.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: This Government has actually been supporting workers and we have a very strong record on strengthening and introducing workers' rights. In January 2023, we introduced statutory sick pay entitlement for all workers, which provides a crucial safety net to protect workers who become ill. It again underscores our commitment to the welfare and well-being of our workforce. From 1 January this...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: At dtús báire, ní aontaím leis an Teachta. Níl aon amhras orm ach go bhfuil an straitéis Housing for All i bhfad níos fearr ná aon rud atá foilsithe aige féin nó ag a pháirtí, Sinn Féin. Níl aon amhras dá mba rud é go raibh siad sa Rialtas, go mbeadh an scéal i bhfad níos measa agus go mbeadh...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: We are trying to create sustainability through the future Ireland fund, which Sinn Féin Deputies voted against yesterday. In the infrastructure fund that is part of that, we want to build in capital reserves so we can keep building houses at a sustainable rate into the future. Deputy Doherty told Davy stockbrokers he would support the future Ireland fund, then voted against it in the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: What should the Irish people believe when it comes to Sinn Féin housing policy? Deputy Doherty talks about house prices increasing. I do not like house prices increasing at the rate they are doing.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: Sinn Féin policies would take away the supports we have put in place for first-time buyers that enable them to buy houses at unprecedented rates----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: -----we are talking about pricing and affordability. Sinn Féin policies would undermine the capacity of first-time buyers to buy homes at an affordable price-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Kenny spoke about the militarisation of Europe and that he does not want to be involved in any imperial war. We are not going to be involved in any imperial war. We need a dose of reality in this House. We are not a military power and we are nowhere near being a military power. This is about peacekeeping and the methodology by which we can participate in peacekeeping. At the...